Impact
Impact
| 01 February 1963 (USA)
Impact Trailers

Crime reporter Jack Moir is framed by crooked nightclub owner, 'The Duke'. In prison, Moir plans his revenge.

Reviews
jamesraeburn2003

A top journalist, Jack Moir (Conrad Philips), is framed for a train robbery by nightclub owner and Soho crime lord, The Duke (George Pastell), because he considers that he has become too interested in his activities in his newspaper columns and fears that it could arouse the interest of the police. Moir does time but, when he gets out, he vows to bring The Duke to book.An utterly routine and totally missable crime thriller from Britain's poverty row studio Butcher's Films. The Cinematograph Act 1927 stipulated that UK cinemas had to show a certain number of British made films. The result was what became known as the quota-quickies - cheaply and hastily made movies that earned themselves such a bad reputation that they gave our film industry a bad name. Yet, there were some exceptions that have become to be regarded as classics but, alas, this is not one of them. Its ultra-low budget is evident with its rickety sets - it clearly did not stretch far enough to shoot a train robbery sequence! - and never did an hour seem like an eternity as it is all chat and no interest. The film's brightest moments come from Ballard Berkeley as Moir's boss and Linda Marlowe as his girlfriend who offer energetic and likable performances in what little screen time they have. But, unfortunately, they are not given enough to do and any brief flicker of enthusiasm quickly evaporates.

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Leofwine_draca

Butcher's Film Productions are the chaps behind a series of low-rent, low budget British thrillers made throughout the 1950s and '60s, but IMPACT is very much a lesser product even by their low standards. This is a lifeless thriller with a simple storyline and not much in the way of incident or intrigue to recommend it.The storyline sees journalist Conrad Phillips being framed and sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. He's eventually released, at which point he swears revenge on the man responsible: crime boss George Pastell (Hammer's THE MUMMY). Unfortunately the revenge plot is hardly an exciting one, and despite a fist fight or two this is very low key and a film where barely anything happens.The film features a role for Ballard Berkeley (FAWLTY TOWERS's Major) as a newspaper editor and a few scene-setting moments of the era. Pastell is the best thing in it and the only person who seems to be making an effort in terms of his performance. This is still entirely forgettable, though.

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Prismark10

This is a 1960s B movie short. Its a poor film which starts interestingly enough but quickly loses impact.It is low budget, inspires to be some type of American gangster flick and has some straightforward performances, s dicey script with more holes than a colander.It is rather surprising to see Ballard Berkeley better known as the Major in Fawlty Towers as a younger and a rather straight talking newspaper editor.Conrad Phillips plays Moir, an experienced crime reporter who has been pursuing a gangster known as the Duke. The Duke in retaliation fits him up for a train robbery and the police arrest him and he is sentenced to two years in jail. In jail Moir plots his revenge.I have big doubts how the police would think a well known crime reporter can suddenly get involved in a train robbery. As for the revenge plot where the climax takes place in a cold storage warehouse is underwhelming in its sheer hokeyness. I think the film-makers got bored as it suddenly ends.

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Michael

**ENDING SPOILER(ISH)**Second feature idiocy in which Phillips is an aspiring journalist who inconveniently finds himself accused of a train robbery. With the help of his girlfriend, several rusty cans of worms are opened on the tracks to proving himself innocent.The jury were also unanimous on Phillips' co-screenwriting ability it would seem, as he had not been given the chance to do so before this and was afforded even less chance to do so afterwards.

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