This film reminded me of the pre code warners gangster films.Under an hour,fast paced and full of familiar names.Warrren Mitchell as a pharmacist,Anton Differing,playing a Doctor as does Geoffrey Palmer,Martin Miller as a struck off doctor.Most of the action takes place in a late night chemist where a shot bank robber has been taken for treatment and to rendezvous with the gang leader.There is a lot of location shooting and the finale is staged in the large tube ticket office under Piccadilly Circus.The chase carries on down the escalator,with the robber spilling the money.He and it land in a heap under a large poster for the Daily Worker,which used to be the Communist Party daily paper."Clock On with The Daily worker" says the ad.Great fun.
The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre (TV Series)
Incident at Midnight (1963)
User Reviews
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Incident at Midnight
Prismark1026 August 2021
The action takes place at an all night chemist where the pharmacist is played by Warren Mitchell.
An old man called Schroeder comes in regularly. As he talks to a young blonde woman in dark glasses it becomes obvious that the old man is a drug addict waiting for his Methadone.
The old man who speaks with a German accent recognises another man who comes in for a prescription. He is Dr Leichner but the old man knows him as Mueller.
Later Mueller has an argument with a young woman who is later found dead. His wife has something snatched from her handbag by the blonde in dark glasses.
A gang break into the chemist. They has been involved in a raid, a security guard has been seriously wounded, one of the robbers has been injured as well.
Brennan, the head of the gang has a gun, the old man treats the injured man. It seems the old man was once a surgeon.
Mueller has been dealing with drugs and was looking forward to a big payday. The old man and a greedy woman put a kibosh to it.
In this nocturnal world where random characters collide. Brennan planned a meet at the chemist. To exchange keys with Mueller's wife.
However the police have a lead from a New York cop as well as some vital information from the old man. In this night they have two murders to investigate.
This was a pacy thriller with lots of coincidences. Tony Garnett who plays Brennan was a bit over the top. He went on to become a legendary television producer.
I found the lost luggage locker scene at the end of the movie to be laughably bad.
An old man called Schroeder comes in regularly. As he talks to a young blonde woman in dark glasses it becomes obvious that the old man is a drug addict waiting for his Methadone.
The old man who speaks with a German accent recognises another man who comes in for a prescription. He is Dr Leichner but the old man knows him as Mueller.
Later Mueller has an argument with a young woman who is later found dead. His wife has something snatched from her handbag by the blonde in dark glasses.
A gang break into the chemist. They has been involved in a raid, a security guard has been seriously wounded, one of the robbers has been injured as well.
Brennan, the head of the gang has a gun, the old man treats the injured man. It seems the old man was once a surgeon.
Mueller has been dealing with drugs and was looking forward to a big payday. The old man and a greedy woman put a kibosh to it.
In this nocturnal world where random characters collide. Brennan planned a meet at the chemist. To exchange keys with Mueller's wife.
However the police have a lead from a New York cop as well as some vital information from the old man. In this night they have two murders to investigate.
This was a pacy thriller with lots of coincidences. Tony Garnett who plays Brennan was a bit over the top. He went on to become a legendary television producer.
I found the lost luggage locker scene at the end of the movie to be laughably bad.
One of the best in the series
lucyrf8 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Some customers are waiting in an all-night chemist, manned by pharmacist Warren Mitchell. A beautiful blonde in a mink coat gets chatting to an old refugee, who asks if she is one of the "coterie" - her dark glasses at night are a giveaway. The old man, a struck-off surgeon, recognises a handsome doctor who comes in with a prescription to be filled, and hails him as "Mueller". The doctor claims to be "Dr Leichner", and leaves. The plot thickens. The blonde slips out, steals something from Mrs Leichner's handbag in a nightclub, and comes back. Three thugs break in, one of them severely wounded. Their leader pulls a gun and orders the old surgeon and the girl to save his life. There is something about exchanging keys, and left-luggage lockers. The police interview a member of the gang who declined to join in this latest caper. Well-played by everybody, though the swaggering gang leader is a bit over the top. Will keep you guessing to the end.
A high quality mystery.
Sleepin_Dragon1 March 2023
At an all night Pharmacy, an elderly Gentleman strikes up a conversation with an attractive blonde, he recognises a customer, Dr. Erik Leichner as someone he knew years back, but under another name, later that evening a group of gangsters use the pharmacy as a hideout.
You have to hand it to them, there are at least four subplots running in this enjoyable, complex mystery, it could easily have become messy, but it's tight, well paced and challenging. It definitely relies on the theme of coincidence, and there are many of them it's fair to say, but I loved the way the jigsaw pieces of this one fell into place.
Lots happening, so you do need to concentrate, I found my second viewing of it even more enjoyable. It's very well paced, with lots of action sequences.
Quality acting throughout, I've always been a huge fan of Anton Diffring, and he's excellent, it's a quality cast. Martin Miller and Sylva Langova were great I thought, look out for a young Warren Mitchell as The Pharmacist.
9/10.
You have to hand it to them, there are at least four subplots running in this enjoyable, complex mystery, it could easily have become messy, but it's tight, well paced and challenging. It definitely relies on the theme of coincidence, and there are many of them it's fair to say, but I loved the way the jigsaw pieces of this one fell into place.
Lots happening, so you do need to concentrate, I found my second viewing of it even more enjoyable. It's very well paced, with lots of action sequences.
Quality acting throughout, I've always been a huge fan of Anton Diffring, and he's excellent, it's a quality cast. Martin Miller and Sylva Langova were great I thought, look out for a young Warren Mitchell as The Pharmacist.
9/10.
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