Dead Lucky (film)

This article is about British film. For other uses, see Dead Lucky (disambiguation).

Dead Lucky
Opening titles
Directed by	Montgomery Tully
Written by	Maurice Harrison Sidney Nelson
Produced by	Ralph Bond Robert Dunbar
Starring	Vincent Ball Betty McDowall John Le Mesurier Alfred Burke Michael Ripper
Cinematography	Peter Hennessy
Music by	William Davies
Distributed by	British Lion Film Corporation
Release date	June 1960 (1960-06)
Running time	64 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Dead Lucky is a 1960 British second feature ('B') ^[1] crime film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Vincent Ball, Betty McDowall, John Le Mesurier, Alfred Burke and Michael Ripper. ^[2] The film was written by Maurice Harrison and Sidney Nelson, and produced by Robert Dunbar for Act Films Ltd. ^[3]

Plot

A crime reporter teams up with a fashion journalist to investigate illegal goings-on at a Mayfair gambling club. ^[4]

Cast

• Vincent Ball as Mike Billing
• Betty McDowall as Jenny Drew
• John Le Mesurier as Inspector Corcoran
• Alfred Burke as Knocker Parsons
• Michael Ripper as Percy Simpson
• Sam Kydd as Harry Winston
• Chili Bouchier as Mrs Winston
• John Charlesworth as Honorable Stanley Dewsbury
• Frederick Piper as Harvey Walters
• Brian Worth as Lucky Lewis
• John Dearth as Torrance
• Joan Heal as barmaid
• John H. Watson as police sergeant
• André Mikhelson as croupier
• Robert Raglan as Assistant Commissioner
• Leon Peers as layer
• John Dawson as cashier
• Leonard Cracknell as copy boy

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Bright and ingenuous, this rough and ready marriage of comedy and whodunit breezes along in such a way as to disguise much of its triteness of story and dialogue. Alfred Burke and John Le Mesurier make the best of the few acting opportunities going; otherwise eagerness prevails over lack of initiative and surprise." ^[5]

Kine Weekly wrote: "The picture brings about a rather hasty marriage of 'who-dunnit' and comedy, but nevertheless produces occasional laughs and thrills. Vincent Ball and Betty McDowall are eager as Michael and Jenny; but Alfred Burke as Knocker and John Le Mesurier as Inspector Corcoran share the acting honours, such as they are. The staging is adequate, and one or two crisp lines creep into the dialogue." ^[6]

References

1. Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 110. ISBN   978-1-8445-7319-6.
2. "Dead Lucky". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
3. Action! Fifty Years in the Life of a Union. Published: 1983 (UK). Publisher: ACTT. ISBN   0 9508993 0 5. ACT Films Limited - Ralph Bond p81 (producer listed as Robert Dunbar)
4. "BFI | Film & TV Database | DEAD LUCKY (1960)". web.archive.org. 14 January 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
5. "Leonard Cracknell". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 27 (312): 111. 1 January 1960 – via ProQuest.
6. "Dead Lucky". Kine Weekly . 517 (2752): 21. 30 June 1960. ProQuest   2826289072.

External links

• Dead Lucky at IMDb