The Key Man (1957 film)

The Key Man (U.S. title: Life at Stake) is a 1957 British black and white second feature by Montgomery Tully and starring Lee Patterson, Paula Byrne and Colin Gordon. The screenplay was by Julian MacLaren-Ross and adapted from his own original story

The film was released in the USA by United Artists. The story was adapted as a radio play and broadcast on the BBC Home Service in August 1960.

Plot
Lionel Hulme is a radio reporter who is trying to trace both the man who committed a robbery 12 years ago as well as the proceeds of the robbery.

Cast

 * Lee Patterson as Lionel Hulme
 * Paula Byrne as Pauline Hulme
 * Colin Gordon as Larry Parr
 * Hy Hazell as Gaby aka Eva Smithers
 * Philip Leaver as Smithers
 * Maudie Edwards as Mrs. Glass
 * Harold Kasket as Mr Dimitriadi, the barber
 * George Margo as Jeff
 * Henri Vidon as Haddow (as Henry Vidon)
 * Ian Wilson as process Server
 * Dennis Castle as police inspector

Production
The film was shot during a three week period in 1957 in response to an initiative by Anglo-Amalgamated to increase the number of British made B movies available. MacLaren-Ross had been persuaded by producer Alec C. Snowden to write a script in late 1956 and after some doubts about the project delivered a screenplay to Snowden in January 1957.

Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin described the film as "...indistinguishable from numerous others of its type; the plot and development are very slight; and the characters negative" with an overall rating of poor.