Review of The Squeeze (1978) by Orlok W — 30 Dec 2012

Directed by Michael Apted (Stardust (1974), Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) and The World Is Not Enough (1999)), this British gangster film is one of the best kept secrets of British gangster films, one that seems to have slipped through the cracks, but it's actually up there with films like Get Carter (1971) and The Long Good Friday (1981).

It's well made and has a good cast too, all giving really good performances. Scotland Yard detective Jim Naboth (Stacy Keach) is washed up and an alcoholic, and he's just been in hospital for alcohol abuse, but he's cared for by ex-convict Teddy (Freddie Starr) who Jim had put away some years before.

However, Jim finds himself over his head when he's told that his ex-wife Jill (Carol White) has been kidnapped by gangsters Keith (David Hemmings) and Vic (Stephen Boyd), and they want her new husband Foreman (Edward Fox) to pay up a hefty ransom, which he doesn't want to do.

Foreman turns to Jim for help, and the gangsters don't know Jill was married to Jim, but they know of Jim as a washed up drunk, but Jim plans to clean up his act, and rescue Jill from the gangsters.

It's a bloody good film, this London is down and dirty, and it comes out well on film. Keach handles an English accent well, but the real surprise is Freddie Starr, who manages to give a natural, warm performance.

But, this is one to track down, as it's not your average British gangster film, and it's a lot more complex than that, and it shows what an underrated director Apted is.