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Two-Way Stretch
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Wikipedia article
'Two-Way Stretch', is a 1960 British comedy film, about a group of prisoners who plan to break out of jail, commit a robbery, and then break back into jail again, thus giving them the perfect alibi that they were behind bars when the robbery occurred. However, their plans are disrupted by the arrival of a strict new Chief Prison Officer.
The film was directed by Robert Day from a screenplay by Vivian Cox, John Warren and Len Heath, with additional dialogue by Alan Hackney. The film boasts a cast of characters played by, among others, Peter Sellers, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Lionel Jeffries and Bernard Cribbins.
Plot
Three prisoners nearing the end of their jail sentences, "Dodger" Lane, "Jelly" Knight and "Lennie the Dip", are visited by a vicar seeking to find employment for them. He is actually "Soapy" Stevens, a conman, who proposes a large-scale diamond robbery. They will also all have alibis, because they will break out of prison, commit the robbery and then break back in. With the assistance of Dodger's girlfriend Ethel and Lennie's mother the trio smuggle themselves out in a prison van. The operation is almost foiled by the disciplinarian "Sour" Crout, the new chief prison officer. Everything goes to plan and the trio hide the diamonds in the Governor's office until they are released and can take them away. All goes well until the sack of diamonds is lost on a train. Stevens is recognised and arrested, but the others get away.
Cast
* Peter Sellers as "Dodger" Lane
* Lionel Jeffries as Chief Prison Officer "Sour" Crout
* Wilfrid Hyde-White as "Soapy" Stevens
* Bernard Cribbins as Lennie ("The Dip") Price
* David Lodge as "Jelly" Knight
* Irene Handl as Mrs Price
* Liz Fraser as Ethel
* Maurice Denham as Horatio Bennett, the Prison Governor
* Beryl Reid as Miss Pringle
* George Woodbridge as Chief Prison Officer Jenkins
* Edwin Brown as Warder Charlie
* Cyril Chamberlain as Gate Warder Day
* Wallas Eaton as Gate Warder Night
* William Abney as Visiting Room Warder
* Thorley Walters as Colonel Parkright
* John Wood as Captain
* Robert James as Police Superintendent
* Walter Hudd as Reverend Patterson
* Mario Fabrizi as Jones
* Warren Mitchell as Tailor
* John Glyn-Jones as Lawyer
* Arthur Mullard as Fred
* Ian Wilson as Milkman
* Edward Dentith as Detective
* John Harvey as Governor Rockhampton Prison
Production
stood in for the prison gates in the film
The prison scenes were filmed at the South Cavalry Barracks at Aldershot, and the security van robbery at Pirbright Arch in the village of Brookwood in Surrey.
Release
The film opened at the Warner Cinema in London on 11 February 1960 before going on general release from the 14th.
Reception
'Two-Way Stretch' was the fourth most popular film at the British box office in 1960.
In 'The New York Times', Bosley Crowther gave it a positive review, writing, "the script by John Warren and Len Heath follows a straight line and is clever and full of good Cockney wit. Robert Day's direction is lively, in the vein of civilized farce, and the performances are delicious, right down the line," concluding, "Mr. Sellers is still on the rise."
References
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