Mark of the Phoenix

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Mark of the Phoenix
Mark of the Phoenix film poster (1958).png
Poster for French release
Directed by Maclean Rogers
Written by Norman Hudis
Based onnovel The Phoenix Sings by Desmond Cory [1]
Produced byW.G. Chalmers
Starring Julia Arnall
Sheldon Lawrence
Anton Diffring
Cinematography Geoffrey Faithfull
Edited by Harry Booth
Music by Wilfred Burns (uncredited)
Production
company
Distributed byButcher's Film Service (UK)
Release date
  • November 1958 (1958-11)(UK)
Running time
78 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Mark of the Phoenix is a 1958 British second feature ('B') [2] drama film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Julia Arnall, Sheldon Lawrence and Anton Diffring. [3] It was written by Norman Hudis. An American jewel thief comes into possession of a newly developed metal.

Contents

Plot

A newly developed and valuable metal is stolen and formed into a cigarette case for transportation to East Germany, but an American jewel thief comes into possession of it and finds himself a target.

Cast

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This spy story has all the usual trimmings as tough, handsome American jewel thief, portly art-collector gang leader, shot scientist, secret formula and brutal foreign agents as but almost makes up for their familiarity by lively pacing. This turns out to be the film’s sole virtue, however, since direction, dialogue and performances are on a distressingly amateurish level.” [4]

In British Sound Films David Quinlan wrote: ''Feverishly complicated thriller, not too well acted.'' [5]

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 1/5 stars, writing: "This dismal low-budget thriller has a corkscrew plot involving rare metals, jewel thieves, international blackmail, the Cold War and much else. [...] The mediocre cast is typical of British B-movies of the period, with the sole exception of Anton Diffring." [6]

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References

  1. ↑ "Desmond Cory Book Gallery - 1950s".
  2. ↑ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 68. ISBN   978-1-8445-7319-6.
  3. ↑ "Mark of the Phoenix". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  4. ↑ "Mark of the Phoenix". Monthly Film Bulletin . 26 (300): 138. 1 January 1959.
  5. ↑ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 345. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.
  6. ↑ Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 593. ISBN   9780992936440.


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