Protraph
Lack of good storyline.
AshUnow
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Skyler
Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.
Brooklynn
There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.
wheaton-732-150373
This is an overlooked film from the UK about a detective looking into a heist involving rare, valuable stamps. It's a pretty simple story but the acting and amazing cinematography make this film stand out.
Leofwine_draca
PENNY GOLD is a murder mystery thriller of the 1970s that feels very much like a TV movie, even though it isn't. The soundtrack is quite unappealing and dates this film considerably and not in a good way. There's an opening shower murder before the rest of the story follows around a weary middle-aged detective and his sidekick as they try to solve the crime.Their crime-solving skills include a lot of questioning and the occasional car chase. Scenery-spotting accounts for much of the fun when watching, that and the appearances by future famous folk. John Rhys-Davies is a rugby player early on, and Penelope Keith brings her plummy tones to a one-scene cameo. John Savident, best known for playing Fred Elliott in CORONATION STREET, has a youthful turn, and Una Stubbs is amusing in support. Watch out for Marianne Stone, Britain's most prolific actress, and Joss Ackland to boot.Unfortunately James Booth's detective isn't a very interesting character and I found him quite unappealing. Nicky Henson, as his sidekick, acts like Robin Askwith. Francesca Annis is a highlight playing the role of twins, even though one of them is only seen in flashback, and very appealing she is too. A shame the rest of the movie is only middling rather than engaging, although it does have a nice twist ending.
malcolmgsw
The British film industry was dying on its feet when this film was made in the early seventies.The fact that it was directed by Jack Cardiff speaks volumes.Anyone can see the basic premise of the plot after only about 10 minutes.So there isn't a lot of suspense merely an interest as to how the plot unravels.Booth seems to be doing an imitation of Jack Regan but despite the car chase and the rough handling of suspects this is no "Sweeny".Penelope Keith is seen in a small role before her rise to fame.This is the sort of film that was far more at home on the TV screens than on the cinema screen.At the end of the day this is little more than a potboiler.
Schwenkstar
Jack Cardiff is an academy award winning cinematographer (for 1947's "Black Narcissus") but is an uneven director (Though his 1960 film "Sons and Lovers" garnered him an Oscar nomination). In this film, he moves away from the viewfinder of the camera and into the seat of the director's chair.The DVD Cover provides this synopsis for the film: This dramatic indie thriller, set in the intriguing world of high-stakes stamp collectors, is directed by acclaimed British cinematographer Jack Cardiff. A detective (James Booth) is assigned to investigate the murder of a young woman, whose body is found in the shadow of Windsor castle. In the course of his inquiry, he stumbles onto a plot to steal a rare and valuable stamp called the Penny Gold--and encounters a woman who appears to be the dead girl's lovely but dangerous evil twin (Francesca Annis).This description paints the film in a better light than it actually is, which is obvious since it comes from those trying to market the picture on DVD.The film's narrative has the quality of something one may see on a made-for-TV program rather than something one would consider "theatrical." While the set up and initially beginnings of the mystery are captivating, the rest of the film is dreadfully dull and uninteresting. The story is totally unfocused as we are presented with scenes, such as random flashbacks, that seem totally out of place and irrelevant.The mystery itself is not at all that mysterious as the audience can predict its outcome from the very beginning and thus makes the film a big build up to nothing.There are a few good traits, such as the wonderful location shots of Windsor Castle and the surrounding rural areas (courtesy of Mr. Cardiff), and a well-photographed car chase (which, unfortunately, seems out of place).The DVD was a blind buy given its cheap price of merely $4 (most online DVD stores carry it between $4-$6), but I certainly wouldn't pay a cent more. The film, admittedly, is attractive at that price but it is suggested you save up your money for more quality films.Not recommended except those who are fans of Jack Cardiff or those who don't mind squandering $5 to add a title to your collection.