Bait (1950 film)

Last updated

Bait
Directed by Frank Richardson
Screenplay byMary Benedetta
Francis Miller
Frank Richardson
Based onStage Play by Frank Richardson
Produced byFrank Richardson
Starring Diana Napier
John Bentley
Willoughby Goddard
Cinematography Ernest Palmer
Vic Thomas
Edited byJohn House
Peter Curran
Music byPaxtons
Production
company
Release date
Jan.1950 (U.K)
Running time
73 minutes
Country United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Bait is a 1950 British crime film directed, produced and co-written by Frank Richardson from his own stage play. An Adelphi feature film, Bait stars Diana Napier, John Bentley, Willoughby Goddard and John Oxford. [1] A gang steal some diamonds, sell them on the black market to a buyer and then plan to steal them back again. [2]

Contents

Plot

This British mystery concerns a gang of four jewel thieves, led by Diana Napier, who steal two highly valuable diamonds out of a set of earrings. Napier sells them to a dishonest businessman (Willoughby Goddard) at his country estate, but the gang plans to return later and steal them back. However, Goddard's long-lost half-brother (John Bentley) suddenly returns to the estate accompanied by his new fiancée (Patricia Owens). Bentley wants to claim his half of the inheritance, but soon discovers that his half-brother has squandered the family fortune and is now engaged in buying and selling stolen gems. He confronts Goddard, who panics, and hits Bentley over the head with a poker. As he is about to strike a death blow, a shot rings out and Goddard falls dead. The police arrest Bentley for the murder but soon have to release him for lack of evidence. Meanwhile, Goddard's fiancée tries to find the real killer by playing up to one of the members of the gang, who happens to be an old boyfriend of hers. [3]

Cast

Reception

Hal Erickson writing for AllMovie, noted that: "ladylike Diana Napier is unexpectedly coarse as the female gang boss in Bait." He concluded: "A knuckle tough British programmer, Bait is well acted by all concerned." [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">W. O. Bentley</span> English engineer (1888–1971)

Walter Owen Bentley, was an English engineer who founded Bentley Motors Limited in London. He was a motorcycle and car racer as a young man. After making a name for himself as a designer of aircraft and automobile engines, Bentley established his own firm in 1919. He built the firm into one of the world's premier luxury and performance auto manufacturers, and led the marque to multiple victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After selling his namesake company to Rolls-Royce Limited in 1931, he was employed as a designer for Lagonda, Aston Martin, and Armstrong Siddeley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rayner Goddard, Baron Goddard</span>

William Edgar Rayner Goddard, Baron Goddard, was Lord Chief Justice of England from 1946 to 1958, known for his strict sentencing and mostly conservative views despite being the first Lord Chief Justice to be appointed by a Labour government, as well as the first to possess a law degree. Goddard's no-nonsense reputation was reflected in a number of nicknames that he acquired, which included: 'The Tiger', 'Justice-in-a-jiffy', and—from Winston Churchill—'Lord God-damn'. He was considered one of the last hanging judges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terence Fisher</span> British film director and film editor

Terence Fisher was a British film director best known for his work for Hammer Films.

<i>The Hot Rock</i> (film) 1972 film by Peter Yates

The Hot Rock is a 1972 American crime comedy-drama film directed by Peter Yates from a screenplay by William Goldman, based on Donald E. Westlake's novel of the same name, which introduced his long-running John Dortmunder character. The film stars Robert Redford, George Segal, Ron Leibman, Paul Sand, Moses Gunn and Zero Mostel. It was released in the UK with the alternative title How to Steal a Diamond in Four Uneasy Lessons.

<i>The Four Feathers</i> (1939 film) 1939 film by Zoltan Korda

The Four Feathers is a 1939 British Technicolor adventure film directed by Zoltan Korda, starring John Clements, Ralph Richardson, June Duprez, and C. Aubrey Smith. Set during the reign of Queen Victoria, it tells the story of a man accused of cowardice. It is widely regarded as the best of the numerous film adaptations of the 1902 novel of the same name by A.E.W. Mason.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willoughby Goddard</span>

Willoughby Wittenham Rees Goddard was an English actor whose trademark rotund figure was well known on television and in films for more than 40 years.

<i>Unconquered</i> (1947 film) 1947 film by Cecil B. DeMille

Unconquered is a 1947 American historical epic adventure film produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Gary Cooper and Paulette Goddard. The supporting cast features Boris Karloff, Cecil Kellaway, Ward Bond, Howard da Silva, Katherine DeMille, C. Aubrey Smith and Mike Mazurki. Released by Paramount Pictures, the film depicts the violent struggles between American colonists and Native Americans on the western frontier in the mid-18th century during the 1763 Pontiac's Rebellion, primarily around Fort Pitt. The film is characterized by DeMille's lavish style, including colourful costumes and sets, thousands of extras, violence, and sensationalism.

