Very strong thriller from the Boulting brothers with a cracking performance from Dickie Attenborough as the starey-eyed Pinkie, and William Hartnell looking young(ish) and spry as his friend, henchman and conscience Dallow. Lacking some of the book's depth and darkness, but staying surprisingly faithful to many important plot points, the pace is electric and the players all excellent. The sticky squalor and roughness of the town and the time are vividly realised, and Pinkie is about as bad as they come. One of the great British thrillers, and for those familiar with the book, check out the sweet, ingenious ending.
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bkoganbing6 January 2009If Richard Attenborough hadn't been careful in his choice of roles he might very well have been typecast as a stone cold killer the rest of his career. It was the same problem that Richard Widmark had after Kiss Of Death. In Brighton Rock, Attenborough is absolutely riveting and charismatic as gang leader Pinkie Brown.
In the British seaside resort town of Brighton, Attenborough and his cronies run a protection racket and are being muscled by another gang who wants to take over their territory. In America this would call for a public machine gun blasting, but in the United Kingdom they do things in a bit more subtle way. After a prolonged chase through Brighton, Attenborough nails one of the other gang members Alan Wheatley in a fun house tunnel ride where there's even question that Wheatley might have slipped and fallen on his own.
But there are questions and Hermione Baddely is raising them, having been with Wheatley before he died and knowing how scared he was. There's also a witness after the fact who could destroy his alibi, a young and very innocent waitress played by Carol Marsh.
The reason Brighton Rock works so well is the terrifying portrait of Attenborough as a killer. Attenborough has to be a charismatic figure or the older members of his group would not be looking to him as the leader. They fear him too, but eventually the fear takes over the sway he has on the group.
Carol Marsh is good in her part. She's such an innocent, a Trilby like creature who Attenborough works like a Svengali over and gets her actually to marry him, just so she can't give evidence against him in Wheatley's murder. But when a couple more deaths occur, Marsh is frightened, but still entranced with Attenborough.
The final climax on the Brighton pier is as terrifying as any noir film you might see in America at that time. It even eclipses Wheatley's demise earlier which is also a highlight. Brighton Rock holds very well after 62 years and compares very well with some of the best American noir films of the time. -
Xstal8 March 2023A two bit villain gets ideas above his station, more godson than godfather, an irritation, a vile and vicious type, although it's all gusto, teenage hype, his small mob predates the weak, provokes the fight. He's made some schoolboy errors he will regret, dug a hole and now he issues lots of threats, between a hard place and a rock, he needs to find a way to block, so he's not captured in the ever closing net. He takes advantage of the innocence of Rose, as she accepts the sham marriage that he's proposed, but Ida Arnold's on the case, she's got her sights on this scarred face, like a bloodhound on the scent, she will expose.
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tresdodge10 October 2004I hope this film is remembered for all time as it is an incredible piece of film-making. Excellent script, suspense and a wonderful performance by Richard Attenborough as the ruthless and emotionless gang leader Pinky.
Despite Brighton being known for its family orientated beaches, entertainment and pier, we see a very dark and disturbing side to this relaxed holiday town. There is a sinister feel throughout and is shot and edited very well. It was a bit hard to understand some of the dialogue at times but this did not matter as it captivates and draws you in for the duration.
I recommend it highly. -
blanche-25 December 2012I see that everyone has raved about this film and that it was 15th on a list of great British films. I might have enjoyed it more if I were British. Unfortunately, I'm not.
A great cast makes up "Brighton Rock," a gritty 1947 noir with a screenplay by no less than Graham Greene (from his novel) and Terence Rattigan, and some great cinematography by Harry Waxman.
Pinkie Brown (Richard Attenborough) is a penny-ante mobster who is the head of a protection racket in Brighton. When people owe him money or pose a threat to him, he kills them or slashes their face. In the case of his rival, Fred, he manages to knock him out of a boat during an amusement ride in a brilliant scene.
The police think that Fred had a heart attack but a woman named Ida (Hermoine Baddeley) who was actually outside the tunnel, who Fred latched onto in a bar, I guess thinking he wouldn't be killed, isn't convinced. Then there's the problem of the shy waitress, Rose (Carol Marsh), who never forgets a face - she served Fred in a restaurant. This wrecks Pinkie's alibi, so he marries her in case he's accused. Then she won't have to testify.
Richard Attenborough is scary as hell in this thing, kind of Peter Lorre-like. I kept picturing Dirk Bogarde in the role, though this film was released a bit before his time. Attenborough is excellent, but he's so creepy I can't imagine anyone a) not being terrified of him; and b) dating him, much less marrying him. Attenborough is not unattractive here, but if someone like Bogarde had played the role, I might have bought it at least from the female angle.
My big problem with this movie is that I absolutely could not figure out this Klown Klobber card and didn't have the wherewithal to rewind one more time to figure it out. Anyway, the Klown Klobber card is some sort of contest, and if you send it in, you get a cash reward. It all has to do with someone resembling the card. It was planted in the restaurant where Rose works as some sort of alibi, but when Pinkie goes to recover it, he finds out Rose discovered it. Frankly I became really confused. I might have liked the film better if everyone hadn't gone on and on about it.
Maybe I watched this too late at night and wasn't concentrating.
I can only say excellent acting, wonderfully made film, gritty story, unpleasant people. And don't forget that Klown Klobber card.
The acting is excellent, and with perhaps the exception of Ida, there really isn't anyone very likable in the film. -
Brighton Rock is directed by John Boulting and written by Graham Greene (also 1938 novel) and Terence Rattigan. Produced by Roy Boulting, it stars Richard Attenborough, Carol Marsh, William Hartnell, Hermione Baddeley, Harcourt Williams and Wylie Watson. Music is scored by Hans May and cinematography is by Harry Waxman. Plot finds Attenborough as small time Brighton hoodlum Pinkie Brown, whose attempts to cover up a murder sees events spiral out of control for himself and those closest to him.
