The Long Arm 1956

Crime

Mystery

Thriller

Runtime

96 mins

Language

English

Directed by

Meredith Edwards

Made by

Ealing Studios

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The Long Arm Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Long Arm (1956). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

During a routine response to a burglar alarm at premises in Long Acre, Central London, the police meet the nightwatchman and search the site, finding nothing amiss. The next day, a safe that had been opened with a key is found emptied. Superintendent Tom Halliday, Jack Hawkins and his new Detective Sergeant Ward, John Stratton, take up the case, convinced the culprit is a meticulous nightwatchman behind a string of break-ins.

Halliday soon deduces that the so-called nightwatchman has pulled off 14 safe-breaking jobs across the country, all on the same model of safe and all completed with genuine keys. A visit to the safe manufacturer yields a list of current and former staff, but everyone is cleared, narrowing the field of suspects. When another safe is breached, a young man on his way to work witnesses the thief climbing over the gate and, in a bid to stop the getaway, is knocked down by the car. The victim dies but manages to pass limited information to the police before his time, and the hit-and-run vehicle is found abandoned in a scrapyard, having been stolen from Mrs Elliot Ursula Howells.

Inside the car they discover a newspaper that points to a North Wales garage and to Mr Gilson, a deceased former employee of the safe manufacturer. Halliday uncovers that there are 28 more safes of the same type hidden around London, and that the thief is being tipped off by an insurance agent about which safes hold significant cash. To trap the culprit, the police arrange with the owner of a Royal Festival Hall safe to stage gala nights that would attract a large sum of cash stored overnight. They tail the insurance agent to a meeting with Mrs Elliot, who is revealed to be Mrs Gilson, the wife of the apparently dead key maker.

As the investigation tightens, Halliday and Ward realize that Gilson faked his own death after years spent making duplicate keys for the safes his company produced. Gilson finally makes a bold move, breaking into the Royal Festival Hall, only to be met by waiting detectives. Mrs Gilson arrives and waits in her car in a nearby car park. After a brief struggle, Gilson punches Ward and tries to flee, but is soon recaptured. In a daring turn, Halliday jumps onto the bonnet of Mrs Gilson’s car and smashes the windscreen to prevent her from steering to an escape route. He is thrown from the bonnet, but the arrest of both Mr and Mrs Gilson brings the case to a close.

The Long Arm Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of The Long Arm (1956) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Police respond to burglar alarm at Long Acre premises

Police attend the premises in Long Acre Central London after a burglar alarm sounds. They meet the nightwatchman and are allowed to search the location. They find nothing amiss, but the incident sets up the later discovery that will trigger the investigation into the safe break-ins.

Night Long Acre, Central London

Next-day discovery of an empty safe

On the next day the safe opened with a genuine key is found empty. The apparent inside job suggests a fraudulent nightwatchman may be involved. Investigators begin to connect the incident to a wider pattern of safe thefts.

The next day Long Acre

Detectives take on the case

Superintendent Tom Halliday and Detective Sergeant Ward take on the case and start scouring for the fraudulent nightwatchman. They assemble timelines and examine patterns across different sites. The investigation expands beyond the initial premises.

Early phase of investigation London

Pattern reveals 14 safe breakings

Halliday concludes the false nightwatchman has carried out 14 safe breaking jobs across the country. All incidents involve the same style of safe and rely on genuine keys. The findings point to an insider with access at multiple locations.

Over the years

Manufacturer visit yields no culprits

A visit to the safe manufacturer yields a list of current and former staff but none are implicated. The cleared staff push the detectives to look for other leads. The mystery deepens as the motive remains unclear.

Soon after initial discovery Safe manufacturer

A new break-in and a deadly hit and run

Another safe is broken into and a young man on the way to work sees the thief climbing over a gate. He tries to stop the thieves but is run over by the getaway car. The victim dies but manages to pass limited information to the police.

During daytime City street near the scene

Car linked to Mrs Elliot and Gilson revealed

The getaway car is traced to Mrs Elliot, wife of a deceased safe key maker. In a scrapyard the car is found and a newspaper inside points investigators to a North Wales garage and to Mr Gilson.

Soon after the hit and run Scrapyard; North Wales

Discovery of more safes in London

Halliday finds there are 28 more safes of the same type in London. The scope of the operation expands, revealing a network of targets.

Investigation phase London

Insurance angle and gala night sting plan

Police learn that the thief is being tipped off by an insurance agent about which safes hold cash. The plan is to coordinate with a safe owner at the Royal Festival Hall to stage gala nights and trap the thief.

During gala nights Royal Festival Hall vicinity

Tailing to a meeting with Mrs Elliot

The team tails the insurance agent to a meeting with Mrs Elliot, later identified as Mrs Gilson. She is the wife of the apparently dead key maker, linking the crime to the family.

