Bellman and True (1987)

Hiller, a computer expert, was bribed by group of bank robbers to obtain details of the security system at a newly-built bank. Having obtained the information, he thought he'd seen the last... See full summary »

Director:

Richard Loncraine

Writers:

Richard Loncraine, Desmond Lowden (novel),

Stars:

Bernard Hill, Derek Newark, Richard Hope

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bernard Hill	...	Hiller
Derek Newark	...	Guv'nor
Richard Hope	...	Salto
Ken Bones	...	Gort
Frances Tomelty	...	Anna
Kieran O'Brien	...	The Boy
John Kavanagh	...	Donkey
Arthur Whybrow	...	The Peterman
Jim Dowdall	...	The Wheelman
Peter Howell	...	The Bellman
Kate McEnery	...	Mo
Anne Carroll	...	Pauline
Richard Strange	...	Man with Walkman
Peter Jonfield	...	Security Sergeant
Andrew Paul	...	Young Security Guard

Storyline

Hiller, a computer expert, was bribed by group of bank robbers to obtain details of the security system at a newly-built bank. Having obtained the information, he thought he'd seen the last of the robbers. But now they've traced him and his son to London. They hold the son hostage and force Hiller to decode the information about the alarm and then to take part in the robbery.

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Plot Keywords:

computer | bank robbery | based on novel | independent film

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Taglines:

They kidnapped his son. They forced him to steal 14 million dollars. Then they made their biggest mistake. They trusted him.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 April 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bellman and True - Gangster wider Willen

Filming Locations:

Dungeness, Kent, England, UK

Box Office

Gross:

$226,944 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Euston Films, HandMade Films, Thames Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min 150 min (3 episodes: TV) 117 min (VHS/DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title is taken from the 18th century ballad "Do Ye Ken John Peel", a song about fox-hunting. It is presumably a rather obscure allusion to the way that the bank robbers have hunted down Hiller and won't let him go again.

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Goofs

When the robbers' Daimler Sovereign getaway car is first seen after the robbery, its two inner headlights are smashed and are not lit. A few seconds later, when the car drives through the greenhouses, those lights are unbroken and are lit.

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Quotes

[the bank robbers keep deliberately triggering the alarm. Each time, the security guards come out to investigate. By the fourth time, they are very pissed-off]
Young Security Guard: I think they've got this alarm set up all wrong - it only warns you if the place is empty!
Security Sergeant: [on radio] Control? Mobile Alpha Charlie. It's official - it's a fuck-up.

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Crazy Credits

The end-credits are overlaid on a long drawing that scrolls sideways, depicting Hiller's and The Boy's plane as it leaves London, flies over the Atlantic and arrives at Rio.

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Connections

Remade as Firewall (2006)

User Reviews

This is the REAL McCoy

A fired computer programmer (Bernard Hill) has been hired by a gang of bank robbers to steal confidential computer information from his previous employer. The problem is, the information is encoded. He takes his son along with his payment and runs away but gets stuck when the money runs out. He returns home only to be confronted by his "new" employers. He is forced to decode the information he stole so that the robbers can use it. His son is kept hostage until he has what they want. It gets more involved when the plans change and he has to go along on the robbery to disable the alarm system. This movie is a great heist movie. The video release has been edited so much it doesn't explain important parts in the plot. There is a unedited version out there that shows more details but is usually only shown in full on TV.

This movie was the original for which the 1993 movie The Real McCoy was based on. Only this one is better!