1947 was a good year for tough, gritty British drama, in fact it was a key year in the progression of British cinema. It was the year that would see the release of They Made Me A Fugitive, It Always Rains On Sunday, Odd Man Out and Brighton Rock. The latter film, arguably the one that looks the most dated, is the one that shocked the most upon its release. Refreshing, then, to find that in spite of the aged edges of the narrative frame, it still today has a power, a bleakness, that justifies the classic status afforded it. Part seedy seaside noir, part character driven observation on Catholic guilt and torment, Brighton Rock overcomes some slight old time technical flaws to thrive on thematic potency and a tense narrative.
Many authors find their respective work losing impetus during the translation to the big screen, Graham Greene is one who hasn't had to suffer in that department. Key issue for those adapting his work is to understand the characterisations at work, thankfully the Boulting brothers grasp that Pinkie Brown, surely one of Greene's greatest creations, has a complexity that needs him front and centre of the brewing maelstrom. The plot then tumbles out around him, as the seedy underbelly of Brighton's everyday life is exposed. The casting of Attenborough as Pinkie was a masterstroke, fresh faced and wide eyed, Attenborough plays it as coiled spring like, his psychosis troubling and ready to explode at any given moment. His cold hearted relationship with the homely, desperate for love, Rose (Marsh), is utterly disturbing, and it's that relationship that underpins the story.
Story is set amongst two sides of Brighton, one side is sunny, full of lights, fun-fairs and candy floss, the other features grimy boarding houses, penny café's and loud back street beer houses. The neat trick the Boulting's pull is that we know the sunny side is merely a facade to darker forces, much of the badness is played out to the backdrop of seaside frivolity and relaxation. With the iconic pier serving as a dual witness to both the good and bad side of Brighton's current denizens. Aided by Waxman's oppressive photography, J Boulting paints in claustrophobic strokes, perfectly enveloping the lead protagonists in a number of restrictive set-ups, where the surroundings deftly match the mood of the individual. It's going to end bad, it has too, the atmosphere tells us that, but the makers are reveling in tightening the noose one turn at a time, and that's a sure fire bonus for film noir lovers.
Film is well cast across the board, with Hartnell most notable as Pinkie gang member, Dallow, while Baddeley as Pinkie's bold and brassy adversary, Ida Arnold, is suitably annoying. Memorable characters, one and all, each one serving to add fuel to Attenborough's malevolent fire. How great it is to also take away a number of memorable scenes from the movie. From the pulse raising chase at the beginning; to the weird and haunting brutality of a ghost train sequence, and to the cruel finale that drips with cynicism, it's a film that refuses to leave the conscious after the credits have rolled. The ending may have been toned down from that of the novel, but what remains still bites hard, as does, in truth, the whole film. 9/10 -
If ever there was an old film that I am glad had closed captioning, it's this one. As an American and a person with a slight hearing loss, I never could have watched BRIGHTON ROCK unless it had closed captions. That's because unlike many British films, this featured the accents of the working and lower-class--which are MUCH harder to understand for non-Brits. While the captioning was not perfect, it sure helped me follow along and enjoy the film, so I'd recommend that even if your hearing is 20/20 (ha!), try turning on the captions when you watch it--even if they are, at times, far from perfect.
The story is about a small-time gang of thugs working in Brighton (a seaside resort in England). At the beginning of the film, they catch up to a man who betrayed them and the vicious guy played by Richard Attenborough kills him. However, the gang didn't do a great job hiding their tracks and the ever-paranoid Attenborough goes to extraordinary lengths to make sure the trail stays cold. Unfortunately, since the film makers apparently were pressured to point out that Brighton is a safe and wonderful place (hence the seemingly unnecessary prologue), you know that by the time all is said and done that the gang will get theirs--lest the film hurt tourism. This is actually a problem with the film--the film makers didn't want to make waves with local officials and you can just assume that it will have a "crime does not pay" ending. Too bad, as the film does otherwise get very high marks for its gritty realism. One horrific scene involves a banister--and fans of film noir will no doubt love this.
Overall, a gripping film with a particularly colorful and nasty performance by Attenborough. I loved his scar and unrelentingly awful character. Also, look for William Hartnell as one of the gang members--he was the first Doctor from the "Doctor Who" TV series. It's just a shame that the film makers telegraphed how the film must end. -
dcurrie62327 January 2007I just saw this picture courtesy of a local rental store which has a number of Btitish films otherwise not available. Wow!
Absolutely excellent in all departments. Attenborough gives a standout performance as Pinky and is surrounded by a sterling cast working at the same high level. The film is beautifully photographed in a way which gives texture to the story and reality to the characters. This must be one of the top British films of the Forties and can stand beside anything Hollywood was doing at the time (or any time for that matter.)
The script is credited to Graham Greene (based on his Novel) and, the unlikely seeming, Terence Rattigan (Separate Tables, Winslow Boy et al). Without knowing who contributed what to the final screenplay, I can say that it is a beautiful and coherent piece of work that has character development as well as terse and atmospheric dialog that keeps the viewer engrossed and the tension high.
Recommended (especially to fans of film noir) -
In John Boulting's adaptation of a Graham Greene novel, Richard Attenborough plays small-time gang-leader Pinkie Brown, a young man with a rough temper and a paranoid mean-streak. After he murders a police informer, Pinkie happens upon a young waitress (Carol Marsh) who could shatter his alibi if she wanted to. Unable to silence her without risking arrest, Pinkie instead tries to seduce the girl, who naively falls head over heels for the man who'd like to put a bullet in her.
Greene's trademark wryness is present in a tense opening act that sees a desperate newspaper employee (hired as Kolley Kibber, a variation of the Lobby Lud character) pursued through the streets of Brighton. Rarely have bustling crowds of people felt so ominous: how can this man hope to escape detection if, in a sardonic twist, an entire readership is looking out for him? Pinkie eventually murders the man during a carnival horror ride, escaping into the throngs of oblivious day-trippers. The manner in which such a heinous crime is swallowed by the clamour of everyday life recalls Dassin's 'The Naked City (1948)' and that wonderful reverse dolly shot in Hitchcock's 'Frenzy (1972).'
