CHECKPOINT

UK, 1956, British, 84 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Steel, Odile Versois, Stanley Baker, James Robertson Justice, Maurice Denham, Lee Patterson, Michael Medwin, Anne Heywood.
Directed by Ralph Thomas.

Checkpoint is an averagely interesting and exciting film of the mid-50s made by the perennial team of Betty Box and Ralph Thomas (from Doctor films to Campbell's Kingdom, The Singer Not the Song, Conspiracy of Hearts, The High Commissioner). The setting is racing cars, industry, Florence and plenty of melodramatic action and romance. However, the talent of the stars, especially James Robertson Justice as a villain, makes
the film more interesting than it might have been and help make it worth discussing for groups of any level.

1. Did you find this an interesting melodrama? Why?

2. What serious issues worth discussing did it raise?

3. The film starts with industrial burglary, sabotage and murder. Was the brutality provoked? Were there any good reasons for such killing and destruction?

4. What impression of big business did the film give? How immoral is the unscrupulous pursuit of ambition? How many businessmen are as unscrupulous as this?

5. Risks were taken with people's lives, reputations. Could there be any justification of this?

6. Why are men so daring and ambitious where racing cars are concerned - is it the technology, the speed, the thrills, the glamour?

7. Was the ending realistic or far-fetched? Were you satisfied? Why?