If this film had been made in 1950s France by directors named Clouzot or Melville, this Ealing production would be a regular on the revival circuit and in film school classrooms. Sadly, it's a completely unheralded film. Directed expertly by Seth Holt, who co-wrote the film with critic Kenneth Tynan, the film features an on-his-way-to-Europe George Nader as an American con man in London, looking to score by stealing a valuable coin collection (the owner is played by American expatriate and silent film star Bessie Love). His companion in crime is the docile but dangerous Bernard Lee, and there are double crosses and dirty dealings aplenty. The star of the film is Paul Beeson's amazing cinematography, always artistic but never too showy. Beeson also did sterling work for Ealing's The Shiralee (1957), and it's hard to understand how his career ended up on Harry Alan Towers scrap-heap. Dizzy Reece's outstanding jazz score (his only film work) fits the story like a glove and Maggie Smith makes her film debut as Nader's love interest. This is a great film and a true work of art.
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JohnSeal5 January 2003
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hugh-coverly23 August 2013I almost skipped this film -- it was a late night offering on TCM -- but I'm so glad I taped it. Like most film noir, the story never seems to go in the direction you expect; its charm lies in this unpredictability. Unlike most film noir, however, Nowhere To Go seems both authentic and believable. In the end, Paul Gregory's self-assured cockiness is undone by surprise, deceit and suspicion.
My initial interest was to watch Maggie Smith's first credited screen role but was completely drawn in by all of the principal characters. Those more accustomed to seeing Smith in her more sophisticated roles from the 1970s onwards, will be pleasantly surprised by her ability to comfortably inhabit the role of a working class girl.
I had never seen George Nader in anything before. Too bad he never achieved the degree of greatness his talent and good looks seemed to promise. Although American born, I think he would have played a convincing James Bond.
Both Bessie Love and Bernard Lee provide strong supporting roles. -
blanche-211 September 2009George Nader has "Nowhere to Go" in this 1958 British film that also serves as the debut for a virtually unrecognizable Maggie Smith. Nader plays Paul Gregory, a Canadian con man in London who befriends an old woman (silent screen star Bessie Love) and winds up stealing her valuable coin collection. He's blatant about it, knowing that he will serve a term in prison, but he'll get the money on release. He escapes early and finds that getting his hands on the money isn't going to be easy. His partner becomes greedy, there's an accidental death, and Gregory is forced to go on the run.
Kenneth Tynan and director Seth Holt co-wrote this tight script, and Holt keeps the action going and the tension and frustration building as Gregory runs out of options to get a hold of his money. The production is very good-looking as well.
Handsome George Nader was a Hollywood male starlet who wound up playing Ellery Queen on television, as well as starring in two other series and doing guest appearances before concentrating on a career in German film as kind of a James Coburn type. The rumor has persisted for years that Confidential magazine was ready to publish a story on Rock Hudson's homosexuality and traded that story with Universal Studios for one about Nader instead. This rumor emerged again when Hudson died, and left money to Nader in his will. If true, Universal obviously felt Hudson was going to be more important to them. That became a self-fulfilling prophecy, but it was perhaps correct. The sad thing is that a story like that mattered.
"Nowhere to Go" is well worth seeing. -
Bunuel19763 September 2011This is atypically gritty fare for Ealing (with the distribution handled by MGM, who excised some 15 minutes so that the film could fit into a double-bill!) - for the record, I have watched a couple of established classics from them in this vein, namely IT ALWAYS RAINS ON Sunday (1947; helmed by Seth Holt's brother-in-law, Robert Hamer!) and THE BLUE LAMP (1950), and among a few I own but have yet to check out is THE SIEGE OF PINCHGUT aka FOUR DESPERATE MEN (1959), which happened to be the famed company's very last effort! Anyway, following years honing his craft as an editor and getting a hang of the business side of movie-making as well in the capacity of associate producer, Holt graduated to the director's chair with NOWHERE TO GO and, as already intimated, deliberately set out to make "the least 'Ealing' Ealing film ever made"!
