Touch of Death is certainly no epic but, given its "B" movie confines, it is quite a lively little film, which packs quite a bit into its under-60 minute running time. The story, which revolves around a safe-cracking job gone wrong, is quite different from the norm in that there is a novel twist to the condition of the proceeds bagged by the criminals. Stalwart of similar movies, William Lucas turns in an edgy performance as the leader of the crooks, whilst his cohort David Sumner's character is more sensitive and considerate. A typical bad crook, not-so-bad crook, situation in fact. Generally the performances, apart from Jan Waters' wooden portrayal, are good and the direction brisk, and the script lively. For fans of the genre, this movie is a worthwhile watch.
3 Reviews
Quick moving UK Crime Film
gordonl5627 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
TOUCH OF DEATH 1961 UK
Touch of Death is a quick and to the point low budget crime film with a healthy touch of noir.
A couple of crooks, William Lucas, Thomas Kyffin and inside man, David Sumner hit the safe at Sumner's place of work. They blow the safe and grab up 17,000 pounds in cold cash. Just as they are making their getaway things get fouled up. Kyffin is nailed by a truck while sprinting across a road and is killed. Lucas and Sumner had driven off because they saw a Policeman approaching. They do however have the bag containing the cash.
The plan was to drive out of town, dump the stolen car and take a train to Bristol. They are forced to dump the car sooner than expected when a Police car spots them. They ditch the car in some trees and hot foot it cross country. Lucas is an old pro who has done more than a little time in the pen. This is Sumner's first job, and he shows it. He already regrets getting mixed up in the robbery.
While they are hiking along, Sumner sees a small boy drowning in a nearby river. He dives in and pulls the lad to safety. Lucas is not amused with Sumner drawing attention to them-selves. He shoves Sumner along and says to keep moving. Sumner though has injured his leg rescuing the kid. He can barely walk. The pair break into a moored cabin cruiser looking for a place to lay up for a while.
Meanwhile, back in town, the Police detectives have arrived at the scene of the robbery. They have also identified the dead man, Kyffin. A quick look through the known associates file soon has Lucas identified as well. Sumner of course is also added to the suspect list when the employee list is checked.
Back at the boat, more bad luck follows Lucas and Sumner. Jan Waters, the boat's owner, now arrives. Sumner is all for letting the woman go but Lucas is a real hard case. He yanks a pistol and forces the woman to stay. He plans of staying the night to rest up.
The Police lab people have gone over the blown safe and found an odd substance all over the inside. It turns out to be a dense concentration of cyanide. They question the owner and discover that several bottle of the stuff add also been keep in the safe for safety reasons. The Police lab tells the Detectives that the money would now be coated with the poison. Anyone touching the cash for any length of time could die. The crooks had all been wearing gloves and never noticed anything but an odd smell.
Lucas soon dips into the funds to buy some petrol for the boat. He now intends to motor down river to safety. Matters continue to go south for the criminals as a young girl boards the boat looking for Miss Waters. The kid is also tossed in the cabin with Waters. The whole bunch then head off downriver. The petrol dealer however has a low tolerance to the poison in the bank note he got from Lucas, and has collapsed. Lucas had spilled petrol on his hands and washed right away, so no poison transfer.
Waters manages to break free and call out from a porthole to a passing boat. The Police, in the area because of the petrol dealer being poisoned, are soon hot on the trail. Lucas lands the boat and decides to take the cash try his luck again on foot, leaving the injured Sumner behind.
The Police though are right there and corner him on the nearby weir. After a quick exchange of blows with a Constable, Lucas ends up going into the water. The problem for him is that it is on the wrong side of the weir. Lucas and the bag of cash are quickly drawn into the tumbling water. The Police rush to the other side and have a look. The bag and the cash go floating by, but Lucas has been sucked under. Sumner is quickly collared has he tries to hobble away.
With only a 58 minute runtime, this low renter moves right along. The director is B movie veteran, Lance Comfort. His films include, HOTEL RESERVE, ESCAPE TO DANGER, 8 O'CLOCK WALK, BLIND CORNER, RAG DOLL, TOMORROW AT 10, PIT OF DARKNESS, MAN IN THE ROAD, BANG! YOU"RE DEAD, as well as the top notch noir, SILENT DUST and DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS.
