CrimeDrama

They Can't Hang Me

- A thrill-a-minute story behind today's atomic headlines!

A murderer hopes to escape his death sentence by identifying the leaders of a spy ring.

Release Date : 1955-10-01

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Roger Proudlock Productions

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Inspector Ralph Brown

Original Name : Terence Morgan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jill Wilson

Original Name : Yolande Donlan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Inspector Newcombe

Original Name : Anthony Oliver

Gender : Male

Character Name : Robert Isaac Pitt

Original Name : André Morell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Harold

Original Name : Reginald Beckwith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Antonia Pitt

Original Name : Ursula Howells

Gender : Female

Character Name : Pietr Revski

Original Name : Guido Lorraine

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wing Commander Riddle

Original Name : Basil Dignam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sir Robert Rosper

Original Name : Raymond Rollett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Professor Robinson-Heston

Original Name : Fred Johnson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Karl Kopek

Original Name : Arnold Marlé

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prison Governor

Original Name : Mark Dignam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Assistant Commissioner

Original Name : John Horsley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eric Colter

Original Name : Barry Lowe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Woman

Original Name : Diana Lambert

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pitt's Maid (uncredited)

Original Name : Petra Davies

Gender : Female

Character Name : Police Sergeant (uncredited)

Original Name : Brown Derby

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chertwell Security Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Godfrey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nick (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Lovegrove

Gender : Male

Character Name : Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Louis Matto

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brown's Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Guy Mills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Head Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Stuart Mitchell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nick's Thug (uncredited)

Original Name : Jim Brady

Gender : Male

Character Name : Detective Sergeant Enders (uncredited)

Original Name : Cyril Renison

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Soho Killing: Senior Civil Servant Is Charged. They Can’t Hang Me is directed by Val Guest and adapted to screenplay by Guest and Val Valentine from the novel written by Leonard Mosley. It stars Terence Morgan, Yolande Donlan, Andre Morell, Anthony Oliver and Reginald Beckwith. When Robert Pitt (Morell) is convicted of murder and sentenced to death by execution, he offers the state a bargain. Grant him a reprieve and he will reveal the name of the master spy known as Leonidas before he leaves the country with some atomic secrets. Thus it’s a race against time thriller as the coppers follow the various leads while Pitt grows ever more frantic in his cell. Ideally the police want to find Leonidas without Pitt’s help, he is after all a murderer and the state officials are reluctant to grant the requested reprieve. The usual quota of suspects are thrust into the story at regular intervals, giving us a “who is it” thread, while Morgan’s head copper tries to keep his lover happy as the search for Leonidas constantly drags him away from planned romantic evenings with her. This is actually a fun thread that’s not played for marital drama, as is the byplay between Morgan and Oliver, two intrepid Inspectors who exchange banter and quips even as the pressure mounts. Enjoyable without ever reaching great heights as a spy thriller, They Can’t Hang Me is cautiously recommended to fans of such genre fare. 6/10

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-11-14

André Morell is "Pitt" - in jail awaiting hanging for murdering a prostitute. At the last minute he contacts "Insp. Brown" (Terence Morgan) with information about master spy "Leonidas" who is about to take a top scientific secret behind the iron curtain - in return for his life! Together with his sidekick Anthony Oliver ("Insp. Newcombe") they set off to thwart this plan. It's a decent enough story that moves along a-pace. Yolande Donlan adds a bit of light relief as the fiancée who spends much of her time waiting around for her detective boyfriend and there are just enough red herrings to keep this intriguing, if a bit lightweight thriller, going for 75 minutes.