Once a Crook (film) - Misplaced Pages

1941 British film

Once a Crook
Directed by	Herbert Mason
Written by	Roger Burford
Produced by	Edward Black
Starring	Gordon Harker Sydney Howard Bernard Lee Kathleen Harrison Raymond Huntley
Cinematography	Arthur Crabtree
Edited by	R. E. Dearing
Production company	20th Century Fox
Distributed by	20th Century-Fox
Release date	23 August 1941 (1941-08-23) (United Kingdom)
Running time	78 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Once a Crook is a 1941 British crime film directed by Herbert Mason, produced by Edward Black for 20th Century Fox and featuring Gordon Harker, Sydney Howard, Bernard Lee, Kathleen Harrison, and Raymond Huntley. It is an adaptation to the big screen from a stage play by Evadne Price and Ken Attiwell.

Plot summary

Charlie Hopkins (Gordon Harker) is a retired burglar with an expertise in safecracking. His ex-partner The Duke (Bernard Lee) holds a grudge against Charlie, since he believes he ratted him out and sent him to jail. The Duke is out for revenge against Charlie, and hires Bill Hopkins (Cyril Cusack), Charlie's son, to help him perform a hit, with an intention to frame the kid. The Duke's plan doesn't work out, since Bill turns out to be an even better safecracker than his old man. After many complications along the road, the hit is a success, and The Duke is bereaved of his revenge, ultimately stopped by his good-hearted sweetheart, Estelle (Carla Lehmann).

Cast

Gordon Harker as Charlie Hopkins
Sydney Howard as Hallelujah Harry
Kathleen Harrison as Auntie
Carla Lehmann as Estelle
Bernard Lee as The Duke
Cyril Cusack as Bill Hopkins
Diana King as Bessie
Joss Ambler as Inspector Marsh
Charles Lamb as Joseph
Raymond Huntley as Prison Governor
Felix Aylmer as King's Counsel
John Salew as Solicitor
Wally Patch as Warder
Frank Pettingell as The Captain

References

"Once a Crook (1941)". Archived from the original on 28 September 2016.
Vagg, Stephen (1 December 2024). "Forgotten British Film Moguls: Ted Black". Filmink. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
Gifford, Denis (1 April 2016). British Film Catalogue: Two Volume Set - The Fiction Film/The Non-Fiction Film. Routledge. ISBN 9781317740636 – via Google Books.
Hal Erickson. "Movie Reviews". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013.

Bibliography

Quinlan, David. (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928-1959. BT Batsford Ltd

External links

Once a Crook at IMDb
Once a Crook at BFI

v t e Films by Herbert Mason
Directed	The First Offence (1936) His Lordship (1936) East Meets West (1936) Take My Tip (1937) Strange Boarders (1938) The Silent Battle (1939) A Window in London (1940) Dr. O'Dowd (1940) The Briggs Family (1940) Mr. Proudfoot Shows a Light (1941) Fingers (1941) Once a Crook (1941) Back-Room Boy (1942) The Night Invader (1943) It's in the Bag (1944) Flight from Folly (1945)
Produced only	Anna Karenina (1948) Time Gentlemen, Please! (1952) Background (1953) Conflict of Wings (1954) Child's Play (1954) Cast a Dark Shadow (1955) John and Julie (1955) The Blue Peter (1955)

Films by Herbert Mason

Directed

The First Offence (1936)
His Lordship (1936)
East Meets West (1936)
Take My Tip (1937)
Strange Boarders (1938)
The Silent Battle (1939)
A Window in London (1940)
Dr. O'Dowd (1940)
The Briggs Family (1940)
Mr. Proudfoot Shows a Light (1941)
Fingers (1941)
Once a Crook (1941)
Back-Room Boy (1942)
The Night Invader (1943)
It's in the Bag (1944)
Flight from Folly (1945)

Produced only

Anna Karenina (1948)
Time Gentlemen, Please! (1952)
Background (1953)
Conflict of Wings (1954)
Child's Play (1954)
Cast a Dark Shadow (1955)
John and Julie (1955)
The Blue Peter (1955)

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