The Bank Raiders (1958) User Reviews

Nothing New, But Competent

[boblipton · 5/10 · 7 December 2020]

It's a nicely planned bank robbery that almost goes right; a witness spots driver Peter Reynolds. After he's paid off with instructions to lie low, he takes mercenary Sandra Dorne on a night on the town. Meanwhile, the police are closing in, so planner Sidney Taffler abducts the witness and tells the henchman to take care of Reynolds.

It's a nicely done second feature, even if its short length means everyone's a type instead of a character. Scotland Yard, in the person of Lloyd Lamble has things pretty well figured out by the halfway mark, even if he has to wait for the suspects to show up. A few minutes of bright tension help, but it's one of those movies whose competence makes it unremarkable.

Not bad crime caper

[lucyrfisher · 7/10 · 1 April 2022]

Arthur Mullard as thug Linders spends the first five minutes of the movie observing the bank in a convenient mirror in a shop window - an effective scene. The bank raiders are good to go, but they need a driver. Fortunately Terry Milligan turns up to sell a bracelet he has nicked from a girlfriend. It's clear that he lives off women and is a nasty piece of work. He takes the job, and it's all downhill from there.

Linders is too violent with the bank's caretaker, an elderly woman, and she doesn't survive. One of the bank's staff gets a good look at Terry. He's a weedy young man with a ludicrously posh voice and too much Brylcreem. He has a plain girlfriend who never washes her hair. Neither of them can act for toffee, and neither can his mother and sister, seen at home suggesting he calm down when he discovers that Anne, his gf, has been kidnapped to stop him identifying Terry.

Terry has a girlfriend, too, who wears cat's eye makeup, chain smokes and wears a swansdown hat to the pub. The last scene, where she gives up on Terry as the credits roll, is imaginative and she does it well.

In the mix is Terry's landlady, usually found drinking gin out of a beer glass. Her shabby boarding house is practically a character in itself.

There's an obligatory scene in a nightclub where somebody sings a boring song - I fast forwarded.

A quota quickie tat's actually worth viewing!

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 28 March 2018]

Copyright 1958 by Rank Film Distributors Ltd. Never theatrically released in the U.S.A. Released in the U.K. through Rank: 2 November 1958. Australian release through British Empire Films: 23 April 1959. 5,367 feet. 59 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: A petty crook gives bank robbers away by flashing money about.

NOTES: Final film of Max Munden, who made his feature film debut the previous year (he had previously directed two shorts, back in the early 1940s) with The House in the Woods, which has a considerable cult following.

COMMENT: By the humble standards of the British quota quickie, this is a reasonably gripping effort. Peter Reynolds fans will have a hey-day. The exotic Sandra Dorne looks great too, though the film's stand-out performance is contributed by Arthur Mullard as the mastermind's thuggish henchman. With the notable exception of Tim Ellison (who looks and sounds like a RADA reject), the support players are likewise in good form. Despite the film's obviously cramped budget, the direction has impact, with real locations and sound effects skilfully utilized.

OTHER VIEWS: A considerable cut above the average British "B"-feature, thanks to inventive direction, solid playing and a tight script. Production values are also well above the norm for a film of this class, helped out by real locations such as the London night club (with a resident singer, yet).

Poor

[crumpytv · 2/10 · 21 September 2022]

Even for the time this is pretty bad. The acting, apart from Sydney Taffler is barely competent and laughable at times. The couple in the doorway at the ginning was a LOL moment.

Arthur Mullard was very familier on TV during the 1960s, and landlady Rose Hill had a long running part in Allo, Allo.

The story revolves around a small-time hoodlum who gets involved in a successful bank robbery. He gets his share of the loot and is told to lie low. Instead, he goes on the town with Della, a greedy party girl. Terry is questioned and released by police. Sydney Taffler is the gang boss, but this is story of the love of money being the root of evil.

A Fool and His Money

[richardchatten · 7/10 · 31 March 2022]

A very poor man's 'Asphalt Jungle' in which 'B' movie favourite Peter Reynolds supplies the getaway driver for an unholy three in which Sydney Tafler supplies the brain, Arthur Mullard (no really!) the brawn and Reynolds very little of either.

