A vicious gang of crooks plan to steal the wages of a local factory, but their carefully laid plans go wrong, when the factory employs an armoured van to carry the cash. The gang still go ahead with the robbery, but when the driver of the armoured van is killed in the raid, his wife plans revenge, and with the police closing in, the gang start to turn on each other.
Acting
Billie Whitelaw's simmering rage steals every scene she's in.
Direction
Hayers squeezes dread from factory smoke and grey skies.
Writing
No heroes, just predators and prey swapping costumes.
Director
Sidney Hayers
Michael Craig
Johnny Mellors
Françoise Prévost
Katie Pearson
Billie Whitelaw
Jackie Parker
William Lucas
Dennis Pearson
Kenneth Griffith
Monty
Tom Bell
Blackie
Andrew Faulds
Detective Inspector Carberry
William Dexter
Harry Parker
Glyn Houston
Frank Moore
Joan Rice
Madge Moore
Vanda Godsell
Doll
Stanley Meadows
Bowen
Hugh Morton
Mr. John
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shot in Newcastle with actual factory workers as extras, capturing Britain's anxious shift from industrial pride to post-war desperation.
The armored van heist was based on real 1950s payroll robberies; the film's documentary-style violence shocked censors used to cleaner crime capers.
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