The Small World of Sammy Lee (1963) Transitional Brit Noir

"SoHo where love comes cheap and money comes hard..."

British Crime Transitional Noir written and directed by Ken Hughes (Joe MacBeth (1955), Wicked as They Come (1956), The Long Haul (1957)). Based on his TV play "Sammy." Cinematography was by Wolfgang Suschitzky (The Horse's Mouth (1953), The Desperate Men (1958), Ulysses (1967), Get Carter (1971)). Music by Kenny Graham. 

Obviously influenced a bit by the film movements that evolved during WWII and in the 20 year period afterwards. The Italian Neo Realist, the French Nouvelle Vague and in Britain, the Kitchen Sink/Angry Young Men movement. A lot of on location realism showing Soho and the characters as they were.  

The film was an extended version of Ken Hughes' half hour long teleplay "Sammy" (1958). From a description of the original teleplay, it sounds very much like "Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room," an episode of Rod Serling's Twilight Zone. In both teleplays all the drama takes place in a single room of some cheap flop house. Sammy like Jackie Rhoades is under intense pressure. For "Sammy" it consists of basically one long monologue of Sammy, on the phone, trying to raise £200 to pay off a gambling debt. Further research reveals that Alcoa Theatre aired a reworked version, of the same premise, written by Alfred Brenner and starring Mikey Rooney it was called "Eddie" The Episode aired Nov 17, 1958 and won an Emmy.

The film version of "Sammy" adds character background. It gives Sammy a brother and a gal pal, and explores Sammy's job at the grindhouse strip show. The film incorporates the phone monologues of the one room play but also adds face to face confrontations with his colorful showbiz denizens, along with friends, hustlers, musicians, loan sharks, con artists, fences, rummies, pushers, and crooks, all set in the narrow streets of SoHo. 

The film stars Anthony Newley (Oliver Twist (1948), The Cockleshell Heroes (1955)) as Sammy 'Lee' Leeman. Newley starred also in "Sammy" to rave reviews in Variety. 

Anthony Newley as Sammy Lee

Julia Foster as Patsy

The rest of the cast has Julia Foster as Patsy a hometown girl, Robert Stephens as Gerry Sullivan, Wilfrid Brambell as Harry, Warren Mitchell as Lou Leeman. 

Wilfrid Brambell as Harry

Warren Mitchell as Lou Leeman

Robert Stephens as Gerry Sullivan

 Clive Colin-Bowler as Johnny lt., and Kenneth J. Warren as Fred rt.

Also with Miriam Karlin as Milly, Kenneth J. Warren as Fred, Clive Colin-Bowler as Johnny, Toni Palmer as Joan, Harry Locke as Stage Manager, Al Mulock (The Good The Bad And The Ugly (1966) and Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)) as Dealer, Cyril Shaps as Maurice 'Morrie' Bellman, Roy Kinnear as Lucky Dave, Derek Nimmo as Rembrandt, Harry Baird as Buddy Shine, Alfred Burke as Big Eddie, June Cunningham as Rita, Elmer as Lofty, Lynda Baron as Yvette, Ken Wayne as Barman, Kevin Brennan as Poker Player, Billy Milton as Hardware Store Manager, Ronald Radd as Big Alf, and SoHo London circa 1962. 

The Story

Sammy is an emcee/comic at the Peepshow, a small Soho striptease grindhouse. He also likes to gamble but sucks at it. His latest play consists of loosing a poker hand in some private club's cellar dive game. He looses a big pot. He borrowed that cash and now owes a total of £300 (about $415 at todays exchange rate) to a loan shark. 

Al Mulock

heading home

Sammy drags his ass back to his flop and gets a call from his loan shark telling him to pay up. Sammy tries to stall him a couple of weeks but manages only about 24 hours. 

Back at the Peepshow, complicating matters is the untimely arrival of Patsy an old flame who burned her hometown bridges and comes to London to start over, inspired by Sammy's "success."

She comes to find Sammy who probably gave her the impression that he was in the "big time." His show, in reality is owned by Gerry Sullivan. Sammy talks with Sullivan and he agrees to "look" at Patsy.

Patsy's audition with Gerry

In the office his interview consists of Patsy having to show what she's got. She unbuttons her blouse and takes off her bra and she is initially given a job as a waitress. 

Patsy as waitress

Most of the rest of the film consists of Sammy frantically phoning contacts, trying to broker money deals between sets, and scrambling around SoHo during the hour between shows hitting up his brother, his friends, and various marks for money all juxtaposed with dealing with his relationship with Patsy, telling corny standup jokes, catching stripper routines and getting entertained with backstage strip show vignettes. 

Noirsville

 

The Small World of Sammy Lee reminds me of a combo of Brit Noir Night And The City, and American Neo Noir The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie, with a touch of American comedian Bob Newhart phone call routine. Anthony Newley is compelling as Sammy, with great supporting performances by Robert Stephens, Wilfrid Brambell, Warren Mitchel, and Kenneth J. Warren. 7.5/10