Five Days (1954 film)

Five Days (U.S. title: Paid to Kill) is a 1954 British second feature ('B') film noir directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Dane Clark, Paul Carpenter and Thea Gregory. It was written by Paul Tabori and produced by Anthony Hinds for Hammer Film Productions. It was released in the United States by Lippert Pictures.

Plot
James Nevill, a nearly bankrupt businessman, hires his best friend to kill him within five days so his wife can collect on his life insurance. After his business takes a sudden upswing he changes his mind, but he must get to the killer and tell him so before the killer gets to him first. Nevill suffers several near misses before he learns the truth about who has been trying to kill him.

Cast

 * Dane Clark as James Nevill
 * Cecile Chevreau as Joan Peterson
 * Paul Carpenter as Paul Kirby
 * Thea Gregory as Andrea Nevill
 * Anthony Forwood as Glanville
 * Arthur Young as Hyson
 * Howard Marion-Crawford as Cyrus McGowan
 * Arnold Diamond as Perkins
 * Charles Hawtrey as Bill
 * Peter Gawthorne as Bowman
 * Avis Scott as Eileen
 * Geoffrey Sumner as Chapter
 * Ross Hutchinson as Ingham
 * Martin Lawrence as Grover the masseur
 * Leslie Wright as Hunter
 * Larry Taylor as tough in bar
 * Warren Mitchell as laughing man in bar
 * Hugo Schuster as Professor

Production
The film was shot at Bray Studios with sets designed by the art director J. Elder Wills.

Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The neat plot is spoilt by a weak script, and not all the forceful intensity of the American star, Dane Clark, can save this pedestrian piece. The British players in support scarcely seem to try. The direction is uneven, scenes are put together with little sense of movement or continuity, and the result is a thriller below the average."

Kine Weekly wrote: "The central idea is far-fetched, but sound acting and direction enables its 'thick ear' to acquire an intriguing and thrilling facade. Definitely the masses' cup of tea. ...The picture puts a considerable strain upon the credulity of the audience, but the sensational twist ending prevents it from reaching breaking point."

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Good plot, assorted acting, poor script."