Tiger Bay (1959)

Tiger Bay (1959), directed by J. Lee Thompson.

Tomboy Hayley Mills (age 12 in a fine debut) witnesses a murder. She steals the gun and is on the run from the killer for a while until she befriends him and tries to help him escape. Police Superintendent John Mills (her real-life father) is not letting him get away, no matter what.

A great little thriller. Filmed on location around the Cardiff Docks, very gritty and real. Hayley gives one of the best performances from a child actor I have seen. She is very natural as the lonely child prone to lying and mischief.

Horst Buchholz ("the James Dean of German cinema") is the Polish sailor who commits the murder, a crime of passion. He's not a bad sort, but he'd really like to get away with it if he can.

Commentary track by Hayley Mills. Laurie Johnson score.

The North American region 1 NTSC edition is out of print. Available as a region 2 PAL DVD.

http://watershade.net/public/tiger-bay.jpg