Appointment with Crime is a 1946

1946 in film

The year 1946 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*November 21 - William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives premieres in New York featuring an ensemble cast including Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, and Harold Russell.*December 20 - Frank Capra's It's a...

 British

Cinema of the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has had a major influence on modern cinema. The first moving pictures developed on celluloid film were made in Hyde Park, London in 1889 by William Friese Greene, a British inventor, who patented the process in 1890. It is generally regarded that the British film industry...

 crime film

Crime film

Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...

 directed by John Harlow

John Harlow (director)

John Harlow was an English film director, active from the 1930s to the 1950s. Harlow worked for smaller studios, mainly in crime/thriller genre potboilers, with his better known films including Candles at Nine , the Sexton Blake thrillers Meet Sexton Blake and The Echo Murders , and the 1947...

.

Plot

Leo Martin (Hartnell) works for a criminal gang run by Gus Loman (Lovell) that primarily uses a smash and grab

Smash and grab

A smash and grab raid or smash and grab attack is a particular form of burglary. The distinctive characteristic of a smash and grab, that distinguishes it from other forms of burglary, is its elements of speed and surprise...

 tactic. During one particular risky robbery heist, Leo breaks the window at a jewelry store only to have his wrists broken by a gate falling. He is soon caught and brought to prison to serve his term. Throughout his stay, Leo does not reveal who he is working for to the authorities but instead serves his time angered by Gus for running out on him during the robbery.

When Leo is released he returns to Gus to obtain a job. Gus harshly rebuffs him and points out how Leo’s injured wrists would prevent him from working as a thief. This leads to Leo to seek complete vengeance against Gus. He decides to frame Gus for murder by stealing his gun and murdering a cab driver. He manages to provide himself with an alibi to avoid any prosecution. During this scheme he meets Carol Dane (Howard) who is unaware of his true nature. The two begin a romance. Later, he confronts Gus with the understanding that if he does not give Leo money, Leo will hand over the gun to the police.

After Gus gives Leo his money he contacts Gregory Lang (Lom) who he is actually working under. Gregory is an antiques dealer who hired Gus to steal jewelry and art pieces for him. Meanwhile, Leo learns that Detective Inspector Rogers is investigating the murder case. He attempts to assure Rogers that he is attempting to live a life away from crime but Rogers continues to question Leo’s character and whereabouts during the night of the murder.

Things begin to go downhill when Leo and Gregory learn that it was actually Gregory’s gun that was used rather than Gus’. Gregory becomes upset and has his companion plot to murder Gus while forcefully threatening Leo. Leo’s wrists are crushed again but he and Gus reach a deal for Leo to bring back the gun and steal a jewel. All the while, Rogers uncovers more and more clues.

When Leo steals the jewel and brings back the gun to Gregory, a gunfight ensues leaving Gregory dead. As Leo jumps on the train to run away with Carol, she confronts him about his lies. Soon after, Rogers arrives after finally learning that Leo murdered the cab driver. He prepares to apprehend Leo but Leo tries to jump out of the train window only to have the window slam shut on his wrists.

Cast

• William Hartnell
  William Hartnell
  William Henry Hartnell was an English actor. During 1963-66, he was the first actor to play the Doctor in the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Early life:...
  
  .....Leo Martin
• Raymond Lovell
  Raymond Lovell
  Raymond Lovell was a Canadian-born film actor who performed in British produced films. He mainly played supporting roles, and was often seen as slightly pompous characters...
  
  .....Gus Loman
• Robert Beatty
  Robert Beatty
  Robert Beatty was a Canadian actor who worked in film, television and radio for most of his career and was especially known in the UK.-Career:Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Beatty began his acting career in Britain in 1939....
  
  .....Detective Inspector Rogers
• Herbert Lom
  Herbert Lom
  Herbert Lom is a Czech film actor, best known for his role as former Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus in the Pink Panther movie series.-Life and career:...
  
  .....Gregory Lang
• Joyce Howard
  Joyce Howard
  Joyce Howard was a British film actress.-Filmography:* Freedom Radio * Love on the Dole * The Common Touch * Back-Room Boy * The Night Has Eyes...
  
  .....Carol Dane
• Alan Wheatley
  Alan Wheatley
  Alan Wheatley was a radio announcer who turned to stage and screen acting in the 1930s and was much seen in British films, being a television actor during the black and white era....
  
   as Noel Penn
• Cyril Smith
  Cyril Smith (actor)
  Cyril Bruce Smith was a Scottish actor who began his career as a child in the 1900s and went on to appear in over 100 films between 1914 and his death almost 50 years later.-Career:...
  
  .....Detective Sergeant Charlie Weeks
• Elsie Wagstaff.....Mrs. Wilkins
• Ian Fleming
  Ian Fleming (actor)
  Ian Fleming was an Australian born character actor with credits in over 100 British movies.He is perhaps best known for playing Dr. Watson in a series of Sherlock Holmes movies of the 1930s opposite Arthur Wontner's Holmes...
  
  .....Prison governor
• Wally Patch
  Wally Patch
  Wally Patch was a British character actor, who had supporting roles in many films. He was born Walter Sidney Vinnicombe in Willesden, London on 26 September 1888...
  
  .....Joe Fisher (garage manager)
• Ian McLean.....Detective Mason