SeeQuant
Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction
Arianna Moses
Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.
zardoz-13
Even if Sean Connery had never been cast as James Bond, the rugged, handsome Scots man would have still carved out an enviable cinematic career for himself. He plays a low-ranking criminal in writer-director John Lemont's grimy but atmospheric crime thriller "The Frightened City" and his "Hell Drivers'" co-star Herbert Lom along for the ride, too, as the mastermind behind an insurance racket. Watching Connery walk through this formulaic film noir is comparable to watching a tiger pacing restlessly about the confines of a cage far too small for him. The lean, mean Connery exudes charisma, and you can see that he was destined for bigger and better things. Aside from "Konga," "The Frightened City" is about as big as Lemont would ever get. Paddy Damion (Sean Connery of "Goldfinger") is a small time hood who is loyal to his close friend and cat burglar, Wally (Kenneth Griffiths of "The Lion In Winter"), who broke his legs on a job gone bad. An urbane but unprincipled accountant, Waldo Zhernikov (Herbert Lom of "The Pink Panther"), joins forces with a ruthless gangster without a qualm, Harry Foulcher (Alfred Marks of "Valentino"), to organize a syndicate consisting of several rival crime bosses to operate a protection ring in London. They search for an able-bodied lieutenant to manage the collections for their mob and settle on Paddy because he uses his head and doesn't indulge in violence. Initially, Paddy wants nothing to do with them. When his partner in crime cannot resume his career as a cat burglar, Paddy concedes and takes Harry up on his offer. This move represents Paddy's ascension into the big time in the British underworld. Predictably, all of this swells his head. He decides to push his long-time girlfriend Sadie (Olive McFarland) out of the way in favor of a delectable French-Algerian song-bird Anya Bergodin (Yvonne Romain of "Double Trouble"), who happens to be in cahoots with the slippery Zhernikov. Anya has been looking for a way to break into the nightclub scene and Zhernikov accommodates her. Naturally, Sadie isn't happy with Paddy's treachery, but soon things get out of hand. Later, one of the crime bosses, Alf Peters (David Davies of "The Heroes of the Telemark"), objects when Zhernikov wants to be the screws to a building contractor. Peters argues that the building contractor will bring in the police, so Zhernikov and Harry decide to eliminate him. They get Paddy to set up a meeting and Harry guns down Alf. Eventually, after the police pull Paddy in for questioning, our hero decides to turn against Zhernikov and Harry because they kill Wally. In fact, Wally tells Paddy after the latter winds up in jail for not collaborating with the cops to sort out the two of them. Meantime, a hard nosed Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Sayers (John Gregson of "Night of the Generals"), who doesn't mind breaking the rules, sets out to crack Paddy and round up the hoods behind the protection racket. Paddy breaks out of jail after Sayers puts him behind bars and goes after Zhernikov. Sayers picks up Sadie, and they follow Paddy to Zhernikov's apartment where the grand finale takes place.Despite its strong cast, "The Frightened City" isn't very frightening.
fillherupjacko
A perspiring 1960s bloke, wearing a gabardine raincoat and Chelsea boots, is chased down an alleyway (no, not like that – he's wearing trousers after all.) In hot pursuit - a car (or motorcar, as they were known back then) which promptly drives into him, deliberately apparently, and at terrifying speed! 60s bloke may not be going anywhere but we are – round black and white London, aka the frightened city. It doesn't look all that frightened – no shots of people cowering in terror. But wait! In one of those sophisticated and seedy private drinking clubs – the sophistication implied by a shot of a soda siphon – "the chaps" are smashing the gaff up. "What we want is a law to catch villains and not hamper the police", opines Sayers (a policeman, not the bakers, played by John Gregson, who is far more hardboiled here than in Tomorrow at Ten). This is consistent with the theme that runs throughout the film of over-worked police pining for a mythical age of the gentleman crook.Enter Waldo (Herbert Lom) who has a master plan to get the top chaps together – one of whom, Harry (Alfred Marks) has a problem - a suitcase full of protection dough. "That's a problem?" asks Lom. (Harry is a superb character, a really early genuine representation of London villainy.) The heads of London's gangland firms promptly carve up the capital (quite literally) teaming up to keep the "teds and tearaways at bay", pooling resources and profits. Their no nonsense methods, however, begin to attract the attention of not only plod but the Home Secretary ("some of these boys are lively on the cosh.") Exit Tanky Thomas - and enter Damion (Sean Connery). Damion is a cat burglar whose partner, Wally (Kenneth Griffith) is currently indisposed after tumbling off a roof. "I've got to provide Wally with the comforts", says Connery (no explanation is proffered for the Scottish accent, by the way).Damion might be a burglar but he knows how to order a meal in fancy Italian restaurant Sanchetti's. He's also after some comforts for himself, by the look of it, namely Anya "I'm sorry, darlink" (Yvonne Romain). We first see her under Lom's wing – or, to be exact, pressed against the desk in his office. Miss Rush, Lom's secretary, has an annoying habit of popping in whilst Lom is trying to give Anya – ahem – career advice. He wants her to perform at The Temples ("It's not exactly the Palladium") a nightclub full of geriatric off duty brigadiers complete with eye popping monocles (her "I larffed at lerve" routine is beyond comedy) – whilst keeping an eye on Damion (she ends up giving him more than the eye). Damion thinks she's a sweet kid but Anya's really only a brass with Lom as her pimp – "Anya, meet Lord Bunch!" The protection alliance begins to fall apart when gang leader Alf gets the hump. So Alf hits back with his gang – supplemented by some yobbos he's brought down from Brum – and start smashing up the protection's interests. Sanchetti's even gets blown up by a handgrenade. Blimey!
kenkopp
No matter what else may be said of this film it is, if not the only, certainly one of the earliest British films to feature a tiki bar. Also, the song "What a Marvelous Lie You Told Me" is one of the more unusual tunes every recorded in a movie. The dancing that goes with it is simply marvelous. Herbert Lom is perfect and Connery is all young and full of rage. A real gem of 60s British cinema.... The pity is that more is not made of the club that Lom runs and which has some very special "Indian" doormen despite its Oceanic interior. Leaving aside the other comments made about the film's violence, the action, especially the scene in which Connery is set up, is very typical of the period....
uds3
Just pre-Bondage, I find it beyond incredible that in all the years the IMDb has been around, only ONE person thus far, has commented on this film!
True, it was no groundbreaker even in its time - a bit of the old "know wot I mean?" crime drama, but hell it was a solidly made little piece and carries what I believe is an appropriate rating here. One that would probably gain it an inclusion in the top 4000 movies which is better than many can claim! (the greater majority actually)You may note the film score here was in the capable hands of top Brit musical director (at the time) Norrie Paramor. Now Norrie was the musical arranger in 1961 for somewhat popular pop icon Cliff Richard, whose backing group THE SHADOWS (hands up anyone remembers Hank Marvin and Jet Harris!) had a huge hit in 1961 with....you guessed it - THE FRIGHTENED CITY! I even have a copy!A slimmer Connery but he delivers the goods here along with veteran Brit great Herbert Lom, both of whom were previously seen together in 1958's HELL DRIVERS!As withnail-4 (New England) correctly observes...gives nostalgia a boost, if nothing else!
