This is a simple story of a boy who finds himself trapped in the vault at the bank where his father works and the race to get him out alive. It's Friday and the Bank is getting ready to close for the weekend. Stephen Walker (Winter) has just turned six and as a treat, his mom, Lucille (McDowall), takes him to meet his father, Colin (Patterson), out of work. His dad just has to close up the vault and then they can go and celebrate. However, while Colin and his boss, George Foster (Gifford), lock up the vault there's an automobile accident just outside the window, which takes their attention away for a couple of seconds. When they finally close the door and the time lock kicks in it's the teller, Evelyn (Francis), who alerts them to the child's predicament... now the race is on...What I really liked about this was the simplicity of both the story and the location. You get a few outside shots, which only take up a couple of minutes, at most, and then the rest of the movie is set in two rooms. Though you never really notice as the Director, Thomas, keeps you involved in the unfolding story. As time passes, the question, "Will they be quick enough?" becomes more and more imperative... while the outlook grows bleaker and bleaker. Thomas uses the limited space well, moving the camera around to its best advantage.Then there's the acting, which is above par. Every person involved in rescuing the boy has an urgency in their voice and in their movements. Robert Beatty really sells the self-assured and strong-minded Pete Dawson, the mind who is responsible for the banks' security. He is quick with a plan and quicker to rally the troops. Whereas, Gifford as the Bank Manager Foster hits all the right notes in portraying a man who feels accountable for the accident and the possible death of a child. One thing which got under my skin was how little the parents appeared in the film. It would have been better if these two characters had been stronger, then you would have had a near-perfect cast.I'd recommend this film to all. It's a nice way to spend an afternoon on these cold winter days, while the central heating keeps you nice and cosy.

Almost all the action takes place in a bank where the manager has to set a time-lock on a Friday night at 6pm that keeps the vault securely locked until 9am the following Monday. But then the accountant's wife and six-year-old son arrive. It is the boy's birthday and he has been given a torch (flash-light) as a present. Of course he wants to try it out, and the dark unlit vault is a perfect place. A car crash outside distracts the manager and he doesn't see the boy go into the vault. When he comes away from the window he doesn't check inside the vault, just locks it up. When they realise the boy must be inside, they try to unlock the vault. But can't. So they try to contact Head Office and the expert who knows about vaults. But he has already left for a fishing trip. We all know that eventually they will rescue the boy, so "spoilers" don't apply, unless someone makes a disaster movie where the the heroes fail and everyone dies? Na. It is hard to recognise Sean Connery at age 27. Good acting, good story, not very demanding, so I liked it.

Made in Great Britain by Peter Rogers and Gerald Thomas (the team best known for their Carry On comedies) this film is set in Canada but for no obvious reason. A simple race-against-time drama about a little boy getting stuck in a bank vault, it could just as easily be set in Britain and could have been made more convincing without the constraints bought on by the lack of location filming.The film is more-or-less made on one set, and while there are many successful films made this way including Sleuth, Wait Until Dark and Deathtrap, here it simply doesn't work. The script is flat, the acting is questionable and the whole concept difficult to believe in.There are several unintentionally funny parts which are worth waiting for if you've nothing else to do. My favourite is where the bank manager (whose hair gets more and more disheveled as the time goes on) makes reference to the bank vault having 14 inch thick walls and being like a 'tomb', saying it loud enough for the worried parents to hear in an almost sadistic way.Then in an effort to speak to the boy the local cop (who's just too loud and bossy) orders some sound equipment and they set up what must be the largest megaphone in the world against the vault door. The boy's dad (the totally unconvincing Lee Patterson) nervously talks into a mike in the hope that the little brat will hear him. The problem here is that the sound emitting from the speaker just isn't loud enough. In reality everyone's ears would be bleeding and when he puts the mike down on the counter it would cause a sound loud enough to cause an earthquake.Later supposed safe 'expert' Robert Beatty takes over, although the only thing he's expert at is being louder and bossier than the cop. He keeps telling everyone to hurry up all the time even though they're all going as fast as is humanly possible. And he seems totally unconcerned about anyone helping being injured, tiered or burnt in the process, as long as he gets the chance to stick his arm in a hole at the end and undo the time lock mechanism to free the kid. Meanwhile he stands around doing very little (don't you just wanna punch him!).He demands the services of seven strong men from the crowd to help break through the wall with picks and hammers. This scene is very strange, almost camp, and I particularly love the way he goes to the trouble of checking the men's hands to make sure they were up to the job like a mum checking her kid's mits at meal times. Clock the look of disappointment on the priest's face when bossy Bob tells him that he can't take part. When else is he going to get the chance to be among six burly men with rough hands!To top it all 'second welder' Sean Connery has but a few lines and delivers them in an accent of uncertain origin. Part American, but mainly Scottish, it sounds like he wasn't even trying to disguise his real voice and his skill as an actor is questionable. Curiuosly this was after his part in the successful action drama Helldrivers and I'm surprised he accepted such a small part in what is an average, forgettable film.For those who like this type of story I would recommend the far superior Emergency Call which has a similar race against time theme but more action and a better script.

Time Lock came on Channel 4 during the early hours one morning and I set the video to tape it and was pleased I did.A bank in Toronto is just closing up for the week when the accountant's small boy decides to go into the safe to try out his new flash light he had as a birthday present. Just as they are about to lock up, the staff get distracted to something outside and then lock the safe, which has been timed to open the following Monday morning, not knowing the boy is in there. Several ways are then tried to rescue him, including a loud speaker, hammers and an acetylene torch. They eventually get in the safe to rescue the boy by banging a hole at the side wall and unlock it by accessing the time lock through that hole. Luckily, the boy is OK when rescued at the end. This movie was rather enjoyable, despite its low budget. It was British made, despite the Canadian setting.The movie stars Vincent Winter (Gorgo) as the boy, Steven and a young, pre James Bond Sean Connery. The boy's parents are played by Robert Beatty and Betty McDowall.This movie is worth checking out if you get the chance, as it is rather obscure.Rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5.