The Rivals (1963) User Reviews

One of the best.

[sgtmac-01689 · 8/10 · 2 June 2018]

An excellent second feature, with a well assembled cast.

Most of the movies in the Edgar Wallace collection are quite slow and boring but this is a little gem and I liked it when I first saw it as a 17 year old kid back in 1983 when Channel 4 in the UK uses to show them late at night.

Hair raising at times

[chris-4016 · 8/10 · 5 June 2018]

Barry Lineham is wearing a 'syrup' which looks like a sleeping polecat at times

The cars are wonderful period models, and Erica Rogers is superb

The rivals

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 12 March 2023]

A couple of cars thieves disrupt a kidnapping scheme by stealing a car containing the ransom money. They are then targeted by both the kidnapers and the Swedish millionaire (Jack Gwilim) whose daughter's life is a stake.

Quite a suspenseful tale with plenty of twist in the plot. The villains are quite a menacing lot here, and the opportunists who stumble on the ransom note are quite smart. It's well-acted, and there's nary a dull moment - the stark black and white photography adds to the tension. The thriller ends with a gunshot and the police arriving. It ends satisfactory. Erica Rogers does well as the girlfriend of the car thief.

A very interesting plot

[searchanddestroy-1 · 4 December 2011]

Yes folks, this is a very good episode from the Edgard Wallace Mystery TV shows. The exciting tale of two hoodlums who steal a car in which there is a note - a ransom letter - directed to a wealthy man whom the daughter has just been kidnapped. And of course the two gangsters stole the abductor's car. They find the note and decide to take advantage of the situation, collect the money and impersonating the real kidnappers, no matter the kidnapped girl's life, if they can't deliver her to her father. Of course...Because if the real abductors don't get the dol...

But the police force is here, waiting...

I won't spoil any further, but it is a very efficient tale, believe me.