This sequence is one of several – including the climax upon a foggy ocean pier – whose sheer atmosphere is intense enough to rival the very best British noir efforts of Jules Dassin {'Night and the City (1950)'} and Carol Reed {'Odd Man Out (1947)'; 'The Third Man (1949)'}. Unfortunately, unlike these better films, 'Brighton Rock' lacks a consistent tone. Director Robert Boulton is skillful at building a strong atmosphere, particularly through his use of real city locations, but regular interruptions from Hermione Baddeley's brassy amateur sleuth (accompanied by her own jaunty theme tune) shift the mood from that of a grim British noir to a frivolous outing with Miss Marple.
Richard Attenborough is a small, unintimidating actor, but he uses his slight stature to his advantage; like a wily mutt, his Pinkie Brown has a ferocious bark, and a bite to match. In stories of this sort, it is typical for the villain to be softened, if only slightly, by the affections of a pretty lady. Nothing of the sort happens here. Pinkie, whose sexual urges are seemingly exhausted in his lust for power, woos and weds waitress Rose purely as an exercise in self- preservation. The young woman's devotion to such a cold-blooded crook is pathetic and heartbreaking, a tragic metaphor for thousands of women trapped in loveless and abusive marital unions. -
laika-lives23 May 2006Along with Ealing's 'Pink String and Sealing Wax', this film established Brighton as England's most Noirish location, a corrupt place full of tacky delights hiding violence and desperation (Blackpool occupies that place in British pop culture now - see particularly the TV series 'Funland'). It's hardly surprising that an island nation so frequently locates threatening forces at coastal locations - just look at the Whitby sections in 'Dracula', or Powell and Pressburger's 'The Spy in Black', for two of the more obvious examples.
This, the Boulting Brothers' masterpiece and arguably the greatest of all British Gangster films (a relatively select, prestigious genre until the rush prompted by 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'), is also the closest thing to a proper British film noir. All the elements are in place - the seedy milieu, the violence, the pathological central character, the betrayed innocent, even the thread of Catholic imagery that is highly unusual in British film but fairly common in American crime dramas (other than Rose, I can't think of a single character in 1940's British cinema who owns a rosary - everyone tends to be very Church of England).
Although Attenborough's electrifying Pinkie is the centre of the film, the heart of the story seems to be the confrontation of Ida and Rose in his bedroom. Rose, naively, thinks she can change him. Ida knows better, and interestingly refutes the possibility of redemption, invoking the eponymous image of the Rock, stamped through with one word no matter where you cut it. In the context of the Catholic background of the characters, that's an incredibly bleak assessment, and the film supports her - Pinkie can't change, and doesn't even want to. The Nun at the end offers a more optimistic take on events, suggesting that the possibility of redemption can be found in all love - but Pinkie's love was a lie, and the cruel irony of the final moments is that Rose never discovers his true nature. She is not saved from her absurdly romanticised ideal of him (and it would be salvation, no matter how soul destroying; the film almost feels like a response to all those lovers-on-the-lam films from America, although it predates most of them, puncturing their romanticised depiction of the life of crime. 'They Live By Night' seems somewhat absurd after this).
Hermione Baddeley is brilliant as Ida; Nemesis reinvented as a raucous broad, her clattering laughter pursuing Pinkie like the rhythm of Poe's Tell-Tale Heart. She's the one character who won't compromise or be corrupted - she self-effacingly insists that she's 'just like everyone else' in believing that justice should be done, but no-one else in the film gives a damn about justice. She also believes in saving Rose from herself - when she announces herself as Rose's mother in order to gain access to her, in some ways she's not far off the truth. She's a mother figure for the desperate - Fred wants her to protect him, to be 'looked after'. She pursues the truth behind his death with a vigour normally associated in crime dramas with bereaved parents, but with the clarity of a Private Detective - she figures out Pinkie's motives with great acuity. Her transition from comic relief to dynamic moral compass is remarkable. There may be no more forceful female figure - certainly no more heroic one - in British cinema of the Forties.
William Hartnell is equally good as Dallow, Pinkie's quietly menacing right-hand man who reaches a line he finds he can't cross. There are great supporting turns from Harcourt Williams, as a dissolute lawyer alleviating his misery with Shakespearean quotation, and Wylie Watson, as an ageing gangster aware that he is running out of luck and favours. Charles Goldner is pretty good, unexpectedly restrained and business-like rather than menacing, as rival gangster Colleoni (tantalisingly close to Corleone), and Victoria Winter shines in her brief screen time as Dallow's girl Judy, both warm and down to earth.
The only problematic performance is Carol Marsh, as Rose. In fairness, she's a difficult character to play - how does she fall for a man who is so openly menacing, overtly threatening to cut up her face on their first date if she talks to the police? Marsh is good in the early scenes at the café, believably nervous but friendly, but she struggles to make Rose anything other than a laughably naive twerp once the romance with Pinkie gets underway. It isn't as though either script or actor plays him as irresistible charmer, or even deceiving lover. He threatens and neglects her, and she repays him with puppy-eyed love. It's hard to take, and yet... the simplicity of her performance may be the least awkward way through a script that refuses to explain what she's doing. A better actress might have hinted at or drawn something out, but it would always seem awkward. At least Marsh suggests total helplessness - if ever a performance was asking for the tag of 'lamb to the slaughter', this is it.
Boulting's direction is, for the most part, fabulous, although the ghost-train ride is a little overdone; on the other hand, the pursuit of Fred through the streets that precedes it is brilliant, dynamic in a way too few British pictures are, and the murder of Spicer is unforgettable - a great use of montage.
