The Professionals
British Front of House still
Directed byDon Sharp
Written byPeter Barnes
Produced byNorman Priggen
StarringWilliam Lucas
Andrew Faulds
Colette Wilde
CinematographyMichael Reed
Music byWilliam Alwyn
Distributed byAnglo-Amalgamated
Release date
6 June 1960 (UK)[1]
Running time
61 mins
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Professionals is a 1960 British crime thriller, directed by Don Sharp.[2]

It screened on US television the following year as part of the Kraft Mystery Theatre series.[3] It was one of a series of films Anglo-Amalgamated sold to US television for one million dollars.[4]

Premise

A gang of criminals, Joe Lawson, Vince Clayton and Eddie Holden, rob a suburban bank. Lawson then wants to rob a city bank and enlists the services of safe cracker Philip Bowman, who is just out of prison and is about to marry his girlfriend, Ruth. The thieves manage to rob the bank but Inspector Rankin interrogates Holden about the earlier robbery. Holden confesses and the police arrest the gang just as Bowman marries Ruth.

Cast

Production

The film was based on an original script by Peter Barnes. In September 1959 it was announced that the director would be Sidney Hayers. The job of directing eventually went to Don Sharp, who had been going to make another film written by Barnes, Echo of Barbara, that does not seem to have been made.[5]

It was the first fictional film Sharp made for Independent Artists, although he had made the documentary Keeping the Peace for the same producers.[6] Independent Artists were based at Beaconsfield but the studio was so busy at the time that The Professionals had to be filmed at Pinewood.[7]

Release

In the UK it was released on the bottom of a double bill with Goliath and the Barbarians.

In the US it was the first episode of NBC's Kraft Mystery Theatre a series of 16 original mystery and suspense films from England, which replaced Perry Como over the summer in the US and Canada. Frank Gallop hosted. It debuted on 14 June 1961.[8]

Reception

The Kinematograph Weekly called it an "engrossing and thrilling tale."[1]

The New York Times TV critic called the show "an item of first rate suspense".[3] Variety said "Don Sharp's direction was impressive in the heist sequences."[9] The Boston Globe called it "professional enough but just too commonplace to be absorbing."[10]

The film was so well received that Independent Artists then offered Sharp the job of directing another movie, Linda.[6] It also led to Sharp being offered Kiss of the Vampire.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 "The Professionals". Kinematograph Weekly. 12 May 1960. p. 26.
  2. ↑ BFI.org
  3. 1 2 Opens 'Kraft Mystery Theatre' Series By JACK GOULD. New York Times 15 June 1961: 87.
  4. ↑ "Anglo's Million Dollar Television Deal". Kine Weekly. 18 May 1961.
  5. ↑ Edwards, Bill (10 September 1959). "Production". Kinematograph Weekly. p. 16. (subscription required to access article)
  6. 1 2 Sharp, Don (2 November 1993). "Don Sharp Side 3" (Interview). Interviewed by Teddy Darvas and Alan Lawson. London: History Project. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  7. ↑ Edwards, Bill (10 March 1960). "Production". Kinematograph Weekly. p. 14. (subscription required to access article)
  8. ↑ Smith, Cecil (14 June 1961). "Britons excel in grave matters". The Los Angeles Times. p. 12 Part 2.
  9. ↑ "Kraft Mystery Theatre - The Professionals". Variety. 21 June 1961. p. 31.
  10. ↑ Shain, Percy (15 June 1961). "Crime impact keeps seat hot for Como". The Boston Globe. p. 39.
  11. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (27 July 2019). "Unsung Aussie Filmmakers: Don Sharp – A Top 25". Filmink.
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