Penny Gold

Penny Gold is a 1973 British crime film directed by Jack Cardiff and starring James Booth, Francesca Annis, Nicky Henson and Joss Ackland.

Two policemen investigate a series of murders involving rare stamps.

Premise
A police detective investigates the murder of a young woman, and discovers that the crime is connected to her surviving twin sister and an extremely valuable postage stamp.

Cast

 * James Booth as Matthews
 * Francesca Annis as Delphi/Diane
 * Nicky Henson as Rogers
 * Joss Ackland as Jones
 * Richard Heffer as Claude
 * Sue Lloyd as Model
 * Joseph O'Conor as Blachford
 * Una Stubbs as Anna
 * George Murcell as Doctor Merrick
 * Marianne Stone as Mrs Parsons
 * Penelope Keith as Miss Hartridge
 * John Savident as Sir Robert Hampton
 * Clinton Greyn as Van Der Meij
 * Christian Rodska as clerk
 * Marc Zuber as hotel receptionist
 * Anthony Naylor as rugby player
 * John Rhys-Davies as rugby player
 * Rodney Cardiff as doctor
 * Stephanie Smith as Delphi/Diane as a child
 * Peter Salmon as male model
 * Michael Buchanan as male model

Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A depressingly mediocre film from Jack Cardiff, who has here succeeded in recreating the Merton Park second-feature murder mystery of a decade ago, complete with raincoated copper (and matey assistant), voice-over flashbacks, guest heavies, and a parochial Thames-side location (not too far from the studios). One half-expects Russell Napier to materialise at any moment, pick up a phone, say "Hello. Inspector. . . what", and dash off in his black Wolseley, bell clanging, to investigate a houseboat homicide. True, the avuncular Napier rarely got into colour and never got the girl in the end (whereas James Booth, with a smile and a wink, and a pat of Francesca Annis' hand, does both); but the rest is familiar enough to set Edgar Wallace's bust revolving once again. It is difficult to fathom the purpose behind a dispiriting throwback of this kind, unless it be to tap the remnants of the nostalgia market. If so, the barrel is being well and truly scraped."

Time Out note:, "a brilliant opening sequence, otherwise this flat-footed British thriller is hampered by something like the world's worst script, including flashbacks no one would ever conceivably flash back to, and by a cumbersome storyline about big league stamp trading."

Sky Movies wrote: "The spirit of the British crime movie of the Fifties lives on in this old-fashioned thriller about the hunt for a rare stamp as the Penny Gold of the title. Jack Cardiff directs with obvious affection for a genre long past but it's hard on such distinguished players as Francesca Annis and James Booth not to have more meat on which to bite."