The result is a powerful noir (with exemplary cinematography by Paul Beeson and, accordingly, editing accompanied by Dizzy Reece's notable jazz score), which style flourished in Britain during those years - numbering the likes of HELL IS A CITY and THE CRIMINAL (both 1960) among its most notable titles, but also ACROSS THE BRIDGE (1957) which, as with the film under review, continued the prevalent practice of the time of recruiting a Hollywood leading man to enhance its commercial appeal overseas. In this case, it is George Nader: having recently watched him in the unenthusing pair of William Castle's would-be spectacle SERPENT OF THE NILE - THE LOVES OF CLEOPATRA (1953) and the low-brow Harry Alan Towers adaptation of Sax Rohmer's THE MILLION EYES OF SUMURU (1967), I frankly had little faith in his ability to carry this through; however, I was glad to be proved wrong as he made for a compelling presence here, managing the various nuances of his complex character with remarkable ease.
The film immediately starts off with a suspense situation as Nader is sprung from jail by his partner (and ex-army buddy) Bernard Lee; then, we follow in flashback how he came to be there, having fleeced an ageing socialite out of the proceeds from the sale of her late husband's priceless collection of old coins - interestingly, he had practically given himself up, hoping to get 5 years but he is given double that amountand, of course, he is not about to wait that long to reap the rewards of his gambit! However, he soon falls foul of the brutish Lee, who believes Nader had double-crossed him when, in fact, he had been unable to make the collection from the safe deposit-box due to the sudden arrival of the Police Inspector (Geoffrey Keen) who had arrested him! No longer trusting his accomplice, he surprises him at his home and ties him up and gags him; he had already demonstrated his resourcefulness by affecting a club-foot while dealing with the bank because, as he says, "nobody looks a cripple in the face". Unfortunately, Lee dies from having choked on his false teeth which were dislodged during his struggles to break free...so that Nader is now both a fugitive and a murderer!
He tries to get help from a number of underworld contacts but they either 'rat' on him to the Police or else deem him "too hot", which makes him realize he has to go it alone - however, support does come his way in the form of Maggie Smith (vaguely glamorous in her movie debut) as the ditched girlfriend of the owner of the flat in which Nader had been hiding out. Eventually, she shelters him in her family's Welsh cottage (while admitting that her uncle is a Police constable!), but the dogged Keen soon turns up there to interrogate her. The ultimate irony is that Nader panics upon spying the scene from afar through a pair of binoculars - when Smith is somehow released virtually instantly! - and, caught stealing a bike, is shot by its proprietor; though he succeeds in taking off in the man's lorry regardless, he succumbs to his wounds shortly after, leaving the girl to ponder her own future.
The intelligent script was written by Holt himself (actually, the only one he penned of his 6 directorial efforts!) in collaboration with eminent film critic Kenneth Tynan; while the central premise of a doomed man on the run has seen ample service over the years (the prototype being perhaps Carol Reed's ODD MAN OUT {1946}), this is still pretty much an unsung gem within the genre. For what it is worth, other influences can be identified in the early scenes of the conniving protagonist ingratiating himself with the old lady, which recall a similar ruse in WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957), and also the downbeat country-side ending that is redolent of both THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950) and HELL DRIVERS (1957)! -
planktonrules17 October 2018When the film begins, Paul Gregory (George Nader) escapes from prison. Soon after, you see a flashback to learn what brought him to prison. It seems that he recently came from the US to the UK and expected to get a light sentence when he steals a coin collection. He then expects to be able to escape, retreive the stolen collection and beat it out of the country. He definitely is a cool character....and you wonder if he is quite as clever as he thought he was when his plan starts to unravel!
George Nader was a handsome actor who left the US in the late 1950s to make films in Europe, such as the Jerry Cotton spy films. This is because he was outed in the press in the States and felt he had more options for work in Europe...which he apparently did. Here he is quite good in the lead...one of his few leading roles of this period in his career.
This is an interesting example of British film noir. While it lacks the cool camera angles of the best of the noir, its amoral sensibilities and coldness of the main character are classic noir all the way. Well worth seeing and it's a quiet, brooding sort of film. -
n_adams129 March 2013Well I have to say I very much enjoyed this Ealing made British thriller, although I guess it was all a bit predictable as it has been described in the title.
The story revolves around a Canadian conman played by George Nader who reminds me for football fans as a Luis Figo lookalike. Good performances by Maggie Smith, making her film debut I think and Bernard Lee although I never thought of him as a violent type. A small part from the usual wooden Harry H Corbett too.
It kept my attention all the way through which is a fair achievement although as I mentioned previously it is a little predictable and has a few far fetched moments. Nevertheless a great watch.
