Kino Lorber launches a fun new series with this debut release of three rarely seen noir films. While the stories are unrelated, they share one common actor: Herbert Lom, later famous as Inspector Clouseau’s exasperated foil in the Pink Panther series. Here, we see him in three different roles over a 12-year timeframe, becoming more commanding as the years roll by. He’s supported by other British thespian luminaries including William Hartnell (the original Doctor Who), Bernard Lee (the original M in the James Bond films), Denholm Elliott (Raiders of the Lost Ark), and most significantly, Sean Connery just a couple of years before his Bond breakthrough.
Buy Brit Noir Collection IThe set kicks off with Cage of Gold (1950) which follows the antics of a scam artist who marries a trusting young lass (Jean Simmons) and knocks her up with the intention of helping himself to the family riches, only to abandon her the next day when he learns the fortune has evaporated. When he’s later reported dead after a transatlantic plane crash, she remarries a kind man and raises her son in a stable and loving home environment, at least until hubby number one reappears and shakes her down for cash. Lom is a supporting player in this one, only briefly appearing as a shady associate to the principal grifter, Bill Glennan (David Farrar). Bernard Lee has a slightly bigger role as the steely inspector assigned to unravel the criminal plot.
The Ringer (1952) thrusts Lom into the lead role as a successful lawyer named Maurice Meister who is forced to hunker down in his home under police protection when a high-profile con with a grudge is released from prison. The story plays out like a palace siege whodunit, with the sequestered Meister surrounded by a group of characters supposedly protecting him, but possibly including the deadly foe, who happens to be a master of disguise. It’s fairly obvious which character is the Ringer, but still great fun to watch the pieces fall into place as Meister grows ever more concerned for his continued well-being. Hartnell and Elliott are ex-cons who enter the escalating drama, with Hartnell amusingly playing a reformed Cockney tough now serving as Meister’s fawning butler, and the bewilderingly dashing young Elliott set up as the patsy by the Ringer when he just wants to reunite with his fiancé.
Lom once again gets top billing in The Frightened City (1961), but in practice his character is more of a shadowy kingpin than a lead. The plot revolves around the dons of the top London crime syndicates who form a fragile truce to run a mutually beneficial protection racket as a reactionary measure to scattered criminal hits on their neighborhood businesses. While one capo appears to be the leader of the criminal union, he’s actually reporting to Lom’s shot-caller character behind the scenes, Waldo Zhernikov. Connery plays a rising small-time crook named Paddy brought in to act as the chief enforcer for the union, providing ample opportunity for a preview of Connery’s Bond-like charisma and action finesse. The story has some intrigue, but the basic gist of distrustful criminals attempting to maintain a joint operation really has nowhere to go but eventual dissolution.
Of the three, I enjoyed the guessing game of The Ringer the most, while the lack of recognizable leads in Cage of Gold and a decidedly unsatisfying ending lessened its appeal, and The Frightened City’s overall story was somewhat lacking momentum. However, they all have great noir appeal and offer fascinating early glimpses of multiple British actors who would later gain global stardom. They also provide evidence of Lom’s rarely seen dramatic range outside the Pink Panther films, making this set a tribute to his talent.
All three black and white films have been restored in 4K by StudioCanal, with varying results. While all three have excellent fine detail and contrast, Cage of Gold is plagued by persistent scratches throughout the film, while The Ringer shows a few occasional scratches and specks, and The Frightened City is comparatively flawless. Special features consist of new commentary tracks for each film, along with an assortment of trailers for other similar films.
