Interesting drama perhaps better suited to a TV play but still well handled by director Pat Jackson. Tony Britton is a toy sales rep who is busted trying to smuggle an item past customs - a gift for his wife, Sylvia Syms. He tries to keep it secret.
It's very well written and observed. The kindly customs officer, the nasty customs officer, the hail fellow well met co workers, the incompetent solicitor he approaches, another not particularly good lawyer who pleads his case, the snooty judge who sentences him to prison, the unfeeling prison guards.
There is a remarkable sense of events going out of control - Britton gets busted, thinks it's a minor thing, but events snowball. Britton is fine - he's a bit smarmy which adds an element to it (because he's shocked this is happening to him) but I wonder if this would've done better with more of an everyman. Or if had been about Sylvia Syms.
Nicely shot by Ted Scaife. Support cast includes familiar faces like Jack Watling.
Syms doesn't have a good part. She worries. That's about it. The film seemed to run low on plot after the one hour mark. More complexity from her might've helped. Like if they'd have a kid and/or a lechy best friend moved in. The piece avoids self righteousness until the end when Geoffrey Keen gives a speech
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