Crime Unlimited

Crime Unlimited
Directed byRalph Ince
Written byBrock Williams
Ralph Smart
Based onCrime Unlimited
1933 novel
by David Hume[1]
Produced byIrving Asher (uncredited)
StarringEsmond Knight
Lilli Palmer
CinematographyBasil Emmott
Edited byBert Bates
Production
company
Release date
  • September 1935 (1935-09)
Running time
71-72 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Crime Unlimited is a 1935 British crime film directed by Ralph Ince[2] that was produced as a quota quickie.[3] The film marked the English-language debut of Lilli Palmer.[3]

Plot

The Maddick commit a diamond robbery and murder a police officer investigating their crimes. A paper with the cryptic writing "AD 1935" is found on the murdered officer's body. Outsmarted by the gang, the police assistant commissioner and Inspector Cardby assign Pete Borden, a new recruit whom the gang would not know, to act undercover and join the gang.

When Pete enters a casino, Natascha is sent to greet him. He pretends to be looking for a fence to sell his stolen jewelry. Reassured, the gang recruits him. Maddick (the gang's mysterious leader who never lets anyone see him in person) first assigns him to check on Delaney, a crooked bookie. Pete then meets Newell, a lawyer. The gang installs Pete in a flat and he tosses a note containing the address to a policeman when no one is looking. Two police detectives let the flat opposite. One of them is deaf, equipped with binoculars and can read Pete's lips when he silently mouths what he has discovered.

The gang plans to steal the necklace of prominent socialite Lady Mead at a party. Pete arrives at the party with Natascha, while the police attend the party undercover and send Lady Sybil, a society gossip columnist, to observe. At the party, Pete meets Conway Addison, a lawyer. The lights are extinguished, and when they are restored, Natascha has escaped with the stolen necklace. Inspector Cardby pretends to arrest Pete, but lets him go once they are outside.

Natascha later visits Pete and tells him that she wants to leave the gang, but one of the crooks is eavesdropping. She claims that Maddick sent her to test Pete. The gangster checks with his boss and discovers that she was lying.

With his plans known to the police, Maddick suspects Pete. This suspicion is confirmed when the police notify the next target, who notifies Maddick. The mastermind pretends to accept Pete's proposal for a robbery. However, while the police are waiting for them there, the gang strike elsewhere.

Pete is taken to an isolated country house. Maddick finally allows Pete to see him, as he intends to kill him, and Maddick is revealed to be Addison, who began a life of crime after becoming bored with his job. While Natascha is being taken to the same place, she causes the car to veer from the road. She then tells a police officer where she had been heading. To avoid alerting Maddick, she appears at the house. Maddick, having decided to retire, tries to gas the whole gang, Pete and Natasha to cover his tracks. However, Pete manages to escape from the locked room, and the police arrive in time to shoot Conway and arrest the rest of his gang.

Cast

Reception

TV Guide described Crime Unlimited as a "pedestrian picture" and a "totally undistinguished film";[4] but Britmovie called it a "vigourous quota-quickie crime-drama based on David Hume ‘Cardby’ thriller novels".[5]

References

  1. ^ "David Hume Bibliography". classiccrimefiction.com.
  2. ^ "Crime Unlimited (1935)". BFI. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012.
  3. ^ a b Stephanie Thames. "Crime Unlimited (1935)". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  4. ^ "Crime Unlimited". TVGuide.com.
  5. ^ "Crime Unlimited". britmovie.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 September 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
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