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Stolen Assignment

Stolen Assignment is a 1955 British comedy 'B' film directed by Terence Fisher and starring John Bentley and Hy Hazell. It was written by Kenneth Hayles from a story by Sidney Nelson and Maurice Harrison, and produced by Francis Searle for Act Films Ltd. It was a sequel to Fisher's Final Appointment (1954), featuring sleuthing journalists Mike Billings and Jenny Drew.

Last revised
Jun 4, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
464 w
Citations
8
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Stolen Assignment
Theatrical release poster
Directed byTerence Fisher
Written byKenneth Hayles
Story by
  • Sidney Nelson
  • Maurice Harrison
Produced byFrancis Searle
StarringJohn Bentley
CinematographyWalter J. Harvey (as Jimmy Harvey)
Edited byJohn Pomeroy
Production
company
Association of Cinema Technicians (A.C.T.)
Distributed byBritish Lion Film Corporation (UK)
Release date
  • August 1955 (1955-08) (UK)
Running time
62 min.
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Stolen Assignment is a 1955 British comedy 'B'1 film directed by Terence Fisher and starring John Bentley and Hy Hazell.2 It was written by Kenneth Hayles from a story by Sidney Nelson and Maurice Harrison, and produced by Francis Searle for Act Films Ltd.3 It was a sequel to Fisher's Final Appointment (1954), featuring sleuthing journalists Mike Billings and Jenny Drew.4

Cast

  • John Bentley as Mike Billings
  • Hy Hazell as Jenny Drew
  • Eddie Byrne as Inspector Corcoran
  • Patrick Holt as Henry Crossley
  • Joyce Carey as Ida Garnett
  • Kay Callard as Stella Watson
  • Violet Gould as Mrs. Hudson
  • Jessica Cairns as Marilyn Dawn
  • Charles Farrell as Percy Simpson
  • Michael Ellison as Danny Hudson
  • Desmond Rayner as John Smith
  • Graham Stuart as coroner
  • Frank Forsyth as Dr Roberts
  • Clement Hamelin as Seth Makepeace
  • John Watson as plain clothes detective
  • Raymond Rollett as desk sergeant

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Comedy thriller with a fragile plot and a rather heavy-handed line in humour. To their credit, the players do what they can with the undemanding material to hand."5

Kine Weekly wrote: "Subtlety is not its irony suit, but its keen sense of humour, shrewdly cultivated by its co-stars and director, sees it through. Clean fun, if not a great thriller, it will register with most audiences. Reliable British support."6

The Daily Film Renter wrote: "Terence Fisher brings a hghthearted touch to bear from the directorial end and the laughs come plentifully, Likewise the cast takes its uncomplicated dialogue and situations well in its stride."7

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "poor", writing: "Comedy-thriller would have done better to stick to the thrills; pretty bad."8

References

References

  1. Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
  2. "Stolen Assignment". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  3. Action! Fifty Years in the Life of a Union. Published: 1983 (UK). Publisher: ACTT. ISBN 0 9508993 0 5. ACT Films Limited - Ralph Bond p81 (producer listed as Francis Searle)
  4. "Final Appointment 1954 | Britmovie | Home of British Films". www.britmovie.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012.
  5. "Stolen Assignment". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 22 (252): 156. 1 January 1955. ProQuest 1305818139.
  6. "Stolen Assignment". Kine Weekly. 461 (2512): 17. 18 August 1955. ProQuest 2738581535.
  7. "Stolen Assignment". The Daily Film Renter (6935): 4. 16 August 1955. ProQuest 2600886722.
  8. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 379. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
External links