CASH ON DEMAND
UK, 1961, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Peter Cushing, Andre Morrell, Richard Vernon, Norman Bird, Kevin Stoney, Barry Lowe, Edith Sharpe.
Directed by Quentin Lawrence.
Cash on Demand is a very good small British film, effectively written and performed, creating some tension.
The action takes place within a bank in the provinces. Peter Cushing excels himself as a very prim manager, polishing the plate outside, making efficiency demands on his staff, even threatening them with the sack, no personal empathy for the persons on his staff, making the running of the bank go like clockwork. A good supporting British cast plays the bank staff.
Andre Morrell appears as a colonel to inspect the running of the bank for an insurance company. However, his manner is both suave and menacing and he is to rob the bank, threatening the manager’s wife and son. The action of the film is the showing of the hold of the colonel over the manager, the parking his car in the snow and bringing in the bags which are to be filled with the cash from the safe. The process goes ahead – with some moments of apprehension.
There is a complication at the end when the colonel is arrested and returns with a strict police inspector – the colonel had put some cash in the manager’s coat pocket without his noticing and this would indicate that he is part of the plan.
The colonel, who has been arrested several times, relents and confesses – the threat to the wife and son being made by tape recording on the phone – but the manager, who has been supported by his staff, discovers some humanity.
1. An interesting and effective bank robbery story? Human drama?
2. The English provincial setting, the bank, the action taking place within the bank, central area, office, stairs, vault, safe? The atmospheric score?
3. The cast, Peter Cushing and his performances, his background in horror films? Andre Morrell as the suave robber? Character actors as the bank staff?
4. The opening, the facade of the bank, Fordyce polishing the brass plate, the interiors, the arrival of the staff? Their interactions? Camaraderie, Christmas, preparations of the party? The manager, his severity, the attitude of the staff towards him?
5. Peter Cushing as Mr Fordyce, his appearance, austere, strict, prim? Coat, hat, umbrella? The picture of his wife and son? Everything neat on the desk? The formalities with the staff? Not interested in them personally? Opening the safe, getting the cash? Everything on time? His calling in Pearson, his calling in Peter, the regularity, the initialling, his interrogation? His threats to Pearson after 11 years? Meticulous?
6. The arrival of the colonel, Fordyce allowing him in, Pearson taking him in? His being the inspector from the insurance company? His elegant manner, appearance? The car, ringing in the luggage? Everybody playing up to him? The regulations, his insistence on checking?
7. The revelation that he was robbing the bank, Fordyce and his shock? The phone call and the anguish of the wife and son? The reaction of Fordyce, his fears for his family? Protocols? His response, doing all that the colonel asked him, getting the staff to collaborate? The colonel and his plan? The attention to detail, the suave manner, yet the threats? The signals out the window? The snow, the surprise of the cleaner at the window? The contents of the cases, going down to the safe, packing them, checking all the security devices? Fordyce and his being anxious, forgetting to shut doors, turning off security lights? The colonel putting money in Fordyce’s pocket?
8. The success of the robbery, the transferring of the cases to the car, the colonel driving off? The threat of one hour, Fordyce and his fear for his family?
9. The issue of ringing to check the credentials of the colonel? The phone delay, getting cut off?
10. Pearson, realising what had happened, confronting Fordyce, having called the police? Fordyce and his pleading, the rest of the staff collaborating?
11. The police, the inspector, staying for the drink, everybody saying it was a misunderstanding? The inspector, having captured the colonel? Knowing him from previous robberies? The colonel and his suave manner, implying that Fordyce collaborated? Fordyce and his story, the phoning to the family, no threats? Fordyce mopping his brother, the money falling? The inspector and his conclusions?
12. The change of heart with the colonel, explaining the tape recording, exonerating Fordyce? His previous comments about Fordyce not understanding his staff, the colonel knowing all their backgrounds, dinners, chess championships…? 5 pounds for the Christmas party? Fordyce borrowing a pound from Pearson to repay the colonel?
13. Audience response to the situation, to the charm yet the menace of the colonel? The tidiness of the plan? Disliking Fordyce and his prim and proper manner, getting more compassion for him as he endured the robbery? The touch of humanity at the end?
