A Prize of Arms
Encyclopedia
A Prize of Arms is a 1962 British crime film directed by Cliff Owen
and starring Stanley Baker
, Helmut Schmid
, Patrick Magee
and Tom Bell
with early appearances by several actors including Fulton Mackay
, Tom Adams
and Rodney Bewes
. Set in 1956, the film follows a criminal gang as it tries to rob an army pay convoy during the Suez Crisis
.
and there is believed to be a large amount of pay on the premises, to be shipped out with them.
The gang enters an army barracks, disguised as soldiers and proceeds to the pay corps
headquarters where, under the guise of maintenance work, they make sure that the alarms are disabled - which will give them time to make their escape once the robbery takes place.
For the rest of the day they try to integrate themselves into the workings of the base, including being vacinated for Overseas service, to avoid attracting attention. As night falls, they change into military police
uniforms and head for the pay headquarters again, announcing on arrival that they have had reports of a fire. They begin searching the rooms.
Starting a small blaze, they then order the premises to be evacuated. With the building empty, they break into the safe and steal over £100,000. Starting several fires to cover their activities, they then withdraw, carrying a fake casualty in a stretcher. As troops rush in from across the base to put out the fire, the men drive off to a secluded spot on the base where they had left an army truck.
When an officer rings up the medics to check on the progress of the casualty, he is told nobody has arrived. Suspicious, he raises the alarm, and the whole camp is put on standby while the police
are sent for. They are initially fooled into thinking the criminals have already left the camp. Meanwhile the crooks successfully manage to escape the camp by tailing onto the end of a convoy.
As the authorities slowly awake to what is happened, military police are dispatched after the convoy. After the truck leaves the convoy, it is tracked down by the army, with the criminals seemingly cornered in a disused country barn. They try to make a break for it, using a flamethrower
to clear their path. Initially successful, they manage to outrun the troops, before their truck explodes.
The film was released on Region One DVD
in May 2007.
Cliff Owen
Cliff Owen, was a British film and TV director best known for his comedy The Wrong Arm of the Law which starred Peter Sellers; he also directed two of the three films celebrated double act Morecambe and Wise made in the mid 1960s, and the big screen version of the classic BBC sitcom Steptoe and...
and starring Stanley Baker
Stanley Baker
Sir Stanley Baker was a Welsh actor and film producer.-Early career:William Stanley Baker was born in Ferndale, Rhondda Valley, Wales. In the mid-1930s his parents moved to London, where Baker spent most of his formative years...
, Helmut Schmid
Helmut Schmid
-Selected filmography:* Das Totenschiff * Under Ten Flags * Daniella by Night * One, Two, Three * A Prize of Arms * Kohlhiesel's Daughters * Los Pistoleros de Arizona...
, Patrick Magee
Patrick Magee (actor)
Patrick Magee was a Northern Irish actor best known for his collaborations with Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter, as well as his appearances in horror films and in Stanley Kubrick's films A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon.-Early life:He was born Patrick McGee in Armagh, County Armagh, Northern...
and Tom Bell
Tom Bell (actor)
Tom Bell was an English actor on stage, film and television. He was dark-haired, lean, and in his later years often played characters having a sinister side to their nature.-Biography:...
with early appearances by several actors including Fulton Mackay
Fulton Mackay
Fulton Mackay OBE was a Scottish actor and playwright, best known for his role as prison officer Mr. Mackay in the 1970s sitcom Porridge.-Early life:...
, Tom Adams
Tom Adams (actor)
Tom Adams is an English actor with roles in horror and mystery films, and several TV shows.He starred as Charles Vine in Licensed to Kill and the sequels Where the Bullets Fly and Somebody's Stolen Our Russian Spy .His television credits include General...
and Rodney Bewes
Rodney Bewes
Rodney Bewes is an English television actor and writer who is best known for playing Bob Ferris in the BBC television sitcom The Likely Lads and its colour sequel Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? , and in the various radio series based on them , and in the big screen film The Likely Lads...
. Set in 1956, the film follows a criminal gang as it tries to rob an army pay convoy during the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
.
Plot
Three criminals have hatched a plan to rob an army barracks. The troops are about to be dispatched to take part in a war in the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and there is believed to be a large amount of pay on the premises, to be shipped out with them.
The gang enters an army barracks, disguised as soldiers and proceeds to the pay corps
Royal Army Pay Corps
The Royal Army Pay Corps was a former corps of the British Army responsible for administering all financial matters. It was amalgamated into the Adjutant General's Corps in 1992....
headquarters where, under the guise of maintenance work, they make sure that the alarms are disabled - which will give them time to make their escape once the robbery takes place.
For the rest of the day they try to integrate themselves into the workings of the base, including being vacinated for Overseas service, to avoid attracting attention. As night falls, they change into military police
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
uniforms and head for the pay headquarters again, announcing on arrival that they have had reports of a fire. They begin searching the rooms.
Starting a small blaze, they then order the premises to be evacuated. With the building empty, they break into the safe and steal over £100,000. Starting several fires to cover their activities, they then withdraw, carrying a fake casualty in a stretcher. As troops rush in from across the base to put out the fire, the men drive off to a secluded spot on the base where they had left an army truck.
When an officer rings up the medics to check on the progress of the casualty, he is told nobody has arrived. Suspicious, he raises the alarm, and the whole camp is put on standby while the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
are sent for. They are initially fooled into thinking the criminals have already left the camp. Meanwhile the crooks successfully manage to escape the camp by tailing onto the end of a convoy.
