
NOWHERE TO GO
UK, 1958, 89 minutes, Black and white.
George Nader, Maggie Smith, Bernard Lee, Geoffrey Keen, Bessie Love, Harry H. Corbett.
Directed by Seth Holt, Basil Dearden.
Nowhere to Go is a gangster thriller. George Nader, an American star, had succeeded in American films but was being eclipsed by other stars at Universal Studios and so made this film in London. Maggie Smith back in the 1950s won a BAFTA award as most promising newcomer. This was more than fulfilled. Bernard Lee, who was about to become M in the James Bond films, is a criminal.
George Nader portrays a criminal who gets out of jail after robbing a woman – but his partner wants to get the money and is becoming greedy – struggles ensue.
The film was co-directed by Seth Holt (his first film) who went on to make such films as Station 6 Sahara, Taste of Fear, and by Basil Dearden who had established himself as a reputable director with such dramas as The Blue Lamp and was to make an impact with his social-minded dramas at this period including Sapphire and Victim.
1. The characteristics of this film as a thriller? How successfully used? How well drawn were the characters?
2. How successful a film was this? A major or a minor film? Why? A film of the late fifties? Its mood, black and white photography, jazz music, hero and heroine? How were these summed up in the title of 'Nowhere To Go'?
3. The importance of the escape introduction to the film? Its irony with the title? And the ending of the film?
4. How pessimistic a film was this? How deep was the pessimism? An ugly world leading to destruction? An amoral or immoral world? Did this message come across clearly? Was morality one of the themes of the film?
5. How interesting a central character was Paul Gregory? Did audiences like him? Why? How likeable was he? As a confidence man? Enticing the audience as well as his victims? How interesting was his confidence work? How skilful? How amoral?
6. His reliance on Sloane? Sloane's helping him to escape? Sloane's helping him in his confidence trickery? What kind of person was Sloane? How well portrayed in the film?
7. How ironic was it that Paul Gregory wanted to be sentenced? The effect of the long sentence on him? The irony of this and the breaking of his plans? His being forced to escape? As trying to be master of his own destiny and yet filling?
8. How inevitable was it that he would become a victim of Sloane? How dramatically portrayed was this? His being under Sloane's thumb, consequences of his guilt?
9. Was Bridget important for the film? Why? How attractive a character? Why did she help him? Was this convincingly conveyed?
10. The use of accidents in the film? The cars and the crash, the shooting of the man, the shooting of Gregory, his death in the truck?
11. What message was there in this use of fatal accidents? A message of futility and 'nowhere to go'? The bleakness of life and the bleakness of death?
12. Was the film successfully moralizing by the end? Was it convincing? Or was It a successful blend of thriller and morality play? Why?