The women he tangles with include Sandra Dorne playing her usual chain-smoking, high maintenance dragon lady and Rose Hill as Reynolds' cynical and venal landlady. Naturally it all ends in tears.

Arthur Mullard as a bank robber-your pulling my leg

[malcolmgsw · 5/10 · 11 July 2013]

You know that this film must be very low budget when you see Arthur Mullard as a bank robber waving a gun about.Mullard was mainly known for his interpretation of thick eared villains in comedies.One of the main problems with this film is the fact that apart from Tafler,Dorne and Reynolds,the other actors are clearly plucked from the lesser ranks.So there are some pretty poor performances particularly by the actors playing the bank clerk and the younger Detective.The plot is OK but the ending is slightly contrived.Reynolds is shot by a gun inside the safe when he opens the door.One has to ask how the gun would work and what would happen if Tafler wanted to open the safe without killing himself.By and large though it passes an entertaining hour.

"They say money talks. With a guy like that it shouts"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 6/10 · 5 October 2023]

Petty thief Terry Milligan gets involved in a bank robbery after being recruited as the getaway driver but his move into the big time doesn't turn out well in the end. Milligan is played very well by Peter Reynolds and his descent into desperation leading to his shocking death is quite a tragedy, particularly as Milligan is such a likeable chap. In effective support are Sydney Tafler as the gang leader Bernie (another one of Mr. Tafler's smooth villains that he did so well), comely Sandra Dorne as the object of Terry's desire Della and Rose Hill as the inquisitive landlady Mrs. Marling. There is some good location shooting and the opening sequence is nicely ominous. Not the most original of plots but the narrative held my attention completely.

Rather routine

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 3 April 2022]

Very much a B-movie of its era, with Peter Reynolds playing a small-time criminal who joins a bigger gang to take part in a bank raid. It seems to go off successfully, but complications soon arise with romance and rivalry causing fallings out. It's rather short and thus never dull, but it does go through the motions in a rather routine way. Sandra Dorne as a kind of femme fatale and Sydney Tafler as the bad guy stand out in this one.

Not a bad way to spend an hour

[n_adams1 · 7/10 · 22 August 2014]

Bought this film in a job lot from a company called My rare films, think this was the third I have watched, after Johnny your wanted and the Third Visitor.

Not a lot of depth to the film but very easy to follow and in my opinion not predictable.

The plot consists of a bank robbery which proved successful, not for the bank cleaning lady however who ends up dead, not sure why she had to go but she did! Things start to go wrong when the most engaging character, the getaway driver played by Peter Reynolds starts flashing his cash in pursuit of a voluptuous female, played by Sandra Dorme.

Not a masterpiece but a decent enough way to spend a spare hour. Nick

A good film of its type.....

[spottedowl · 9/10 · 23 May 2007]

A typical 'Cops and Robbers' of the era in true British style. A third rate con man lands himself the job of a get-away driver for a bank heist that has complications. He is seen by a bank employee who is able to identify him, though refuses to do so as the gang has kidnapped the employee's girl and threatens revenge should he reveal the criminal's identity.

Things start to unravel as the criminal splashes his share of the robbery on booze and his off-handed lover. The police are soon on the trail but are thwarted by lack of evidence and the refusal of the bank employee to assist them. As in any decent movie of the genre, the thieves fall out and the whole robbery falls apart.

The movie, though short, moves at a good pace and holds the viewer's attention at all times. The acting ranges from good to mediocre, but that doesn't detract from the story in any way. Overall it is well worth catching and won't leave you disappointed with the hour spent watching it.

Efficient and engaging take on a familiar theme

[barkiswilling · 7/10 · 9 April 2022]

Peter Reynolds was always a welcome presence in these typical small studio B pics; sharp, urbane and witty and far too nice to be a dyed-in-the-wool bad guy. Sandra Dorne plays the femme fatale on a revenge mission as the ex-girlfriend of the main baddie (Sydney Tafler, always great value)

Yes, folks, that really is Arthur Mullard ("Yus my dear"), as the heavy, not over-burdened with brains, who ends up on the wrong end of a tussle with our anti-hero.

