Crime Unlimited
Encyclopedia
Crime Unlimited is a 1935 British crime film
that was made as a Quota quickie
. It was directed by Ralph Ince
.
The gang plans to steal a prominent socialite, Lady Mead's necklace at a party she is giving. Pete goes to the party with Natascha, while the police attend the party undercover, and send Lady Sybil, a society gossip columnist, to observe. At the party, Pete runs into Conway Addison, a lawyer. The light goes out, and when it goes back on Natascha has disappeared and the necklace has been stolen. Inspector Cardby pretends to arrest Pete, but lets him go once they are outside. Natascha later visits Pete and tells him that she wants to leave the gang, but one of the gang overhears her.
After the gang finds some of their plans tipped off to the police, they soon realize that Pete is working with the police, and give him false information about a job they are planning. While the police are waiting for them in one place, they conduct the job somewhere else. As insurance they bring Pete along, and then take him to Merrick's house. Merrick asks to see Pete alone, and when Pete comes in Merrick is revealed to be Conway Addison, who says he has become tired of defending ordinary cases and wants to conduct the perfect crime. Meanwhile, Natascha has been kept back in Pete's apartment, and as she is being taken to Merrick's house, she causes the car to go off the road. She then tells a police officer where she was heading. Back at the house, Conway tries to gas the whole gang, but the police arrive in the nick of time, and Conway is shot and the gang arrested. Pete wants Natascha to stay with him, but he is told that Natascha must go with the gang.
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...
that was made as a Quota quickie
Cinematograph Films Act 1927
The Cinematograph Films Act of 1927 was an act of the United Kingdom Parliament designed to stimulate the declining British film industry.-Description:...
. It was directed by Ralph Ince
Ralph Ince
Ralph Ince , was an American film director, actor and screenwriter of the silent era. He directed 171 films between 1910 and 1937. He also appeared in 110 films between 1907 and 1937....
.
Plot
The Merrick gang have pulled off a diamond robbery and murdered a police officer investigating their crimes. A paper saying "AD 1935" was found on the murdered officer's body. Outsmarted by the gang, the police assistant commissioner and Inspector Cardby decide to plant a new recruit, who the gang would not know, to go undercover and join the gang in order to betray their plans. Pete Borden is the police's inside man. When he enters the gang's gambling den, he meets Natascha, the daughter of a deceased Russian immigrant who had got involved in the gang. The gang then recruits Pete and Merrick, the gang's mysterious leader who nobody sees and who plays chess, assigns him to check on Delaney, a crooked bookie. Pete then meets Newell, a lawyer. The gang then installs Pete in an apartment, and after he tips the police off by tossing a note to an officer when the gang isn't looking, the police place detectives in the room opposite. One of the detectives is deaf and can read lips, so Pete communicates the gang's plans by mouthing the words.The gang plans to steal a prominent socialite, Lady Mead's necklace at a party she is giving. Pete goes to the party with Natascha, while the police attend the party undercover, and send Lady Sybil, a society gossip columnist, to observe. At the party, Pete runs into Conway Addison, a lawyer. The light goes out, and when it goes back on Natascha has disappeared and the necklace has been stolen. Inspector Cardby pretends to arrest Pete, but lets him go once they are outside. Natascha later visits Pete and tells him that she wants to leave the gang, but one of the gang overhears her.
After the gang finds some of their plans tipped off to the police, they soon realize that Pete is working with the police, and give him false information about a job they are planning. While the police are waiting for them in one place, they conduct the job somewhere else. As insurance they bring Pete along, and then take him to Merrick's house. Merrick asks to see Pete alone, and when Pete comes in Merrick is revealed to be Conway Addison, who says he has become tired of defending ordinary cases and wants to conduct the perfect crime. Meanwhile, Natascha has been kept back in Pete's apartment, and as she is being taken to Merrick's house, she causes the car to go off the road. She then tells a police officer where she was heading. Back at the house, Conway tries to gas the whole gang, but the police arrive in the nick of time, and Conway is shot and the gang arrested. Pete wants Natascha to stay with him, but he is told that Natascha must go with the gang.
Cast
- Esmond KnightEsmond KnightEsmond Penington Knight was an English actor.He was an accomplished actor with a career spanning over half a century. For much of his career Esmond Knight was virtually blind...
... Pete Borden - Lilli PalmerLilli PalmerLilli Palmer , born Lilli Marie Peiser, was a German actress. She won the Volpi Cup, the Deutscher Filmpreis three times, and was nominated twice for a Golden Globe Award.-Life and career:...
... Natasha - Cecil ParkerCecil ParkerCecil Parker was an English character and comedy actor with a distinctive husky voice, who usually played supporting roles in his 91 films made between 1928 and 1969....
... Assistant Commissioner - George MerrittGeorge Merritt (actor)George Merritt was a British film and television actor.-Selected filmography:* The W Plan * The Lodger * I Was a Spy * Crime on the Hill * The Silver Spoon...
... Inspector Cardby - Raymond LovellRaymond LovellRaymond 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...
... Delaney - Wyndham Goldie ... Conway Addison
- Peter GawthornePeter GawthornePeter Gawthorne was an Irish actor, probably best known for his roles in Will Hay films. Gawthorne was one of Britain's most called-upon bit part actors during the 1940s and 50s....
... Newall - Jane Millican ... Lady Sybil
- Stella ArbeninaStella ArbeninaStella Arbenina was a Russian-born English actress.Born Stella Zoe Whishaw in St. Petersburg, Russia into an English family who had mader their home in Russia for several generations, she was married in 1907 to Baron Paul Meyendorff Captain in the Horse Guards and Aides-de-camp to Tsar Nicholas II...
... Lady Mead