The Wallet (film)
| The Wallet | |
|---|---|
_020826-084552.jpg) Trade advertisement | |
| Directed by | Morton M. Lewis |
| Written by | Ted Willis. |
| Produced by | Morton M. Lewis |
| Starring | John Longden Chili Bouchier Hilda Fenemore |
| Cinematography | Brendan J. Stafford |
| Edited by | Denis Kavanagh |
| Music by | John Bath |
Production company | Morton M. Lewis Productions |
| Distributed by | Archway Film Distributors |
Release date |
|
Running time | 64 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The Wallet (U.S. title Blueprint for Danger[1]) is a 1952 British crime film directed by Morton Lewis and starring John Longden, Chili Bouchier and Roberta Huby.[2] It was written by Ted Willis,[3] and was produced as a second feature for release on a double bill.
Preservation status
The British Film Institute National Archive holds no stills or ephemera, and no film or video materials.[2]
Plot
During a fight on a train between police and enemy agents, a wallet containing £100 and valuable papers is thrown out of a window It then passes through the hands of three people: a dancer trying escape from a disreputable club, a crooked cashier, and a blackmailer. A mysterious pipe-smoking stranger follows the wallet's trail, obtains it, and is then arrested.
Cast
- John Longden as man with pipe
- Chili Bouchier as Babs
- Roberta Huby as Dot Johnson
- Alfred Farrell as Harry Maythorpe
- Hilda Fenemore as Alice Maythorpe
- Diana Calderwood as May Jenkins
Reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A film which recalls the days of quota quickie production; script, direction and acting are all quite deplorable."[4]
Kine Weekly wrote: "Magazine melodrama, illustrating life on London's seamy side. Three stories are blended into one and the culminating chapter underlines the adage, 'crime does not pay.' The acting is a trifle uneven and the edges are a bit rough, but the novel central idea easily offsets histrionic and technical shortcomings. A quart in a pint pot, it carrieg quite a kick and gives good value for money."[5]
The Daily Film Renter wrote: "Modestly staged, this British quota feature ... is acted forthrightly, packs semi-melodramatic situations, culminating action, and good human appeal into its unfolding. The scripting conveys a sense of individual characterisation, rather than stock types. Characters' intentions are not made too transparent."[6]
References
- ↑ Board of Trade Journal vl 164 p1007 1953 The title of the film, "The Wallet" (Br/E 16639), registered on 31 May 1952, has been altered to "Blueprint for Danger" and the length altered to 5,100 feet.
- 1 2 "The Wallet". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
- ↑ The Motion Picture Guide 9 p3726 "Jay Robert Nash, Stanley Ralph Ross - 1985 64m Sunset/ Archway bw (AKA: BLUEPRINT FOR DANGER) John Longden (Man with Pipe), Chil Bouchier (Babs), Roberta Huby (Dot Johnson), Alfred ... It's found by a passing stranger, Longden, and the wallet takes a strange trip of its own."
- ↑ "The Wallet". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 19 (216): 98. 1 January 1952. ProQuest 1305813465.
- ↑ "The Wallet". Kine Weekly. 422 (2344): 18. 29 May 1952. ProQuest 2738576676.
- ↑ "The Wallet". The Daily Film Renter (6336): 5. 22 May 1952. ProQuest 2600883892.
External links
- The Wallet at IMDb