Touch of Death (1961 film)

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Touch of Death
"Touch of Death" (1961).jpg
British quad poster
Directed by Lance Comfort
Written byLyn Fairhurst, Aubrey Cash and Wilfred Josephs (story)
Produced byLewis Linzee
Starring William Lucas
David Sumner
Ray Barrett
Jan Waters
Cinematography Basil Emmott
Edited byJohn Trumper
Music by Johnny Douglas
Production
company
Helion Pictures
Distributed byPlanet Film Distributors
Release date
  • 1961 (1961)(UK)
Running time
58 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Touch of Death is a 1961 black and white British second feature [1] crime film directed by Lance Comfort and starring William Lucas, David Sumner, Ray Barrett and Jan Waters. [2] It was written by Lyn Fairhurst from a story by Aubrey Cash and Wilfred Josephs.

Contents

Premise

A criminal gang pull off a big robbery, unaware the cash has been infected with toxic poison. The thieves hide out on a Thames houseboat and terrorise its female occupant, before they start dying.

Cast

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "In an effort to ring the changes on the usual crime and punishment formula, the script overloads the tale with suspenseful possibilities that strain the credibility. But it creates a nice sense of urgency, and the direction, though not particularly original, keeps the action going at a lively pace. The characterisation of the two crooks gives those two good actors, William Lucas and David Sumner, something to bite on, and some tedious playing in the minor roles does not weigh too heavily on the rest of this able little second feature." [3]

AllMovie wrote, "Director Lance Comfort wasn't what you could call inspired, but he sure knew how to sustain audience interest." [4]

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References

  1. ↑ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 200. ISBN   978-1-8445-7319-6.
  2. ↑ "Touch of Death". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  3. ↑ "Touch of Death". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 30 (348): 25. 1 January 1963 – via ProQuest.
  4. ↑ "Touch of Death (1962) - Lance Comfort - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie".
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