This week’s mystery movie was the 1956 film “The Long Arm” (also known as “The Third Key,”) with Jack Hawkins, John Stratton, Dorothy Alison, Geoffrey Keen, Ursula Howells, Newton Blick, Sydney Tafler, Ralph Truman, Maureen Delany, Richard Leech, Meredith Edwards, George Rose, Jameson Clark, Ian Bannen, Maureen Davis and Peter Burton.
Screenplay by Janet Green and Robert Barr, additional dialogue by Dorothy and Campbell Christie.
Photography by Gordon Dines, art direction by Edward Carrick. Music conducted by Gerbrand Schurmann, played by the Sinfonia of London conducted by Dock Mathieson.
Associate producer Tom Morahan. Directed by Charles Frend. A Michael Balcon Production.
“The Long Arm” is available on streaming from Archive.org, but the audio ranges from tolerable to atrocious. The DVD is available from Amazon UK in Region 2 format, which is incompatible U.S. players unless you have an all-region player.
This week’s mystery movie was a combination of two requests: A safecracking movie and a British movie. The story moves along nicely without twists to hold your interest.
Harrison’s Reports (June 15, 1957) said:
Given a semi-documentary treatment, this British-made crime melodrama offers an interesting study on the patient crime detection methods employed by Scotland Yard in tracking down a gang of safe robbers. It is doubtful, however, if it will receive more than a mild reception in this country, for it is given more to talk than to action and is not particularly exciting, except for the closing sequences, where the crooks are apprehended. The casting is good, with Jack Hawkins most effective as the detective superintendent who tracks down different clues, but, like most British films, neither Mr. Hawkins nor the other players in the all-British cast are well-known to American movie-goers.
Writing in the New York Times (June 3, 1957), A.H. Weiler said:
In “The Third Key,” which was unveiled at the Sutton Theatre yesterday, Sir Michael Balcon and his Ealing confreres are focusing their cameras on the diligent, persevering and scientific detectives of New Scotland Yard with affectionate and increasingly lively results. This adventure about the search for a super safecracker and murderer does not crackle with excitement, but its alert and methodical operatives manage to keep a viewer engrossed all the way.
For Monday, we have a mystery lad. I have cropped out Back of the Head Guy on the chance that the back of his head will be insufficiently mysterious. He will appear Friday.
Update: This is Michael Brooke with Jack Hawkins as Back of the Head Guy.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery woman. As it so happens, she plays the mother of Monday’s mystery lad. She spends a great deal of her screen time disapproving of such goings-on.
Update: This is Dorothy Alison.
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mystery gent. He very much disapproves of any insinuation of such goings-on.
Update: This is Ralph Truman.
We “Aha Thursday,” we have a mystery lad trying to sell a headlamp …
Update: This is Anthony Richmond. His buddy, Frazer Hines, has run off.
… to this mystery bloke with a newsboy cap. He does not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Harry Locke.
We also have this mystery chap in a newsboy cap.
Update: This is Richard Leech.
There are lots of mystery police officers in our mystery film. here’s a few of them.
Update: I ran this photo to show the right-hand drive, hinting that it’s a British film. The driver is Fred Nicholas. The man on the right is Glyn Houston.
Brain Trust roll call: Jenny M. (mystery movie and all mystery guests) and Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and all mystery guests).
For Friday, here’s another of the mysterious policemen in our mystery movie.
Update: This is John Stratton.
Here’s a mystery woman with our mysterious leading man. Neither of them approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Maureen Delaney and Jack Hawkins.
And another photo of our mysterious leading man.
Update: This is Jack Hawkins.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests).
Since this week’s mystery film was especially challenging, I’m going to extend it one more day. For Saturday, we have a mystery gent selling bunnies.
Update: This is John Stratton and George Rose.
Also, a mystery concert hall.
And finally, a mystery woman.
Update: This is Ursula Howells.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (all mystery guests and mystery location), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests, Thursday’s mystery lad, junk dealer, and detectives, Friday’s mystery detective No. 1 and housekeeper), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie, mystery leading man), Gary (Friday’s leading man), Anne Papineau (Friday’s leading man), Earl Boebert (mystery movie), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Friday’s mystery housekeeper and mystery detective), Benito (Friday’s mystery leading man), Patrick (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery detective’s wife and Friday’s mystery leading man), Sylvia E. (mystery movie, Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests, Thursday’s mystery lad, Friday’s mystery detectives and mystery housekeeper) and L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast).
ladailymirror.com 
Robert Hyatt
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An excellent guess, but our mystery lad is a few years younger than Bobby.
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Clifford Tatum Jr. In Room for One More.
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Another excellent guess, but our mystery lad is a few years younger than Clifford Tatum.
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Neva Patterson?
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Right era, definitely!
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Patricia Bosworth?
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Right era!
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I’m gonna guess “The Space Children” 1958, a movie I had never heard of before but bumped into while puzzling out this week’s mystery movie. I have no reason for choosing it, other than there are several children and a few Mom’s in it and the year released seems about right. Hopefully, we’ll pick up a clue or two when you provide the response that indeed the mystery movie is NOT “Space Children.”