This film dates from slap bang in the middle of British cinema's golden age, which arguably began with Hitchcock's 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' in the mid thirties and ended with the last great Ealing Comedy, 'The Ladykillers', in 1955. After that, great films became very much rarer. In the midst of the strongest slate of films in British Cinema, however, 'Brighton Rock' still stands out. This was a career high for everyone involved - not least Attenborough. -
FilmCriticLalitRao8 October 2014As a film, Brighton Rock can be defined as a good character study of different people who find themselves directly or indirectly involved in a crime involving Brighton's gangsters. The film is able to strike a fine balance between childish entertainment and taut thriller. There are good performances by all actors but famous British director Richard Attenborough is able to carve a separate identity for himself for his chilling portrayal as a young hoodlum with blood on his hands. For most English tourists Brighton is a small town in England which is famous for its seaside resort. Its popularity soared immensely when famous British writer Graham Greene wrote a novel about its vicious criminal gangs who firmly held on to their Christian beliefs. It was in 1947 that director John Boulting's film "Brighton Rock" was released for general public. The film was an immediate success with both critics as well as viewers as it remained as close as possible to the original book. For this purpose Graham Greene collaborated with famous British dramatist Terence Rattigan. In recent times,a remake has been made which presents a new version of the story with additional colors.
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theowinthrop6 January 2009It was written by Graham Greene in the 1930s, shortly after a notorious murder case (or cases) in 1934 wherein two women's bodies were found in trunks in the Brighton Railway Station. One of the women was identified, and her lover/husband Tony Mancini (who accidentally killed her in a freak accident during an argument) barely got acquitted due to his lawyer Norman Birkett. The other woman was traced, but an ambitious local policeman wrecked the nearly completed case against a socially well connected abortionist. That Brighton, the so-called fun center for vacationing Brits, was soiled by this double tragedy goes without saying. Greene added to it the growing problem of rival criminal gangs working at race tracks and in various rackets. Big time crime is not only an American problem but is in every country. The figure of the successful thug Colleoni (Charles Goldner) is a good 1930 style version of the Krays of the 1960s.
BRIGHTON ROCK as a film (with screenplay by Greene and Terrance Rattigan) actually sticks pretty close to the novel, except perhaps in the characterization of Ida Arnold (Hermoine Baddeley - later Mrs. Naugatuck on the television comedy MAUDE) and in the conclusion concerning the record that is left by Pinkie (Richard Attenborough) with his overly fixated wife Rose (Carol Marsh). Greene was always using his novels to push his Catholicism, but he was a tragic realist at the bottom. Ida is shown to be determined to get justice for the dead newsman Fred Hale / "Kolley Kibber" (Alan Wheatley). But Greene never likes this avenger - he finds that she unconsciously stirs up more trouble for others (including the unfortunate Spicer (Wylie Watson) than her actions are worth. As for the record, at the end of the film it is broken due to Pinkie's attempt to destroy it. So it (ironically) only repeats him saying "I love you". In the novel poor Rose plays it as the book ends and as the readers depart - it probably spews forth his actual message of hatred to her.
Pinkie may be the worst villain in Greene's novels. He was the loyal young lieutenant of the original gang leader Kite (whose death is mentioned at the start of the film - and is due to an expose that Hale published). Pinkie is ruthless and smart, so he has assumed leadership of the gang over the aging Spicer, the more rational Cubitt (Nigel Stock), and Dallow (William Hartnell, in a typically well done underplayed role - which surprises us at the end). However Pinkie is immature and ruthless. He sees himself as the equal of Colleoni, who is capable of spitting out enough "torpedoes" and "goons" in an hour to threaten Pinkie than the latter realizes. Pinkie never wavers from his target or goal, and we watch the steps he uses to follow the frightened Hale to the latter's end in the films first twenty minutes. He uses similar concentration on results to kill one other character, blackmail one other person, and manipulate the love besotted Rose throughout the film. But his actions are never carefully thought through. Several times he actually has all the cards in his hands to win or get away with the murder, but his immaturity and temper keep ruining his success.
Rose is equally interesting - a thoroughly decent and sweet girl. Like Pinkie she is a Catholic, but a better one (ironically he once thought of being a priest). She finds him threatening but also reassuring (once he is aware he can control her he sees little real reason to do her harm - until the conclusion of the film). She even speaks up for him against Ida, trying to warn her about the threat to her because Rose accidentally can trip up the perfection of Pinkie's alibi for Hale's death.
The murder of Hale (in a "Dante's Inferno" "Fun House" on Brighton Pier) is wonderfully done, using the faces of the evil spirits in the darkened tunnel to counterpoint the helplessness of Hale's situation. But the murder in the book is different. Hale is lured to an isolated spot, and he choked to death by Pinkie using a popular candy called a "Brighton Rock" thrust down the journalist throat. That was the reason for the title (an ironic counterpoint to the holiday atmosphere of the town and the murder itself). Instead we see Hale is drowned in the film. Still it is an very effective sequence.
The other actors are pretty good. Watson is best recalled for another sad victim he played a decade earlier: he was the unfortunate "Mr. Memory" in Hitchcock's THE THIRTY NINE STEPS. Also there is Harcourt Williams as Pinkie's lawyer, Pruitt. Williams (best remembered for some of his roles in the Olivier Shakespeare films) plays the elderly, crooked lawyer as a figure of some pathos: he realizes he is a ruin of the man he should have been, pointing out to Ida his photograph as a public school boy decades before.
The film is a rich one, and time prevents from mentioning other points in it. Suffice to say that to keep his alibi and perfect crime perfect Pinkie must marry Rose, and must seek the moment to get rid of her, while Ida tries to get the authorities to reopen the murder. But in the end he finds (literally) his plans collapse to destroy him.