The chap playing the bank teller Jack (Tim Ellison) looked familiar, but his acting career seems to have completely evaporated soon after this. Well that's feedback for you. Rose Hill (later of Allo Allo fame) has fun with her role as the grasping landlady.

All in all a very watchable 61 mins filmed around St John's Wood and harks back to the days when producing a £5 note settled weeks of back-dated bar bills!

Watchable low budget noir

[gordonl56 · 8/10 · 19 January 2008]

The Bank Raiders - 1958 UK

Peter Reynolds is a bottom feeder thug who makes a living stealing purses and the like. While trying to sell some jewellery to the local fence, Sydney Tafler, he is offered a job for some real loot. The local heavy mob needs a wheel man to drive the getaway vehicle for a bank heist.

The plan is simple and there should not be any problems. They will enter the bank at closing, hold the workers at gunpoint, then empty the safe. Reynolds jumps at the chance to move up in the underworld. Of course nothing is ever that simple and someone is killed. Other than the murder, the job goes like clockwork and the crooks get away clean.

Reynolds takes his cut of the score and the group splits up. Not being the smartest lad around, Reynolds starts flashing a huge roll. He pays up his back rent, gets a fancy suit, buys all the drinks and spends a wad on his girl. All this of course catches the interest of the local cops. He is pulled in for a spot of questioning by the detectives. The cops are unable to prove he was involved in the robbery and let him loose.

His spending has also annoyed the mob. They had told him to lay low and not spend the cash till things chill. They send their hit-man to have a few "words" about keeping silent. Reynolds just manages to turn the tables on the killer and escape. Leaving the dead man in his apartment, Reynolds hits the streets in a panic.

Now what to do? He heads for his girl's place. The girlfriend, Sandra Dorne, is less than happy to help until he offers the rest of his robbery take. Dorne pours Reynolds a stiff drink and cuddles up to him. She soon gets the whole robbery story and all the rest out of Reynolds. Dorne tells Reynolds she knows where he can get a passport and false papers. All he needs is more cash. She pours him another healthy belt and soon talks him into hitting the fence's safe.

She sends him out and starts packing her bags. She intends to relieve Reynolds of anything he returns with and head to France. Reynolds calmly walks into Tafler's place, sticks a gun in his ribs and hustles him into his office. "The rest of the bank take or die!" says Reynolds. Tafler hands over the loot. Reynolds, with a "top of the world" grin, heads for the door just as Tafler pulls a hidden gun and blows his head off.

The office door is then kicked in and the police rush in. Tafler is cuffed and led off. The police of course had been following Reynolds since they let him go. The film ends with a shot of Dorne sitting on her suitcases waiting for Reynolds to return.

Surprisingly good low budget programmer from the UK. It has a real early TV look to it which actually helps. And at 61 minutes it does not overstay it's welcome. Reynolds is quite good as the hapless crook who just digs himself deeper into trouble. Sydney Tafler always makes the most of these villain roles while Dorne turns in a decent bit as the girlfriend.

Directed by Maxwell Munden. A low rent, but quite watchable time-waster. (b/w)

Not Bad, But Not Outstanding

[TondaCoolwal · 8/10 · 26 December 2022]

For a quota quickie the first fifteen minutes of this movie really racks up the suspense. As the title indicates, it's about a bank heist involving a gang of three. The plan is to get into the bank before the staff and then , since two keys are required, when they arrive force them to open the safe. The film begins with henchman Linders, timing the arrival of the bank employees. The heist itself practically repeats this scene as everyone turns up like clockwork. However, this time, little things, like a policeman on his beat, a car dropping someone off, a van making a delivery, all contribute to putting getaway driver Milligan on edge and he starts fto fidget. Not quite Hitchcock, but enough tension to make the audience start hoping that the plan will succeed!

Unfortunately, the limited budget and, even more limited supporting cast and screenplay contribute to making the rest of the film a rather routine police procedural. In line with the morality of the time, none of the crooks enjoy their ill-gotten gains. Least of all opportunist gold digger Della, seductively played by the voluptuous Sandra Dorne.