''Dancing with Crime'' is a 1947 British

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

film directed by

John Paddy Carstairs John Paddy Carstairs (born John Keys; 11 May 1910, in London – 12 December 1970, in London) was a British film director (1933–62) and television director (1962–64), usually of light-hearted subject matter. He was also a comic novelist and ...

, starring

Richard Attenborough Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. He was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Academy of Film and Televisio ...

, Barry K. Barnes and

Sheila Sim Sheila Beryl Grant Sim, Baroness Attenborough (5 June 1922 – 19 January 2016) was an English film and theatre actress. She was also the wife of the actor, director and peer Richard Attenborough. Career Sheila Beryl Grant Sim was born in ...

. It was shot at Southall Studios with sets designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Andrew Mazzei Andrew Mazzei (1887–1975) was a French-born British art director who designed the sets for more than sixty films during his career. Mazzei began his career in the late 1920s during the silent era including on the futuristic ''High Treason''. ...

Plot

Boyhood friends and comrades in the Army, Ted Peters (

) and Dave Robinson ( Bill Owen) are back in

civvies Mufti is plain or ordinary clothes, especially when worn by one who normally wears, or has long worn, a military or other uniform, such as a school uniform. It is also called civies and civvies (slang for "civilian attire"). Origins The word o ...

. Ted becomes a taxi driver and hopes to marry Joy Goodall (

), a pretty

chorus girl A chorus line is a large group of dancers who together perform synchronized routines, usually in musical theatre. Sometimes, singing is also performed. Chorus line dancers in Broadway musicals and revues have been referred to by slang terms s ...

. Dave, seeking easy money, joins a gang which has its headquarters in a suburban palais-de-danse. The gang is headed by a man called Gregory ( Barry Jones), and includes Paul Baker ( Barry K. Barnes), and petty crooks Sniffy and Pogson. Ted refuses to join them.

Cast

as Ted Peters * Barry K. Barnes as Paul Baker *

as Joy Goodall *

Garry Marsh Garry Marsh (21 June 1902 – 6 March 1981) was an English stage and film actor. Born Leslie Marsh Gerahty in St Margarets, Surrey, his parents were George and Laura. His elder brothers were the author Digby George Gerahty and the journalist ...

as Sgt. Murray *

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 Det. Insp. Carter *

Judy Kelly Julie Aileen Kelly (1 November 1913 – 22 October 1991), known professionally as Judy Kelly, was an Australian-born British actress. She arrived in Britain in 1932 after winning a competition organised by the Australian British Empire Films, wh ...

as Toni * Barry Jones as Gregory * Bill Rowbotham as Dave Robinson *

Cyril Chamberlain Cyril Chamberlain (8 March 1909 – 5 December 1974) was an English film and television actor. He appeared in a number of the early ''Carry On'', ''Doctor'' and ''St. Trinian's'' films. Chamberlain was born on 8 March 1909 in London and died ...

as Sniffy * Peter Croft as Johnny *

Dirk Bogarde Sir Dirk Bogarde (born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde; 28 March 1921 – 8 May 1999) was an English actor, novelist and screenwriter. Initially a matinée idol in films such as ''Doctor in the House'' (1954) for the Rank Organ ...

as Police Radio Caller (uncredited) *

Patricia Dainton Patricia Dainton (born 12 April 1930) is a Scottish actress who appeared in a number of film and television roles between 1947 and 1961. Early years Dainton was born Margaret Bryden Pate, in Hamilton, Scotland, the daughter of film and stage ...

as Pam (uncredited) *

Diana Dors Diana Dors (born Diana Mary Fluck; 23 October 19314 May 1984) was an English actress and singer. Dors came to public notice as a blonde bombshell, much in the style of Americans Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren. Dors was p ...

as Annette (uncredited) * Danny Green as Sid (uncredited) *

Bartlett Mullins Bartlett Mullins (13 August 1904 – 15 May 1992) was a British actor. Career He is best remembered by British TV viewers as Mr Clough ''"Cloughie"'', Bob and Terry's workmate in the sitcom ''The Likely Lads''. He also appeared on episodes of ' ...

as Club Barman (uncredited) *

John Salew John Rylett Salew (1902 (some sources state 1 January 1897)14 September 1961) was an English stage film and TV actor. Salew made the transition from stage to films in 1939, and according to Allmovie, "the manpower shortage during WWII enabled ...

as Pogson (uncredited) * Dennis Wyndham as Sam (uncredited)

Production

Richard Attenborough and Sheila Sim were married in real life - this was their first movie together. It was shot at Cromwell Studios, Southall. Attenborough was borrowed from the Boulting Brothers. Fiming was difficult due to the freezing cold weather. The film features an early appearance by Diana Dors.

Reception

''Variety'' called it "fashioned on formula grounds."Review of film
at ''Variety''

References

External links

*
Dancing with Crime
at BFI
Dancing with Crime
at Letterbox DVD 1947 films 1947 crime films British crime films Films shot at Southall Studios Films set in London Films directed by John Paddy Carstairs Films scored by Benjamin Frankel Paramount Pictures films British black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s British films {{1940s-crime-film-stub