Booby Trap (1957)

Tony Quinn is "Prof. Hasdane" - a genius boffin who has adapted a pen so it can act as a devastating bomb. He is also, however, your archetypal absent-minded professor and when he accidentally leaves his case in the back of a taxi he must hastily track it down. This investigation exposes the rather naive academic to some of London's less scrupulous population who are all too keen to take the old chap for a ride - physically and metaphorically. There is something he is especially worried about - this pen has a trigger. If it hears bells then... boom! Harry Fowler ("Sammy") and Sydney Tafler ("Hunter") contribute well enough, but simply - this story is far too thin for seventy minutes and once the joke has recycled itself for the fifth time I just wanted the pen - wherever it was and whoever had it - to explode. Quinn's efforts reminded me a little of Alastair Sim, but without the quirky and engaging facial expressions. It's a fun concept, but the execution is basic and uninspired. Not awful, just standard 1950s afternoon cinema fayre that did it's job then, but is unremarkable now.