In so many ways this is a fine all round film, which is only let down somewhat by the unnecessary comedic element of the young newspaper reporter (David Tomlinson) accompanied by his new bride (Yvonne Owen), on their honeymoon, covering the man hunt for the two escaped prisoners. The inclusion of this improbable and forced attempt at humour simply jars within the context of the whole film. That great character actor, Jack Warner, is excellent in the lead role, playing against type. He is ably supported by a young George Cole, and the ever dependable Jane Hylton. The film also has a lively pace about it, and is well staged, with the outdoor locations lending a good balance to the proceedings. It's a film that doesn't seem to be widely available, but is certainly well worth tracking down, despite the inappropriate light-hearted interludes.
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ronevickers28 March 2009
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Leofwine_draca24 December 2016MY BROTHER'S KEEPER is one of the earlier 'handcuffed together' type thrillers in which a couple of convicts elude the police and struggle to overcome their situation. This scenario has been done to death in the cinema with De Niro's MIDNIGHT RUN perhaps the best known of its type, but this low budget production is worth a look as the plot is an interesting and appropriately suspenseful one.
The story boasts Jack Warner in a rare villainous turn as a murderer who finds himself handcuffed to a youthful George Cole, a simpleton whose performance reminds one of John Hurt in 10 RILLINGTON PLACE. The story plays out as you'd expect, but there are some memorable set-pieces dotted throughout, such as the hide-out in the wood or the fine climax. Alfred Roome was something of an inexperienced director but he acquits himself well here; he was better known as an old-hand editor who worked hard on the CARRY ON franchise in the 1960s.
The cast is generally interesting, with Cole and Warner given the most screen time and thus coming off the best. David Tomlinson and Yvonne Owen play a newlywed couple whose spousal humour feels staged and shoe-horned into the story, so their presence is a detraction. Elsewhere, you get an unrecognisable Bill Owen alongside the likes of Maurice Denham, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Reginald Beckwith, and even Valentine Dyall in a cameo. -
malcolmgsw28 January 2017Surely not you say.However before he was resurrected to play George Dixon,Warner often played villains as in this film.On the run from prison with a rather anaemic looking George Cole.He ends up commuting murder and quite happy to let poor George pay for it.There is a fairly exciting pursuit over the countryside.The finale is a sort of Cody Jarrett moment.Knowing that he is walking into a minefield he continues till he is blown up in the presence of his wife.David Tomlinaon in an early role as a journalist who is pressured into use his honeymoon to track down Warner.Bit like His Girl Friday.Anyway immortality was a waiting Warner.
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This is a low budgeted British film about two handcuffed prisoners who escape and are tracked throughout the film. One of the guys is a smart and amoral older crook. The other is a complete idiot who should have just stayed put instead of hopping off the police truck transporting them. Thrown into the mix is a guy on his honeymoon (David Tomlinson), as his editor insists he stop his canoodling and get the story!
The film is an interesting portrait of the older prisoner. The younger guy is just too stupid to make him worth watching. But if you think about it, the plot is so much like the better American film "The Defiant Ones"--so why not just watch that instead? Especially since this British film is amazingly flat and dull at times considering the subject matter. -
mark.waltz30 June 2022It's ironic that the British actor Jack Warner should star along side George Cole in this crime drama about two escaped prisoners. It's the sort of movie that one of the Hollywood Warner Brothers (Jack) would have greenlighted for production in the 1930's. Warner and Cole are handcuffed to each other and desperately need to find a way of getting the cuffs off of them, and it's imperative because reports of their escape is all over the radio. Reporter David Tomlinson is out trying to find them to get their side of the story.
While Cole may be guilty of a crime, he is far more vulnerable than Warner who seems rather nefarious. During their time together, the viewers get to know a lot about each of them, especially when Warner brings them to the home of an old girlfriend. Originally running around like the Hilton Sisters or as if they are in a potato sack race, Warner and Cole must depend on each other, but when they're finally separate, it's easy for one to turn on the other. The film is rather talky in spots which makes it a little boring. A little bit of humor here and there helps, but I couldn't honestly wait for it to be over. -
Prismark1017 April 2017This low budget film is an early version of The Defiant Ones.
Jack Warner does a villainous turn who along with George Cole are handcuffed prisoners on the run. Warner is smart, cunning and amoral. Cole is naive and dim, pretty soon he is stitched up for murder that Warner committed. Warner even manages to have a meet up with an old flame, even though his wife is fretting over him.
Comedy is provided by David Tomlinson as a reporter on his honeymoon persuaded by his editor to cover this breaking news story.
Warner provides an energetic even complex performance, a world away from PC George Dixon, but the film is too uneven, the comedy sections with Tomlinson and his editor just gets in the way. The film has some nice location shooting, appearances from some familiar British actors and even a social conscience. -
MIKE-WILSON625 June 2001An interesting piece of casting, having Jack Warner playing the bad guy, but he is a good enough actor to pull it off. He plays a war hero George Martin, who with another convict, Willie Stannard, (George Cole) break loose from police custody, while handcuffed together. David Tomlinson as the young reporter, who is called in to work on the story. A film from another era, that is well worth watching.
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writers_reign19 December 2016Before becoming PC George Dixon in 1950 Jack Warner tried his hand at the other side of the law notably in Hue And Cry and this trite effort which clearly gave Stanley Kramer the idea for The Defiant Ones some years later. This is neither one thing nor the other with the two escaped prisoners- Warner and a young and callow George Cole - intercut with unconvincing reporter David Tomlinson more or less abandoning his honeymoon to cover the story at the insistence of his editor Raymond Lovell. It's another benefit for the usual suspects with a heavily disguised Bill Owen, Maurice Denham, Wilfrid Hyde White, Beatrice Varley, Jane Hylton and just about everyone else who wasn't working. Barely watchable.
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JohnHowardReid18 January 2014I have two reviews for this one in my files. First, let's have my original review from the late 1950s when I saw the movie on TV: This film does not generate the excitement promised by the title and the cast. One drawback is the normally welcome David Tomlinson stuck in an unproductive role as a harassed reporter on his honeymoon. First strike against this assumption is that the screen Tomlinson is such a fumbling idiot, there is no way any girl would marry him – let alone a peacherino like Yvonne Owen! His scenes generate neither laughs nor tension. All they do is waste our time. In fact, the screenplay tends to be far too talky. Fortunately, the action spots are well handled.
Now, here is my second review, based on the excellent Beyond DVD: Comedian Jack Warner is surprisingly cast as the villain – a ruthless if ingenious killer who can turn on the charm when he wants to – and does a superb job in this well-made thriller directed by Alfred Roome. Warner is ably supported by fellow comedian George Cole (also in a straight role) and Jane Hylton. Less impressive are Raymond Lovell who has two large a role as the hapless Tomlinson's editor and Wilfrid Hyde White (billed as Wilfred Hyde White) who has far too small a part but still manages to make an impression in first big scene even though he has only one or two words of dialogue. Director Alfred Roome makes excellent use of his locations.