Crossroads to Crime

Crossroads to Crime
A black-and-white shot of a road filled with cars and buses, in front of background buildings, has the title "Crossroads to Crime" superimposed in the centre
Original title
Directed byGerry Anderson
Screenplay byAlun Falconer
Produced byGerry Anderson
StarringAnthony Oliver
Ferdy Mayne
Miriam Karlin
George Murcell
David Graham
Arthur Rigby
CinematographyJohn Read
Edited byDavid Elliott
Music byBarry Gray
Production
company
Distributed byAnglo-Amalgamated
Release date
  • 1960 (1960)
Running time
57 minutes[1][2]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£16,250

Crossroads to Crime is a 1960 British crime film produced and directed by Gerry Anderson and distributed by Anglo-Amalgamated (AA). Starring Anthony Oliver, George Murcell, Miriam Karlin, David Graham and Ferdy Mayne, Crossroads to Crime is about a police constable who works undercover to bring down a gang of lorry hi-jackers. Made as a B movie by Anderson's production company AP Films (APF), which made children's puppet television series, it was APF's first film production as well as its first production with live actors. It was also the only film that Anderson directed.

Nat Cohen and Stuart Levy of AA hired Anderson to make the film while he was struggling to find a distributor for Supercar and came to them seeking work. Made on a low budget of £16,250, the one-hour film was shot mostly on location between May and June 1960. Several of the cast and crew had been involved in earlier APF productions and would continue their association with Anderson; they included actor David Graham and the film's composer Barry Gray. APF's three co-directors – John Read, Reg Hill and Sylvia Thamm – served as cinematographer, art director and script supervisor.

Released in late 1960, Crossroads to Crime was a commercial failure and the critical response has been largely negative. Although the film was described by one commentator as a competent "cops and robbers" thriller,[3] criticism has been directed at its script, editing, set design and low production values.[4][5] The film has been broadcast more than once on British TV since the end of its brief theatrical run. It was released on DVD in 2013.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Archer and Hearn, 57 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Bentley, Chris (2017). Hearn, Marcus (ed.). Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons: The Vault. Cambridge, UK: Signum Books. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-995519-12-1.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Fanderson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Archer and Hearn, 56 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference La Rivière, 47 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).