Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Ortiz Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

lasttimeisaw A non-comedy Ealing Studio production dedicated to the men and women in the police service of Britain, Basil Dearden's THE BLUE LAMP, whose title is a metonymy of police station, vehemently blends its realism milieu, the increase of post-war crime, with defiantly positive vibes around a virtuous constabulary, the constituents of their vocation runs the gamut from a nattering lady's lost dog to a deadly gun-point encounter with a reckless misfit Tom Riley (Bogarde). PC George Dixon (Warner) is a veteran copper on the verge of retirement, but accepts to stay on his beat for an additional 5 more years with alacrity. In spite of Ms. Dixon's (Henson) initial reluctance, he offers lodging to a newly recruited PC Andy Mitchell (Hanley), who is exactly the same age of his son they lost in the war, and the trio actually gets along pleasantly and forms an ersatz family. On the same beat, Tom Riley and his partner-in-crime Spud (Doonan) are the peace- disturbing pests, from home-invasion, jewelry robbery to a stick-up in a cinema's wicket goes terribly wrong, George, a foolhardy hero who doesn't even bat an eyelid in the face of a loaded revolver, is shot by Tom and later dead in the hospital. There is an affecting naiveté in George's attempt of talking Tom out of his transgression, which we couldn't bear thinking about nowadays, that is how far our society have been degraded since then. The rest of the story is to track down the perpetrator unbeknownst to the police through an assiduous and judicious procedural, mostly predicated on the lead of Tom's girlfriend Diana Lewis (a 29-year-old Peggy Evans in a full-on victim mode of cluelessness, trepidation and hysteria, but she simply cannot pass off as a 17-year-older, no matter how much silver-screen glamour is vamped up on her), and galvanized by Tom's unexpectedly bold move, walking into the police station in broad daylight and feigning innocence through his wiles, the film pumps up its tension in a blistering car-chasing money shot in a suspiciously empty London, and slates its spectacular finale inside a jam-packed stadium where a dog race is in full swing and semaphore is signaled on the strength of a collective sense poetic justice, the film is rounded off with a slam-dunk fulfillment. Jack Warner and Jimmy Hanley both give straight-up appearances of ordinary coppers with a heart, Robert Flemyng as Police Sgt. Roberts and Bernard Lee as Inspector Cherry are the brains in the work, both can actualize a glint of reactionary cognizance with nicety, but indeed, it is Dirk Bogarde's dodgy villain gets the biggest canvas to run away with all our attention and admiration through his insidious beguilement. For what it is worth, THE BLUE LAMP is a solid testimony of Dearden's cinematic aptitude and craftsmanship and harks back to a bygone era when the two sides of the law are still distinctively black or white.

gavin6942 The daily routine of two London policemen is interrupted by a killer.So, the description I read was that this film was an influence on later crime stories. I am not entirely sure how. While I enjoyed the film, and it was fun to see some English police in action, I am not sure what was so unique and different about this.I get that it comes from Ealing Studios, which is one of the less-celebrated British studios (behind Hammer, for one). And Ealing needs more exposure. I also get that it launched the television show "Dixon of Dock Green", that lasted over twenty years (quite a feat all by itself). But we do not celebrate Tracy Ulman for giving us "The Simpsons"...Heck, I have even heard that this was the 29th most viewed film in the United Kingdom ever, as well as the 10th most popular British film ever. But I am not sure why.

guyrocky-1 A nice way to pass a few hours with a cup of tea and sandwiches. Jolly old England - after the Blitz and before Rock and Roll. Boy, times look tough in post war London, many things were still rationed (infact ration books didn't end until 1954!). Hardly a car on the street too!Some solid, dry acting. The police act very cool and business like - wish I could say the same for the constantly screeching Peggy Evans. Dirk Bogarde looks great - That look wouldn't look out of place in a modern day film. Very cool hair! Crisp sound and some really great camera work and nice lighting. Storywise - the ending could have been a bit more imaginative. Time for a beefed up remake - Guy Ritchie?

malcolmgsw When the Blue Lamp was released i was around 3 years old.I therefore do remember the London that it shows.To me the film is more interesting in what it reveals about the London of 1950 than the actual story.It shows the Metropolitan Music hall in the Edgware Road.It was in the last few years of its life before the A4 cutting a swathe into London meant that it was demolished for "progress".Music Hall by this time was in its last throes and what was left would be rendered extinct by the arrival of ITV.We see the Colloseium in Harlesden.Every High Street had cinemas like this.If you look carefully you will see that they were showing "Granny Get Your Gun" a 1940 "B" feature with May Robson.So it was probably a second run house.There are the bomb sites.I remember that in certain parts of London,particularly the East End there mere were more such sites than actual buildings.The streets do not have a great deal of traffic as there was little traffic at that time.So a film of some sociological interest