One observation I made was how much our road system has improved since this film was made. When our main characters leave for Wales at the end Maggie tells George it will be an 8 hour journey, I can do in just over 2 if I put my foot down. -
marcslope28 August 2013Admirably elegant and up-to-the-minute 1958, this British crime drama, made at Ealing and released by MGM, suffers from having nobody, really, to root for. George Nader, not looking his best and underplaying to the point of anonymity, is the wily coin thief who cleverly filched a valuable collection from Bessie Love and has broken out of prison to reclaim it. He runs afoul of a nasty accomplice and nastier fate. It's compelling, and it has an arresting leading lady in Maggie Smith (whose part, though she's second-billed, is quite small), and the gray London visuals, fancy camera angles, and so-cool jazz soundtrack combine to create an evocative, downbeat atmosphere. But Nader's character is so repellent you don't want his scheme to succeed, and you're not surprised when it doesn't. It's ahead of its time in its moody, minimalist storytelling, and well worth seeing. But it's a downer.
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Conjuring up sympathy for George Nadar's trouble-prone Canadian criminal in Seth Holt's tense British thriller "Nowhere to Go" is a difficult proposition. First, this despicable dastard lacks an ounce of honor. Second, events always take the worst turn for him, no matter how evasive he remains. Without a doubt, Paul Gregory (George Nadar of "Away All Boats") is a handsome bloke but a first-class hooligan. He swindles a kind, little, old lady out of her valuable coin collection. He deliberately allows himself to be nabbed by the authorities, but before this happens, he stashes the coins in a suitcase at a firm specializing in safe deposit boxes. Indeed, Gregory wants to get caught, convicted, and then imprisoned. An accomplice of his, Victor Sloane (Bernard Lee of "Goldfinger"), breaks into the prison and provides our anti-heroic protagonist with enough explosives to blast the bars of his cell window so he can escape. Holt orchestrates the opening gambit of this nifty thriller to perfection. The problem with "Nowhere to Go" is its doom-laden narrative along with the odious villainy of its leading man. Why would anybody root for a rat like Nader's Gregory. Clocking in at 103 minutes, "Nowhere to Go" lives up to its dead-end title. "Mosquito Squadron" lenser Paul Beeson does a terrific job photographing this gritty British thriller in black & white with some interesting pictorial touches. Kenneth Tynan and Holt adapted Donald Mackenzie's first novel.
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hringel25 June 2017I watched TCM's 87-minute broadcast of this film from June 2017. What a find! Script-wise, it continually zigs when the viewer expects it to zag. The cinematography is a mix of elements to love -- noir shadings, in-depth focus, unusual but always pertinent camera angles. And I suppose that in the context of films like Scream of Fear and The Nanny, the sober and somewhat cynical auteur side of Seth Holt comes through. George Nader pretty much carries the acting chores and does fine at it. It's a shame he never seemed to break through to the big time. I remember him, of course, in Robot Monster, also in a TV show called Man and the Challenge. Maggie Smith, in her film debut, is anything but a sexy ingenue. Her part is scripted to carry her character in an entirely opposite direction; her large eyes and muted attractiveness do add to the effectiveness of her performance. An uncut, Region 2 DVD adding 13 minutes to the film is available through Amazon UK. I would imagine that the extra footage serves to amplify the evolution of Nader's character -- this, not the suspense (though it is suspenseful), struck me as the focus of this unjustly neglected film. Give it a try!
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malcolmgsw24 April 2012For George Nader and Ealing Studios this was virtually the end.Nader's career went downhill pretty fast and this was the penultimate production of Ealing studios.Whilst the film has merit it is sorely hampered by the casting of a bland American lead.Compare this film with the "The Criminal" where you believe that Stanley Baker is on the run from his fellow gang members.Also there are too many coincidences and contrivances.After all would Bernard lee have gone back to his flat knowing that Nader was probably out for revenge and the key.Also when Nader makes his escape from the police he finds a window to open and there hey presto is a car just waiting to be started.Then there is the lorry just standing around waiting to be started at the end.An entertaining thriller but no classic.
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howdymax10 September 2009This is an offering from Michael Balcon at Ealing Studios which was probably not one of the premier British studios. That is one reason I was so surprised at the quality of the story and the production values. It was made during a period where the Brits tended to imitate most things American. The cars, the clothes, the movies, even the music. And then came Carnaby Street and the Beatles.
