Checkpoint

Runtime : 84 mins

Genre : Crime Drama Thriller

Vote Rating : 5.3/10

Release Date : 25 December 1956

Plot : Stanley Baker's O'Donovan is sent to steal the plans of a rival company's racing car designs, to ensure his employers win the competition. However, when opening a safe containing the plans, he triggers an alarm leading to a gun battle where he kills a number of people. James Robertson Justice, alarmed by the scandal surrounding the killings, orders his agent be killed surreptitiously to hide his involvement with the plot. The film uses original footage from the Mille Miglia , an Italian open-road endurance race, featuring classic period racing cars.

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Cast Members

Bill Fraser
played by
Anthony Steel

Francesca
played by
Odile Versois

ODonovan
played by
Stanley Baker

Warren Ingram
played by
James Robertson Justice

Ted Thornhill
played by
Maurice Denham

Ginger
played by
Michael Medwin

Petersen
played by
Paul Müller

Johnny Carpenter
played by
Lee Patterson

Gabriela
played by
Anne Heywood

Reviews

This is a great opportunity for car lovers to watch some beauties meandering the roads of Locarno, Florence and the Northern Italian lakes using some stunning actuality footage from the Mille Miglia. Aside from that, its a rather far-fetched crime caper that sees Stanley Baker sent to an Italian car designer to try and persuade him to come and work for James Robertson Justice's British outfit. It all goes murderously wrong, and a convoluted scheme has to be devised to get him back home involving Anthony Steel "Bill", butch drunkard "Johnny" (Lee Patterson) and the rather glamorous "Francesca" (Odile Versois). It's probably more notable for being one of the few roles with JRJ appearing as a baddie, but Baker is his usually hammy self and the dialogue lurches along towards a really rather predictable, if good to watch, ending. One for car enthusiasts only sorry...