One last point: the death of Kite was an event that Greene mentions in another novel of the period, that also was turned into a popular film. Another member of the gang was Raven, the killer who leaves the gang and becomes a hit-man in THIS GUN FOR HIRE. Probably had he stayed in Brighton, he (not Pinkie) would have led the gang. That would have been a different story. -
jboothmillard1 February 2010Apparently this was cut because it would have been too shocking or something, I kind of wish it was that way instead of just quite sinister, but never mind. Basically twenty-something small town crook Pinkie Brown (Lord Sir Richard Attenborough) runs a gang who racket at the Brighton race course, and he is told to murder rival Fred Hale (Alan Wheatley). The police believe he committed suicide, but quite talkative stage performer Ida Arnold (Hermione Baddeley) is determined to find the real cause of death as she saw Fred before he died. She, and Pinkie before her, come across naive waitress Rose Brown (Carol Marsh), who can prove that Fred was murdered, but Pinkie is doing all that he can to make sure she keeps her mouth shut. He convinces her that he has fallen, and not too long later gets her to marry him to make sure she stays silent. His gang however have started to doubt Pinkie's ability in the racket, with rivals trying to take over the gang, and Pinkie becomes more desperate and violent, which is where he gets his scar (and the film was released in America as Young Scarface), to keep what little has. The most memorable scenes are of course the murder on the ghost train, Pinkie recording his voice of hatred for a smiling Rose, and the ending sees her listening to the scratched record after he is found dead, and all that plays is "I love you", so it cut off the nasty stuff, probably for the best. Also starring William Hartnell as Dallow, Nigel Stock as Cubitt, Wylie Watson as Spicer, Harcourt Williams as Prewitt, George Carney as Phil Corkery, Charles Goldner as Colleoni, Victoria Winter as Judy and Reginald Purdell as Frank. Young Attenborough proves himself a great young talent, in possibly his finest performance, Marsh a good underrated talent also, there are some good dark moments, so it a very worthwhile crime drama. Lord Sir Richard Attenborough was number 34 on The 100 Greatest British Actors, and the film was number 44 on The 50 Greatest British Films. Very good!
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screenman13 January 2008Graham Greene's 'Brighton Rock' was a formative book in my life. I got hold of it as a young teenager back in the 1960's and found it absolutely riveting. This was one of the first truly adult books I had read.
As a 'mixed-up kid' and in bad company myself, I could identify with 17-year-old 'Pinkie' Brown entirely - which may well be a criticism of my character as a youth. Happily, I have no criminal convictions and thus far haven't murdered anybody. In a way, the book revealed how far my own life could slip, and may well have pulled me back from the edge. If this is true I owe the author a great debt. And so do a number of other people with whom I had unresolved issues at the time.
I saw the movie some years later and was bitterly disappointed. It so far failed to interpret 'Pinkie's' psychology (and perhaps mine also) that I hardly recognised his portrayal. Although a worthy actor - and later, director - Attenborough was totally miscast. He was too old for the character, but yet too inexperienced as a man to interpret the subtly brooding internal conflicts. Faith and fury, a bitter pride and worldliness, vied with a loathing of weakness in himself that was vented upon others. All of these complex shades and many more were glossed-over to create a rather second-rate noirish gangster movie. 'Pinkie' is a kid in great pain. He has an almost unbearable sense of betrayal, and now regards loyalty in others with cynical contempt. His only support and succour has come from a much older gangster, 'Kite', who has taken him in from the streets, and who's untimely murder has left him for the first time in his life with Power. The movie never makes it adequately clear that - at just 17 - he is (even today) technically just a minor. However, when this book was written, the age of majority was actually 21. I do not fault the players. They all did a sterling job. The script-writer and director apparently preferred to emphasise simple criminality rather than the corrupting influence of neglect and maltreatment with the lack of a positive role-model upon vulnerable youth. This is strange because Graham Greene was himself involved in the production. Perhaps there were budgetary constrains.
Some have questioned the likelihood of a 'Rose' character being attracted to the vicious, spiteful introvert that is 'Pinkie' Brown. They clearly haven't heard of Myra Hindley, Rosemary West, or the 20-30 women who routinely correspond with serial-killer Peter Sutcliffe. Violent, dangerous males are an aphrodisiac to some women. Actually, if you compare the outline of Pinkie's past described in the book with the early life of Ian Brady, there are striking similarities. Given a stable home and loving parents; both he and Pinkie might have been pillars of the community.
I think it is a measure of how completely Pinkie has been misunderstood - not just by movie-buffs, but by authorities as a whole - that today's prisons and inner-city gangs are populated with teenage kids just like him, and often much younger and worse. Graham Greene's 'Pinkie' only intimidated those who represented a threat to him or an advantage. Killing was a very last resort. His modern equivalents, however, won't hesitate to stab or gun-down comparative strangers simply for looking at them with the wrong expression.
I would recommend that everyone should read the book - especially politicians. Even today, Graham Greene has something to teach us all about juvenile delinquency and its causes. Though already I'm afraid it's too late. Just don't be so quick to dismiss Pinkie as 'cold-blooded' or 'evil'; for the most part you get out of kids what you put in. He could have been anyone's child. He could have been me.
This movie will entertain you in an unmemorable way for 90 minutes or so. The book, like bad memories, will stay with you for life. -
MovieReporter15 September 2005A lean, mean, steely adaptation by Graham Greene of his own 1938 novel, now regarded as a classic in British cinema. Although cited as 'watered-down' by fans of the book, one thing that cannot be undermined in this film is the quality of the casting. Twenty-five year old Richard Attenborough's convincing and perfect performance as vicious juvenile gangster Pinkie Brown must have left Greene gob-smacked whilst Carol Marsh (as Pinkie's despairingly innocent girlfriend, Rose), William Hartnell and Hermione Baddeley serve to bring Greene's supporting ensemble of seaside characters memorably to life. Certain aspects of the novel are lost or muddled on screen - Pinkie and Rose's obsession with Catholicism is patchy whilst the former's fear of sex is kept minimal, robbing the character of some of the depth that Greene conveyed in his book. Attenborough and the supporting players however are so graceful in their roles that any shortcomings are more than forgiven and the ending - again, a cause of controversy to some - , in the eyes of this reviewer, is a masterstroke.