The story revolves around a American thief in London, played by George Nader, who was probably at the nadir of his career. I checked his credits and about this time he drifted into TV and then on to Germany and the rest of Europe, keeping busy in forgettable movies. His performance in this movie was low key, but really slick. He plays a professional who cons an old lady out of a valuable coin collection and spends the rest of the movie trying to cash it in and split. One by one his shady friends turn on him until he ends up a hunted man ducking for cover at every turn. He is eventually forced to rely on a virtual stranger he meets accidentally. She is played by a young and very interesting Maggie Smith. In fact I didn't even recognize her until the credits rolled.
This story was well written. Tight and tense. The performances were top notch, and the atmosphere had a very noir feel to it, even though a lot of it was shot in daylight. I don't know why George Nader's star waned. You couldn't predict it from his performance here. -
mark.waltz8 May 2020Fans of the consistently flawless Maggie Smith will be surprised to see her in her film debut as a rather quiet but eccentric and troubled young girl, pretty much the type of role that Shirley MacLaine was playing in American films. she only has a handful of scenes, but boy, but she make a lot out of them, and as a result received a BAFTA nomination for outstanding newcomer of the year. having surpassed 60 years in the cinema (and already a veteran of the stage when was made), She is among a superb ensemble drawing out the taper plan by American heartthrob George Nader who has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, and escaped, for stealing and selling a valuable coin collection.
Bessie Love, the 1929 Oscar nominee for "Broadway Melody", is the eccentric Canadian socialite whom Nader charms and Rob's, and she is delightful in her series of scenes in the beginning of the film. Nader could charm the skin off a rattlesnake, yet find a way to poison it with its own venom. Bernard Lee, is his cohort, and is dastardly dangerous but quiet. This is a film that has many faces, switching gears throughout yet keeping the audience intrigued. The final shot is a shocker, sort of a blase view of emotionaless here we go again as the character in that shot walks off dejected once again. Made by Ealing, known for their caper comedies and released by MGM, this is a little art house film that takes you in directions to where you never know where you're going to end up getting off. -
jamesraeburn200321 August 2018A smooth talking Canadian conman called Paul Gregory (George Nader) cultivates the friendship of wealthy widow Harriet P Jefferson (Bessie Love) in order to steal her priceless coin collection left to her by her husband. He sells them for £55,000 and hides the money away in a safe deposit box and, as he planned, he is soon arrested and gets sentenced to ten years in prison. Aided by his accomplice Sloane (Bernard Lee), Gregory breaks out of prison and plans to flee the country by boat using a false passport. But, Sloane, not content to accept the cut of the proceeds offered to him, attempts to double cross Gregory. He fails and Gregory accidentally kills him. From here on things start to go from bad to worse for the slick conman since Sloane had cleverly hidden away the key to the safe deposit box meaning that Gregory cannot get his hands on his money. None of his old underworld contacts in London are prepared to help him out since they consider him "too hot to handle" because he is now wanted on a murder charge. His last hope turns out to be Bridget Howard (Maggie Smith), a young woman deserted by her crooked fiance who fled to Tangiers after being fired from his job in the City for pilfering. She agrees to hide Gregory away in a dilapidated farm cottage on her father's estate in rural Wales. But, is she all that she seems and will she turn out to add to Gregory's seemingly never ending run of bad luck?
