Re-release

Strongroom

A bank heist turns into a life-or-death race-against-time in Vernon Sewell’s gripping British ‘B’ thriller, which has been hailed by Tarantino, Scorsese and Edgar Wright.

  • Director

    Vernon Sewell

  • With

    Colin Gordon, Ann Lynn, Derren Nesbitt, Keith Faulkner

  • UK 1962. 80min

  • Digital (remaster) / 35mm (Sun 1 Feb 15:00 NFT1)

  • Certificate

    PG

  • A BFI release

Taut as a drum, Vernon Sewell’s suspense thriller is an outstanding example of the lean British ‘B’ film. A carefully-planned bank heist goes awry when the robbers are interrupted by the unexpected arrival of two nattering cleaners. The gang lock the manager and his secretary in the airtight vault and make off with the cash, but soon realise that the pair will suffocate and they will face a murder rap if they can’t free them. With only 12 hours’ worth of air in the vault, the clock is ticking. Gripping to the end, the film is a real rediscovery.

James Bell, Senior Curator of Fiction, BFI National Archive

This screening of Strongroom will be presented with Descriptive Subtitles.

New 35mm print created by the BFI National Archive - screening on Sun 1 Feb 15:00 NFT1.

The BFI will release Strongroom on Blu-ray on Monday 23 February.

The screening of Strongroom on Friday 30 January will be introduced by James Bell, Senior Curator, BFI National Archive.