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SnoopyStyle18 June 2020Between the two wars in the resort town of Brighton located an hour from London, there is a history of violence. It's 1935 and a gangster named Kite is found dead. Reporter Fred Hale has written an expose on the gangs and he visits for one day to set up a game by leaving cards around town. 17 year old gang leader Pinkie Brown (Richard Attenborough) intends to confront him who is seen as the cause for Kite's death. After murdering Fred, the gang works to create an alibi by continuing the game.
The accent is a little tough but mostly I didn't understand the premise until after doing some reading. I didn't get the cards at first. I also expected a more brutal killing. That brings me to the face slashing. It's not that brutal and the closeup filming of punches to the faces feel stylish artificiality. Again, I'm expecting a more real fight. All in all, it's great to see a Graham Greene movie and it's fascinating to see a young Attenborough. The most brutal scene may be his recording in the booth. -
randombook27 June 2006A sublime performance by Richard Attenborough as Pinkie Brown is the cherry on the cake in this fantastic adaptation of Graham Green's novel. Attenborough's chilling performance is in my opinion his best ever. Hermione Baddeley plays Ida Arnold exceptionally but sadly does not receive the recognition she deserves as she is out shone by Attenborough. The film is a disturbing insight into the Brighton's gangs that nobody wants to talk about. The film has that subtle edge that only black and white movies can and there is a classic twist at the end. This is a must for anybody who loves black and white movies and will have you on the edge of your seat. If you haven't seen this movie then make a point to do so you won't be disappointed.
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Pinkie (Richard Attenborough) heads a small gang in Brighton. I didn't understand the beginning and I was a bit annoyed that I had to try and figure things out. The beginning only made sense after I had read other reviews on the IMDb site. Obviously written by people who have read the book. Anyway, Pinkie ends up killing a couple of people and trying to cover his tracks until the final denouement at Brighton pier. Just go with it.
There are several memorable scenes - the chase at the beginning through Brighton that ends with Pinkie taking a seat next to Fred (Alan Wheatley) on the Ghost Train as the ride starts; the scene at the pier with the suicide pact; the fight with other gang members where Pinkie gets unexpectedly attacked; the incident on the staircase - game over for Spicer (Wylie Watson); Pinkie recording what Rose (Carol Marsh) believes to be a message of love for her - he actually records a message saying how much he detests her; etc.
There are a few points I feel I need to mention - the dialogue is sometimes difficult to understand; the title means absolutely nothing - "Brighton Pier" or "Kinky Pinkie" would have made a better title; I also found it unrealistic during the chase scene as Fred had got clear away on about 3 occasions. He even jumped on a couple of buses!; and the punches that are thrown are very fake.
Set against this, the film portrays some violent scenes that are disturbing. Pinkie's a psychopath and is prepared to slash people in the face. Indeed, he becomes a victim of this type of attack and the story has an underlying menacing quality to it. The acting honours go to Richard Attenborough and William Hartnell, who plays "Dallow". Hartnell is a tough guy who behaves according to an honourable code, eg, he doesn't harm women. Attenborough crosses this line and this is his undoing.
Hermione Baddeley, who plays "Ida", a 3rd-rate entertainer, starts the film as a figure of fun with her attempt to contact the dead and she has comedy music played whenever she appears. It was a poor decision to use this music as it takes the tension out of proceedings. However, the audience respects her by the end of the film as she sticks her neck out to help Rose, who is extremely annoying and stupid in her blind love for Pinkie. I was waiting for Rose to play the goddam record at the end to bring her down to reality and to laugh at her coz she was sooooooo annoying........I didn't get the chance. I felt cheated with the ending even though I appreciate that it is a good twist.
A final mention must go to the main character. He's clearly a dangerous man but what is his name about? ....Pinkie...!!.... another British gangland poof....? Despite not being able to understand the story at the beginning, this is a good film that keeps you watching. -
JamesHitchcock21 April 2011During the inter-war years the Sussex resort of Brighton became notorious for the activities of criminal gangs, and this side of Brighton life was dramatised in Graham Greene's 1938 novel, Brighton Rock. (The title refers to a type of confectionery traditionally sold in British seaside resorts). The book was made into a film in 1947 by which time, according to the introductory captions, gangsterism had entirely ceased and the town was once again a tranquil, law-abiding community. In actual fact this was far from true- wartime black marketeering had, if anything, given a boost to criminal activity, both in Brighton and elsewhere- but this disclaimer, however fictitious, was necessary of the film-makers were to secure the support of the town's Corporation for location filming.
The main character is Pinkie Brown, the youthful leader of a gang of thugs whose principal activity is protection racketeering. Early in the film, Pinkie murders Fred Hale, a journalist who has been investigating his gang's activities, by pushing him off the town's Palace Pier. Although the police regard the death as an accident, Pinkie tries to cover his tracks by creating a false alibi for himself, which leads to the commission of further crimes and to Pinkie's marriage to Rose, a young waitress who he believes might be in possession of evidence which could send him to the gallows. Pinkie is not in love with Rose, but marries her because at the time the film was made there was a rule of English law that a wife could not give evidence against her husband.
Greene himself wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation, together with Terence Rattigan, but he changed the ending, which is perhaps not the most successful part of the original novel. He kept the novel's concern with Roman Catholicism, but changed its emphasis. In the book Pinkie is a convinced Catholic believer who somehow manages to reconcile his religious faith with his criminal lifestyle. In the film he never mentions religion until he catches sight of a rosary in Rose's handbag, the implication being that he is only pretending to be a fellow-Catholic in order to impress her. The film places a much greater emphasis on Rose's spiritual development, including a final twist which is not in the novel but which nevertheless makes for a more satisfying ending.