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“Space Children” is the right era, although I have never encountered the film. More clues will be forthcoming and everyone should get the mystery movie by Friday. There are an annoying number of images online, so defeating Google’s image search will be a challenge.
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I’ll Cry Tomorrow with David Kasday and Jo Van Fleet?
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An interesting guess and the right era. But we had Jo Van Fleet with Clark Gable last year in “The King and Four Queens,” so alas, no. After repeating Adolphe Menjou so recently and having Mabel Paige for the fourth time, I’m trying to be better about avoiding repeats. This week’s mystery movie has a very large cast (ideal for mystery folks) of mostly first-timers, though our mysterious leading man is making his second appearance.
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Monday – Michael Brooke
Tuesday – Dorothy Alison
Wednesday – Ralph Truman
Movie – The Long Arm
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THE THIRD KEY/THE LONG ARM (1956)
Monday: Michael Brooke
Tuesday: Dorothy Alison
Wednesday: Ralph Truman
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Is Mystery Woman Donna Reed? Sure looks like her. . .
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Interesting guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Don Grady and Mary Anderson?
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Interesting guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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THE SAFECRACKER. Jeanette STerke Tuesday.
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Alas, no, but it’s the right era and you’re on the right track.
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Wednesday’s guy certainly has a nice safe collection.
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Yes he does!
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Anthony Richmond; Harry Locke; Richard Leech; Fred Nicholas, Sonnie Willis.
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Man, I just can’t get a handle on this! Except . . . is that Paul Kelly at the wheel?
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I think that’s Jack Hawkins. Not sure of the film, yet.
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THE THIRD KEY. Michael Brooke Monday, Dorothy Allison Tuesday, Jameson Clark Wednesday, anthony Richmond,Jack Dearlove behind Richmond, Harry Locke, Richard Davies (but he’s listed wrong, Leslie Clarke is the character name of the security guard at the first place), Richard Davies, John Warwick, John Stratton, Maureen Delaney, and Stanley Baker.
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Actually it looks like the detectives in the Q car are Glyn Houston and Fred Nicholas.
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After spotting Jack Hawkins, I think the movie is “League of Gentlemen” 1960.
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Jack Hawkins on Friday. The movie is “The Third Key.”
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John Stratton; Maureen Delaney, Jack Hawkins.
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At least I recognize Jack Hawkins. Can we extend this one another week?
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Jack Hawkins!!!
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Maureen Delaney and Jack Hawkins in THE LONG ARM A.K.A. THE THIRD KEY. I have never seen this movie.
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Man, somebody on IMDB loves that movie: 110 screen shots (including a couple you used :-))
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Jack Hawkins, aka The Pharaoh today
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Dorothy Alison on Tuesday and Jack Hawkins on Friday brought me to The Long Arm from 1956. I’ve never seen it but as often happens, the photos you posted compel me to do so.
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The Third Key (aka The Long Arm) 1956
Michael Brooke Jr. (pajama’d kid)
Dorothy Alison (Mom)
Ralph Truman (the guy with the safe collection)
Anthony Richmond (headlight kid)
John Stratton (I think) is the policeman with the map behind him
Friday – Jack Hawkins and Maureen Delaney
You definitely picked a ‘jam packed cast’ picture. Looking forward to Saturday.
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George Rose; Royal Festival Hall, South Bank Centre, South Bank, Lambeth, London; Ursula Howells
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This is The Third Key (1956) w/Jack Hawkins, Dorothy Allison, Michael Brooke…
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Fri – our leading man is Jack Hawkins.
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Fri – mystery woman with leading man is Maureen Delaney. I think our film is The Third Key, known as The Long Arm in the US.
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Fri – our two A car policemen are Glyn Houston and Fred Nichos
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Fri our Dect Sgt is John Straton
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That should have been Q car policemen. Darn auto correct.
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Jack Hawkins The Third Key
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Monday – child is Michael Brooke. His my is Dorothy Alison.
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Wed is Ralph Truman – head of Rock safes
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This mystery chap in cap with glasses in doorway is Richard Leech
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Sat bunny salesman is George Rose
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Thurs mystery guy with cap is our secondhand dealer, Harry Locke.
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Thurs child trying to sell a headlamp is Frazier Hines
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Sat mystery woman is Ursula Howells.
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Thank god it´s Saturday (TGIS)This would be Sid James as a street vendor and Kathleen Byran with Jack H in the Powell Pressberger The Small Room.
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Our mystery movie is The Third Key, otherwise known as The Long Arm. Ursula Howells and George Rose are our mystery guests for today. On Monday, we have Michael Brooke. Tuesday is Dorothy Allison. Wednesday is Ralph Truman. Thursday’s guests are Anthony Richmond, Harry Locke, Richard Leech, and I think Fred Nicholas and Glyn Houston. Friday’s guests are Jack Stratton, Jack Hawkins, and Maureen Delaney.
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THE LONG ARM aka THE THIRD KEY 1956. Our slightly wall eyed beauty is Dorothy Alison
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