Tread Softly Stranger (1958)

Tread Softly Stranger (1958), directed by Gordon Parry.

First review

Rather good crime drama with George Baker and Diana Dors, the latter as a tough, pouty 1950s sweater-girl. Some passion scenes; aren't the English supposed to be cold-blooded?

Second review

I rewatched this because I found a DVD upgrade, but mostly because I wanted to see Diana Dors again; a blonde bombshell with acting skills.

One brother gets in trouble with London gamblers and flees back to his home, a Yorkshire mill town. ("It's Grim Up North" said the comedian, describing the gritty kitchen-sink realism of these films). Younger brother is a bookkeeper at the foundry. A lovely, somewhat cold young woman makes a triangle.

None of them are bad but are in a bad situation and start thinking about the payroll at the foundry. After the crime comes the guilt

Based on a stage play but that didn't strike me until the final scene.

Technical note: I don't know how Diana Dors' sweaty exercise shorts got past the censors.

A brief title song is performed by Jim Dale who I first knew as the astounding narrator of the "Harry Potter" American audiobooks. You forget it is one person and imagine a full cast. Then I saw him the 1960s "Carry On" films and now read that he was a noted 1950s pop singer and has had a busy career on stage, film and TV.

The exterior locations were filmed in Parkgate, South Yorkshire

Photographed by Douglas Slocombe:

• The Blue Max (1966)

• The Buttercup Chain (1970)

• Dead of Night (1945)

• Fathom (1967)

• The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)

• A High Wind in Jamaica (1965)

• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

• Julia (1977)

• The L-Shaped Room (1962)

• Lady Jane (1986)

• Never Say Never Again (1983)

• The Pirates of Penzance (1983)

• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

• Rollerball (1975)

• Scream of Fear (1961)

Music by Tristram Cary:

• The Ladykillers (1955)

• Quatermass and the Pit (1967)

I originally had this in the US DVD set: "British Cinema Collection / Classic 'B' Film Collection, volume 1". Quality was poor. The UK PAL DVD is somewhat better but not an actual restoration. No subtitles, but found them online. No sign of a Blu-ray.