The film is not flawless, and there are a couple of plot-holes. Would a national newspaper really have used one of their leading investigative reporters as their seaside "mystery man", even sending him to a town where his journalism had made him enemies? Would an innocent young girl like Rose really have fallen for someone as charmless as Pinkie, who makes little attempt to hide his contempt for her? (A girl with the looks of Carol Marsh would hardly lack for male admirers). And yet this is one of the greatest British crime films of the period, perhaps of all time.
Although "Brighton Rock" was made in black-and-white, it was not, unlike some British crime films from the period, made in direct imitation of the dark, moody American film noir style. There is a clear distinction between the public and private realms. Those scenes set outdoors, or in public places, are light and cheerful, reflecting the atmosphere of a warm summer's day by the seaside. (The film is set in early June, perhaps at Whitsun which was still an official Bank Holiday in the thirties). By contrast, Pinkie and his gang live in a drab, seedy lodging house of the type familiar from many British "kitchen sink" dramas. Crime has clearly not paid for the gang; it is notable that one of the victims of their protection rackets lives in more style than they do.
The acting in the film is of a uniformly high standard. There are good contributions from the likes of Carol Marsh and Harcourt Williams as the corrupt lawyer Prewitt, but the two which really stand out are from Hermione Baddeley as Ida Arnold and Richard Attenborough as Pinkie. Ida, the one person who believes that Fred's death was suspicious, is at first sight not a particularly attractive character. She is an ageing showgirl, loud, coarse and brassy. She does, however, have a strong sense of right and wrong, and is determined to secure justice for Fred, who was neither her lover nor a close friend, merely a casual acquaintance. It is her investigations which eventually persuade the police to take action. ("Brighton Rock" takes an unusually critical view of the police, who are portrayed as too complacent; other British films of the period, notably "The Blue Lamp", show them in a much more idealised light).
Attenborough's Pinkie is one of the greatest representations of pure evil in the history of the cinema. Young in years, but old in sin, his smooth, boyish face never betrays any emotion but hatred, resentment and self-pity. He has no feelings for anyone but himself, not for Rose, whom he despises, nor for his fellow gang members, one of whom he murders for alleged cowardice. Like Macbeth, he discovers that his first murder can never be the "be-all and the end-all", and is forced, in desperation, to commit further crimes as his attempts to cover his tracks misfire and his criminal empire starts to crumble.
This is a short film, but one packed with action, and director John Boulting paces it superbly to create both a sense of mounting tension and a sense of an inevitable nemesis hanging over its vicious anti-hero. The cinema rarely comes closer to pure tragedy than this. In my view this is perhaps the greatest ever British gangster film, greater even than "Get Carter", which is high praise indeed. 9/10 -
masonfisk18 October 2021A 1948 film noir from Blighty starring Richard Attenborough. Taking place in the seaside town of Brighton we descend upon a gang of toughs led by Attenborough who run their own piece of turf. When a newspaper employee comes to town to hand out cards for a contest, he becomes the eye of Attenborough's storm since his paper wrote an expose of the gang's activities which prompts his removal (during an extended chase through the boardwalk) but not before he befriends a local hanger on, played by Hermione Baddeley, who files away the encounter for later recall. Attenborough then goes on an all out rampage to make sure his hands & people (which includes future Dr. Who, William Hartnell) were free of blame of the killing. Of course the more he presses, the more entrenched does the gang get involved especially when Attenborough tries to erase the card trail at a café where he meets a shy & impressionable waitress, played by Carol Marsh, which puts him in an uncomfortable position so he decides to romance her so if he slips up criminally in front of her, she can't say anything since at some future point, they may be married. Diminutive in stature but making up for it as a sociopath, Attenborough throws his weight around till his own men decide to sic the cops on him (after Attenborough kills one of his own in a building). Attenborough is literally a force of nature as his sniveling presence is enough to cower his underlings while also being able to cajole the affections of a naïve waif (wait for this twisted ending!) to his will. Based on a Grahame Greene throwaway (the author's own estimation of his lesser work) & which also produced a 2010 remake (which I haven't seen), this film lives up to the maxim of most successful noirs where the anti-hero goes down for his own obsessions.
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Now this is a real find: sandwiched in between a studio-enforced happy ending and a lawyer-appeasing opening text that claims "Brighton isn't like this any more" we have one of the finest British films.
In 1999 the British Film Institute voted for what they regarded to be the 100 greatest British movies ever made. Brighton Rock came in at 15th position, a short way ahead of perhaps more realistic gangster offerings such as Get Carter! and The Long Good Friday. It's deserved, though obviously the film's major complaint with a modern audience would be the stilted speech patterns that are now too quaint for a modern context (a time when men still called women "ducks" and "Bogeys" were policemen); and the "harsh violence" is now tame and ripe for parody.
Amazing that Richard Attenborough, he of ever-changing accent in Jurassic Park, is here cast as a viscous gang leader. Stranger still is the sight of William Hartnell as a tough-talking Cockney, exclaiming "stick yer mincers on that". Much later in his life Hartnell was to suffer a nervous breakdown, leaving him with a poor memory and occasional stammer. This produces ill-advised amusement as his most famous role that of the first lead in television's Doctor Who was performed with regular fluffs and stammers. Here, however, sixteen years before he was to take on that part; we are treated to just what a striking and charismatic actor Hartnell could be. While the violent aspects can look dated in context, seeing cuddly Bill Hartnell spitting in a man's home after Attenborough has just slashed the man's face with a razor blade is still disconcerting.
Attenborough is "Pinkie", caught between the police and a larger rival gang who have taken over the Brighton protection racket. After a waitress, Judy, gets too close to his false alibis, he marries her to assure her silence. Though the girl is played with believable insecurity, it's unlikely that anyone could really fall in love with someone as openly spiteful as Pinkie. The notion of charming a girl is completely alien to him, and he begins their first date by implying he'd slash her face. His character is drawn up by having him believe in Hell (though not necessarily in Heaven) and showing a predilection for cat's cradles. Though these displays could overstate his "evil" credentials, in Richard's performance and John Boulting's direction it is a coldly accurate portrayal.
