The Next of Kin

Originally intended as an army training film advising that 'Careless Talk Costs Lives', this was expanded by Ealing into a feature thriller. The switch shows in the didactic pacing, especially at the beginning, but like Cavalcanti's Went The Day Well? (though not as good), the film has a chillingly casual authenticity as it noses into seedy byways to uncover the chain of fifth columnists that includes an antiquarian bookseller (Murray), a stripper (Stanley) and an Irish sailor (Victor). Although the ending was softened when Churchill wanted to have the film banned as a threat to morale (the 'betrayed' commando raid succeeds, though only at the cost of heavy casualties), it still stands up pretty well.