THE SAFECRACKER
UK, 1958, 96 minutes, Black and white.
Ray Milland, Barry Jones, Jeanette Sterke, Victor Maddern, Ernest Clark, Cyril Raymond, Percy Herbert, Barbara Everest, Colin Gordon, Clive Morton.
Directed by Ray Milland.
The Safecracker is a directing project for Ray Milland who made Lisbon and A Man Alone around the mid-50s. At fifty-three, he is rather old for the central role – though he makes it as plausible as possible. The setting is 1938. He is an expert safe-maker and can unlock difficult safes by listening attentively to the combinations. When he is asked to unlock a security safe, he becomes friends with a fence, played by Barry Jones. Together they do a number of robberies which puzzle Scotland Yard. This gives the opportunity for Milland to live a double life, at home with his caring mother, on weekends with an extravagant car and an actress girlfriend. However, the police are onto him and eventually catch him, sentencing him to jail.
At this stage the film changes its style and becomes one of those 1950s war action films. There is a report of a list of German spies in England in a safe in a chateau in Belgium. Ernest Clark gathers together a squad, gets the permission of Scotland Yard to use Milland as the person to break into the safe. This is what they do – though Milland’s greed is his undoing at the end.
There are many implausibilities in the film – but the action skates over them and those not focusing on accurate detail may enjoy this old-fashioned story.
1. A film of the 1950s? British crime drama? War drama – so popular at the time, reminiscing about war exploits? Its impact now?
2. The work of Ray Milland, his status, as an actor, director? His role in this film – at fifty-three for this kind of character? Plausible or implausible?
3. The focus on Colley Dawson, his making safes, the company, his boss? His ordinary life? Called in to check the security of the safe? His succeeding in opening Sir George’s safe? Seeing the Medici cup? The presence of Bennett Carfield? His wanting the good life? The alliance with Carfield, Carfield making proposals? Carfield as a fence for other historic pieces? His customers?
4. Colley, opening the safes? Getting the money? His plan for a double life? The weekends? The new car, his actress friend? Extravagant? The police following him and his being alert? His decision to do one more job and finish? The police chase?
5. Colley in prison? The plan for the photographing of the list of German spies? The message from Brussels – and the woman having the message in her petticoat? The meeting of the War Office?
6. Major Adbury and his interviewing possible safecrackers? The discussions with Colley? The superintendent from Scotland Yard? The decision to take him?
7. The training, leaping from the tower? Preparation for the jump? The discussion with the other men?
8. The flight, the landing, Colley awkward with his parachute, not concealing it well, getting lost? Picked up by Irene and brought to the group? Their hiding in the barn? Irene warding off the Germans?
9. The mission, the seemingly comparative ease, going over the fence, the guards, unlocking the door, the playing of the music and its disturbing Colley, his opening the safe, photographing the list? His greed, going to the cabinet and getting the priceless vase? His being shot?
10. Major Adbury and Scotland Yard going to see his mother? Her being glad that he died an honourable death for his country?
11. An entertainment from the 1950s, crime and war?
