This was co written by Ken Hughes, normally a director, a man who I'm coming to increasingly appreciate. It was produced by Maxwell Setton, another man whose films I seem to always enjoy. The director was John Guillermin - it's less of a surprise for me to like his work.
Guillermin does a strong job - flourishes, and energy. John Mills gives a strong performance as a detective investigating the murder of a sexy hotpants girl in a small town.
I love the class criticism - the townsfolk are irritated by Mills and dislike the girl because she was flashy. I'm surprised the Yanks didn't remake this.
I'm also surprised that the girl Mills is interested in wasn't threatened at the end. And that there's a second killing (of a girl who does an exotic dance beforehand) and she dies... we meet the parents (dad is Geoffrey Keene) so the death has weight.
Charles Coburn is in this as a nasty seeming doctor - it's as if he's channelling his Kings Row performance and this film is a little like that movie which is praise.
There doesn't seem to be stakes at the end - like who cares if the killer falls off the Church steeple, Mills is silly to go up.
But a strong movie. Fast paced. You can see Guillermin growing in confidence.
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