Evening London

Gilson's duplicating keys revealed

Halliday and Ward deduce that Gilson faked his death and spent years making duplicate keys for all safes his company produced. The revelation ties together the earlier leads.

Investigation phase Factory/office

Final confrontation at the Royal Festival Hall

Gilson breaks into the Royal Festival Hall, but detectives are waiting. Mrs Gilson arrives and waits in her car in the nearby car park. After a short scuffle, Gilson punches Ward and tries to flee but is recaptured.

Night of the break-in Royal Festival Hall and nearby car park

The Long Arm Characters

Explore all characters from The Long Arm (1956). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Tom Halliday — Jack Hawkins

Supt Tom Halliday is a methodical and persistent leader who coordinates the nationwide investigation into the safe-cracking ring. He relies on steady judgment, cross-checking clues, and calm authority to guide his team.

🧭 Leadership 🕵️ Investigation

Detective Sergeant Ward

Ward is the younger, observant detective who partners with Halliday. He contributes quick thinking under pressure and supports the procedural approach that drives the investigation forward.

🧭 Teamwork 🕵️ Investigation

Gilson (Mr Gilson) — Richard Leech

A former key-maker turned mastermind behind the key duplications; he fakes his own death to evade capture and coordinates the thefts from behind a calm, calculating exterior.

🕵️ Mastermind 🗝️ Fraud

Mrs Gilson (Mrs Elliot) — Ursula Howells

Mrs Gilson is the wife who becomes entangled in her husband’s scam, playing a role in the deception that allows the thefts to continue.

🧩 Deception 🏷️ Cover

Creasey

A shipping-office figure tailed by investigators, representing the network of minor players who help move information and access to the safe locations.

🧭 Infiltration 🕵️ Investigation

The Long Arm Settings

Learn where and when The Long Arm (1956) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

1950s

Set in postwar Britain, the story depicts a London in the 1950s, a period of rapid urban change and evolving policing. The detectives rely on legwork, surveillance, and cross-location coordination to piece together a nationwide series of safe-breakings. The era’s security practices and the use of genuine keys heighten the intrigue and stakes.

Location

Long Acre, Central London, Royal Festival Hall, London, North Wales, Scrapyard

The film unfolds across central London, with Long Acre anchoring the urban crime drama. Much of the action centers on the Royal Festival Hall, a major public venue that also becomes a backdrop for cash handling and high-profile gala nights. The investigation expands to North Wales and a nearby scrapyard, illustrating how the crime network operates beyond the capital.

🗺️ London 🕵️ Urban crime 🎭 Cultural landmarks

The Long Arm Themes

Discover the main themes in The Long Arm (1956). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

🕵️

Investigation

A disciplined police investigation threads together disparate burglaries, tracing patterns and linking clues across cities. Halliday and Ward marshal time, surveillance, and interviews to build a coherent case against a clever fraudster. The partnership demonstrates professional diligence and collective problem-solving under pressure.

🔑

Deception

The criminals rely on forged keys and a staged persona to commit 14 safe-crackings with real keys. Gilson’s fake death and a network of trusted accomplices show how ordinary workers can orchestrate elaborate fraud. The plot turns on misdirection and the thin line between legitimate industry and criminal enterprise.

⚖️

Justice

Evidence accumulates through careful police work, car chase plots, and the eventual capture of Gilson and his wife. The climax links back to the original safe, sealing the case against those who exploited trust and security. The ending reinforces the city's rule of law and the detectives’ perseverance.

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The Long Arm Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of The Long Arm (1956). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In post‑war London’s fog‑filled avenues, a quiet panic spreads as a series of audacious safe‑cracking burglaries rattles the nation. The city’s under‑belly, already bruised by rationing and reconstruction, now trembles under the shadow of crimes that strike at the very heart of its financial confidence. The film captures this atmosphere with a gritty, documentary‑style edge, echoing the procedural realism of classic British thrillers while the bustling streets and dimly lit offices pulse with an almost palpable tension.

Leading the chase is Tom Halliday, a seasoned superintendent whose calm demeanor masks a relentless drive for order, and his newly appointed partner, Ward, an eager detective sergeant whose fresh perspective often challenges traditional methods. Their partnership, built on a mixture of mutual respect and subtle rivalry, propels the investigation forward, each bringing a distinct approach to unraveling the pattern behind the thefts. As they sift through clues and interview witnesses, the duo must balance bureaucratic constraints with the urgency demanded by a public increasingly uneasy about the invisible menace slipping through the city’s locks.

The tone remains tight‑knit and immersive, with rain‑slicked cobblestones and the clang of late‑night factory whistles underscoring every lead. The narrative unfolds like a chess match, its moves hinted at through meticulous police work rather than explosive action, inviting the audience to linger over the subtleties of motive and method. Within this world of methodical pursuit, the detectives walk a fine line between procedural exactness and the unpredictable nature of the criminal mind they chase, setting the stage for a tense, atmospheric race against an unseen adversary.

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