Upon its release, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square aimed to be British heist film with a modern sheen (there is a scene in an early branch of McDonalds where the serving staff has an American accent) but it comes across as a passable but humdrum movie with a lot of familiar faces and some light comedy.A slightly portly Richard Jordan (Pinky) plays a recently released ex-convict, an ace in fixing anything electrical whose parole officer has improbably got him a job in a high security bank.Pinky working in such a place does not go unnoticed. David Niven (Ivan) is the suave but ruthless criminal mastermind who wants to break into the vaults and persuades him to help his gang.Pinky resists as he wants to go straight but later wilts. Pinky does not trust Ivan to give him his fair share of the loot so has a back up plan with his best friend Oliver Tobias (Foxy) to help him out.After the robbery Richard Johnson (Inspector Watford) discovers that Pinky's jacket had the combination numbers for the safe and puts pressure on him to cough up names.The film has a lot of location shooting of late 1970s London, many of the female stars are there for eye candy such as Elke Sommer. Jordan is a likable lead, Niven is suave but he never convinced me as being menacing and of course you realise he was ill at the time this film was shot as he was suffering from Motor Neuron Disease which progressively got worse.

Just ingenious enough to be plausible and still a lot of fun, this is a pure slice of the 1970s (Even the cops need haircuts badly!). Shot in and around London, the plot of the American ex-con who tries going straight but finds himself sent as an electrician to a bank in Mayfair, and then has the screws put on by crime lord David Niven, and finds himself plotting the crime of the century is well-handled.I liked its simplicity and even innocence, it harks back to a time when caper films where just that, a caper, and violence wasn't a part of the deal.All in all you could do a lot worse than watch this: it has enough twists and turns to give it some oomph and a cast that obviously had fun making it.Nicely made and watchable.

Really enjoyable film full of some great British character actors.Excellent use of outdoor scenes, mainly of London, but not the usual recognisable holiday brochure zones.Not a complicated plot, but who needs them. Just good fun, well executed and fine entertainment.I've a reasonable copy of the film, lifted off the English television, English Pal, on VHS, and would be happy to let you have a copy if you need one.

David "master of debonair" Niven plays the Big Boss (IVAN) who preys upon the unfortunate Richard Jordan (PINKY) by forcing the hapless ex-con to exploit his ill-found new position in a bank. Elke Sommer (Miss PELHAM) most effectively provides the female interest, whom Pinkie cannot simply cannot resist.It seems they were unable to decide on one name for this film so instead they used four .... makes sense ???Sadly, this turn out to be one of Niven's last roles.Overall, this film is fun and well worth watching if you manage to catch one of its rare or late night TV screenings.