As the authorities slowly awake to what is happened, military police are dispatched after the convoy. After the truck leaves the convoy, it is tracked down by the army, with the criminals seemingly cornered in a disused country barn. They try to make a break for it, using a flamethrower
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
to clear their path. Initially successful, they manage to outrun the troops, before their truck explodes.
Reception
Despite a positive reception by critics, the film failed at the box office.The film was released on Region One DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in May 2007.
Cast
- Stanley BakerStanley BakerSir Stanley Baker was a Welsh actor and film producer.-Early career:William Stanley Baker was born in Ferndale, Rhondda Valley, Wales. In the mid-1930s his parents moved to London, where Baker spent most of his formative years...
as Turpin - Helmut SchmidHelmut Schmid-Selected filmography:* Das Totenschiff * Under Ten Flags * Daniella by Night * One, Two, Three * A Prize of Arms * Kohlhiesel's Daughters * Los Pistoleros de Arizona...
as Swavek - Tom BellTom Bell (actor)Tom Bell was an English actor on stage, film and television. He was dark-haired, lean, and in his later years often played characters having a sinister side to their nature.-Biography:...
as Fenner - John PhillipsJohn Phillips (actor)William John Phillips MC, was a British actor. He is best remembered for the role of Chief Superintendent Robins, in the television series Z-Cars and for his work as a Shakespearean stage actor.-Early life:...
as Colonel Fowler - Patrick MageePatrick Magee (actor)Patrick Magee was a Northern Irish actor best known for his collaborations with Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter, as well as his appearances in horror films and in Stanley Kubrick's films A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon.-Early life:He was born Patrick McGee in Armagh, County Armagh, Northern...
as Regimental Sergeant Major Hicks - John WestbrookJohn Westbrook (actor)John Westbrook was an English actor.Born in Teignmouth, Devon, John Westbrook worked mainly in theatre and in radio. He also made occasional film and television appearances. His most famous role was as Christopher Gough in Roger Corman's The Tomb of Ligeia...
as Captain Stafford - Jack MayJack MayJack May was an English actor. Born in Henley-on-Thames, he was educated at Forest School, Walthamstow and after war service with the Royal Indian Navy in India was offered a place at RADA, but he instead went to Merton College, Oxford...
as Medical Officer - Frank Gatliff as Major Palmer
- Michael RipperMichael RipperMichael Ripper was an English character actor born in Portsmouth.He began his film career in quota quickies in the 1930s and until the late 1950s was virtually unknown; he was seldom credited. He played one of the two murderers in Richard III. Ripper became a mainstay in Hammer Film Productions...
as Corporal Freeman - John Rees as Sergeant Jones
- Tom AdamsTom Adams (actor)Tom Adams is an English actor with roles in horror and mystery films, and several TV shows.He starred as Charles Vine in Licensed to Kill and the sequels Where the Bullets Fly and Somebody's Stolen Our Russian Spy .His television credits include General...
as Corporal Glenn - Anthony BateAnthony BateAnthony Bate is an English actor.He is possibly best known for his role as Oliver Lacon in the BBC television adaptations of the John le Carré novels Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People....
as Sergeant Reeves - Rodney BewesRodney BewesRodney Bewes is an English television actor and writer who is best known for playing Bob Ferris in the BBC television sitcom The Likely Lads and its colour sequel Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? , and in the various radio series based on them , and in the big screen film The Likely Lads...
as Private Maynard - Douglas BlackwellDouglas BlackwellDouglas Blackwell was an English actor with many television and film credits.Douglas blackwell is also the name pod many children it is the 17 most common first namee...
as Day - Glynn EdwardsGlynn EdwardsGlynn Edwards is a British actor.Edwards was born in Malaya and trained as an actor at Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop. He is probably best known for his role as Dave 'the barman' Harris, owner of the Winchester Club in the TV show Minder...
as Breakdown truck crewman - Stephen LewisStephen Lewis (actor)Stephen Lewis is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Inspector Cyril "Blakey" Blake in the LWT Sitcom On the Buses, Clem "Smiler" Hemmingway in the longest running sitcom Last of the Summer Wine and Harry Lambert in BBC Television's Oh, Doctor Beeching!.-Career:Lewis began his...
as Military Police Corporal (cashier's office) - Fulton MackayFulton MackayFulton Mackay OBE was a Scottish actor and playwright, best known for his role as prison officer Mr. Mackay in the 1970s sitcom Porridge.-Early life:...
as Corporal Henderson - Stanley MeadowsStanley Meadows-Selected filmography:* The Mummy * Payroll * A Prize of Arms * Panic * The Main Chance * The Masque of the Red Death * Clash by Night * The Ipcress File...
as Sergeant White - Garfield MorganGarfield MorganGarfield Morgan was an English actor who appeared mostly on TV and occasionally in films.Born in Birmingham, Morgan was apprenticed as a dental mechanic before going to drama school. He started his acting career with the Arena Theatre, Birmingham...
as Military Policeman - Geoffrey PalmerGeoffrey Palmer (actor)Geoffrey Dyson Palmer, OBE is an English actor, best known for his roles in sitcoms such as Butterflies and As Time Goes By.-Career:...
as Military Policeman - Michael RobbinsMichael RobbinsMichael Anthony Robbins was a British actor known for his television work...
as Orford