Breakout (1959 film)

Breakout is a 1959 British crime drama film directed by Peter Graham Scott and starring Lee Patterson, Hazel Court and Terence Alexander.

Plot
Arkwright is a fraudster serving a seven-year prison sentence. He gets word to his contact Chandler that he wants out. Chandler and his partner Farrow contract George Munro to organise the job of springing Arkwright. Munro hatches a plan involving a rigged delivery van.

Cast

 * Lee Patterson as George Munro
 * Hazel Court as Rita Arkwright
 * Terence Alexander as Steve Farrow
 * William Lucas as Chandler
 * John Paul as Arkwright
 * Billie Whitelaw as Rose Munro
 * Dermot Kelly as O'Quinn
 * Estelle Brody as Maureen O'Quinn
 * Rupert Davies as Morgan
 * Lloyd Lamble as Inspector

Production
The film was shot at Beaconsfield Studios. Location shooting took place in the West End area of Aldershot in Hampshire. The gates of the East Cavalry Barracks on Barrack Road stood in for the prison gates used in the breakout. Other scenes were filmed in Uxbridge.

Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This moderately tense crime thriller distracts attention from the improbability of the escape preparations by skilful handing of background and detail. Although there is an intermittently successful attempt to build up Monro as a convincing character, the other figures all come from stock."

In British Sound Films David Quinlan called the film a "quite exciting vest-pocket thriller with edgy performances."