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Payroll (film)

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Payroll
UK movie poster
Directed bySidney Hayers
Written byGeorge Baxt
Based onPayroll by Derek Bickerton
Produced byNorman Priggen
Julian Wintle
StarringMichael Craig
Françoise Prévost
Billie Whitelaw
CinematographyErnest Steward
Edited byTristam Cones
Music byReg Owen
Production
company
Distributed byAnglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors
Release dates
20 April 1961 (London West End)
21 May 1961 (UK general release)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Payroll is a British neo-noir crime thriller film released in 1961. Directed by Sidney Hayers, the movie features Michael Craig, Françoise Prévost, and Billie Whitelaw in leading roles. The screenplay, written by George Baxt was adapted from Derek Bickerton's 1959 novel of the same name. The film revolves around a group of criminals who plan and execute a wages robbery, which ultimately ends in disaster.

Plot

Four crooks, namely Johnny Mellors, Monty, Blackie, and Bert, devise a plan to rob a payroll van with the assistance of Dennis Pearson, an accountant working at the targeted firm. Pearson is compelled to support his wife Katie (Françoise Prévost), who desires a more luxurious lifestyle. However, during the heist, the van driver, Harry Parker, is killed, and Bert sustains a fatal injury from Parker's colleague, Frank Moore. Despite the setbacks, the gang successfully escapes with £50,000.

Having found out that Pearson was the 'inside man', Parker's widow Jackie (Billie Whitelaw) starts posting threatening letters to him. Katie in the meantime has become involved with Johnny, hoping to get some of the money for herself. As the gang members start to argue amongst themselves, they are pursued by both Katie and Jackie, as well as the police. The climax takes place in Norfolk, with Johnny and Katie double-crossing each other and Jackie tracking Johnny in her bid for revenge.

Cast

Production

The film's working title was I Promise to Pay. Much of it was shot on location in and around Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne,[1] an unusual procedure at the time. Other scenes were shot in Whitley Bay, Rugby and Southwold; after location work was complete, the film began studio shooting at Beaconsfield Studios on 10 October 1960.[2]

Michael Craig was loaned from Rank. Of Hayers he said "I think he'd learned 'directing' from a manual".[3]

Release

The film opened at the Plaza cinema in London's West End on 20 April 1961, and went into general release in the UK on 21 May 1961.[4]

Theme music

The theme music, by Reg Owen and His Orchestra, was issued as a single on the Palette label (PG.9013).[5]

The song "It Happens Every Day", sung in a nightclub scene in the film by Eddie Ellis, was composed by Tony Osborne and Norman Newell, and released as a single on the Parlophone label (R. 4749).

References

  1. ^ "10 great films set in north-east England".
  2. ^ Bill Edwards, 'Production', Kinematograph Weekly vol 521 no 2767, 13 October 1960
  3. ^ Craig, Michael (2005). The Smallest Giant: An Actor's Life. Allen and Unwin. p. 96.
  4. ^ F. Maurice Speed, Film Review 1961-62, Macdonald & Co 1961
  5. ^ "Lord of the Boot Sale or Forgotten Vinyl: Reg Owen and His Orchestra - Payroll". Archived from the original on 2 November 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
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