The Criminal (1960 film)

The Criminal is a 1960 British neo-noir crime film produced by Nat Cohen and directed by Joseph Losey, starring Stanley Baker, Sam Wanamaker, Grégoire Aslan, and Margit Saad. Alun Owen wrote the screenplay, from a story by an uncredited Jimmy Sangster.

For other uses, see The Criminal.

The Criminal
Directed byJoseph Losey
Produced byNat Cohen
Screenplay byAlun Owen
StarringStanley Baker
Sam Wanamaker
Grégoire Aslan
Margit Saad
Music byJohn Dankworth
CinematographyRobert Krasker
Edited byReginald Mills
Production
company
Distributed byAnglo-Amalgamated (UK)
Release date
  • October 28, 1960 (1960-10-28)
(London)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Baker plays an ex-con who takes part in the robbery of a racetrack and is caught and sent back to prison. The film depicts a harsh and violent portrayal of prison life that led to the film being banned in several countries, including Finland.

It was released in the United States as The Concrete Jungle.

Cast

Production

Joseph Losey said he was handed a ready-made script. "It was a concoction of all the prison films Hollywood ever made", he said. "Both Stanley Baker and I refused to work until they let us write our own script. Which is what we did."[1] He says the producers wanted a sequence where the criminals rob a race track but he felt that had been done in The Killing (1956) so he filmed it taking place off screen.

Reception

According to Losey the film was a commercial success. He said the film was banned in Ireland because so many of the prisoners were Irish Catholics.[1]

The film was reportedly very successful in Paris.[2]

References
  1. "FILM CRAFT: Joseph Losey talks to Peter Lennon". The Guardian. London. 9 July 1962. p. 5.
  2. EUGENE ARCHER (15 March 1964). "EXPATRIATE RETRACES HIS STEPS: Joseph Losey Changes Direction With His British 'Servant'". New York Times. p. X9.
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