The Frightened City

The Frightened City is a 1961 British neo-noir gangster film directed by John Lemont and starring Herbert Lom, John Gregson and Sean Connery. It was written by Leigh Vance. The film is about extortion rackets and gang warfare in the West End of London.

The Frightened City
Original film poster
Directed by	John Lemont
Written by	Leigh Vance
Produced by	John Lemont Leigh Vance
Starring	Herbert Lom John Gregson Sean Connery Alfred Marks Yvonne Romain
Cinematography	Desmond Dickinson
Music by	Norrie Paramor
Production company	Zodiac Productions
Distributed by	Anglo Amalgamated Film Distributors
Release date	18 August 1961 (1961-08-18)
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Plot

Criminal accountant Waldo Zhernikov is involved in protection racketeering and plans to organise the six gangs that operate the rackets into a single organisation, under the control of crook Harry Foulcher. Burglar Paddy Damion is lured into the scheme by Foulcher as a money collector. When Alf Peters, one of the gang bosses, quarrels with Foulcher and walks out of the scheme, Foulcher murders him. Foulcher himself is killed by Damion, angry at Peters' death.

Cast

• Herbert Lom as Waldo Zhernikov
• John Gregson as Detective Inspector Sayers
• Sean Connery as Paddy Damion
• Alfred Marks as Harry Foulcher
• Yvonne Romain as Anya Bergodin
• Olive McFarland as Sadie
• Frederick Piper as Sergeant Bob Ogle
• John Stone as Hood
• David Davies as Alf Peters
• Tom Bowman as Tanky Thomas
• Robert Cawdron as Nero
• George Pastell as Sanchetti
• Patrick Holt as Superintendent Dave Carter
• Martin Wyldeck as security officer
• Kenneth Griffith as Wally Smith
• Bruce Seton as Assistant Commissioner

Production

Filming started 5 December 1960.

Music

The Shadows had a hit single, no. 3 on the British charts in May 1961, with the main theme. It was subsequently covered by Peter Frampton in the 1996 collection Twang!: A Tribute to Hank Marvin & the Shadows.

Release

The London premiere of “The Frightened City” took place at the Odeon Marble Arch on 9 August 1961.

Critical reception

In a contemporary review, The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A holding thriller, with a fairly plausible London background, racy direction, occasional laconic humour, and skilful though! familiar performances from John Gregson – doggedly and moodily honest – and Herbert Lom, suavely villainous."

Variety described it as "a conventional but brisk gangster yarn," concluding that "Herbert Lom plays the brains of the crooked organization with urbane villainy and equally reliable John Gregson makes a solid, confident job of the dedicated cop. Alfred Marks is cast offbeat as Lom’s gangster lieutenant. Marks gives a rich, oily, sinister and yet often amusing portrayal of an ambitious thug who is prepared to turn killer to get his own way. Comparative newcomer, rugged Sean Connery makes a distinct impression as an Irish crook, with an eye for the ladies. Connery combines toughness, charm and Irish blarney."

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "Limping along years after Hollywood's postwar exterior location thrillers such as The Naked City, this British attempt at the genre just about manages to hold the interest. The story is about London gangsters falling out over a protection racket, and features a young Sean Connery and a pre-Pink Panther Herbert Lom at his most seedily sinister."

According to a review on the AllMovie website: "The film itself is only of moderate interest, a gangster thriller that's engaging but not special; but the cast makes it worth watching."

External links

• The Frightened City at IMDb
• The Frightened City at Rotten Tomatoes