One Way Out is a 1955 British crime drama film directed by Francis Searle and starring Jill Adams, Eddie Byrne, Lyndon Brook, John Chandos and Arthur Lowe. The screenplay was by Jonathan Roche from a story by John Temple-Smith and Jean Scott Rogers. The art direction was by William Kellner. This second feature was released in the UK as the supporting film to the Norman Wisdom comedy Man of the Moment (1955).
Contents
Plot
Superintendent Harcourt is on the verge of retiring from the police force and in his final case, seeks to put away Danvers, a ruthless fence. Danvers however, tries to buy off Harcourt, and when this fails, attempts to implicate the Superintendent's daughter Shirley in a store robbery. Danvers uses another crook, Leslie Parrish, to blackmail Harcourt to drop the case against him. When the Superintendent retires, he decides to pursue Danvers as a civilian.
Cast
Jill Adams as Shirley Harcourt
Eddie Byrne as Superintendent Harcourt
Lyndon Brook as Leslie Parrish
John Chandos as Danvers
John Bushelle as Assistant Commissioner
Olive Milbourne as Mrs. Harcourt
Arthur Howard as Marriott
Arthur Lowe as Sam
Ryck Ryden as Harry
Anne Valery as Carol Martin
Doris Gilmore as Mrs. Danvers
Nicholas Tanner as garage attendant
Nicholas Temple-Smith as the baby
Sam Kydd as gang member
Victor Platt as Joe, snack bar assistant (uncredited)
Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Average crime novelette, with a capable performance by Eddie Byrne as the harassed Superintendent Harcourt. Photography and direction are fair, and the action, although scarcely very plausible, develops a moderate degree of tension."
Kine Weekly wrote: "The picture meanders and fails to put heart interest or punch into the fantastic duty or parental love problem thrust on the ageing cop. Jill Adams, although no Sarah Bernhardt, is nice to look at as Shirley, but Eddie Byrne, Lyndon Brook and John Chandos are little more than amateurish as Harcourt, Leslie and Danvers. The direction, too, lacks inspiration, and the staging is anything but lush. And oh! what dialogue!"
Britmovie called it an "unassuming British B-thriller directed by Francis Searle and starring Irish actor Eddie Byrne...and like many similar b-movies of the time is marred by weak writing and a plot that is never credible for a moment. The cast put all the effort they can in attempting to make this nonsense communicable to an audience."