Compelled

1960 British film by Ramsey Herrington

Compelled is a 1960 British second feature ('B')^[1] neo noir black and white crime film directed by Ramsey Herrington and starring Ronald Howard and Beth Rogan.^[2][3][4] It was written by Mark Grantham and produced by the Danziger Brothers.

Plot

Ex-con Paul Adams is an engineer blackmailed into assisting with a jewel theft. Unknown to his wife, he becomes involved in the building of a tunnel from a bookshop to a jeweller's shop.

Cast

• Ronald Howard as Paul Adams
• Beth Rogan as Carol
• John Gabriel as Fenton
• Richard Shaw as Jug
• Jack Melford as Grimes
• Mark Singleton as Derek
• Colin Tapley as Inspector
• Stella Bonheur as Mrs Mills
• Wilfred Grantham as customer
• Garard Green as reporter
• John Stuart as book man
• Totti Truman Taylor as lady

Production

It was one of only two films directed by Herrington, the other being The Nudist Story (1960), also produced by the Danzigers.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Routine Danzigers crime contribution, lacking in both excitement and conviction."^[5]

Chibnall and McFarlane in The British 'B' Film called the film: "notably under-nourished in motivation and characterisation."^[1]

TV Guide wrote: "there's nothing special about this British programmer".^[6]

Britmovie called the film an "unexceptional second-feature crime drama."^[7]

References

1. Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
2. "Compelled". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
3. Compelled at BFI
4. "Compelled". Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
5. "Compelled". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 28 (324): 23. 1 January 1961 – via ProQuest.
6. "Compelled". TV Guide.
7. "Compelled". Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.

External links

• Compelled at IMDb