Penny Gold

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Penny Gold
"Penny Gold" (1973).jpg
UK theatrical poster
Directed by Jack Cardiff
Written by
  • David D. Osborn (as David Osborn)
  • Liz Charles-Williams
Produced by George H. Brown
Starring
Cinematography Ken Hodges
Edited byJohn Trumper
Music by John Scott
Production
company
Fanfare Films Ltd. (as A Fanfare Film)
Distributed byScotia-Barber (UK)
Release date
  • 22 June 1973 (1973-06-22)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Penny Gold is a 1973 British crime film directed by Jack Cardiff and starring James Booth, Francesca Annis, Nicky Henson and Joss Ackland. [1] [2]

Contents

Two policemen investigate a series of murders involving rare stamps.

Premise

A police detective investigates the murder of a young woman, and discovers that the crime is connected to her surviving twin sister and an extremely valuable postage stamp.

Cast

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A depressingly mediocre film from Jack Cardiff, who has here succeeded in recreating the Merton Park second-feature murder mystery of a decade ago, complete with raincoated copper (and matey assistant), voice-over flashbacks, guest heavies, and a parochial Thames-side location (not too far from the studios). One half-expects Russell Napier to materialise at any moment, pick up a phone, say "Hello. Inspector . . . what", and dash off in his black Wolseley, bell clanging, to investigate a houseboat homicide. True, the avuncular Napier rarely got into colour and never got the girl in the end (whereas James Booth, with a smile and a wink, and a pat of Francesca Annis' hand, does both); but the rest is familiar enough to set Edgar Wallace's bust revolving once again. It is difficult to fathom the purpose behind a dispiriting throwback of this kind, unless it be to tap the remnants of the nostalgia market. If so, the barrel is being well and truly scraped." [3]

Time Out noted: "a brilliant opening sequence, otherwise this flat-footed British thriller is hampered by something like the world's worst script, including flashbacks no one would ever conceivably flash back to, and by a cumbersome storyline about big league stamp trading." [4]

Sky Movies wrote: "The spirit of the British crime movie of the Fifties lives on in this old-fashioned thriller about the hunt for a rare stamp as the Penny Gold of the title. Jack Cardiff directs with obvious affection for a genre long past but it's hard on such distinguished players as Francesca Annis and James Booth not to have more meat on which to bite." [5]

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References

  1. "Penny Gold". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  2. "Penny Gold". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
  3. "Penny Gold". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 40 (468): 151. 1 January 1973 via ProQuest.
  4. "Penny Gold". Time Out London.
  5. "Penny Gold". Find and Watch.