13 East Street (1952)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

best movie i've ever seen.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

13 EAST STREET is a low budget British crime film made by the popular team of Monty Berman and Robert Baker, and directed by Baker himself in this instance. The script was written by the prolific John Gilling, who rarely seems to have taken the time to sit down during his busy career in film. The fast-paced story has many twists and turns throughout, a fair few of which are quite obvious, but there are so many ingredients in the plot that it's never slow or boring. The imposing Patrick Holt plays a failed burglar who concocts a daring prison break with a fellow convict. The two manage to escape and soon join up with a criminal gang who are planning their next big break-in. However, some characters have mysterious motivations, and as always, women seem to get in the way.This is a short and serviceable thriller that sees a solid cast going through the motions. Holt is always fine as hero or villain and does well here. The thoroughly likable Michael Balfour is great value as the fellow con and the scene of them escaping from the prison wagon is one of the best in the movie. Sandra Dorne is an appealing femme fatale in the genteel British tradition while Dora Bryan is fun as the nosy neighbour. Robert Ayres's chief bad guy could do with being a bit more nasty, but Michael Brennan is fine as a real thuggish fellow. 13 EAST STREET is hardly electrifying viewing but I enjoyed it enough nonetheless.

This is that old chestnut of the police officer supposedly committing a crime so that he can be sent to prison in order to associate with the right kind of person.Mind you it is stretching things a bit that he would go into a jewelers waiving a gun about.Nowadays they are regarded as agents provocateurs and end up getting sued.I agree with the previous reviewer about the sights of London in 1951'I actually remember and there were lots of bomb sites all over the place particularly in the East End.Prudential worked in a partly bombed building.There are just so many actors and situations.However Dora Bryan stands out as a nosy neighborly.

even pretend Yanks like Michael Balfour who in "13 East St" can't seem to make up his mind what side of the Atlantic his bread is buttered on. Robert Ayres was never off the TV in the early 50s,as a P.I. or a cop on loan to Scotland Yard,but this time his is an American deserter running a dodgy transport company employing ex - cons that is infiltrated by an undercover cop who has proved his credentials the hard way by doing an armed robbery and going down for it. Banged up with Mr Balfour he easily impresses his cellmate and during a convenient "ghosting" to another prison the pair escape and join Ayres's little "firm". Despite the distractions of a moll (Miss S Dorne,suitably diverting) and a not very bright ex - con who will recognise him at any minute,our hero succeeds in eventually bringing the gang to justice. This was 1951(the G.R. on the police van gives it away as pre - 1952) the year of the Festival of Britain,the RFH and the South Bank. Nobody thought of undercover copper as Agents Provocateurs misleading the vulnerable and they just got on with it. Read "Ghost Squad" by John Gosling or anything about Chief Inspector Bob Fabian to get a taste if the times. These were tough men doing tough jobs and "13 East St" is a tough film for its era when being non - judgmental was for wimps. It has echoes of the much better - known " The Blue Lamp" with its landscapes of bombsites and run - down apartment blocks. Crisply shot in black and white with the requisite cast of cockney characters,it is very much a portrait of English society still recovering from a world war and an age of real austerity when "cutting down" didn't mean getting rid of one of your cars.

A man steps into a London jewelry store and pulls a gun. He throws a small bag at the clerk and instructs him fill it. The clerk complies and hands back the sack. The man, Patrick Holt, starts for the door just as several coppers put in an appearance.Holt bolts out the back door with the police in hot pursuit. After a brisk chase, Holt is tackled and cuffed. He is hauled off to jail and a date with the judge. The judge gives him three years for the bungled robbery.Waiting for the bus to prison he meets prisoner, Michael Balfour. Balfour is a member of a high-end warehouse robbery gang up for two years. The two talk as they are transported to the big house.Several weeks later they are informed of a transfer to another prison. They are cuffed to a pair of guards and loaded on a train. Balfour fakes sickness and the one guard leaves for help. Holt gets the upper hand on his man and knocks him out. Off come the cuffs and a leap from the train starts their escape.Holt and Balfour steal a car and head off to London. They stop at a small roadside café for coffee and a sandwich. Balfour likes how Holt handled himself and wants him to join the crew he works with. The gang only pulls big scores that earn top money. Robert Ayres, an American Army deserter, is the man in charge.The pair leaves the café and head for Ayres place. As they go, Holt drops an empty cigarette pack. Another customer grabs the pack and pockets it. The man, Alan Judd, grabs a car to Scotland Yard. He hands the pack to Police Detective Hector Macgregor. We discover that Holt is really a Scotland Yard man sent undercover to get the goods on Ayres. The jewel robbery etc had all been a set up to get Holt noticed. Balfour introduces Holt to Ayres and vouches for him. He tells Ayres how Holt worked over the prison guard during their escape. One of the gang, Michael Brennan, does not like Holt and starts a fight. Holt levels him with a few lefts ending the discussion. Ayres likes his style and takes him into the gang. He gives the two a room to hide out for a few days till the police chase cools.Enter Ayres' bit of fluff, Sandra Dorne. The blonde bimbo likes to spread it around and she takes an instant liking to Holt. Balfour tells Holt that she is bad news. Several days later Ayres sends Holt and Brennan out on a van hi-jacking. The van is full of nylons, worth a fortune in post-war UK. The job goes smooth and by the numbers. The pair deliver the van to one of Ayres fences and head back to the hideout.Holt hits the local coffee shop to grab cigarettes and passes the fence's address to his waiting contact, Judd. Judd takes the info to the Yard and a raid is launched on the fence's place. The goods and the fence are quickly gobbled up. Brennan blames Holt but Ayres figures Brennan is still upset at the beating Holt gave him. Ayres writes off the lost goods as one of those things. Ayres tells the crew that a real "big' job is coming off in a half hour. Holt slips out to tell his contact about the job. Brennan, who is really upset with Holt, follows. He spots the hand off and tails Judd. He pulls Judd off the street, sticks a gun in his face and drags Judd into a bombed out ruin. He searches him, finds the note and realizes Holt is really a Cop. Judd tries to escape and is shot by Brennan. Brennan smiles and heads back to the hideout to tell Ayres about Holt.A further complication for Holt now pops up. Dorne corners him and suggests he double-cross Ayres. The two can live the high life together on the score. Holt is not sure what to make of the offer but agrees in order to keep Dorne quiet. It is now time to find out what the score is.The job is a fur coat warehouse. There is an inside man who will let them in at closing. They just need to take care of the watchman and then they have the whole night to load the swag. "Time to go!" Shouts Ayres. "Where is Brennan?" Ayres decides they cannot wait for him and the crew takes off.Brennan gets to Ayres place where Dorne tells him the location of the job. Brennan grabs Dorne's motor and speeds off to catch Ayres.The warehouse job is going like clockwork and the crew is swiftly loading a large truck with furs. Brennan shows and takes Ayres aside and fills him in on Holt. Ayres tells Brennan to wait till the job is finished then take Holt into the back and deep six him.While this is going on, Judd's body has been found and the Yard called. They pile into their cars and raid Ayres office and pinch Dorne. The Police lean on Dorne who quickly folds after Macgregor says, "It is a murder case so talk! Where is the robbery?" Back into the cars they go and race to the site.The truck loaded, Brennan sticks a gun in Holt's back and points into the warehouse. Holt gives him a shove and takes off. Brennan gives chase firing off several shots. Ayres joins the pursuit as Holt leads them onto the roof. Ayres plugs Brennan in error, but also manages to wing Holt just before the Police put in a last minute showing. The gang is rounded up and Holt gets a ""job well done" before a trip to the hospital. (b/w)