Brighton Rock

Plot

John Boulting's Brighton Rock is a milestone film; it made Richard Attenborough a star; it is the first realistic depiction of the British criminal underworld; and the first of Graham Greene's adaptations of his own work. Godfather of classic crime films like Get Carter and The Long Good Friday, its American cousins include Little Caesar and Mean Streets. To mark the centenary of Greene's birth, Steve Chibnall presents a detailed re-view of this authentic slice of English seaside noir. It includes scene-by-scene analysis, the writing, production and reception of the film, and the real activities of the racecourse gangs and protection racketeers that inspired the drama. Steve Chibnall also uncovers the mystery of missing scenes that, if restored, would give Brighton Rock a significantly different emphasis, and he reveals new information about the films' controversial ending.