Go to Blazes *** (1962, Dave King, Robert Morley, Daniel Massey, Coral Browne, Dennis Price, Norman Rossington, Maggie Smith, David Lodge) – Classic Movie Review 2110

‘Warner-Pathe Cordially Invite You To Go to Blazes.’

Director Michael Truman’s 1962 happy, fun British comedy Go to Blazes stars Dave King, Daniel Massey and Norman Rossington as Bernard, Harry and Alfie, three incompetent crooks who plan the perfect bank robbery, with a fool-proof getaway posing as firemen and driving a fire engine that they have stolen as a getaway vehicle.

It’s exactly what you’d expect for a Britcom of the time, maybe even hope for, an engagingly light-hearted outing driven along with quirky, spirited performances and shifted along brightly at a lively pace set by the director. And it’s all over in 80 minutes.

Robert Morley.

The mildly amusing old-school title is just the perfect fit for a mildly amusing old-school comedy with Robert Morley playing Arson Eddie, an arsonist who helps the gang of former jailbirds become firemen so that they can drive the fire appliance to rob a bank. Why didn’t they call it Flaming Heck or Flaming Hell? Or maybe Arson About.

Dennis Price.

Never mind the weak jokes in Patrick Campbell and Vivienne Knight’s over-broad screenplay, feel the quality of the performances from the superb vintage British cast. Dennis Price plays Withers, a fire chief dismissed from the service for arson. Wilfrid Lawson (Scrap Dealer), Maggie Smith (Chantal), Robert Morley (Arson Eddie) and Coral Browne (Colette) also star.

Also in the cast are Miles Malleson (salesman), David Lodge (sergeant), John Welsh (chief fire officer), Finlay Currie (judge), James Hayter (pipe smoker), John Glyn-Jones (fire chief), Derek Nimmo (fish fancier), Eynon Evans as Mayor, Diane Clare as Girl Lover, Gerry Duggan as Fireman, Hugh Lloyd as Fireman, John Warwick as Fireman, Loretta Parry, Elizabeth Dear, Kynaston Reeves, and Ronald Cardew.

Norman Rossington.

John le Mesurier (fisherman).

The future Dad’s Army stars Arthur Lowe (warder) and John le Mesurier (fisherman) appear in the same movie. It is Dudley Sutton’s debut (as Boy Lover) and Sue Lloyd’s debut (as Model).

It’s exactly the kind of film you expect to be in black and white, but the Technicolor filming definitely helps (it certainly shows off Maggie Smith’s red hair). And so does the posh shooting by cinematographer Erwin Hillier in and CinemaScope widescreen, mainly on location. It’s not perfect. The back projection continues as if the car is moving during the first chase when the getaway car is stopped by traffic.

The screenplay is by Patrick Campbell and Vivienne Knight, with original story and adaptation by Peter Myers and Ronald Cass.

It’s released on DVD by Studio Canal on 30 January 2012, cert U.

The Gaumont cinema in Watford can be seen in June 1961 showing A Raisin in the Sun.

Ex-Ealing Studios editor/ producer Michael Truman directed four films: Touch and Go (1955), Go to Blazes (1962), Girl in the Headlines (1963) and Daylight Robbery (1964).

Go to Blazes is directed by Michael Truman, runs 80 minutes, is made by Associated British Picture Corporation, is released by Warner-Pathé Distributors (1962) (UK) and New Gold Entertainment (1962) (worldwide), is written by Patrick Campbell and Vivienne Knight, original story and adaptation by Peter Myers and Ronald Cass, is shot in Technicolor and CinemaScope by Erwin Hillier, is produced by Kenneth Harper and is scored by John Addison, with Art Direction by Alan Withy.

It is filmed on location (Watford, Elstree, Barnet, Hadley Common, Bakers Hill, Hadley Woods) and in the studio at The Elstree Studios of Associated British Picture Corporation, Hertfordshire, England.

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