Breakaway (1955/6)

Breakaway (1955/6)


Plot Summary

In this thriller, a secret formula purported to prevent metal fatigue during supersonic flight is stolen. Now, rival groups search for it. A kidnapping is also involved.

Well, this followup to the previous film I reviewed last week was better but I still wouldn't call it a good film per se. Somehow Conway looks a lot healthier in this than he did in the previous film. I'm almost tempted to say that this was filmed first and the previous movie was filmed later but released first. Nonetheless, while Conway wasn't exactly full of life he does pull off the debonair gentleman detective role a bit better this time around. In fact, the entire mood of this movie is completely different as it's more serious and ditches the formula from the old Falcon movies. Michael Balfour's Barney is still played for laughs but it's a lot less zany or stupid.

You could tell that these two movies were done in a rush as some of the actors in this movie appeared in Barbados Quest as well. They both essay their roles in this one pretty well and considering how one of them was the heavy in the previous film; he came off much better as a misguided "get rich quick" type of guy who gets in over his head. The movie does boast one surprising cast member and that's a young Honor Blackman pre-007 fame. She looked beautiful as ever but really didn't have much to do in this.

As for the story, it's your basic commercial espionage story that involves various groups trying to get the macguffin. The story is complex enough to keep one interested but there just wasn't any real spark. If you notice i'm not really talking much about the plot or the actors and that's because this is one of those movies that you'd totally forget 10 minutes after watching it. It's all professionally done well but it's just "there". No one is egregiously bad and there's no real howler in the script either. This movie is the definition of mediocre.

Seeing that the case it gets a weak ** from me.