An undercover policeman, Inspector Gerald Blake (Patrick Holt), robs a jewelry store, gets caught and sent to prison before escaping to enable him to infiltrate a criminal gang lead by Larry Conn (Robert Ayles). He successfully secures Larry's trust by pulling off a raid on a warehouse in which a valuable consignment of nylons are stolen. As a result, Larry trusts Blake to accompany him on what will be his last and biggest job yet. A ship is arriving from America containing £50,000 worth of furs and the job is to steal them from the warehouse on the docklands. However, one of Larry's gang, Mac (Mike Brennan), doesn't like Blake and is sure he is an undercover cop. But, Mac isn't as in favour with his boss as Blake is and decides to prove himself right in order to curry favour with the big man. Meanwhile, Larry's girlfriend, Judy (Sandra Dorne), sees Blake as an opportunity to get away from him and offers to help him pull a double cross and take the loot for themselves. Little does she realise that he is a policeman and that is not the sort of double cross he has in mind...Solid, efficient and unpretentious crime drama from Bob Baker and Monty Berman's Tempean Productions who made some of the best British 'B' pictures of the 50's. This doesn't really measure up with their best work since the script by John Gilling is a pretty standard crime story. Yet, there is still some fun to be had here with Patrick Holt surprisingly effective as the tough, hard boiled and daring undercover man and his real life wife Sandra Dorne is striking as the streetwise and easy going girlfriend of Robert Ayles. This part is a decided contrast to the role she played as the femme fatale in Wolf Rilla's excellent noir b-pic Marilyn (1952) and displayed her range and diversity as an excellent 'B' film leading lady. Efficiently directed by Bob Baker who succeeds in constructing some smooth suspense out of the scenes between Holt and Brennan as the latter follows him everywhere he goes making it harder for him to pass information on to his contact man without giving them both away. Look out for Dora Bryan here in an amusing small part as a nosy neighbour who inadvertently gives him away out in a busy London street when she is out shopping with his on screen wife Joan (Sonia Holm).

Patrick Holt robs a jewelry store. He is quickly caught and sentenced to prison. He escapes with his cellmate and they make their way to London's docklands, where they join Robert Ayre's gang. Henchman Michael Brennan suspects him, but Ayre's girlfriend, Sandra Dorne, decides she likes Holt. It turns out Mack is right; Holt is an undercover copper, out to infiltrate and break up the gang.It's a taut little second feature as Holt tries to do his job while Brennan slowly finds grounds for his suspicions, with some nice interludes with Sonia Holm (Holt's real wife at the time) and Dora Bryan as a gossipy neighbor. It's got some beautiful photography, shot by producer-cinematographer Monty Berman. He and co-producer Robert Baker would later strike gold with the TV series THE SAINT.

13 EAST STREET is a low budget British crime film made by the popular team of Monty Berman and Robert Baker, and directed by Baker himself in this instance. The script was written by the prolific John Gilling, who rarely seems to have taken the time to sit down during his busy career in film. The fast-paced story has many twists and turns throughout, a fair few of which are quite obvious, but there are so many ingredients in the plot that it's never slow or boring. The imposing Patrick Holt plays a failed burglar who concocts a daring prison break with a fellow convict. The two manage to escape and soon join up with a criminal gang who are planning their next big break-in. However, some characters have mysterious motivations, and as always, women seem to get in the way.This is a short and serviceable thriller that sees a solid cast going through the motions. Holt is always fine as hero or villain and does well here. The thoroughly likable Michael Balfour is great value as the fellow con and the scene of them escaping from the prison wagon is one of the best in the movie. Sandra Dorne is an appealing femme fatale in the genteel British tradition while Dora Bryan is fun as the nosy neighbour. Robert Ayres's chief bad guy could do with being a bit more nasty, but Michael Brennan is fine as a real thuggish fellow. 13 EAST STREET is hardly electrifying viewing but I enjoyed it enough nonetheless.

This is that old chestnut of the police officer supposedly committing a crime so that he can be sent to prison in order to associate with the right kind of person.Mind you it is stretching things a bit that he would go into a jewelers waiving a gun about.Nowadays they are regarded as agents provocateurs and end up getting sued.I agree with the previous reviewer about the sights of London in 1951'I actually remember and there were lots of bomb sites all over the place particularly in the East End.Prudential worked in a partly bombed building.There are just so many actors and situations.However Dora Bryan stands out as a nosy neighborly.