Diamonds on Wheels

Diamonds on Wheels is a 1973 British family comedy film directed by Jerome Courtland and starring Peter Firth, Patrick Allen, George Sewell, Derek Newark, George Woodbridge and Barry Jackson.^[1] It was written by Pierre Castex and William R. Yates.

Diamonds on Wheels
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jerome Courtland
Written by	Pierre Castex William R. Yates
Produced by	Ron Miller
Starring	Peter Firth Patrick Allen George Sewell Barry Jackson
Music by	Ron Goodwin
Production company	Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by	Buena Vista Distribution Co.
Release date	28 December 1973 (1973-12-28)
Running time	84 min
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Plot

Diamond thief Billy double-crosses his gang and drives off with the proceeds of a robbery but is killed when his car crashes. Subsequently Robert Stewart, his sister Susan and his friend Charlie find the wrecked car and use one its seats for a new sports car they are building, unaware of the stolen diamonds hidden in its lining. They enter the car in a 24-hour rally and Mercer, the gang's leader, sends his henchmen to retrieve the diamonds from the car.

Cast

• Peter Firth as Robert "Bobby" Stewart
• Patrick Allen as Insp. Cook
• George Sewell as Henry Stewart
• Derek Newark as Mercer
• Dudley Sutton as Finch
• Barry Jackson as Wheeler
• Christopher Malcolm as Jock
• Richard Wattis as Sir Hilary Stanton
• Allan Cuthbertson as Gus Ashley
• Ambrosine Phillpotts as Lady Truesdale
• Maggie Hanley as Mrs. Maggie Stewart
• George Innes as Insp. Timothy
• George Woodbridge as PC Andrew
• Patrick Holt as steward
• Andrew McCulloch as Billy
• Arthur Hewlett as Benjy
• Patrick McAlliney as junkman
• Mark Edwards as Whiteman
• John Savident as steward
• Robin Langford as Peter Pitt
• Spencer Banks as Charlie Todd
• Cynthia Lund as Susan Stewart

This was George Woodbridge's last film and it was released 21 days before his death.

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Disney's first British production for some considerable time (efficiently directed by Forties matinee idol Jerome Courtland) fares well enough as a children's thriller, while the rally itself provides the setting for multiple ambushes and some diverting riddles. Unfortunately, the film runs out of steam once it leaves the racetrack, and the long slapstick sequence in the warehouse brings everything to a rather tired and arbitrary conclusion, making very scrappy use of the possibilities of the location. There is, however, plenty of amusement to be had from the performance of Dudley Sutton, playing Peter Lorre to Barry Jackson's Raymond Massey in a partnership strongly reminiscent of Arsenic and Old Lace."^[2]