Hammer the Toff
Encyclopedia
Hammer the Toff is a 1952
British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers
and starring John Bentley
and Patricia Dainton
. The film was based on the 1947 novel of the same name by John Creasey
, the 17th in the series featuring upper-class sleuth Richard Rollison, also known as "The Toff
". This film and another Toff adaptation Salute the Toff
were shot back-to-back at Nettlefold Studios
in the summer of 1951 with identical production credits and many of the same actors. Hammer the Toff was issued to cinemas in May 1952 as the sequel to Salute the Toff. There would be no further entries in the series.
Both Toff films are classed as "missing, believed lost
", and both are included on the British Film Institute
's "75 Most Wanted
" list of missing British feature films.
Rollison consults his old colleague Inspector Grice of Scotland Yard, who tells him that the evidence is pointing in the direction of a particular man as being responsible for the abduction. Using his friends and contacts in the East End, Rollison investigates, while Susan is being kidnapped and tied up. Rollison finally succeeds in identifying the criminals and their leader "The Hammer", releasing Susan and proving that the man suspected by the police is innocent.
described it as "well staged, with a bright line in dialogue, and neat crime angles", while the Daily Film Renter termed it "lively, easily-assimilated strong-arm stuff with a whiff of comedy and a dash of romance".
1952 in film
The year 1952 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 10 - Cecil B. DeMille's circus epic, The Greatest Show on Earth, premieres at Radio City Music Hall in New York City....
British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers
Maclean Rogers
-Selected filmography:Director* The Third Eye * The Mayor's Nest * Up for the Derby * The Crime at Blossoms * Trouble * Summer Lightning * It's a Cop * Virginia's Husband...
and starring John Bentley
John Bentley (actor)
John Bentley was a British film actor who emerged in the 1970s as Hugh Mortimer, Meg Richardson's ill-fated new husband in the soap opera Crossroads. He also starred in the jungle adventure series African Patrol as Chief Inspector Paul Derek and made various other guest appearances...
and Patricia Dainton
Patricia Dainton
Patricia Dainton is a British actress who appeared in a number of film and television roles between 1947 and 1961. She was born in Hamilton, Scotland in 1930 and made her screen debut in the 1947 film Dancing with Crime....
. The film was based on the 1947 novel of the same name by John Creasey
John Creasey
John Creasey MBE was an English crime and science fiction writer. The author of more than 600 novels, he published them using 28 different pseudonyms, including Anthony Morton, Michael Halliday, Kyle Hunt, J.J. Marric, Jeremy York, Richard Martin, Peter Manton, Norman Deane, Gordon Ashe, Henry St...
, the 17th in the series featuring upper-class sleuth Richard Rollison, also known as "The Toff
The Toff
In the series of adventure novels by John Creasey, the Toff is the nickname of the Honourable Richard Rollison, an upper-class crime sleuth. Creasey published almost 60 Toff adventures, beginning with Introducing the Toff in 1938 and continuing through The Toff and the Crooked Copper, published in...
". This film and another Toff adaptation Salute the Toff
Salute the Toff
Salute the Toff is a 1952 British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley and Carol Marsh. The film was based on the 1941 novel of the same name by John Creasey, the sixth in the series featuring upper-class sleuth Richard Rollison, also known as "The Toff"...
were shot back-to-back at Nettlefold Studios
Nettlefold Studios
Nettlefold Studios were located in what is now Hepworth Way, Walton-on-Thames. Cecil Hepworth began film making there in 1899, but the name derives from the subsequent owner, Archibald Nettlefold, who rebuilt the studios on the original site. During the late fifties the studio changed its name to...
in the summer of 1951 with identical production credits and many of the same actors. Hammer the Toff was issued to cinemas in May 1952 as the sequel to Salute the Toff. There would be no further entries in the series.
