Director: John Gilling
Screenplay: David Shaw
Based on the novel by: M E Chaber
Starring: Jack Palance, Anita Ekberg, Nigel Patrick, Anthony Newley, Bonar Colleano, Sean Kelly, Sid James, Donald Pleasence (as Donald Pleasance), Eric Pohlmann, Josephine Brown, Gerard Heinz, Alex Mango, Anne Aubrey
Country: United Kingdom
Running Time: 90 min
Year: 1958
BBFC Certificate: 12
Before producing the hugely successful James Bond series of films (initially alongside Harry Saltzman), Albert R. Broccoli co-founded a really interesting British company called Warwick Films, alongside Irving Allen.
The company, whose films were distributed by Columbia Pictures, released around 24 films over the course of a decade from 1953, beginning with The Red Beret (1953) and concluding with The Long Ships (1963) and featuring the likes of The Cockleshell Heroes (1955) and Safari (1956) along the way.
In February 2026, Indicator are releasing limited edition Blu-rays of three of the features produced by Warwick Films: Idle on Parade (1959), Jazz Boat (1960) and the subject of this review, The Man Inside (1958).
Based on a novel by Kendell Foster Crossen (as M.E. Chaber), which was credited as being adapted for the screen by David Shaw, but which was also co-written, uncredited, by director John Gilling and future 007 screenwriter Richard Maibaum, the film follows jeweller’s clerk Sam Carter (Nigel Patrick) whose daydreaming of becoming a jewel thief comes to fruition.
However, when he steals a load of diamonds he kills a man in the process and goes on the run across Europe. But, inevitably, the law – and others who want the jewels too – catch up with him and he is pursued by private detective Milo March (top billed Jack Palance), Trudie Hall (Anita Ekberg) and some thugs. Cue a battle of wits to see who can outwit the others to secure the diamonds and instant wealth.
The film opens with a corking tracking shot through the streets of New York City, and a jaunty theme by Joe Henderson. The quality of the tracking shot whets our appetite and it’s a pleasure to see the cinematography maintaining a high standard throughout. There are some brilliant tracking shots and compositions, with the monochrome cinematography looking spiffing throughout.
That’s to be expected though: the cinematographer was Ted Moore who would shoot the first four Sean Connery 007 films and the first two Roger Moore James Bond movies, and a cameraman on the film was future director Nicolas Roeg, who directed one of my favourite films of all time Don’t Look Now (1973).
The cinematography helps to create a strong atmosphere, which is supported by the on location footage filmed in New York and also in Spain, which would also stand in for Lisbon and Paris for the globe-trotting film that would be a precursor to the world-travelling antics of James Bond that producer Broccoli would be famed for bringing to the screen just a few years later.
The script and plot are relatively serviceable, but it’s a really entertaining action film throughout, thanks to the direction of John Gilling and that gorgeous cinematography, and it is helped no end by a quite wonderful cast. Warwick Films would be known for making British films that felt American, importing stars from the US, in this case Jack Palance.
Palance is great throughout and seeing him share the screen with future Carry On star Sid James in the early scenes is a delight. I’ve shared more background on Palance in my review of the Arrow release of City Slickers (1991) elsewhere on the Blueprint Review website, so I won’t repeat that, but suffice to say, I feel he should have headlined more films than he did.
Anita Ekberg made a few films for Warwick and The Man Inside would be released just a couple of years before her iconic turn in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (196). She’s a joy and demands attention whenever she’s on the screen. Nigel Patrick gives a good performance too as the jeweller’s clerk Sam Carter who is pursued by Palance’s private detective, Ekberg’s Trudie and thugs after stealing diamonds and going on the run for killing a man and the theft.
The headliners are supported by Warwick ‘regulars’ like James as an American police officer, Sean Kelly as a heavy and Anne Aubrey, while there are also fun and memorable cameos for the likes of Donald Pleasence (as a barrel organist in Portugal) and Josephine Brown (as a nosey landlady).
There is also a role for actor, singer and much more Anthony Newley as a Spanish taxi driver who is hired by Milo when he arrives in Madrid, Spain. Having watched Newley numerous times over the years – and quite a bit recently thanks to Indicator’s other Warwick Films releases in February 2026 – hearing Newley putting on an accent took some adjusting to, but he’s great overall as always, and even gets to sing in Spanish.
The action sequences are suitably thrilling when they pop up sporadically throughout the film, including a good car chase through the streets of Spain, and a tense final act on a train (that form of travel that would be well used throughout the 007 series, particularly those produced by Broccoli).
The Man Inside is a really taut British thriller that is well directed by the great John Gilling, and which gets the most out of its location filming and its stars. It’s filled with some good action sequences, gorgeous cinematography and a plot that never lets up. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Film: 
The Man Inside is released on a world premiere limited edition Blu-ray by Powerhouse Films on their Indicator label on 23 February 2026. The high definition remaster looks pretty strong throughout and sounds good too.
Indicator limited edition Blu-ray special features:
High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
Audio commentary with writers Barry Forshaw and Kim Newman (2026)
Vic Pratt on Warwick Films (2026): the film historian looks at the history and output of Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli’s company
Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Steve Chibnall, collections of archival articles on Warwick Films and Jack Palance, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits
World premiere on Blu-ray
Limited edition of 3,000 copies for the UK
The audio commentary with writers Barry Forshaw and Kim Newman covers loads of ground including some gems looking at the links to the 007 films (there’s more than just the producer Albert R. Broccoli), some great insights into scenes, and an infectious look at the film, which made me enjoy it even more. It’s a fantastic commentary.
Film historian Vic Pratt provides a good but brief overview of Warwick Films. Running for 10-minutes and entitled Slam-Bang Entertainment, it covers Cockleshell Heroes, Safari and more. Pratt is always incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic and it’s a really strong but short piece.
The image gallery includes around 70 stills, promo shots, lobby cards and posters, as well as the press book.
The 36-page booklet is typically well appointed by Indicator and lavishly illustrated with black and white images throughout. Steve Chibnall provides a cracking essay to open proceedings covering the background to the making of the film, James Bond links, the actors and crew, and what works and what doesn’t and much more beside. We also get a good piece that contains some background context interspersed with archival interviews and reports, and a similar piece looking at star Jack Palance, while the booklet closes with a look at the critical reception the film received on release.
In closing, Indicator have provided a small but well-formed package for The Man Inside, with a brilliant commentary by Barry Forshaw and Kim Newman, a short but insightful overview of Warwick Films by Vic Pratt and a typically excellent booklet, while the entertaining film itself is given a very good audio-visual presentation.
Disc/Package: