The Marked One ** (1963, William Lucas, Zena Walker) – Classic Movie Review 12,974

Director Francis Searle’s 1963 British second feature crime thriller film The Marked One stars William Lucas as an ex-con whose wife (Zena Walker) is threatened and daughter is kidnapped by a blackmailer.

Director Francis Searle’s 1963 British second feature crime thriller film The Marked One stars William Lucas and Zena Walker.

As married couple Don and Kay Mason, William Lucas and Zena Walker help out another old British crime support feature about a freed convict lorry-driver (William Lucas) who tries to save a kidnapped child (Laurie Leigh) by tracing the getaway car’s counterfeit number plates. Patrick Jordan plays the police inspector who investigates the case.

Don Mason is an ex-con who has been jailed for his involvement in a forgery racket but is now trying to go straight. However, a blackmailer demands the plates used in the forgery, threatening Don’s wife Kay (Zena Walker) and kidnapping their child Maisie (Laurie Leigh).

Francis Searle directs this solidly performed, entirely adequate time-filler in a brisk and pleasing 65 minutes for Planet Film Productions. Stars William Lucas and Zena Walker are good company for an hour or so.

The cast are William Lucas as Don Mason, Zena Walker as Kay Mason, Patrick Jordan as Inspector Mayne, Laurie Leigh as Maisie, David Gregory as Ed Jones, Arthur Lovegrove as Benson, Marianne Stone as Mrs Benson, Kim Tracy as Wanda, Edward Ogden as Nevil Stone, Frederick Peisley as Mossie, Dorothy Gordon as Ruby, Frank Sieman as Lacey, Brian Nissen as Charles Warren, Lynn Pinkney as Sally, and Richard McNeff as Inspector Rogers.

It is shot at MGM Studios, Borehamwood, UK.

The Marked One is directed by Francis Searle, runs 65 minutes, is made by Planet Film Productions, is released by Planet Film Distributors (UK), is written by Paul Erickson, is shot in black and white by Frank Kingston, is produced by Tom Blakeley, is scored by Bernie Fenton and Frank Patten, and is designed by Frank White.

Zena Walker in The Marked One (1963).

Zena Cecilia Walker (7 March 1934 – 24 August 2003).

Zena won the 1968 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in A Day in the Death of Joe Egg on Broadway.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,974

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