Rent 23 Paces to Baker Street (1956)

Nifty Little Thriller based on a novel, with great views of 1956 London in colour - 23 Paces to Baker Street review by PV

I liked this loads. Produced by comedy movie Hollywood director Nora Ephron's dad, this has luscious colour for 1956 and must have cost a bit, and an oddly old-fashioned romantic score too.

What lifts it is the story, which is original with a visually-impaired playwright depressed and drinking too much, relying on sound and early reel to reel tape recordings - all integrated and folded into the plot.

Yes, the plot is rather penny thriller by-numbers and not that credible perhaps, all derring-do. BUT the main character's take on it lifts it.

Lovely London views from 1956 even if on a projected backdrop at a studio. Makes one remember how London had so many bombsites back then and until 1970s and even 80s, and massive issues with homelessness - which shows just how generous native Brits were to incomers from Windrush etc, though most postwar migrants to the UK were white Europeans (all forgotten as they do not tick the diversity box).

Funny to see how a golliwog doll as part of the plot and does not cause conniptions either - just a doll. As it was and is. No spoilers.

I enjoyed it. 4 stars

Nice little thriller - 23 Paces to Baker Street review by AB

Enjoyable thriller that has a few twists and turns as a gang of three, with very little information to work with, try and fathom what is going on from an overheard conversation in the pub, with the main protagonist relying on his non-visual senses to try and help and to drive things along.