Jackpot ** (1960, William Hartnell, Betty McDowall, Eddie Byrne, George Mikell, Michael Ripper) – Classic Movie Review 13,150

William Hartnell (above left) in Jackpot (1960).

The 1960 British crime thriller B film Jackpot stars William Hartnell as the police superintendent determined to track down the safecracker who stole £6,000 from The Jackpot Club.

Director Montgomery Tully’s 1960 British black and white crime thriller B film Jackpot stars William Hartnell, Betty McDowall, Eddie Byrne, George Mikell, and Michael Ripper.

George Mikell’s character Carl Stock comes out of jail, determined to go on the straight and narrow. But, when he finds his wife Kay Stock (Betty McDowall) has other ideas, he joins a plot to stage a heist on a nightclub. So £6,000 is stolen from a safe in The Jackpot Club, and both the diligent police and the vengeful club owner are determined to track down the safecracker.

Perennial movie bad guy William Hartnell is cast against type as the police superintendent in co-writer/ director Montgomery Tully’s meager little 1960 British crime thriller with a good seedy atmosphere, some decent acting and OK scripting by Montgomery Tully and the film’s producer Maurice J Wilson from an original story by John Sherman, but very few thrills. William Hartnell and Betty McDowall are good value though.

It is the very kind of film that in 1960 both TV and the new wave of British realist cinema at the time were putting out of business. And quite soon there was no call for British second features any more. Montgomery Tully’s last film, The Terrornauts, was made in 1967.

The cast are William Hartnell as Superintendent Frawley, Betty McDowall as Kay Stock, Eddie Byrne as Sam Hare, George Mikell as Carl Stock, Michael Ripper as Lenny Lane, Victor Brooks as Sergeant Jacks, Tim Turner as Peter, Ivan Craig, Howard Lang, Ian Fleming, Sylvia Davies, Frank Forsyth, Brian Phelan, Stanley Meadows, Mike Sarne dancer in Lenny’s snack bar, and Sylvia Davies as waitress Sally.

Jackpot is directed by Montgomery Tully, runs 72 minutes, is made by Eternal Films, is released by Grand National Films (UK), is written by Montgomery Tully and Maurice J Wilson, based on an original story by John Sherman, is shot in black and white by Walter J Harvey, is produced by Maurice J Wilson, and is scored by Don Banks.

William Hartnell (8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975)

William Hartnell (8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975).

William Hartnell (8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975) is perhaps best known as the original Doctor in the TV series Doctor Who from 1963 to 1966. He accepted the role in what he was told was a children’s series because it took him away playing what he called ‘bastards’ in typecast roles.

Mike Sarne (born Michael Scheuer; 6 August 1940)

Michael Sarne (born Michael Scheuer; 6 August 1940) had a brief career as a pop singer in the 1960s, including 1962 UK novelty chart topper ‘Come Outside’, and later directed Joanna (1968) and Myra Breckinridge (1970). He acted in several films including A Place to Go (1965), Two Weeks in September (1967), and Moonlighting (1982).

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,150

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