A film which usually receives a critical mauling, mainly because its star is perceived as being out of his usual style.
In my humble opinion it is a classic British crime drama featuring Peter Sellers in the role of perhaps the sleaziest, most slimy villain in British film, with a Sellers voice to match.
Also featuring excellent work from Richard Todd, Adam Faith, Carol White, David Lodge.
It also includes an excellent jazz score from John Barry, with tight direction from John Guillermin.
It is also available on DVD
Yes, I must agree. Sellers is a terrifying villain, but what is perhaps more horrifying is the nighmare that poor Richard Todd plunges into when his car is stolen. He can no longer perform his job, he suffers a financial crisis due to not insuring the thing and his marriage breaks down.
Come to think of it, one could see this as a sort of middle class version of "Bicycle Thief". *L*
Great performances from both Sellers and Todd. Come to that, Adam Faith isn't bad, either.Yes, I must agree. Sellers is a terrifying villain, but what is perhaps more horrifying is the nighmare that poor Richard Todd plunges into when his car is stolen. He can no longer perform his job, he suffers a financial crisis due to not insuring the thing and his marriage breaks down.
Come to think of it, one could see this as a sort of middle class version of "Bicycle Thief". *L*
Don't know if they've changed it subsequently but I was amused by the PG on the back of the DVD which said: Violence: Infrequent, Mild. There was a lot of violence, it wasn't in the least mild and I believe the film was X-certificate when released in cinemas. How times have changed!!
Todd played this just right, Sellers we know gave a good performance as did Adam Faith. Faith was a superb actor, did anyone see him play Alfie??? He was supposed to be very good.
I really liked this movie, Peter Sellers played the perfect villain. I have this on DVD from WHSmiths.
After seeing this film, I wondered why Sellers didn't play more dramtic roles. He was very convincing as a nasty! And Richard Todd was fab (as usual).
And the ...
Spoiler:
Love it! Very under-rated!
I like this film very much, but it's quite a while since I last saw it and I seem to remember it being a bit of an advert for the Ford Anglia, which was newly launced at the time. Almost every time Richard Todd mentioned his car, it was 'the Anglia'!
I think....
"Inspector, what about my car?"
Welcome to MovieGoods.com - Your Source for Movie and TV Show Posters, Photos and Memorabilia has quite a comprehensive selection of colour and black -and-white lobby cards from Never Let Go, together with poster profiles, with comment regarding the Sellers role!
Yes - it was X certificated after cuts.Don't know if they've changed it subsequently but I was amused by the PG on the back of the DVD which said: Violence: Infrequent, Mild. There was a lot of violence, it wasn't in the least mild and I believe the film was X-certificate when released in cinemas. How times have changed!!
Saw this one a few weeks back and really liked it. Sellers was very good as the nasty villain.
Peter Sellers as a villain... is this film worth to have a look ??
Advises needed, please
=====> DB7's notice:
Never Let Go – 1960 | 94 mins | Drama | B&W
Plot Synopsis
This stark underworld thriller punctuated by moments of savage violence features Richard Todd as timid salesmen Cummings’ who risks his job and family by confronting gangland villain Peter Sellers in his first dramatic role. John Guillermin’s direction is taut and has a degree of flair but the superficial script lacks a depth that might have made the characters more than brutal. In a rare tilt at a villainous role Peter Sellers is cast against and persuasively repellent whilst Todd is satisfactory but fails to convince.
Set in post-World War II East London, John Cummings (Richard Todd) is one of life’s near failures. A struggling cosmetics salesman for Berger, he buys a Ford Anglia that he cannot afford to insure. When it is stolen by a gang running a car theft racket, and the police offer little assistance, he vows to take the law into his own hands in order to retrieve it. The trail leads through youthful street thug Tommy (Adam Faith) to gang boss Lionel Meadows (Peter Sellers). Meadows young mistress, Jackie (Carol White), witnesses much of his bursts of violence at close quarters and fearing her lover she runs off with Tommy. Convinced that the only way to be rid of the crime boss’ evil influence is to destroy his empire, Tommy goes to the police. Meanwhile, Cummings goes to Meadows’ garage that evening to confront the crook face-to-face.
Production Team
John Guillermin: Director
George Provis: Art Direction
Christopher Challis: Cinematography
Ralph Sheldon: Film Editing
John Wilcox: Makeup Department
Maude Onslow: Makeup Department
Trevor Crole-Rees: Makeup Department
John Barry: Original Music
Peter de Sarigny: Producer
John Guillermin: Script
Alun Falconer: Script
Ken Cameron: Sound Department
Len Page: Sound Department
Lionel Selwyn: Sound Department
Ken Reynolds: Sound Department
Cast
Richard Todd: John Cummings
Peter Sellers: Lionel Meadows
Elizabeth Sellars: Anne Cummings
Adam Faith: Tommy Towers
Carol White: Jackie
Mervyn Johns: Alfie Barnes
Noel Willman: Inspector Thomas
David Lodge: Cliff
Peter Jones: Alec Berger
John Bailey: Mackinnon
Nigel Stock: Regan
John Le Mesurier: Pennington
It's a curio certainly worth seeing for Sellers as a slightly ott gangster. It reminds me of a small town Western with the crooked Sellers pitted against Todd's vigilante and the ineffective law watching on. Not one of my favourite Todd performances.Originally Posted by moonfleet
Advises needed, please
Thanks for having moved the post to the an already existing thread Steve, when I try to use the Search Link ...it never works to find a film title(or word by word ), maybe I can't manage, it's a possibility...
Didn't know the score is a jazzy one by John Barry
Don't know any of the other actors than P.Sellers, so it's an occasion to discover more brits in cinema
Well it does feature the lovely Carol White which is never a bad thingThanks for having moved the post to the an already existing thread Steve, when I try to use the Search Link ...it never works to find a film title
Didn't know the score is a jazzy one by John Barry
Don't know any of the other actors than P.Sellers, so it's an occasion to discover more brits in cinema
Funnily enough I watched it yesterday. It still stands up, it's a very good film and Sellers is exceptional in the role of Lionel
Meadows the scouse villain. He must have made it after I'm Alright Jack and round the time of Two Way Stretch, before Wrong Arm of the Law. Music is good too, well it is John Barry, so it could never be bad.
If I remember rightly it was an X when it was first released, it's very violent so it probably deserved the rating then. One of those forgotten films that only the film buffs here really appreciate. I first saw it when it was first released and loved it. Still excellent.
A middling film. Sellers is never quite convincing as the villain, partly because he doesn't know what he's doing and partly because it's such a strange experience for the audience to see him play a straight-up thug. However, the biggest problem for me was the plot. I never bought Todd's character's response to his predicament. It felt more like something a scriptwriter cooked up than a real situation. So, yes, the film's a curio worth watching for those who want to see Sellers as the villain, but far from a cinematic masterpiece.
Comedians in dramatic roles always fascinate me. I've often thought Robin Williams does it better than anyone.
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