Street Corner a view of UK Policewomen in the 1950s

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stuart.uk
Posts: 1805
Joined: January 21st, 2008, 12:25 pm
Location: Dundee, Scotland

Street Corner a view of UK Policewomen in the 1950s

Post by stuart.uk »

SPOLIER

Street Corner is a film I've been wanting to see for a long time and I saw it the other day.

My main reason for wanting to see it was Rosamund John, one of my favorite actresses of the period. However she only had a smallish role, that of the desk Sargeant at the local police station.

I was a bit disappointed at the begining, but felt the film got stronger as it progressed. It took me a while to recognise Anne Crawford, as it was 10 years after she'd made her biggest role IMO Millions Like Us, but she was good in her role. One funny scene had prosititute Dora Bryan (A Taste Of Honey) saying she didn't mind being arrested by male policemen as they were doing their jobs, but complained if it was cops in skirts as she put it.

I was a bit worried that the film may reflect as it did in many tv cops shows in the UK and the U.S in the 60s and show girl cops as secondary to their male counterparts. However, that wasn't the case as Crawford in uniform climbed out of a window on to a ledge to save the life of a child, then after discovering the kid was abused by a step mother, in plain clothes tracked down the natural mother and a 2nd husband. The young P.C Babara Murray on her day off, recognized the girlfriend, Peggy Cummin's, of thug and theif Terrence Morgan. She followed them and despite the restrictions of 50s female attire, made easy work of the villain's side kick, but was coshed on the back of the head by Morgan, before he's apprended by a police dog.

Another interesting role was played by Eleanor Summerville, who played a young tomboyish looking woman who at night dived into the Thames to save the life of a young boy. However, as a result she had to admit to police the she had desert from the army in order to marry boyfriend Robert'son of Leslie'Howard. However, after becoming a media celebrity, it's discovered she's also a bigamist from an unhappy relationship. Luckilly, because of her heriocs and character the Judge goes easy on her.

Another actress in the film is Sarah Lawson, who plays a woman detective constable, who I recognized 30-yrs later in Gordon Jackson's The Professionals
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JackFavell
Posts: 11926
Joined: April 20th, 2009, 9:56 am

Re: Street Corner a view of UK Policewomen in the 1950s

Post by JackFavell »

Sounds super, Stuart! Nice to hear from you again, after our long absence from the site.
RedRiver
Posts: 4200
Joined: July 28th, 2011, 9:42 am

Re: Street Corner a view of UK Policewomen in the 1950s

Post by RedRiver »

This sounds like a refreshing change. Especially if you imagine watching it in 1950!
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