The Small World of Sammy Lee

The Small World of Sammy Lee is a 1963 British crime film directed by Ken Hughes and starring Anthony Newley, Julia Foster and Robert Stephens. A peep-show compere is hunted across the seedy underworld of London by debt collectors.

Synopsis and outline

Sammy Lee has five hours to pay off a gambling debt.

Andrew Pulver wrote in November 2016 for The Guardian, at the time of the film's re-release: "It’s a genuine curiosity: the last knockings of black-and-white, beat-influenced hipster cinema before a tide of gaudily-coloured, new wave-inspired, pop art films. Ken Hughes, its director, reached back to the prewar working-class bohemianism so perfectly captured by Graham Greene and Gerald Kersh". The film was based on a 1958 television play written and directed by Ken Hughes which also featured Anthony Newley in the lead.

Cast

• Anthony Newley as Sammy 'Lee' Leeman
• Julia Foster as Patsy
• Robert Stephens as Gerry Sullivan
• Wilfrid Brambell as Harry
• Warren Mitchell as Lou Leeman
• Miriam Karlin as Milly
• Kenneth J. Warren as Fred
• Clive Colin-Bowler as Johnny
• Toni Palmer as Joan
• Harry Locke as Stage Manager
• Al Mulock as Dealer
• Cyril Shaps as Maurice 'Morrie' Bellman
• Roy Kinnear as Lucky Dave
• Derek Nimmo as Rembrandt
• Harry Baird as Buddy Shine
• Alfred Burke as Big Eddie
• June Cunningham as Rita
• Elmer as Lofty
• Lynda Baron as Yvette
• Ken Wayne as Barman
• Kevin Brennan as Poker Player
• Billy Milton as Hardware Store Manager
• Ronald Radd as Big Alf

Music

Music for the film was composed by Kenny Graham; a soundtrack album did not appear at the time of the film's release, but one was later released by Trunk Records in 2013.

External links

• The Small World of Sammy Lee at IMDb
• 1958 TV play at IMDB