Turn the Key Softly

Three women are released from prison at the same time on the same day and arrange to meet for a drink later that evening. Their paths diverge with one - petty shoplifter Kathleen Harrison anxious to get home to her "Tommy"; Joan Collins to her bus conductor boyfriend "Bob" (Glyn Houston) and finally Yvonne Mitchell ("Monica") who appears to have been set up by her safe-cracking boyfriend "David" (Terence Morgan). The narrative tracks their day - sometimes joyful, sometimes sad - but usually interesting. Sadly, Collins, who has a bit of a penchant for fleecing elderly men, adds very little to the proceedings; it's down to an engaging performance from Harrison and a troubled one from Mitchell to inject some humour, depth and personality to this curious triptych. The last half hour dominates the well written screenplay as a tense rooftop robbery goes awry, and the cops close in... It's got some interesting scenes from post war London, a lovely one where folks cram onto the tube, just as they do 70 years later, and a sense of the glamour and social divisions that were starting to fade as Britain emerged from the War years, and is worth watching for that alone.