The Squeeze (1977 film)
The Squeeze is a 1977 British gangster thriller, directed by Michael Apted, based on a novel by Bill James (under the pseudonym David Craig).[2] The screenplay was written by Minder creator Leon Griffiths.[3]
| The Squeeze | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Michael Apted |
| Produced by | Stanley O'Toole |
| Screenplay by | Leon Griffiths |
| Based on | Whose Little Girl Are You? by James Tucker |
| Starring | |
| Music by | David Hentschel |
| Cinematography | Dennis C. Lewiston |
| Edited by | John Shirley |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 104 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.4 million[1] |
The production headlines a major cast made up of American actor Stacy Keach, and British actors Edward Fox and David Hemmings. Irish actor Stephen Boyd was also featured in a major (and final) role as a gangster.
Apted called it an "informed look at the British underworld" and said Warner Bros considered the film "too indigenous."[4]
Cast
- Stacy Keach as Jim Naboth
- David Hemmings as Keith
- Edward Fox as Foreman
- Stephen Boyd as Vic
- Carol White as Jill
- Freddie Starr as Teddy
- Hilary Gasson as Barbara
- Rod Beacham as Dr. Jenkins
- Stewart Harwood as Des
- Alan Ford as Taff
- Roy Marsden as Barry
- Leon Greene as Commissionaire
- Lucinda Duckett as Sharon
- Alison Portes as Christine
- Marjie Lawrence as Beryl
- Steve Jones (extra)
Production
The film was shot in London in October 1976.[1] Keach had lived and worked in London for many years. He says Apted was "a wonderful and intelligent director" who cast the actor on the basis of his appearance in Conduct Unbecoming.[5]
The producers of The Squeeze enlisted an ex-gangster called Bob Ramsey to act as a contact between the film unit and the local underworld to cut down on harassment, due to location shooting in rather undesirable areas where criminals were operating. Local people in the area were hired as extras. Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones accidentally became an extra in the film.
Reception
The Squeeze has been called a better sequel to Sweeney! than Sweeney 2, with "superbly drawn and vividly played villains" (Leon Hunt).[6]
On its release, the tabloid paper News of the World called The Squeeze, "A nail-biting thriller...".
Keach said the film "didn't translate in America but it was well regarded and successful in England."[5]
Footnotes
- The Nonthinking Equilibrium of Stacy Keach Roberts, Glenys. Los Angeles Times 31 Oct 1976: t73.
- The Writers of Wales Database: Bill James. Accessed 27 August 2014
- SQUEEZE, The Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 44, Iss. 516, (Jan 1, 1977): 80.
- 'A Certain Edge' Yakir, Dan. Film Comment; New York Vol. 20, Iss. 1, (Jan/Feb 1984): 29-32,78.
- Keach, Stacy (2013). All in all : an actor's life on and off the stage. Lyons Press. p. 120.
- Hunt 1999, p. 143.
References
- Hunt, Leon (1999). "Chapter 12. Dog Eat Dog: The Squeeze and the Sweeney Films". In Chibnall, Steve; Murphy, Robert (eds.). British Crime Cinema. London: Routledge. pp. 134–147. ISBN 0-415-16870-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
External links
- The Squeeze on IMDb
- Ninnis, John (21 March 2013). "The Squeeze Film Release: March 20th 1977, Film Review, Magazine ad,,Video Covers & Trailer".