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Product Description
Superior police procedural drama, with a strong cast, from 1956 that portrays solid and patient police work without any of the psychological undertones more prevalent in the 'noir' thrillers of the same period. This film follows a team of British coppers, led by Supt. Tom Halliday (Jack Hawkins), as they try to solve a complex case involving a series of burglaries.
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Jack Hawkins is starred as a gruff, intensely dedicated Scotland Yard superintendent. Working as much by instinct as through scientific methods, Hawkins and rookie sergeant John Stratton tackle the case of a string of unsolved safecrackings, committed by the elusive Richard Leech. This Dragnet approach gives way to suspense as robbery leads to murder. A neat surprise twist caps this finely honed example of British moviemaking know-how. The Long Arm was released in the U.S. as The Third Key. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, Berlin International Film Festival, ...The Long Arm ( The Third Key )
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Just a quick note to make the following point:
Contrary to other reviews of this DVD the copy I recently bought has no audio problems; sound is as crystal clear throughout as the image, which is exceptional - as good as anything put out by Criterion, for example.
Added to which - what a lovely film!
Highly recommended.
Contrary to other reviews of this DVD the copy I recently bought has no audio problems; sound is as crystal clear throughout as the image, which is exceptional - as good as anything put out by Criterion, for example.
Added to which - what a lovely film!
Highly recommended.
42 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By P. NEWMAN
Format:DVD
I really enjoyed the story & the acting but the copy I bought from Amazon UK has extremely poor sound quality. Even given the age of the film the sound is woeful. It is very very hard to hear throughout & at times the static is so bad not a word can be heard. I would have sent it back except that postage from Australia to the UK is excessive.
42 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. P. Neve
Format:DVD
An excellent film long overdue for dvd release, no doubt about it. BUT the copy I was sent was almost completely inaudible even with the volume turned up high.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By pedro
Format:DVD
One of the incidental pleasures of watching a film over fifty years old is the insight into - and for some the recollection of - the world of its day. Here the almost traffic-free streets of London feature in a police procedural movie which was the last to be made at the old Ealing studios. The story concerns the tracking down of a serial burglar who has been cracking the safes of large firms across the country and is told skilfully enough to hold the attention throughout. If you were enjoying British movies in the fifties you will certainly enjoy watching Jack Hawkins and other familiar faces in 'The Long Arm', whose appeal has held up remarkably well.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Great film, however I had to return it as I found, like so many others, that the Audio track was dire. The film is,obviously, originally mono and durin g it's transfer the audio track was left to wander round the sound channels, this could have been good but was just annoying!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By GCBrownlow
Format:DVD
A cracking 50's police thriller which is well scripted if a little dated.
1st class acting by all with some genuinly heart warming banter between the characters particularly Jack Hawkins and Meredith Edwards(the garage owner in Wales)...........Oh and look out for a young Stratford Johns as a Chester Police Constable with one line to deliver when Hawkins comes 'up north' Good production values too as Johns even has the Prince of Wales feathers on his tunic eppaulettes..Wow what detail for a 4 second scene! Only downside being the poor sound quality at times noticably during the search of the Ford Pilot at the police garage when vital evidence is recovered. Still a good film to keep.
1st class acting by all with some genuinly heart warming banter between the characters particularly Jack Hawkins and Meredith Edwards(the garage owner in Wales)...........Oh and look out for a young Stratford Johns as a Chester Police Constable with one line to deliver when Hawkins comes 'up north' Good production values too as Johns even has the Prince of Wales feathers on his tunic eppaulettes..Wow what detail for a 4 second scene! Only downside being the poor sound quality at times noticably during the search of the Ford Pilot at the police garage when vital evidence is recovered. Still a good film to keep.
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Baz
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Made at a time when Scotland Yard could have a simply frightful time catching a smash and grab raider, apart from anything else; when the old hands can remember criminals whole families and what prisons they are/were in; when an anonymous caller gives a tip off and all Scotland Yard swings immediately and earnestly into action; when crimes were recorded on index cards and a whole army of men employed to manually cross check everything; when department store sales clerks spoke with an Oxbridge accent; when everybody smoked; when kids thought it was wizard to have lemonade (with straws) at birthday parties; when your wife worried about you; and when you called your quarry 'chummy'...
