Assassin for Hire
| Assassin for Hire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Michael McCarthy |
| Produced by | Julian Wintle |
| Written by | Rex Rienits |
| Based on | TV play by Rex Rienits |
| Starring |
Sydney Tafler Ronald Howard Katharine Blake John Hewer |
| Music by | Ronnie Emanuel |
| Cinematography | Robert LaPresle |
| Edited by | Eric Hodges |
Production company | |
| Distributed by |
Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (UK) William H. Horne & David Dietz (US) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 67 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Assassin for Hire is a 1951 British crime film directed by Michael McCarthy and starring Sydney Tafler, Ronald Howard and Katharine Blake.[1] Its plot follows a contract killer who becomes stricken with remorse when he is led to believe he has murdered his brother.
Plot
Antonio Riccardi, a young British criminal of Italian heritage, works as a professional contract killer in order to pay for his gifted younger brother's violin lessons so that he can escape from a life of poverty and crime. A series of mistakes lead him to wrongly believe he has killed his brother, and he confesses his crimes to the police.[2]
Cast
- Sydney Tafler – Antonio Riccardi
- Ronald Howard – Detective Inspector Carson
- Katharine Blake – Maria Riccardi
- John Hewer – Giuseppe Riccardi
- June Rodney – Helen Garrett
- Gerald Case – Detective Sergeant Stott
- Reginald Dyson – Josef Meyerling
- Sam Kydd – Bert
- Ian Wallace – Charlie
- Martin Benson – Catesby
- Ewen Solon – Fred
Production
It was the first feature film made by Anglo-Amalgamated. It was made at Merton Park Studios from a screenplay by Rex Rienits.
Rienits based on the script on a television film Assassin for Hire which was screened by the BBC in September 1950.[3][4] This in turn was based on a radio play.[5] Rienits later turned the story into a novel.[6]
It was intended as a supporting feature, although it may have been shown as a headline feature in some cinemas.
References
- ↑ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/10034
- ↑ Chibnall & McFarlane p.98
- ↑ Chibnall & McFarlane p.97-98
- ↑ "Australian's Television Play To Be Filmed.". The Sunday Herald. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 5 November 1950. p. 6. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ↑ "Latest Fiction.". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 8 November 1952. p. 7. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ↑ "CRIME SHELF.". The Mail. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 8 November 1952. p. 2 Supplement: SUNDAY MAGAZINE. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
Bibliography
- Chibnall, Steve & McFarlane, Brian. The British 'B' Film. Palgrave MacMillan, 2009.