A Place to Go

Many in Bethnal Green are looking for a place to go, including a young man named Ricky Flint (Michael Sarne). Living with his parents and working at a local cigarette factory, Ricky dreams of one day escaping both, and when a gangster, Jack Ellerman (John Slater), proposes a robbery Ricky eagerly accepts the offer. As their plans progress, Ricky recruits his brother-in-law Jim (David Andrews) to drive the getaway vehicle. During this phase of the production, Ricky also falls for a feisty young woman named Catherine Donovan (Rita Tushingham) and despite getting cozy with Ricky, she continues to see a member of Jack's gang. When it comes time for the heist, several hiccups lead to a number of complications that Ricky must later contend with, not least of which is his relationship with Catherine. Part of the popular kitchen sink school of filmmaking, this work by director Basil Dearden reveals what everyday life was like in England at the time, while entertaining audiences with a neatly packaged narrative.