Both Toff films are classed as "missing, believed lost
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
", and both are included on the British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
's "75 Most Wanted
BFI 75 Most Wanted
The BFI 75 Most Wanted is a list compiled by the British Film Institute of their most sought-after British feature films not currently held in the BFI National Archive, and classified as "missing, believed lost". The films chosen range from quota quickies and B-movies to lavish prestige...
" list of missing British feature films.
Plot
On the train to the seaside resort of Brighthaven, Richard Rollison (Bentley) is sharing a carriage with an attractive young lady called Susan Lancaster (Dainton). The journey is rudely interrupted when the window of the carriage is shattered by a barrage of bullets. Richard learns from the shaken Susan that she is on her way to join an uncle on holiday, and offers to escort her safely to her hotel. They learn that her uncle has disappeared, but has left Susan a package. Later, Rollison happens to overhear a pair of shady characters discussing how to kidnap Susan. She explains that her uncle has developed a secret formula which sinister characters are keen to get their hands on, and they have been receiving threats of menace, hence the flight to Brighthaven.Rollison consults his old colleague Inspector Grice of Scotland Yard, who tells him that the evidence is pointing in the direction of a particular man as being responsible for the abduction. Using his friends and contacts in the East End, Rollison investigates, while Susan is being kidnapped and tied up. Rollison finally succeeds in identifying the criminals and their leader "The Hammer", releasing Susan and proving that the man suspected by the police is innocent.
Reception
Like its predecessor, Hammer the Toff was well-received by critics as good quality popular B-movie entertainment. Kine WeeklyKine Weekly
The Kinematograph Weekly, popularly known as Kine Weekly, was a trade newspaper catering to the British film industry. It was published in Britain between 1889 and 1971.-Publication history:...
described it as "well staged, with a bright line in dialogue, and neat crime angles", while the Daily Film Renter termed it "lively, easily-assimilated strong-arm stuff with a whiff of comedy and a dash of romance".
Cast
- John BentleyJohn Bentley (actor)John Bentley was a British film actor who emerged in the 1970s as Hugh Mortimer, Meg Richardson's ill-fated new husband in the soap opera Crossroads. He also starred in the jungle adventure series African Patrol as Chief Inspector Paul Derek and made various other guest appearances...
as Richard Rollison - Patricia DaintonPatricia DaintonPatricia Dainton is a British actress who appeared in a number of film and television roles between 1947 and 1961. She was born in Hamilton, Scotland in 1930 and made her screen debut in the 1947 film Dancing with Crime....
as Susan Lancaster - Valentine DyallValentine DyallValentine Dyall was an English character actor, the son of veteran actor Franklin Dyall. Dyall was especially popular as a voice actor, due to his very distinctive sepulchral voice, he was known for many years as "The Man in Black", narrator of the BBC Radio horror series Appointment With Fear.In...
as Inspector Grice - John RobinsonJohn Robinson (actor)John Robinson was an English actor, who was particularly active in the theatre. Mostly cast in minor and supporting roles in film and television, he is best remembered for being the second actor to play the famous television science-fiction role of Professor Bernard Quatermass, in the 1955 BBC...
as Linnett - Wally PatchWally PatchWally 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...
as Bert Ebbutt - Roddy HughesRoddy HughesRoddy Hughes was a British film and television actor. He appeared in over 80 films between 1932 and 1961.-Selected filmography:* Say It With Flowers * Poison Pen * Saloon Bar...
as Jolly - Basil DignamBasil DignamBasil Dignam was an English character actor.Basil Dignam, a native of Sheffield, acted on film and television between 1951 and 1975. He often appeared as an authority figure, such as a police officer, army general or peer....
as Superintendent - Lockwood WestLockwood WestLockwood West was a British actor. He is the father of actor Timothy West and the grandfather of actor Samuel West....
as Kennedy - Katharine Blake as Janet Lord
- Charles HawtreyCharles Hawtrey (film actor)George Frederick Joffre Hartree , known as Charles Hawtrey, was an English comedy actor and musician.Beginning at a young age as a boy soprano, he made several records before moving on to the radio...
as Cashier - Ian FlemingIan 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...
as Dr. Lancaster