Sun 10 Mar 2019
THE FRIGHTENED CITY. Anglo-Amalgamated Films, UK. 1961; Allied Artists, US, 1962. Herbert Lom, John Gregson, Sean Connery, Alfred Marks, Yvonne Romain, Olive McFarland. Director: John Lemont.
A black-and-white British gangster film that the number three cast member takes over and makes his own. Sean Connery plays Paddy Damion in The Frightened City, a petty crook who is roped into the protection rackets covering all of London by the smooth-talking Harry Foulcher (Alfred Marks) who is secretly working for a malevolent crime boss by the name of Waldo Zhernikov (Herbert Lom).
It is the latter’s idea to form an association of all the local mobsters in the same racket and make the entire city cry out for help. It is Paddy’s job to help keep everyone in line. Until, that is, one of the head gangsters objects to Zhernikov’s plans to escalate their criminous activities, and unknowingly to Paddy, he is the one who is chosen to help eliminate him.
Even at this early stage of his career, and even though he’s on the wrong side of the law, Sean Connery is both cool and urbane, with a unmistakable eye for the ladies. He’s also the absolute focus of attention whenever whenever he’s on the screen. Solidly if not slickly produced, The Frightened City has the look of having had a bigger budget than usual for British crime films of the same era — no Hammer quickie this.
March 10th, 2019 at 7:21 pm
Like seeing Clark Gable for the first time in 1930-’31.
March 10th, 2019 at 7:26 pm
It’s exactly the same feeling, Barry, exactly the same.
March 10th, 2019 at 9:26 pm
Well, there’s another one for the list….
March 10th, 2019 at 10:00 pm
Connery had been knocking about in film, but this is the first time we see him as something other than a lout and it is a revelation.
March 11th, 2019 at 12:47 am
I tried to find photos to use that showed him off in this film to best advantage. Looking at them now, I think I succeeded.
March 11th, 2019 at 8:37 am
Steve, everyone on the set must have understood something was happening with the man.