HAMMER THE TOFF

Patricia Dainton and John Bentley

HAMMER THE TOFF (1952). Director: Maclean Rogers. 

Susan Lancaster (Patricia Dainton of The House in Marsh Road) is the niece of a professor (Ian Fleming, not the creator of James Bond), who has developed a secret formula for a certain process useful in defense. When he is murdered via a hypodermic needle in a briefcase, Richard Rollison (John Bentley of The Flaw), aka The Toff, takes it upon himself to protect Susan from a nefarious character called the Hammer. Up to now the Hammer has been seen as a kind of Robin Hood, helping the poor people of the East End of London, but now he and his gang are resorting to murder. Or is there another person calling himself the Hammer? With the help of Inspector Grice (Valentine Dyall), Sergeant Barrow (Ben Williams) and Rollison's major domo Jolly (Roddy Hughes), the Toff tries to find out the truth. Then Susan is kidnapped ... 

John Robinson with Bentley 

Hammer the Toff is the second of two films starring Bentley as the John Creasy creation the Toff -- the first was Salute the Toff -- and it is much better than the first, with a more complicated storyline and a lot of action. Bentley is perfection as the Toff. The entire cast plays this kind of light yet dramatic material with panache. John Robinson gives a smooth performance as a suspect and never quite gives away his guilt or innocence. Wally Patch is the crusty but likable bar owner who briefly turns against the Toff when he thinks he's betrayed an associate to the police. 

Verdict: Well turned out British suspense film. ***.