Motorcycle cop Lyle Talbot is in pursuit of fleeing criminals. He refuses to shoot and his nephew is blinded. Public opinion says that a cop afraid to use his gun has no business being on the force, and the embittered Talbot agrees. Despite the urging of girlfriend Wendy Barrie, he slides pretty quickly, turning criminal and making connections with the gang of criminals run by Marc Lawrence.
It's an exciting little film with a professional cast and crew, helmed by comedy veteran Del Henderson, who inserts a few nice comedy touches. How it came to be made is a bit of a story.
For decades, British law decreed that any movie theater's program had to include a proportion of British product. This was meant to promote the British film industry. It promoted it all right, producing a goodly number of films shot cheaply, often of such poor quality that they were called "quota quickies." With guaranteed rentals throughout the United Kingdom, they didn't have to be good, and were often dire.
The definition of what constituted a British film was that it had to contain a certain proportion of British Commonwealth personnel in its making. As a result, English producer Kenneth J. Bishop cut a deal with Hollywood's Columbia. In return for financing and Columbia's up-and-coming stars, he produced movies in British Columbia that would satisfy the Quota Quickie law, giving Columbia better access to the British market. And so this movie was directed by a Canadian, written by Australian J.P. McGowan, and had as its leading lady English Miss Barrie... and several of the minor players and crew members also qualified.
Because of Columbia's backing, this turned into a decent if unexceptional B product.... and the foundation of British Columbia's still active production facilities.
