The Traitors (1962)

Excellent, smart action film.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Although I see that other reviewers have praised THE TRAITORS as one of the finer examples of the British B-movie spy genre, I thought it was quite hard work if I'm honest. The film sees the typically tough Patrick Allen on the track of some Cold War spies and aided by various parties including an American import and Reed De Rouen. This low budget movie has an occasional on the street piece of grit to it but more often than not the lack of money means that it's a talky affair lacking in suspense and excitement.The film only really gets going with a couple of scenes set in a swimming pool towards the end which make good use of the authentic surroundings. Up until that point it's just guys sitting around in rooms and occasionally bugging other people and listening to their conversations. I'm well aware that this is what spying is really like so THE TRAITORS does have the ring of authenticity to it, it's just a pity it's so dull as a result.

The Traitors is a excellent film compared to most other second features of the same period, 1962. It has a very good story by Jim O'Connolly, writer-director of another fine B movie, Smokescreen, in a tale of spies in London exchanging government information in a cat and mouse chase between the secret agents and the security men. The characters are well-rounded and have good, sparky dialogue that is often humorous too which gives them more humanity. Most second features of the 1950s and 1960s were just pot-boilers to while away an hour or so before the main feature came on. Good and credible performances by reliable British actors such as Patrick Allen, James Maxwell and Harold Goodwin etc make The Traitors a taut and suspenseful piece of film making by director Robert Tronson. The cinema used by the spies to exchange information is not the Coronet at Notting HIll, which is on a left-hand corner. The cinema in The Traitors is on a right-hand corner and looks like the ABC Fulham Road, at the corner of Drayton Gardens.

Clearly this film was inspired by the revelations of various communist spies in the establishment and actual spy rings.This is a very neat and fast paced thriller with an exciting climax.It is also interesting for those of us living in London at the time what it was like.I have to say it looks rather down at heels with the grime of years of coal staining the buildings.No supermarkets yet,so a United Daries grocers shop next to the surgery with its windows full of tins.The cinema used is the Coronet Notting Hill.I am pleased to say that it is still operating and still looks pretty much the same inside.Anyway a thoroughly entertaining film.

Well, I was amazed and surprised by this little UK film. i did not expect so much. A fast paced movie telling the cat and mouse game between government agents vs a spy ring who has taken secret documents from a plane crash in Germany, not far from an US military research center. All set in London area. The actors are known for this kind of features, but I never remember their names. Anyway, I recommend it. The climax in the swimming pool reminds me Howard Koch's SHIELD FOR MURDER. Jim O' Connoly is here only the producer and writer, not the director.UK espionage movies are not always so good, so powerful. Such a shame.