Strongroom (1962) Dir. Vernon Sewell

Apparently a favourite of Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright, Strongroom peaked my interest given those director’s recommendations as well as my own New Year goal to watch more under-the-radar classic movies.

It opens with three men - Griff (Derren Nesbitt), Len (Keith Faulkner) and Alec (W. Morgan Sheppard) - getting ready to commit a bank robbery with what they feel is a foolproof plan. No sooner do they begin, their craftly-curated preparation goes awry as they are faced not just with the expected manager Mr. Spencer (Colin Gordon) but his co-worker Rose (Ann Lynn).

The trio still manage to escape with £30k of loot, but have to lock up the two witnesses in the bank’s vault. TheAIRTIGHT vault.

This scuppers the heist further as they begin to debate the consequences of their actions. And back in the vault, the two workers begin to calculate the oxygen left in the room before trying various ways to escape.

Strongroom’s heist scenario may seem standard with 60 years of cinema following its release. But rather than an Ocean’s 11 focus on planning and blueprint homework, what we mostly view is the post-heist scenario the men find themselves in. This is much more in line with Reservoir Dogs which similarly delves into the murky decisions the men may need to make afterwards.

The film is not a polished Ealing or Rank production, but is better for it. It has a satisfying rough and ready vibe and a well-written script. It still has the theatrical staging of the era and cinematography is barely present , but the dialogue comes quick and fast like the best classic gangster movies.

Tensions rise with the involvement of the police who show up relatively early in the proceedings to put further pressure on the men. And an unexpected car accident turns their frustration into a disaster.

The best parts of Strongroom are its explorations of the moral questions the gang face. Even from the outset they have doubts about their act. Guilty consciences and increasing panic set in motion a culmination of issues as their differences explode. Are they modern day Robin Hoods fighting against corporate greed?? Should the men return to the vault? Have they got the guts to put themselves back in the firing line? Should they leave with the money? 

Yet with a dash of sly comedy added as well, at times you can see the origins of modern films like Guy Ritchie’s Lock Stock and Snatch.

Cutting back to the duo in the vault adds a ticking clock aspect and the co-workers relationship develops from a frosty friction to an entwined trust ensuring the victims are not forgotten about either. The fact is that if the two die, the men would be on the hook for murder. Which at at that time in the UK, came with the possibility of death as a capital crime.

All these quandaries are excellently examined with a grown up attitude and delivered alongside an exciting narrative. And throughout, the film presents a great examination of men who did a break-in but ask themselves should they go back to enact a break-out. So I’d encourage film fans to expand their cinematic history horizons with a fantastic crime thriller which comes recommended as an off-beat oddity that fans of the genre will absolutely enjoy.

★★★★

4 / 5

Michael Sales

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Strongroom is in UK and Irish cinemas from 30 January and on Blu-ray from 23 February and on BFI Player from 23 March.

The film also screens in the Midlands at Broadway Nottingham https://www.broadway.org.uk/whats-on/strongroom