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Third Party Risk
Third Party Risk
	American poster
Directed by	Daniel Birt
Written by	Daniel Birt; Robert Dunbar
Based on	Third Party Risk by Nicholas Bentley
Produced by	Michael Carreras
Starring	Lloyd Bridges; Simone Silva; Finlay Currie
Cinematography	Walter J. Harvey
Edited by	James Needs
Music by	Michael Krein
Production; company	Hammer Film Productions
Distributed by	Exclusive Films; Lippert Pictures (US)
Release date	8 October 1954;
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Third Party Risk is a 1954 second feature^[1] British crime drama film directed by Daniel Birt and starring Lloyd Bridges, Simone Silva and Finlay Currie.^[2] It was written by Birt and Robert Dunbaris based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Nicholas Bentley. It was released in the United States by Lippert Pictures under the title The Deadly Game.

Plot

While holidaying in Spain, Philip Graham by chance runs into an old wartime RAF colleague Tony Roscoe, now a society photographer. The pair spend some time reminiscing, before Tony is urgently called back to England on business. Tony is required to fly home, so Philip offers to drive Tony's car back from Spain at the end of his holiday. Tony asks him to also pick up an envelope he has left in the hotel safe.

After Tony's departure, Phil is attacked in a case of mistaken identity while driving Tony's car. When he reports the attack, a local police inspector and hotel guest Darius both tell him that since his discharge from the RAF, Tony has become embroiled in suspicious and probably criminal activities and has been under surveillance. Phil begins to have romantic feelings towards Darius's niece, Marina.

Back in England, Phil goes to return the car, only to find Tony dead on the floor of his darkroom. Phil becomes the prime suspect and, realising that the key to the case must be the contents of the envelope he has in his possession, sets about investigating on his own account. He quickly becomes drawn into a world of blackmail and industrial espionage, focussed on a stolen medical formula which many people seem to want to get their hands on. Along the way he romances Marina and also falls into the sphere of influence of sultry temptress Mitzi. Developments lead him back to Spain, where he finally manages to crack the mystery.

Cast

Lloyd Bridges as Philip Graham
Simone Silva as Mitzi Molnaur
Finlay Currie as Mr. Darius
Maureen Swanson as Marina
Ferdy Mayne as Maxwell Carey
Peter Dyneley as Tony Roscoe
George Woodbridge as Inspector Goldfinch
Russell Waters as the scientist
Roger Delgado as Detective Gonzales
Seymour Green as Rope-Soles
Leslie Wright as Sergeant Ramirez
Mary Parker as Nancy
Jane Asher as girl
Patrick Westwood as porter
Armand Guinle as hotel manager

Production

The film was produced by Hammer Films at the company's Bray Studios in Berkshire with sets designed by the art director James Elder Wills.^{[citation needed]}

Critical reception

In a contemporary reviewThe Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "There are disconcerting echoes from what may well have been an interesting book by Nicholas Bentley – an occasional line of dialogue giving a clue to character unrealised, dramatic irony felt at several removes – but unimaginative direction and handling of the Spanish scene and routine performances make this a somewhat dismal production. Lloyd Bridges and Maureen Swanson cope adequately with the leading roles, but Finlay Currie gives a curiously negative performance as Darius. All the ingredients for a good 'B' picture were here, but inexpert treatment has smoothed them down to a flat, moderately-paced thriller."^[3]

Kine Weekly wrote: "The cast has talent and the staging is colourful, but neither succeeds in bringing conviction to the cliché-ridden story. It fails to build up suspense or spring a surprise at the fade-out. Very moderate British programmer. ... As for the acting, Lloyd Bridges makes the best of a ticklish assignment as Philip, but Finlay Currie, Maureen Swanson, Ferdy Mayne, and the rest, seldom get a break. Incidentally, the dialogue is not so hot."^[4]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Unimaginative thriller lifted by a number of capable performances."^[5]

Chibnall and McFarlane in The British 'B' Film wrote: "The film contained an exciting fight in a burning barn, but nothing could transcend a lifeless script and coventional plot."^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 82. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
^ "Third Party Risk". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
^ "Third Party Risk". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 22 (252): 76. 1 January 1955 – via ProQuest.
^ "Third Party Risk". Kine Weekly. 456 (2491): 22. 24 March 1955 – via ProQuest.
^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 386. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.