The Hi-Jackers (1963) starring Anthony Booth, Jacqueline Ellis, Derek Francis, Patrick Cargill directed by Jim O'Connolly Movie Review

The Hi-Jackers (1963)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Anthony Booth and Jacqueline Ellis in The Hi-Jackers (1963)

A Routine Robbery

Young truck driver Terry McKinley (Anthony Booth) is heading back to London with a valuable cargo of whiskey when he stops off at a cafe for a quick bite to eat and ends up picking up Shirley (Jacqueline Ellis) a runaway woman looking to get to London. Further down the road they come across what seems to be an accident only to find them selves falling foul of a gang of hi-jackers who had been informed of Terry's load by his partner. With the police suggesting the chance of solving the crime is low Shirley having seen the gang pays her ex husband who is doing time a visit ands asks for his help in where the gang hide out whilst Terry suspecting his business partner of selling him out forces him to go to the cops and confess which is a good thing as Shirley having got help from her ex heads to the gangs hide out on her own.

"The Hi-Jackers" is one of those you've seen one you've seen them all sorts of movies as it is an okay but forgettable British b-movie from the 60s which would most likely have been the second movie in a double feature. As such whilst it delivers an entertaining opening as we see the criminals running through their plan with a trial run after that it becomes stereotypical with the sort of coincidences which make you chuckle such as Shirley not only being able to flee from the hi-jackers but her ex-husband just happening to be a con. And just as typically Shirley has to do the daft thing which is rather than go to the cops she takes matters in to her own hands.

What this means is when watched now "The Hi-Jackers" tends to struggle in keeping your attention other than trying to work out where certain scenes were filmed due to their familiar look. Plus it does have the benefit of featuring a few recognizable British actors such as Anthony Booth, Derek Francis and Patrick Cargill as well as the pretty Jacqueline Ellis.

What this all boils down to is that "The Hi-Jackers" is nothing special, just one of those British b-movies from the 60s which occasionally crop up on TV and might appeal to those who remember seeing it back in 1963 when it was released.


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