Undercover Girl
DVD cover also featuring Undercover Agent
Directed byFrancis Searle
Written byBernard Lewis
Bill Luckwell
Produced byBill Luckwell
Kay Luckwell
StarringPaul Carpenter
Kay Callard
Bruce Seton
CinematographyGeoffrey Faithfull
Edited byDouglas Myers
Music byW.L. Trytel
Production
company
Luckwell Productions
Distributed byButcher's Film Distributors
Release date
January 1958
Running time
68 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Undercover Girl is a 1958 British second feature[1] crime film directed by Francis Searle and starring Paul Carpenter, Kay Callard and Bruce Seton.[2] A photographer combats a ruthless extortionist.

Plot

Crime reporter Billy Peters is murdered while investigating a case. His brother-in-law, Johnny Carter, discovers that the murderer was club-owner Ted Austin, who runs a blackmail racket. Austin is also responsible for Carter's girlfriend's sister Peggy becoming a drug addict. Carter traps Austin in his club and a gun battle ensues.

Cast

Production

The film was shot at Twickenham Studios, with sets designed by the art director Denys Pavitt.

Critical reception

Monthly Film Bulletin said "In spite of its abundance of action, this film fails to carry the audience with it. The actors seem unconvinced by their parts, and the prevailing sense of implausibility quickly communicates itself. There appears to be some unnecessary violence spicing the plot in the scene where Peggy's face is mutilated in a last act of revenge on the part of the villian."[3]

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "This cheap British B-movie has the regulation "glamour" leading lady and the obligatory American (in this case Canadian) leading man. Former band crooner Paul Carpenter is an amiable star of sorts and co-star Kay Callard has a passable second-string leading lady quality. The real interest lies in the appearance in an "acting" role of Jackie Collins, now better known for writing raunchy novels."[4]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "poor", writing: "Capable cast swamped by truly dreadful treatment of story, including a fight where the 'punches'' miss by miles. Deplorable."[5]

References

  1. Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
  2. "Undercover Girl". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  3. "Undercover Girl". Monthly Film Bulletin. 25 (288): 159. 1 January 1958 via ProQuest.
  4. Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 976. ISBN 9780992936440.
  5. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 395. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.


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