Touch of Death is a quick and to the point low budget crime film with a healthy touch of noir.
A couple of crooks, William Lucas, Thomas Kyffin and inside man, David Sumner hit the safe at Sumner's place of work. They blow the safe and grab up 17,000 pounds in cold cash. Just as they are making their getaway things get fouled up. Kyffin is nailed by a truck while sprinting across a road and is killed. Lucas and Sumner had driven off because they saw a Policeman approaching. They do however have the bag containing the cash.
The plan was to drive out of town, dump the stolen car and take a train to Bristol. They are forced to dump the car sooner than expected when a Police car spots them. They ditch the car in some trees and hot foot it cross country. Lucas is an old pro who has done more than a little time in the pen. This is Sumner's first job, and he shows it. He already regrets getting mixed up in the robbery.
While they are hiking along, Sumner sees a small boy drowning in a nearby river. He dives in and pulls the lad to safety. Lucas is not amused with Sumner drawing attention to them-selves. He shoves Sumner along and says to keep moving. Sumner though has injured his leg rescuing the kid. He can barely walk. The pair break into a moored cabin cruiser looking for a place to lay up for a while.
Meanwhile, back in town, the Police detectives have arrived at the scene of the robbery. They have also identified the dead man, Kyffin. A quick look through the known associates file soon has Lucas identified as well. Sumner of course is also added to the suspect list when the employee list is checked.
Back at the boat, more bad luck follows Lucas and Sumner. Jan Waters, the boat's owner, now arrives. Sumner is all for letting the woman go but Lucas is a real hard case. He yanks a pistol and forces the woman to stay. He plans of staying the night to rest up.
The Police lab people have gone over the blown safe and found an odd substance all over the inside. It turns out to be a dense concentration of cyanide. They question the owner and discover that several bottle of the stuff add also been keep in the safe for safety reasons. The Police lab tells the Detectives that the money would now be coated with the poison. Anyone touching the cash for any length of time could die. The crooks had all been wearing gloves and never noticed anything but an odd smell.
Lucas soon dips into the funds to buy some petrol for the boat. He now intends to motor down river to safety. Matters continue to go south for the criminals as a young girl boards the boat looking for Miss Waters. The kid is also tossed in the cabin with Waters. The whole bunch then head off downriver. The petrol dealer however has a low tolerance to the poison in the bank note he got from Lucas, and has collapsed. Lucas had spilled petrol on his hands and washed right away, so no poison transfer.
Waters manages to break free and call out from a porthole to a passing boat. The Police, in the area because of the petrol dealer being poisoned, are soon hot on the trail. Lucas lands the boat and decides to take the cash try his luck again on foot, leaving the injured Sumner behind.
The Police though are right there and corner him on the nearby weir. After a quick exchange of blows with a Constable, Lucas ends up going into the water. The problem for him is that it is on the wrong side of the weir. Lucas and the bag of cash are quickly drawn into the tumbling water. The Police rush to the other side and have a look. The bag and the cash go floating by, but Lucas has been sucked under. Sumner is quickly collared has he tries to hobble away.
With only a 58 minute runtime, this low renter moves right along. The director is B movie veteran, Lance Comfort. His films include, HOTEL RESERVE, ESCAPE TO DANGER, 8 O'CLOCK WALK, BLIND CORNER, RAG DOLL, TOMORROW AT 10, PIT OF DARKNESS, MAN IN THE ROAD, BANG! YOU"RE DEAD, as well as the top notch noir, SILENT DUST and DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS.
Good British B Thriller
malcolmgsw12 June 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This comes from the genre where the thieves steal more than they bargain for.In this instance apart from taking £17000 from the safe they also have contamination to cyanide which was also in the safe.So it is slightly reminiscent of The Devils BaitSo contact with the pound notes can be fatal.It is a bit inconsistent in that one man who handles a note collapses almost immediately whereas the crooks are still alive,even though one of them has an infected leg.Much of the action takes place aboard a river launch and so is confined in a small space.It only lasts for 69 minutes and does well to get through its story in that time.A competent cast headed by the reliable William Lucas.
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