I don't know what's odder about this expose on British juvenile delinquency issues in the 1950's: the strange helium voice of James Kenney as the lead delinquent, or the fact that Joan Collins' mother here is played by the cockney Hermione Baddeley. It's still a well made film, superbly photographed in what appears to be the oldest parts of London (remnants of Fagin's hideaway in "Oliver Twist") and crisply paced. It's obvious from the start that Kenney and his cohorts are up to no good when they stalk a drunk little old lady staggering home from a pub. They appear to have a knife, but no evidence of using it is ever given other than to threaten life or limb to get ahold of these poor old women's few valuables. For a Yank like me to get into this, it took many years of film research understanding various British dialects and catching onto little bits of British culture. But in my years of film study, I have realized one thing: British filmmakers seemed to take more chances from an early age and thus, many of their films seem far advanced over American movies of the same period.
Joining Miss Baddley here (but unfortunately not in any scenes together) is the nearly unrecognizable Hermione Gingold, with platinum blonde hair and excessive jewelry, only identifiable when she speaks. Her characterization of a seemingly over the hill party girl is hysterical, but unfortunately other than become a victim of Keenan's mugging and later a witness, has little to do. Baddeley is more ferocious, confronting Keeney's parents when she finds out "scandalous" news about her precious daughter. Collins, very soft and feminine here, comes off closer to a young Jean Simmons or Audrey Hepburn rather than the vixens she played a few years later in biblical era epics like "Land of the Pharaohs" and "Esther and the King", and certainly as far from her "Dynasty" character of Alexis Carrington as you can imagine. This has some very tense moments, particularly Keeney's dealings with future stepfather Robert Ayres who has no hesitation of slapping him when Keeney sasses his mother (Betty Ann Davies). The final scene is a true shocker, showing the horrific truth in what lies beneath the surface of thugs like Keeney as they are brought down to their knees and forced to pay for their sins.
Joining Miss Baddley here (but unfortunately not in any scenes together) is the nearly unrecognizable Hermione Gingold, with platinum blonde hair and excessive jewelry, only identifiable when she speaks. Her characterization of a seemingly over the hill party girl is hysterical, but unfortunately other than become a victim of Keenan's mugging and later a witness, has little to do. Baddeley is more ferocious, confronting Keeney's parents when she finds out "scandalous" news about her precious daughter. Collins, very soft and feminine here, comes off closer to a young Jean Simmons or Audrey Hepburn rather than the vixens she played a few years later in biblical era epics like "Land of the Pharaohs" and "Esther and the King", and certainly as far from her "Dynasty" character of Alexis Carrington as you can imagine. This has some very tense moments, particularly Keeney's dealings with future stepfather Robert Ayres who has no hesitation of slapping him when Keeney sasses his mother (Betty Ann Davies). The final scene is a true shocker, showing the horrific truth in what lies beneath the surface of thugs like Keeney as they are brought down to their knees and forced to pay for their sins.