This Ealing Studios crime drama features a pretty standard plot that could be found in numerous programmers at the time; and it moves along at a rather stately pace. Yet, it still possesses enough merits to make it worth watching. It is the debut feature of director Seth Holt, a considerable talent whose potential was sadly never to be fully realised, who succeeds in creating a tense, sweaty and claustrophobic atmosphere out of George Nader's plight in which we the audience can actually feel ourselves in his character's shoes. All of his former criminal buddies don't want to know because he's wanted for Bernard Lee's murder and, one of them, a former crook gone straight turned nightclub owner, Mack (Howard Marion Crawford) is even prepared to shop him to keep a favourable appearance with the law. There are numerous familiar faces to look out for in the supporting cast (many uncredited) including Harry H Corbett, Harry Locke, Lionel Jeffries and Noel Howlett. But, it is a very young Maggie Smith who emerges triumphant in the acting stakes here. She provides the emotional element as the young girl falling for the hunted George Nader who agrees to hide him from the police. In a moving climax set in the glorious Welsh countryside, Nader, through binoculars, can see her being taken away in a police car to be questioned by Geoffrey Keen's Inspector Scott of the Yard. He thinks that she too has turned traitor and has given him away; and he leaves a note behind with a spiteful message to that effect. But, it turns out that she has not; only things take a tragic turn and he never knew that she was the only person left in the world that he could trust. The proceedings are enhanced by Paul Beeson's stunning b/w camerawork, which takes in some splendid London inner-city and rural Wales locations that add to the noirish atmosphere of the plot and create a real feeling for place. -
Zipper6927 August 2013The other reviews here which seem mainly to originate in the US/Canada and other countries far from England seem to qualify this movie as the "Real Deal" and compare it favorably with more established gritty crime dramas around the same period. I have to beg to differ. The ploy of casting a Hollywood B-Lister in the lead to increase chances of a release in the US gives such hybrids an uneven texture. The very premise of the suave thief, the jail break, the loot in the vault (the McGuffin here), the double cross, the party girl to help him works believably in New York or Boston or Chicago but falls flat in London, especially since they use so many London tourist landmarks to "prove" it's real. Nader does his best and Bernard Lee gave a nice turn as a turncoat friend, but Maggie Smith's part is terribly underwritten (possibly because the misogynistic Kenneth Tynan was co-writer...)and she is little more than a cipher, looking vague and a little lost and speaking in a tiny voice.
I'm British born and grew up in the period this was made - it's a dud.
The only bright spot was Harry H. Corbett (pre-Steptoe) in a too brief cameo as a gang boss -
mackjay24 September 2023*Minor Spoilers* Slightly above average UK crime drama. George Nader isn't bad as cold, calculating thief Paul Gregory. But as a thief, Paul isn't so good. First he mismanages a scheme to remove valuable coins from a rich lady (Silent Screen veteran Bessie Love, who resembles Lesley Manville at times). Then a co-criminal, played by great Bernard Lee, tries to put one over on Paul and they both lose out In the middle of it all is young and pretty Maggie Smith...her motives are not all that clear, given the risk she takes for edgy and pushy Paul, whom she apparently fancies. The movie is very well directed by Seth Holt who knew how to keep things moving and how to keep your eyes interested in what's on screen. A sequence set in Wales, but probably not filmed there, is quite beautiful.
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andyrobert14 August 2020A tense and exciting thriller from Ealing Studios - it is hard to believe that they once made very funny, classic comedies, which are still enjoyed all over the World today.
Nowhere To Go is an unusual British film where the star of the show is actually a smooth but uncompromising villain. He is a convicted housebreaker and embezzler who has escaped from prison and is played by George Nader. The reason why the studio chose an American actor was possibly to appeal to audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
It was nice to see Britain's very own Maggie Smith looking delightful in one of her earlier films. She plays a woman that tries to help George Nader escape from both the villains and the police.
Steptoe and Son fans, after some "wondering-where-have-I heard-that-voice-before", will also recognise Harry H. Corbett playing the part of a shrewd and unfriendly London mob boss, who does not like other criminals operating on his "patch".
Bessie Love, a fine actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood, also had a small part at the beginning of the film, playing a rich, aristocratic American widow living in Britain, who succumbs to the nefarious and disguised charms of the hero - sorry - villain, played by George Nader.
The ending seemed to leave audience to their own imagination. I suppose "Crime Does Not Pay" always has to be the message. -
masonfisk7 November 2018A British film noir from 1958. With no irony in sight I just happened to watch this film, directed by Seth Holt (his debut), after seeing Blood from the Mummy's Tomb which might've been his last (he died in '71) so I think the film gods were a-smiling. Anyway, a man is broken out of prison & hopes to collect his booty from a recent theft that he has stashed in a safe deposit locker. Efficient, professional & utterly stoic, this Canadian expat uses his Blighty connections to create an out for him when he finally collects his due w/papers & a boat waiting for him to leave the country but his plans go to pot when his handler betrays him for more money setting in motion a series of crosses & double crosses which hound him to the end. An 'on the edge of your seat' vim runs through this picture which never fails to upend expectations when we think one thing & another happens. Look for Maggie Smith (in her film debut) & 2 future Bond actors, Bernard Lee (M in all of the Bond films until 1981) & Geoffrey Keen (who also was one of Bond's higher-ups).
