Once a Crook

1941 British film

23 August 1941 (1941-08-23) (United Kingdom)

Running time

78 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglish

Once a Crook is a 1941 British crime film directed by Herbert Mason, produced by Edward Black for 20th Century Fox and featuring Gordon Harker, Sydney Howard, Bernard Lee, Kathleen Harrison, and Raymond Huntley.^[1] It is an adaptation to the big screen from a stage play by Evadne Price and Ken Attiwell.^[2]

Plot summary

Charlie Hopkins (Gordon Harker) is a retired burglar with an expertise in safecracking. His ex-partner The Duke (Bernard Lee) holds a grudge against Charlie, since he believes he ratted him out and sent him to jail. The Duke is out for revenge against Charlie, and hires Bill Hopkins (Cyril Cusack), Charlie's son, to help him perform a hit, with an intention to frame the kid. The Duke's plan doesn't work out, since Bill turns out to be an even better safecracker than his old man. After many complications along the road, the hit is a success, and The Duke is bereaved of his revenge, ultimately stopped by his good-hearted sweetheart, Estelle (Carla Lehmann).^[3]

Cast

Gordon Harker as Charlie Hopkins
Sydney Howard as Hallelujah Harry
Kathleen Harrison as Auntie
Carla Lehmann as Estelle
Bernard Lee as The Duke
Cyril Cusack as Bill Hopkins
Diana King as Bessie
Joss Ambler as Inspector Marsh
Charles Lamb as Joseph
Raymond Huntley as Prison Governor
Felix Aylmer as King's Counsel
John Salew as Solicitor
Wally Patch as Warder
Frank Pettingell as The Captain

References

^ "Once a Crook (1941)". Archived from the original on 28 September 2016.
^ Gifford, Denis (1 April 2016). British Film Catalogue: Two Volume Set - The Fiction Film/The Non-Fiction Film. Routledge. ISBN 9781317740636 – via Google Books.
^ Hal Erickson. "Movie Reviews". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013.