''Contraband Spain'' is a 1955

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

written and directed by

Lawrence Huntington Lawrence Huntington (1900–1968) was a UK, British film director, screenwriter and film producer, producer. Huntington was born in London on 9 March 1900, he directed more than thirty films following his debut feature ''After Many Years'' (1930). ...

and starring

Richard Greene Richard Marius Joseph Greene (25 August 1918 – 1 June 1985) was a noted English film and television actor. A matinée idol who appeared in more than 40 films, he was perhaps best known for the lead role in the long-running British TV series '' ...

Anouk Aimée Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus (born 27 April 1932), known professionally as Anouk Aimée () or Anouk, is a French film actress, who has appeared in 70 films since 1947, having begun her film career at age 14. In her early years, she studi ...

and

Michael Denison John Michael Terence Wellesley Denison (1 November 191522 July 1998) was an English actor. He often appeared with his wife, Dulcie Gray, with whom he featured in several films and more than 100 West End theatre productions. After a conventiona ...

. Its Spanish title is ''Contrabando''.

Plot

United States Department of the Treasury The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States, where it serves as an executive department. The department oversees the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and t ...

agent works against smugglers on the border between Spain and France. He has a personal interest as his brother who was part of the gang was murdered by them. The gang smuggles watches into Spain and brings counterfeit American money into England that is used to buy gold that is melted down and shipped to

Continental Europe Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous continent of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by ...

Cast

as Lee Scott *

as Elena Vargas *

as Ricky Metcalfe * José Nieto as Pierre * Robert Ayres as Mr. Dean * Richard Warner as Inspector LeGrand *

John Warwick John McIntosh Beattie (4 January 1905 – 10 January 1972), known professionally as John Warwick, was an Australian actor, and television dramatist. Early life He was born John McIntosh Beattie (many sources give "Beattle") at Bellingen, New S ...

as Bryant *

Philip Saville Philip Saville (28 October 1927 – 22 December 2016) was a British director, screenwriter and former actor whose career lasted half a century. The British Film Institute's Screenonline website described Saville as "one of Britain's most prolifi ...

as Martin Scott * Alfonso Estela as Henchman *

Conrado San Martín Conrado San Martín Prieto (20 February 1921 – 24 April 2019) was a Spanish actor with a long and prolific career. He made his film debut in 1941 and was particularly popular during the 1950s. Life Conrado San Martín left behind a career as ...

as Henchman * Antonio Almorós as Lucien Remue *

G. H. Mulcaster G. H. Mulcaster (27 June 1891 – 19 January 1964) was a London-born British actor. He was the father of the actor Michael Mulcaster, and the first husband of English actress Diana Napier. Selected filmography * ''God Bless Our Red, White and ...

as Colonel Ingleby

Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultimat ...

provides uncredited narration in the film.

Locations

The film features locations in

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

, including La Rambla in the opening images. Later, when Richard Greene follows the villains (both travelling in taxis), they get out in Plaza Real with its arcaded pavements. The seaside town of

Blanes Blanes () is a town and municipality in the comarca of Selva in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. During Roman rule it was named Blanda or Blandae. It is known as the "Gateway to the Costa Brava". Its coast is part of the Costa Brava, which stretches ...

also appears, and there is much driving to and from the French town of

Urdos Urdos is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. Its station on the Pau–Canfranc railway was closed after an accident in 1970. See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The following ...

over the border from

Girona Girona (officially and in Catalan language, Catalan , Spanish: ''Gerona'' ) is a city in northern Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter River, Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 103,369 in ...

province.

Critical reception

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

'' wrote, "a lot of action against beautiful continental backgrounds makes up for weaknesses in plot structure" ; while

Allmovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...

called it a "fast-paced espionager."

References

External links

* 1956 films 1956 crime films Films directed by Lawrence Huntington Films set in Spain British crime films Spanish crime films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films 1950s Spanish films {{1950s-Spain-film-stub