''Assignment Redhead'' (released in the US as ''Million Dollar Manhunt'') is a 1956 British

crime thriller Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, ...

film written and directed by

Maclean Rogers Maclean Rogers (13 July 1899 – 4 January 1962) was a British film director and screenwriter. Selected filmography Director * '' The Third Eye'' (1929) * ''The Mayor's Nest'' (1932) * '' Up for the Derby'' (1933) * ''The Crime at Blossoms' ...

.BFI.org
/ref> It is based on the novel ''Requiem for a Redhead'' by

Lindsay Hardy Lindsay John Hardy (17 Sep 1914 – 7 Feb 1994) was an Australian novelist, playwright, and screenwriter who worked in Australia, the US, and the UK. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers for Australian radio drama. Early life A native o ...

. The UK title of this film refers to the accordion-playing character central to the plot, Hedy Bergner, but as the movie is shot in black and white that is the only clue to the fact that she is supposed to be a redhead!

Premise

A murderous international master criminal (played by Ronald Adam), who specialises in providing false travel documents, seeks to get his hands on a hoard of counterfeit cash.

Cast

Richard Denning Richard Denning (March 27, 1914 – October 11, 1998) was an American actor who starred in science fiction films of the 1950s, including ''Unknown Island'' (1948), ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' (1954), '' Target Earth'' (1954), ''Day the ...

as Major Gregory Keen *

Carole Mathews Carole Mathews (born Jean Deifel, also credited as Jeanne Francis; September 13, 1920 – November 6, 2014) was an American film and television actress. Early years Born in Montgomery, Illinois, near Chicago, Mathews lived with her grandmothe ...

as Hedy Bergner *

Ronald Adam General Sir Ronald Forbes Adam, 2nd Baronet, (30 October 1885 – 26 December 1982) was a senior British Army officer. He had an important influence on the conduct of the British Army during the Second World War as a result of his long tenure ...

as Major Scammel / Dumetrius * Danny Green as Yotti Blum * Brian Worth as Captain Peter Ridgeway *

Jan Holden Valerie Jeanne Wilkinson (9 May 1931 – 11 October 2005) was an English actress known as Jan Holden, using her mother's maiden name as a stage name. In theatre she was known for her performances in light comedy and appeared in several telev ...

as Sally Jennings *

Hugh Moxey Hugh Vincent Moxey (27 September 1909, Somerset, – 9 March 1991, Wandsworth), was a British film and television actor. Moxey spanned his career for 40 years, where he was best remembered in supporting roles in 1950s British war films, incl ...

as Sergeant Tom Coutts *

Peter Swanwick Walter Peter Swanwick (29 September 1922 – 14 November 1968) was a British actor best remembered as the "Supervisor" (sometimes called the Controller) in the 1967 TV series, ''The Prisoner''. Swanwick's film career began with bit parts in f ...

as Monsieur Paul Bonnet *

Elwyn Brook-Jones Elwyn Brook-Jones (11 December 1911 – 4 September 1962) was a British theatre, film and television actor. Life Brook-Jones was born in Kuching, Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. After a private education, he attended Jesus College, Oxford. Hi ...

as Digby Mitchel *

Ronald Leigh-Hunt Ronald Leigh-Hunt (5 October 1920 – 12 September 2005) was a British film and television actor. His father was a stockbroker and he attended the Italia Conti Academy. He began acting whilst serving in the army. Though never a major star, he ...

as Colonel Julian Fentriss, M.I.5. * Robert O'Neil as Captain Hank Godowski *

Paul Hardtmuth Paul Hardtmuth (2 July 18885 January 1962) was a British actor. He made his film debut in Germany in 1917, and appeared in and co-wrote the film ''Um der Liebe Willen'' in 1920. He was born in 1888 in Berlin, and died on 5 January 1962 in Hamp ...

as Dr. Buchmann * Bill Nagy as Marzotti * Alex Gallier as Max Rubenstein * Robert Bruce as Staff Officer * George Holdcroft as Nightclub Diner

Production

The film was the first of seven made by Richard Gordon's Amalgamated Productions. It was a co-production with Butcher's Film Distributors. The film was made for under £15,000 plus the salaries and expenses of the American participants.

References

External links

* 1956 films British crime thriller films Films directed by Maclean Rogers Films based on Australian novels 1950s crime thriller films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films British black-and-white films English-language crime thriller films {{crime-thriller-film-stub