Cosh Boy (1952)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Lewis Gilbert

Writers:

Lewis Gilbert (writer)
Vernon Harris (writer)

Release Date:

29 May 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

WILD... WAYWARD... HELL-BENT!

Plot:

Amongst the bomb-sites and dark alleys of postwar London Roy Walsh and his gang of juvenile delinquents waylay and rob old ladies...

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Based On Play

Cast

James Kenney	...	Roy Walsh
Joan Collins	...	Rene Collins
Betty Ann Davies	...	Elsie Walsh
Robert Ayres	...	Bob Stevens
Hermione Baddeley	...	Mrs. Collins
Hermione Gingold	...	Queenie
Nancy Roberts	...	Gran Walsh
Laurence Naismith	...	Inspector Donaldson
Ian Whittaker	...	Alfie Collins
Stanley Escane	...	Pete
Michael McKeag	...	Brian
Sean Lynch	...	Darky
Johnny Briggs	...	Skinny (as John Briggs)
Edward Evans	...	Sgt. Woods
Cameron Hall	...	Mr. Beverley

Also Known As:

The Slasher (USA)
The Tough Guy

Runtime:

75 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Norway:16 (1953) | UK:X (original rating) | Sweden:(Banned) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London, England, UK

Company:

Angel Productions

Trivia:

Usually reckoned to be the first British film to get an "X" certificate. There were other films before this one that had similar levels of content, and some of those were passed for general viewing. But Cosh Boy was presented for certification just as they introduced the new "X" certificate in 1951. The "X" certificate has since been replaced by the "18" certificate.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Walshy and one of his gang go to play draughts (checkers), the positions of the different coloured pieces seem to swap sides from when they approach the board (black on the left) to when they are seated (red on the left) to when they leave (black on the left).

Movie Connections:

Featured in Mike Baldwin & Me (2001) (TV)

Yes, but...

Just seen this on TV. Watched the whole thing (not just the last 15 minutes), and agree with most of what's been said - the dodgy accents, the usual brace of Hermiones, Sid James doing his avuncular desk sergeant bit, etc etc. And as the stepfather Robert Ayres gives the best performance as a piece of wood I've seen since the log in Twin Peaks. Don't think I've ever seen a film before where the fuzz make themselves scarce for ten minutes so stepfather can give his stepson a bloody good thrashing! But...making allowances for the conventions of the time, you can tell it was made by someone who knew what he was doing, and several things kept me watching: the location shots of blitzed London; Joan Collins, who was rather affecting given the limitations of her role; and James Kenney as Roy the hoodlum was really good - overwrought, sure, but convincing nevertheless. I was reminded of Gary Oldman at his most psychotic.