''The Pot Carriers'' is a 1962 British comedy-drama film directed by

Peter Graham Scott Peter Graham Scott (27 October 1923 – 5 August 2007) was an English television and film producer, television director, film director, film editor and screenwriter. He was one of the producers and directors who shaped British television drama ...

and produced by Gordon Scott for ABPC. It stars Ronald Fraser, Paul Massie, Carole Lesley and

Dennis Price Dennistoun Franklyn John Rose Price (23 June 1915 – 6 October 1973) was an English actor, best remembered for his role as Louis Mazzini in the film '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1949) and for his portrayal of the omnicompetent valet Jeev ...

. The film is largely set in Wandsworth

prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...

and is a remake of the ''

ITV Play of the Week ''Play of the Week'' is a 90-minute British television anthology series produced by a variety of companies including Granada Television, Associated-Rediffusion, ATV and Anglia Television. Synopsis From 1955 to 1967 approximately 500 episodes a ...

: The Pot Carriers'' (1960), which writer Mike Watts based on his own prison experiences. The film centres around a young prisoner called Rainbow as he struggles to adjust to his first stretch behind bars.

Cast

* Ronald Fraser as Red Band * Paul Massie as Rainbow * Carole Lesley as Wendy *

as Smooth Tongue * Paul Rogers as Governor *

Davy Kaye Davy Kaye MBE (born David Kodeish, 25 March 1916 – 3 February 1998) was a British comedy actor and entertainer. Early life Born in Mile End Road in the East End of London to Jewish parents Koppel and Dora Kodeish, Kaye was so small at birth ...

as Mouse *

Eddie Byrne Eddie Byrne (31 January 1911 – 21 August 1981) was an Irish actor. Career His stage work included many appearances with Dublin's Abbey Theatre, and also work with the National Theatre in London. Outside Ireland he is probably best known ...

as Chief Officer Bailey *

Campbell Singer Campbell Singer (born Jacob Kobel Singer; 16 March 1909 – 16 February 1976) was a British character actor who featured in a number of stage, film and television roles during his long career. He was also a playwright and dramatist. Life He was ...

as Prison Officer Mott *

Alfred Burke Alfred Burke (28 February 1918 – 16 February 2011) was an English actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Frank Marker in the drama series '' Public Eye'', which ran on television for ten years. Early life Born in London's south-east ...

as Lang *

Patrick McAlinney Patrick Andrew McAlinney (9 November 1913 – 22 August 1990) was an Irish character actor who starred in many British dramas and sitcoms. His most memorable roles included a brother on the hit sitcom '' Oh, Brother!'', which starred Derek Nimmo ...

as Dillon * Neil McCarthy as Bracket *

Vanda Godsell Vanda Godsell (17 November 1922 – 2 April 1990) was an English actress. Hal Erickson writes in Allmovie, "Vanda Godsell specialised in playing disheveled housewives, busybody landladies and blowsy domestics." She appeared as Mrs Weaver i ...

as Mrs. Red Band * David Davies as Prison Officer Tom * David Ensor as Judge *

Keith Faulkner Keith Faulkner (born 25 July 1936) is a British-born Australian actor. Early life Faulkner was born in Richmond, Surrey. He started his career at Corona Academy at the age of eleven and moved on to a career in film and television in the late 1 ...

as Young Prisoner *

Norman Chappell Norman Chappell (31 December 1925, Lucknow, British Raj, India – 21 July 1983) was an English character actor, known for numerous roles in television and film. Biography Born in India, during the British Raj Chappell appeared mainly in televis ...

as Prisoner Robert *

Alister Williamson Alister Williamson (17 June 1918 – 19 May 1999) was an Australian-born character actor, who appeared in many British films and television series of the 1960s and 1970s. A big, craggy-faced man, he would usually be found playing gruff police in ...

as Escorting Prison Officer * Charles Morgan as Chief Disciplinary Prison Officer *

Martin Wyldeck Martin Wyldeck (11 January 1914 – 29 April 1988) was an English actor who played a wide range of parts over many years on stage, screen and TV. He also appeared in the first episode of the TV series ''Fawlty Towers'', as Sir Richard Morris ...

as Prison Officer Mullins * Richard Shaw as Prison Officer Willis * Clifford Earl as Prison Officer (Kitchen) *

Bruce Seton Sir Bruce Lovat Seton, 11th Baronet (29 May 1909 – 28 September 1969) was a British actor and soldier. He is best remembered for his eponymous lead role in ''Fabian of the Yard''. Early life Bruce Lovat Seton was born in Simla, British Ind ...

as Prison Officer I / C Cell Block * John Tate as Prison Officer I / C Visiting Room *

Windsor Davies Windsor Davies (28 August 1930 – 17 January 2019) was a British actor. He is best remembered for playing Battery Sergeant Major Williams in the sitcom '' It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' (1974–1981) over its entire run. The show's popularity resulted ...

as Police Constable *

Frank Pettitt Frank Pettitt (16 October 1899 – 27 March 1964) was an English stage, film and television actor. He played Albert Finney's father in the film ''Saturday Night and Sunday Morning'' (1960). Filmography * '' Night and the City '' (1950) - Cab ...

as Van Driver *

Sidney Vivian Sidney Vivian (18 April 1901 – 22 December 1984) was a British stage, film and television actor. Selected filmography Film appearances * '' Dick Barton Strikes Back'' (1949) - Inspector Burke * '' Dr. Morelle: The Case of the Missing H ...

as Bus Conductor * Douglas Muir as Court Usher

Critical reception

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program TV listings, listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine, TV Guide Mag ...

'' gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, writing "Script and direction take a personable view of prison life, showing the prisoners as individuals. Though the picture is filled with humorous moments, underneath is the continual feeling of the degradation and humiliation the prisoners must endure." David McGillivray in the ''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...

'' also rated the film 3/5 stars, describing it as "Part social drama, part knockabout comedy, this is an odd but entertaining account of British prison life in the 1950s," and concluded that "the depiction of repetitive prison routine (the title refers to the detested practice of "

slopping out Slopping out is the manual emptying of human waste when prison cells are unlocked in the morning. Inmates without a flush toilet in the cell have to use other means (formerly a chamber pot, then a bucket, now often a chemical toilet) while locked ...

") still has an impact."

References

External links

* * 1962 films 1962 comedy-drama films 1960s English-language films British black-and-white films British comedy-drama films British prison films Films set in London Films shot at Associated British Studios 1960s British films {{comedy-drama-film-stub