TIGER IN THE SMOKE
UK, 1956, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Donald Sinden, Muriel Pavlow, Tony Wright, Bernard Miles, Alec Clunes, Laurence Naismith.
Directed by Roy Baker.
Tiger in the Smoke is an effective crime thriller of the mid-50s, a glimpse of the London streets and crime elements and gangs. It foreshadows the period of the Krays and other gangs in London. These were visualised in two films by Peter Medak, The Krays and Let Him Have It, the story of Derek Bentley who was executed for the murder of a policeman.
Tony Wright is the leader of the gang, Bernard Miles, in an unusual role, portraying the older gang leader. There are religious issues with Laurence Naismith as the local Canon. Donald Sinden and Muriel Pavlow are the stars, an ordinary group of citizens harassed by the Tigers in the Smoke. Alec Clunes is the policeman.
The film was directed by Roy Ward Baker who had tried his hand in Hollywood with such films as Don’t Bother to Knock and Inferno. In later decades he was to direct several horror films in his native England.
1. The significance and tone of the title? Was it verified in the film? The success of the film as a thriller? Its use of thriller conventions?
2. How enjoyable as a thriller was the film? Did it grip its audience? How?
3. How did the film create and rely on its atmosphere? The use of fog, the London environment, blackmail and use of railway stations, the band and their place of living, the sense of menace, the varying angles and panning shots? The contrast with the clarity of France? Was this a major contribution to the film?
4. How important was the theme of war and Its impact on peoples greed? The theme of greed and obsession? Johnny Cash as a child, greedy, as a man murdering for greed., the relentlessness of his final seeking the treasure? The theme of violence and blackmail and evil planning? The discussion by the police on an evil man?
5. The importance of Mrs. Cash and her presentation in the film? The personification by the actress? The discussions of her role in peoples lives? Her influence on Johnny? Its repercussions on the Canon?
6. The significance of the portrayal of the group? Their work, their greed, their relentlessness, their violence and madness? The idiosyncrasies of each person?
7. How interesting were the hero and heroine? Their portrayal - ordinary or different? The human situations of marriage, blackmail, love and marriage, danger and threats, the influence of Martin on them both via the letter and the treasure? The contrast between them and the villains?
8. What did the Canon add to the film? His character and personality? the helping the police and Meg? The significance of his talk with Johnny Cash? His pursuit of death? The science of luck? Should he have stayed to be wounded? Risking his life?
9. How well portrayed were the police? The ordinary police and the Superintendent? The attempts at their work, the fog, the leads? How important are the police in British thrillers?
10. How important was the interaction of characters for this film? Havock's influence before seeing him, the deaths, scaring Meg, his reactions with the group, with the Canon, the ending? The interaction of Leavitt with the gang?
11. How successful was the suspense? Was the climax appropriately dramatic or melodramatic? How successful was the film as a whole?