If there's one grain of sympathy for Pinkie, it is that of an underdog. His "territory" eaten up by the much larger Colleoni gang, he's effectively forced out of Brighton with nowhere to go. Photography is excellent, the black and white adding style to what could have easily been a flatter, run-of-the-mill crime yarn. I especially liked the shots of Brighton town and scenes on the ghost train. Best of all is the scene where everyone's laughing at Pinkie's expense, including, it seems, a china doll. There's a real sense of the classic to this one, each shot set up with some precision, a directoral style that Variety blasted at the time of release, claiming it to be "too leisurely for this type of picture". Personally I think it adds a real sense of style, or maybe it's just the long shadows that add a touch of noir. Interestingly, the somewhat obscure title refers not to a romantically-sounding desolate landmark but to the seaside sweet. Concern artist Ida (Hermione Baddeley) claims that no matter how far you bite down into her, she'd have Brighton "written through her all the way". Understandably, this esoteric if powerful title was changed in America to a more comprehensible "Young Scarface". -
hemisphere65-131 October 2021Fairly gritty for a 1948 film, and note natural acting than most of that era.
Attenborough is pretty good as a mentally wrecked young gangster, as well as his "gang".
Hermione Baddeley is just awful as Ida, the would-be sleuth. The over the top laughing was preposterous and took away from the movie. -
RanchoTuVu20 January 2010Stunning film from England starring Richard Attenborough as small time crime boss Pinky Brown. I never knew he had it in him to play a role like this one. The rivalry between Pinky's gang and the bigger and more efficient one run by Colletti provides somewhat of a background story with a great scene at a racetrack where Colletti's boys are waving around straight razors, but the real story is Pinky's murder of one of his own guys on a beach front amusement park ride, the cover-up, how he tries to deal with Hermione Baddely and a sweet young waitress, and his dealings with the guys in his own gang, which are all done with incredible precision. How Pinky got so mean is an interesting question to ponder. So the character is evil but with intriguing depth, a tribute to writer Graham Greene who apparently thought him up, and the characterization by Attenborough is, IMHO, unequaled.
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samhill521510 January 2009This film has much to recommend it except for one thing: I had a very difficult time understanding the male characters. I guess if I was English that would have been less of a problem but I'm not and found myself wishing for subtitles. One other problem was Attenborough's age: he is just not believable as a 17-year old. Furthermore his relationship with his cohorts was muddled. On occasion he acted and was looked upon as the leader and at other times he was not. The one bright spot was Carol Marsh. It has already been commented on this site that she was the glue that held it together and I must agree. Her character came across as confused and victimized but she gave her a measure of serenity and innocence that made her extremely likable. I just couldn't help liking her despite her horrendous mistakes. In any case, other than her performance, I find this film highly overrated.
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writers_reign22 April 2006Offered recently as a 'freebie' with a UK newspaper it was just about worth the price. The name 'Terence Rattigan' on a screenplay usually guarantees quality that fails to date - witness his masterpiece 'The Way To The Stars' which was released two years prior to Brighton Rock and still holds up magnificently - but this is one time it fails to deliver, though the blame may lie more with co-screenwriter Graham Greene, author of the original novel. Much of the problem lies with the mannered 'acting' of Dickie Attenborough, a lifelong victim of overratedness, who spends the film labouring under the delusion that his idea of a fixed, blank, expressionless stare equates to menace. He is given one hilarious line to deliver during his meeting with rival gang-leader Colleoni to the effect that Colleoni thinks his (Pinkie Brown) gang is too small; given that his 'gang' consists of three members, frail Senior Citizen Spicer (Wylie Watson) who gives the impression that even in his heyday he would have been hard put to defeat a fiesty Girl Guide; 'stock' caricature Cubit (Nigel Stock) sporting the kind of joke 'villain' moustache which was surely used by George Cole as the model for his GENUINE comic wide-boy Flash Harry in the St Trinian's series and later by Michael Palin in Monty Python and finally Dallow (William Hartnell) the closest approximation to a 'real' gangster - though 'close' is relative and is this case Hartnell is about as close to a real gangster as Hull is to Fairbanks, Alaska - albeit one with a penchant for the kind of suits sported by Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls. Whilst Colleoni - in his novel Greene based the character not on an Italian but on real Brighton gangster Darby Sabeni who was in fact Maltese - lives in splendour at the Cosmopolitan (read Metropole) hotel Pinkie and his 'gang' rough it in a sleazy rooming house that lacks even such basics as pillow cases. Totally lacking in charisma it's virtually impossible to imagine even someone as naive as Carol Marsh's Rose agreeing to date Pinkie on the basis of one five-minute conversation let alone marry him given that someone as attractive as Rose with a job in an upmarket restaurant would have no trouble attracting men from whom she could take her pick. Similarly Fred Hale (Alan Wheatley) who, as Kolly Kibber, has been sent by his newspaper to Brighton with a brief to visit popular spots and leave a card in each one to be redeemed by his newspaper to the tune of ten shillings (50p) to anyone that finds them and challenges Kibber. If, as is implied, Hale has somehow 'crossed' Pinkie in the past why would he not either refuse an assignment that would take him to Brighton or call in sick. I accept that at the time (1947) few, if any viewers would have questioned the risibility of a geriatric gangster (more realistically Wylie Watson played Mr. Josser - who began the film by retiring at age 65 - the very next year (1948) in 'London Belongs To Me' in which Attenborough also appeared as Percy Boon, a fellow tenant in the Lodging House in Dulcimer Street in which all the main characters live) and would have accepted a blank stare as passable 'acting' but almost 60 years on it just won't do.