A Prize of Arms

1962 1h 45m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 10

CrimeDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A criminal gang sets out to pull off the heist of a large army payroll.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Stanley Baker
Turpin
Tom Bell
Fenner
Helmut Schmid
Swavek
Patrick Magee
RSM Hicks
John Phillips
Col. Fowler
John Westbrook
Capt. Stafford
Kenneth MacKintosh
Capt. Nicholson
Michael Ripper
Cpl. Freeman

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Cliff Owen
Writers: Roger Marshall, Paul Ryder, Nicolas Roeg
Languages: English, French
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

64 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Cliff Owen, shot by Gilbert Taylor. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor John Jympson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Stanley Baker and Tom Bell and Helmut Schmid carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0056377 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Cliff Owen directs. Gilbert Taylor behind the camera. John Jympson cuts. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

164 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.
3Directed by Cliff Owen, shot by Gilbert Taylor. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Editor John Jympson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Stanley Baker and Tom Bell and Helmut Schmid carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0056377 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Gilbert Taylor
Editing: John Jympson
Makeup / hair: Benny Royston
Runtime: 105 min · 1h 45m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: A Prize of Arms (1962)

Also by

Cliff Owen

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-11-19
★ 6/10
Stanley Baker is the aptly named "Turpin" in this heist caper. He, alongside his pals "Swavek" (Helmut Schmid) and "Fenner" (Tom Bell) come up with plan to swipe the payroll from an heavily guarded army barracks. The plan is pretty ingenious and relies largely on the sheer brassed-necked audacity of the plan. So many people in uniform; coming and going; slipshod security checks; nobody really wanting to check up too closely on any one else... Surely they've a fighting chance of success? Well it takes way too long to get going and there are simply too many distractions in the plot to sustain the interest. Baker usually has an effectively snappy method of delivering his dialogue, and that works a bit here but for the most part it's all just a bit busy without achieving very much. Plenty of pyrotechnics on show; especially at the end but it's, sadly, a film I don't know that I'd bother watching again.

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