Reel Britannia

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. Episode 064 – Violent Playground (1958) Another in our series of movies that influenced the British New Wave Cinema movement. Another fine example of the ‘social problem’ movie directed by the master himself, Basil Dearden. Highlighting the dangerous world of the newly-born ‘teenagers’, we present Violent Playground from 1958 starring Stanley Baker, David McCallum and Peter Cushing. Sgt. Truman (Stanley Baker), a policeman who deals with juvenile delinquents, visits the Murphy household after a theft by the young twins, Mary and Patrick. There he meets their older sister, Cathie (Anne Heywood), and soon begins a romantic involvement with her. However, Cathie's brother, Johnnie (David McCallum), is the leader of an infamous local gang, and doesn't like to see his sister with a cop. Gradually, Truman starts to see a link between Johnnie and a string of local arsons. “Every city has its dangerous y