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 Wheelman is driving the getaway car after the robbery and hears on the police radio that the police are getting very close]
The Wheelman: I used to live round here. Hold tight.
[he swerves onto a farm track, through some greenhouses and heads towards a fence]
Guv'nor: [shouts] That's a bloody fence! Christ! Where are you going? You stupid... Where are we going now?
The Wheelman: [calmly] We can cut through round here, back onto the estate.
Donkey: [shouts] There's no road. Where is it? There's no road!
[...]

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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

Absolutely Fabulous

This was a surprise for me, since I bought it for 99 cents at the local supermarket's video sale. Bernard Hill gives a fantastic performance, and the suspense was unbearable. The heist is great, as is the direction. I cannot believe I have never heard of this before, but I sure will recommend it to anyone who likes crime, computer, and English films.