Checkpoint (1956 film)
| Checkpoint | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ralph Thomas |
| Produced by | Betty E. Box |
| Written by | Robin Estridge |
| Starring |
Anthony Steel Stanley Baker |
| Music by | Bruce Montgomery |
| Cinematography | Ernest Steward |
| Edited by | Frederick Wilson |
|
Production
company |
|
| Distributed by | Rank |
|
Release date
|
1956 |
|
Running time
|
80 mins |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Checkpoint is a 1956 British film noir crime drama film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Anthony Steel, Odile Versois, Stanley Baker, and James Robertson Justice.
Before a major motor race in Italy a man, O'Donovan, is hired by a British racing team to headhunt the designer of a rival team. However, when he fails, he attempts to steal the team's designs instead. When he is disturbed in the middle of the theft, he is forced to shoot his way out, killing five people.
The head of British team plans to cover up the crime by using the race to smuggle O'Donovan out the country.
Jeanne Crain was mentioned as a possibility for the female lead.
The film was shot at Pinewood Studios in London with location work in Italy, including footage of the Mille Miglia, and scenes at Lake Como. It was based on an original screenplay by Robert Estridge.
The movie features the Lotus Mark 10 Aston Martin.John Wyer and Roy Salvadori worked on the film as advisers. "Steel handled the car with surprising ease—and it isn't an easy thing to drive," said Wyer.
Anthony Steel married Anita Ekberg during the making of the film.
Betty Box later wrote that the film "was for some reason or other an enormous success in Japan, and as the Japanese were crazy about the pale blue drivers' overalls, the fan letters we got from them weren't, as is usual, asking for autographs or photographs. They wanted to know where they could buy the overalls."
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Wikipedia