The Frightened City (1961)

"The Frightened City" is a good yarn with some reasonable dialogue and a good pace. The production values aren't exactly brilliant as the sets look very cheap and almost non descript. The music is good. The title song is the same one that The Shadows recorded at about the time of this film's release. Although Sean Connery is billed third in general cast, he is the one who is central to the plot. Herbert Lom and John Gregson set up the proceedings nicely but they take a back seat for most of the film. The latter actor was great at playing police officers and John Gregson does well here. Connery is recruited as part of a masterplan to unite all the London criminal gangs as one whole. He soon finds himself on the war path after a close friend is badly injured and another is murdered in cold blood. The organisation are responsible for the latter and the future 007 is shaken but not stirred. The climax is a good one and worth waiting for.

THE FRIGHTENED CITY is one of the films that Sean Connery made in the year before he found fame and success as James Bond in 1962's DR. NO. This one's a crime epic with a much more complex plot than is usual for the British B-picture genre: it involves rival gangsters setting up extensive criminal operations and subsequently falling out and gunning for each other over turf and business.Connery is the young tough brought in to restore order and he brings plenty of warmth and charisma to what is otherwise a pretty tough role. The supporting cast is very good and well worth tuning in for. Herbert Lom isn't in it too much unfortunately but Alfred Marks, who I've only previously seen in comic fare like DESERT MICE, is fine as a really hateful character. John Gregson slips into the well-worn shoes of the detective with ease. Yvonne Romain (THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF) is an arresting femme fatale. Patrick Holt plays another cop and George Pastell a put-upon Italian who is the subject of one or two racist gags. Kenneth Griffith bags the most sympathetic part as the crippled friend. Marianne Stone, Bruce Seton, and even Stephen Lewis (Blakey from ON THE BUSES!) appear in bit parts. There isn't a wealth of action in THE FRIGHTENED CITY, but the plot feels fresh, involved, and fast-moving, and the ending is particularly strong.

'The Frightened City' stars both Sean Connery and Herbert Lom just before their iconic appearances in the Bond & Pink Panther series respectively (although Lom already had a substantial film career before The Pink Panther series).But it wasn't the first time they appeared together, having appeared in 1957's 'Hell Drivers'. And it's this comparison that weakens TFC as while both films are similarly hard-nosed, rough-edged action films, HD is superior more interesting characters, compelling drama and more vivid action scenes.That isn't to say TFC is a bad film - it's solidly entertaining with a good atmosphere and Connery displaying the charisma that was about to make him a major star (plus a nicely underplayed turn from Lom as the villain). But it's too conventional in its plotting and lacking great action scenes to be up to HD's level.Still, TFC is a decent film and worth a look

Pre James Bond Connery stars in this mid-week pot boiler exploring the virtues and loyalties that are challenged in the emerging crime era, where villains don't observe the traditional customs leading to a turf war with several casualties. Connery is a small time racketeer on the side, his old friend Alf is a crime boss (Davies) who falls-out with his hoodlum peers and is callously dispatched by the unscrupulous Harry (Marks) after Connery unwittingly sets him up. Connery of course vows revenge, but crime syndicate boss Lom pulls the strings from a distance, outwitting Scotland Yard (Gregson) and relying on stand-over tactics to retain his power.Melodramatic at times, despite a number of plot twists and double-crosses, "Frightened City" fails to frighten. Kenneth Griffith as a crippled small time crook defines the picture's message when he steels Connery's resolve to avenge his friend's treatment and reinstate some modicum of honour among thieves. It's a different lens through which to tell this otherwise formula tale, though ultimately undeveloped. Gregson is solid as Scotland Yard's wily crime stopper and Marks played his toe-cutter role with a smarmy realism; disappointingly, Lom is confined by his essentially extraneous scenes and doesn't have the opportunity to develop a consistent, forceful characterisation.Good to see Connery in a leading role before his James Bond transformation, displaying those rough edges that were destined to propel him into stardom, but "Frightened City" is perhaps notable only for that appearance.