This is so cheesy by modern standards that it's almost a self-parody - almost, but not quite. (In fact I did burst out laughing when Jack Hawkins was speculating about 'chummy', with a anguished look on his face). Nevertheless, it still manages to tell a great story and has some glorious outdoor photography of the period, especially central London. Hawkins is great, playing his role with dogged determination and typical British resolve.
Another thing that strikes me watching these old b/w films is just how brilliantly even the minor characters are played. Watch out for Meredith Edwards - the garage owner in Wales, and particularly the flawless understated acting of the woman in her only scene who offers Hawkins a cup of tea, but he declines).
Great fun from a long gone era and highly recommended for many reasons including, but not limited to, the story.
This is so cheesy by modern standards that it's almost a self-parody - almost, but not quite. (In fact I did burst out laughing when Jack Hawkins was speculating about 'chummy', with a anguished look on his face). Nevertheless, it still manages to tell a great story and has some glorious outdoor photography of the period, especially central London. Hawkins is great, playing his role with dogged determination and typical British resolve.
Another thing that strikes me watching these old b/w films is just how brilliantly even the minor characters are played. Watch out for Meredith Edwards - the garage owner in Wales, and particularly the flawless understated acting of the woman in her only scene who offers Hawkins a cup of tea, but he declines).
Great fun from a long gone era and highly recommended for many reasons including, but not limited to, the story.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By mlrichardson
Format:DVD
When I was in college - more years ago than I'm interested in revealing - I saw this movie at a theater that specialized in "imported" material - particularly French and British (I saw "Black Orpheus" there, so not just French and British). I really liked the character Jack Hawkins played. To the point I made it a point to see anything he was in after that. Kind of a double-whammy in that respect, since Jack Hawkins was a brilliant actor, and most of the things he was in were of the highest caliber. Well... this movie is no exception. I enjoyed it the first time, and I've enjoyed again several times since I've owned the DVD. A well-written story, and a couple of twists thrown in just to keep you on your toes. Even knowing the whole story doesn't keep me from re-viewing it, since the acting makes it worth the effort.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing wrong with sound
For those of you who are thinking of buying this film and are worried by the reviews denigrating the sound, I have just bought a copy and the sound is crystal clear. Read more
Published 5 months ago by bubble
5.0 out of 5 stars
the long arm
a very good film and with the great jack hawkins would recommend to anyone who likes old earling films and old actors
Published 16 months ago by kaz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Support Your Local PC
I prefer to watch my old black and white films, the only thing that annoys me is that they were all made to short. Read more
Published on 28 May 2011 by Gipsy Rebel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Now upon DVD.
The Long Arm was the last Film to be made by The Rank Orgainisation at the Old Ealing Studios, and while by the time of its General Release many Colour Movies have been previouly... Read more
Published on 2 May 2011 by Mr. William T. Featherstone
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good film - and for me the audio is fine
I really liked this film.
It's nice to look back through rose-tinted spectacles at a bygone era. Read more
It's nice to look back through rose-tinted spectacles at a bygone era. Read more
Published on 10 April 2011 by CB Bexley
1.0 out of 5 stars
IMPROVE THE SOUND AND I WILL PURCHASE A COPY
as part of amazon's system as regard recording thoughts about the movie 'the long arm' i have given it just one star. Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2011 by delboy
1.0 out of 5 stars
I have not yet received it so I cannot review it.-.
I have not yet received the product so I cannot review it. Where is it? I would still like to receive it. WEhat credit card did I use? Read more
Published on 1 Feb 2011 by Alan H. Lobley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Soilid detective movie
Ignoring the tiresome and twee domestic scenes of Hawkin's family this is a sound precedural detective classic of the 50's. Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2010 by ICM
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic British film
I first saw this film on TV 20 years ago on a wet Sunday afternoon and loved it. I recorded it on VHS the next time it was shown on telly and bought it when it came out on... Read more
Published on 8 July 2010 by Mr & Mrs Beeton
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Long Arm 1956 DVD
this is a True classic movie long a waited too go on dvd .staring .
Jack Hawkins John Stratton Dorothy Alison
Jack Hawkins John Stratton Dorothy Alison
Published on 8 Oct 2009 by Norman Pitkin
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