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Leofwine_draca5 August 2019NOWHERE TO GO is a slow-moving, character-focused slice of British crime that failed to hit the mark with audiences back on release in 1958. It's easy to see why these days: as a character piece there's little incident or action, with the emphasis on long, drawn-out scenes of brooding which aren't very entertaining. I also found George Nader a less-than-sympathetic protagonist, although the supporting cast is more interesting. The story jumps about in time a bit, which can get disorientating, with Nader escaping from prison and interacting with the criminal fraternity. A young Maggie Smith is the glamorous love interest and Bernard Lee plays a great role, but the rest is merely so-so.
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happytrigger-64-39051725 March 2019"Nowhere to go" is one of the best british film noir I've ever seen : it is intelligent from the first frame to the last one, each shot is brilliantly serving all the numerous informations and twists about that robber who escapes from jail and imagines a wise robbery. "Nowhere to go" is the first movie directed by Seth Holt who also wrote it, what a pity he didn't wrote any more, because it's a must see with so many intelligent surprises. Seth Holt directed only seven movies (plus tv work) with good titles like "Taste of fear", "Station six Sahara" (with the beautiful sexy Carroll Baker) and of course "The Nanny" (with Bette Davis). Jump on "Nowhere to go", even the title is intelligent.
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clanciai20 October 2023George Nader had a penchant for difficult roles, and here he is in a difficult spot indeed, as everything goes wrong for him. He makes a great theft of £55.000 by tricking an old lady, he puts the money in a bank vault and loses the key, he is sentenced to prison for his crime expecting five years and gets ten, he escapes, and all his former accomplices betray him, one after the other. Bernard Lee is interested in helping him only because of the money, and by accident he is killed and George charged with murder, so he is a hunted man with nowhere to go, and only Maggie Smith is decent enough to help him. It is lovely to see her so young and fresh in one of her earliest films - she would later in the 60s make Desdemona against Laurence Olivier. Of course, this bleak and sordid fugitive story could only end in one way, and it does. Maggie Smith gets out of it unharmed, while the film is replenished with losers. It's a dark noir in black and white with no sunshine in it, and George Nader is working hard to get through it. The legendary Ealing studios could come out with more cheerful pictures.
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apelieuproar-693894 July 2020In my humble opinion, a story must have a sympathetic protagonist. This one expressly doesn't. Instead we have a con artist and thief who has very few redeeming qualities. At best we can say he has something of a conscience, but who cares? People who rob and swindle do not deserve sympathy unless there is some sort of circumstance or reason. But there isn't. He's just a thief from the start and we're supposed to root for him, I guess? If not, are we suppose to root against him? If so, what's the point?
Then we have Maggie Smith's character. The only reason I watched this movie was to see Maggie Smith as I am interested in seeing the past work of veteran performers and I'm a fan of her work in 'Downton Abbey'. But her part here is severely underwritten. She takes up with this con artist for absolutely no reason that is apparent in the movie and it's just annoying. Her character doesn't deserve sympathy either. This is not a knock on Maggie Smith, of course. This was, after all, still very early in her career.
Anyway, I didn't find this movie very good at all and any appeal it has for others is utterly lost on me. 'Nowhere to Go' is an apt title as this movie goes absolutely nowhere. -
rupie1 September 2013I watched this because it is a product of the great Ealing Studio of West London, although it was released under the imprimis of both Ealing and MGM. Evidently Ealing and MGM had come to some sort of a working agreement. The movie is a complete departure from the quirkily distinctive films of Ealing's heyday - Man in the White Suit, Lavender Hill Mob, Whiskey Galore, The Ladykillers. All of those films had a distinctive and gentle take on the British national character. Nowhere to Go is a straightforward crime drama, and forgoes that unique Ealing flavor. For what it is it isn't bad. It's good to see Maggie Smith in one of her earliest roles, and Bernard Lee, who will always be remembered as "M" in the Bond movies. Paul Gregory for me is rather wooden. However, there a few too incredulities in the plot, and the ending is a disappointment. The earlier Ealing movies always put a sense of closure on things. This movie just sort of stops, in what seems to be a gesture toward nihilism.