<i>The Green Man</i> (film) 1956 film

The Green Man is a 1956 black and white British black comedy film based on the play Meet a Body by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat, who produced and adapted the big-screen version. Gilliat said the film was "okay".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Bentley (actor)</span> English actor

John Bentley was a British film actor. He had a successful career as a leading man from the 1940s to the late 50s and was a popular heart-throb who appeared in many British b-movies during that time. Later in his career, in the 1970s he appeared as Hugh Mortimer, Meg Richardson's ill-fated third husband in the famous English soap opera Crossroads. He also starred in the jungle adventure series African Patrol (1957) as Chief Inspector Paul Derek and made various other guest appearances in many popular TV series from the late 50s onwards.

<i>Ghost Squad</i> (TV series) British television series

Ghost Squad, known as G.S.5 for its third series, was a crime drama series that ran between 1961 and 1964, about an elite division of Scotland Yard. In each episode the Ghost Squad would investigate cases that fell outside the scope of normal police work. Despite the show and characters being fictional, an actual division did exist within the Metropolitan Police at the time.

<i>Gunfighters of Casa Grande</i> 1964 film by Roy Rowland

Gunfighters of Casa Grande is a 1964 Eurowestern film, co-produced by American and Spanish producers. Based on a story by Borden and Patricia Chase, it was later developed into a screenplay with the assistance of screenwriter Clark Reynolds and directed by Roy Rowland, the last film he made for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

<i>The Diary of a Chambermaid</i> (1946 film) 1946 film by Jean Renoir

The Diary of a Chambermaid (1946) is a drama film about a newly hired servant who severely disrupts a wealthy family. The film was based on the 1900 novel of the same name by Octave Mirbeau and the play Le journal d'une femme de Chambre, written by André de Lorde, with André Heuse and Thielly Nores. The film was directed by Jean Renoir, and starred Paulette Goddard, Burgess Meredith, Hurd Hatfield, and Francis Lederer. It was named the eighth best English-language film of 1946 by the National Board of Review.

<i>Royal Cavalcade</i> 1935 film

Royal Cavalcade, also known as Regal Cavalcade, is a 1935 British, black-and-white, drama film directed by six separate directors: Thomas Bentley, Herbert Brenon, Norman Lee, Walter Summers, W. P. Kellino and Marcel Varnel. The film features Marie Lohr, Hermione Baddeley, Owen Nares, Robert Hale, Austin Trevor, James Carew, Edward Chapman and Ronald Shiner as the Soldier in Trenches. The film was presented by Associated British Pictures Corporation.

<i>Model for Murder</i> 1959 British film

Model for Murder is a 1959 British crime film directed by Terry Bishop and starring Keith Andes, Hazel Court and Jean Aubrey.

<i>The Lone Wolf in London</i> 1947 film by Leslie Goodwins

The Lone Wolf in London is a 1947 American crime film directed by Leslie Goodwins and starring Gerald Mohr, Nancy Saunders and Eric Blore. The picture features the fictional Scotland Yard detective the Lone Wolf who travels to London, and solves the mystery of some missing jewels. It was the penultimate Lone Wolf film, followed by The Lone Wolf and His Lady in 1949, and the last for Mohr in the lead role.

<i>Scooby-Doo! Mask of the Blue Falcon</i> 2013 American film

Scooby-Doo! Mask of the Blue Falcon is a 2013 American animated superhero comedy film, and the nineteenth entry in the direct-to-video series of Scooby-Doo films. The film is a crossover, featuring Blue Falcon and Dynomutt. It was produced and completed in 2012, and released on February 26, 2013 by Warner Premiere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby de Eresby</span>

William Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby de Eresby KG was an English baron.

<i>Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright</i> 2013 film by Victor Cook

Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright is a 2013 direct-to-DVD animated musical comedy horror film, and the twenty-first entry in the direct-to-video series of Scooby-Doo films. It was released on August 20, 2013, by Warner Premiere, the last film to be released under this label due to its dissolution the previous year. The movie made its linear premiere on Cartoon Network in the United States on March 25, 2023.

<i>The Lady Has Plans</i> 1942 film by Sidney Lanfield

The Lady Has Plans is a 1942 American comedy film spy thriller film directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Ray Milland, Paulette Goddard and Roland Young. It was produced ad distributed by Paramount Pictures as a World War II espionage film set in neutral Portugal.

<i>Shotgun</i> (1955 film) 1955 film by Lesley Selander

Shotgun is a 1955 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and starring Sterling Hayden, Yvonne De Carlo and Zachary Scott.

References

  1. 1 2 "Bait". BFI. Archived from the original on 18 January 2009.
  2. 1 2 "Bait (1950) - Frank Richardson - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  3. "Bait" . Retrieved 24 March 2019 via www.imdb.com.