PAYROLL

UK, 1961, 117 minutes, Black and white.
Michael Craig, Francoise Prevost, Billie Whitelaw, William Lucas, Kenneth Griffith, Tom Bell, Barry Keegan, William Peacock, Glynn Houston, Joan Rice.
Directed by Sidney Heyers.

Payroll is a typical British crime thriller of the late 1950s, early 1960s. It is almost documentary in visual style and in presentation of plot. It is set in the north of England, in Newcastle.

It is the time when better security is being introduced on security vans. A group of robbers intends to take a payroll but has to adapt to the new plans with the higher security. They do the robbery, quite brutally, killing a driver and wounding the guard.

The film focuses on the group, led by Michael Craig, usually a leading man in the Dirk Bogarde vein. Other members of the group include Kenneth Griffith and Tom Bell. Billie Whitelaw has a strong role as the wife of the murdered man, the plot developing into her revenge and taking the law into her own hands. Francoise Prevost portrays the wife of the employee who gives the plans to the group and then has an affair with the Michael Craig character.

The film was directed by Sidney Heyers, a Scotsman who had begun directing short films in the late 1950s. This was his second feature after Circus of Horrors. He went on to direct a great deal of television material including episodes of The Avengers, eventually going to the United States where he made some films but had a career in television.

1.British drama, 1960s style?

2.The 1950s, the small crime films, an attention to realism, naturalism, detail? Almost documentary tone?

3.The city of Newcastle, the companies, homes, police, clubs, the sea, the English coast, the scenes in Norfolk? The musical score?

4.The direct title and indication of issues and themes?

5.The credits, the tone, naturalistic detail, the audience identifying with the situations? Now?

6.Security, vans, changes, the initial test and reactions, Harry and his hopes, talking to Jacquie? The company and the use of the security? The staff, the payroll? The criminals being thwarted, getting the plans, success, the deaths in the robbery?

7.The introduction to the group, Johnny as leader, Blackie and his offhand attitude, Monty and his prison experience, Bert? The new plan, the meetings, the discussions with Pearson, on the inside, getting the new plans, Johnny and his forcefulness, the time, the plans, the execution, tough, the crash, the shooting, the injuries? Bert dead, his being left? The situation with the robbers?

8.Harry, at home, Jacquie, the kids, hopes of finance, success? Frank and his wife? Her pregnancy?

9.The police, the interrogations, going to Pearson, his reaction, going home from work? The police and their hunch about Pearson? Watching his house? Jacquie and her suspicions?

10.Pearson, in himself, his back-story, his wife in Vienna, the reasons for marrying her, her harsh treatment of him, the restaurant and the dance, with Johnny? Her affair? Her shrewdness, the money? Pearson’s weakness, fears? The confrontation? Her leaving, the letter from Jacquie, finding Johnny, stealing the money – and left with no cash at the petrol station? Pearson and his collapse?

11.The aftermath, Johnny and Blackie hiding out, Blackie’s tension, Johnny cool? Leaving Bert, Monty upset, his reaction, going to the locker, getting the ticket, his drinking, the bar, the woman at the bar, the young men burning his ticket, bashing him?

12.Pearson’s wife, her character, the affair? With Johnny, his ruthlessness? Her leaving him? His going to the boat, the police, his escape?

13.Blackie, the police coming, the gun, shot by Johnny?

14.Jacquie, her love for her husband, care for her children, impassive after the death, her weeping later? Her need for vengeance and closure? Her decision to write the letters? The letters to Pearson, watching him? Seeing Johnny with Pearson’s wife? The phone calls, the letter to Pearson’s wife? Going to the house, the garage, information about the boat, on the boat, her letting the boat kill Johnny after he went overboard?

15.The blend of the realistic and the melodramatic?