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poster of The Long Arm
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Rating: 7/10 by 17 users

The Long Arm (1956)

Scotland Yard detectives attempt to solve a spate of safe robberies across England beginning with clues found at the latest burglary in London. The film is notable for using a police procedural style made popular by Ealing in their 1950 film The Blue Lamp. It is known in the US as The Third Key.

Directing:
  • Charles Frend
Writing:
  • Janet Green
  • Robert Barr
Stars:
Release Date: Fri, Jun 01, 1956

Rating: 7/10 by 17 users

Alternative Title:
The Third Key - US
더 롱 암 - KR
伦敦警探网 - CN

Country:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Runtime: 01 hour 36 minutes
Budget: $0
Revenue: $0

Plot Keyword: detective, scotland yard, film noir

Jack Hawkins
Supt Tom Halliday
John Stratton
Sergeant Ward
Dorothy Alison
Mary Halliday
Michael Brooke
Tony Halliday
Sam Kydd
Police Constable in Information Room
Glyn Houston
Detective Sergeant in 'Q' car
Richard Leech
Nightwatchman / Gilson
Newton Blick
Deputy Commander
Geoffrey Keen
Chief Superintendent Jim Malcolm
Arthur Rigby
Detective Inspector at Chester
Ralph Truman
Colonel Blenkinsop
Ian Bannen
The Young Workman - Stanley James
Maureen Davis
The Young Workman's Wife - Mrs. James
John Warwick
Detective Inspector at Shipping Office
Joss Ambler
Cashier at Shipping Office
Barry Keegan
Detective Constable in Hospital Ward
Alec McCowen
House Surgeon
Harry Locke
Secondhand Dealer
Nicholas Parsons
Police Constable Bates
Warwick Ashton
Newspaper Circulation Manager
Ursula Howells
Mrs. Elliot / Mrs. Gilson
David Davies
Welsh Police Constable
Julie Milton
Welsh Newsagent's Daughter
Harold Goodwin
Official at Somerset House
John Welsh
House Agent at Shepperton
Gillian Webb
Housewife at Shepperton
Maureen Delaney
Mrs. Stevens, the daily help
Jameson Clark
Detective Superintendent Ogilvie
William Mervyn
Manager of Festival Hall
Vincent Ball
P.C. at Hospital (uncredited)
Richard Davies
Detective (uncredited)
Frazer Hines
Urchin (uncredited)
Stratford Johns
Constable (uncredited)
David Lodge
Detective at Car Lot (uncredited)
Guy Standeven
Detective (uncredited)
Frederick Treves
Detective tailing Creasey (uncredited)
Peter Welch
CID Man (uncredited)
Martin Wyldeck
Officer in Criminal Records Department (uncredited)

John Chard

The key is to follow the key! The Long Arm is directed by Charles Frend and written by Janet Green and Robert Barr. It stars Jack Hawkins, John Stratton, Dorothy Alison and Michael Brooke. Music is by Gerard Schurmann and cinematography by Gordon Dines. Detective-Superintendent Tom Halliday (Hawkins) heads up an investigation into a number of safe cracking robberies. Which in turn turns into a murder investigation. Out of Ealing Studios, this is a little cracker of a police procedural detective mystery. The flow of the investigation is natural, not given over to wild implausibilities, and always the air of mystery is potent. On the outskirts of the investigation there's a running thread about how policemen's wives/girlfriends suffer in their own ways, their men are married to the force, and this is delicately handled by the makers. While the moments of wry levity are not misplaced. Production is spiffing, with a number of London locations vibrantly used and given a film noir sheen by Dines (The Blue Lamp), while Frend (Scott of the Antarctic) keeps it tight and interesting whilst getting grand perfs from the cast - notably a wonderfully regal Hawkins. So if you are looking for an old time British policer that doesn't insult your intelligence, then you need look no further. 8/10


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