"Man Detained" is another rather loose adaptation of the work of Edgar Wallace, part of a whole series of B films made from 1960 to 1965.
There are nothing in the way of surprises or twists to the tale but the film still remains quite watchable.
The plot reminds me of the Hollywood 1973 film, "Charley Varrick" in that a small time crook unwittingly intrudes upon the activities of big organised crime. In this case, a petty burglar is the one engulfed in one of the most dangerous gangs in London.
Bernard Archard - a highly distinguished actor - does well in the lead as the investigating police officer.
This is fairly standard fare but it has some good moments.
5 Reviews
"It turned out to be the sprat that caught the mackerel"
hwg1957-102-26570411 August 2019
Warning: Spoilers
A burglar Frank Murray breaks into the office safe of Maple Photograpy for the petty cash but finds a box containing £10,000. The theft is reported but of the petty cash, not the bigger amount. This starts a web of intrigue that leads to murder. Inspector Verity and Sergeant Wentworth of Scotland Yard track down the culprits with the help of secretary Kay Simpson and the burglar Murray. It's another good film in the Merton Park Productions series of Edgar Wallace movies.
The narrative is clear and the acting competent There is also good location shooting in London, still with its wartime damage. Robert Tronson was a prolific television director who made the occasional cinema offering. He keeps the film modest, tight and entertaining. The screenwriter Richard Harris was also prolific and he definitely knew how to write an interesting script.
The narrative is clear and the acting competent There is also good location shooting in London, still with its wartime damage. Robert Tronson was a prolific television director who made the occasional cinema offering. He keeps the film modest, tight and entertaining. The screenwriter Richard Harris was also prolific and he definitely knew how to write an interesting script.
Lots of shady characters makes for a bright crime thriller.
mark.waltz25 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
One of the classic Edgar Wallace quota quickies that were bottom halves of double bills, quickly moving to TV for a series. This is one of the best that I recall seeing as the characters are all delightfully dark with hidden agendas and secrets that points to them as unapologetically amoral. The robbery of a company safe is quickly reveal to be embezzlement, and when the culprit is murdered, the wife isn't at all in any sort of grief. The guilty party? The man she's been seeing on the side.
Claiming that she's never been able to shed a tear over death even at the and of 10 when her father died, Ann Sears is one cold black widow. Others involved in the embezzlement are equally frigid, with secretary Elvi Hale hiding the money which later turns up elsewhere and calculating Paul Stassino and Michael Coles downright ruthless. A nosy old homeless man nearly gets beaten up for being in the wrong place, threatened ruthlessly. Fantastic location footage makes this visually exciting. Others in the series should have had the luck to be so complex without being convoluted.
Claiming that she's never been able to shed a tear over death even at the and of 10 when her father died, Ann Sears is one cold black widow. Others involved in the embezzlement are equally frigid, with secretary Elvi Hale hiding the money which later turns up elsewhere and calculating Paul Stassino and Michael Coles downright ruthless. A nosy old homeless man nearly gets beaten up for being in the wrong place, threatened ruthlessly. Fantastic location footage makes this visually exciting. Others in the series should have had the luck to be so complex without being convoluted.
One of the best of the whole series...
searchanddestroy-11 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Among the Edgard Wallace episodes I saw, that's probably one of the best. Intriguing, action packed, full of suspense, vivid at the most, I recommend it to all movie buffs fond of B UK noirs.
The story of a petty burglar who steals a pack of money during his heist, a little bullion that the owner doesn't declare to the authorities. Of course, our robber wonders why the newspapers don't speak of the loot he stole in the safe. And in the same time, two men are worry about the dol the petty thief took away. What the hell is this money? Where is it come from? Is it so hot that no one wants to talk about it to the police? The wife and secretary of the safe's owner are threaten by the two men, and questioned by the superintendent in charge of the investigation.
I won't tell more about it, but the climax is surprising for such a little crime programmer.
Excellent.
The story of a petty burglar who steals a pack of money during his heist, a little bullion that the owner doesn't declare to the authorities. Of course, our robber wonders why the newspapers don't speak of the loot he stole in the safe. And in the same time, two men are worry about the dol the petty thief took away. What the hell is this money? Where is it come from? Is it so hot that no one wants to talk about it to the police? The wife and secretary of the safe's owner are threaten by the two men, and questioned by the superintendent in charge of the investigation.
I won't tell more about it, but the climax is surprising for such a little crime programmer.
Excellent.
Man Detained
Prismark1025 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Safecracker Frank Murray thinks he has stumbled into a big payday when he finds £10,000 in the safe of Maple Photographic Studio.
The next day Mr Maple is reluctant to tell the police of the loss of such a large amount of cash, he just tells them that some petty cash was stolen.
Frank is surprised that such a big theft has not been reported to the police. When Maple is found dead. Frank is now a murder suspect.
Maple had a criminal associate James Helder who was having an affair with Maple's wife and is not happy that such a large sum has been stolen.
Inspector Verity thinks that Maple's murder might be connected to with the actual amount of cash that went missing. He also gets Frank to go and trap the real culprits.
A quickie B movie, with someone bad mouthing an important person just as they are nearby.
There is a shootout where the baddie constantly misses the police at point blank range. When he does shoot someone, it's his own guy and his gun never seems to run out of bullets.
The next day Mr Maple is reluctant to tell the police of the loss of such a large amount of cash, he just tells them that some petty cash was stolen.
Frank is surprised that such a big theft has not been reported to the police. When Maple is found dead. Frank is now a murder suspect.
Maple had a criminal associate James Helder who was having an affair with Maple's wife and is not happy that such a large sum has been stolen.
Inspector Verity thinks that Maple's murder might be connected to with the actual amount of cash that went missing. He also gets Frank to go and trap the real culprits.
A quickie B movie, with someone bad mouthing an important person just as they are nearby.
There is a shootout where the baddie constantly misses the police at point blank range. When he does shoot someone, it's his own guy and his gun never seems to run out of bullets.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
