Diamonds on Wheels *** (1973, Peter Firth, Patrick Allen, George Sewell, Derek Newark) – Classic Movie Review 9317

The young Peter Firth, then star of Equus on stage, took on a very different role as Bobby Stewart, a boy who restores a sports car –  a late Forties red MG TC – that happens to have diamonds hidden in the driver’s seat, in director Jerome Courtland’s 1973 caper Diamonds on Wheels.

Naturally the crooks want the diamonds back and so does police Inspector Cook (Patrick Allen).

Firth and the good support actors energise a mild but pleasant family comedy time-passer, mainly for children, made by Walt Disney for American TV but screened in cinemas in the UK.

The screenplay by William R Yates is based on a novel by Pierre Castex.

Firth filmed Equus in 1977.

Also in the cast are George Sewell, Derek Newark, Dudley Sutton, Barry Jackson, Richard Wattis, Allan Cuthbertson, Christopher Malcolm, Ambrosine Phillpotts, Maggie Hanley, George Innes, George Woodbridge, Edwin Richfield, Patrick Holt, John Savident, Andrew McCulloch, Patrick McAlinney, Mark Edwards, Tom Bowman, Robin Langford, Spencer Banks, Cynthia Lund and Arthur Hewlett.

Diamonds on Wheels is directed by Jerome Courtland, runs 87 minutes, is made by Walt Disney Productions, is released by Buena Vista, is written by William R Yates, is shot in Technicolor by Michael Reed, is produced by Ron Miller and Hugh Attwooll, is scored by Ron Goodwin and is designed by Alex Vetchinsky.

It is filmed in London and at Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9317

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