No Trees in the Street

No Trees in the Street

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1959
Key people	J. Lee Thompson (director), Ted Willis (screenwriter), Sylvia Syms (actor), Herbert Lom (actor), Melvyn Hayes (actor)
Products	Crime thriller film

No Trees in the Street is a 1959 British crime thriller helmed by director J. Lee Thompson, featuring performances from Sylvia Syms, Herbert Lom, and Melvyn Hayes. Adapted by Ted Willis from his 1948 theatrical work, the film exposes the stark conditions of London's impoverished neighborhoods through the journey of Tommy, a destitute youth who resorts to criminal activity in pursuit of upward social mobility.

Representing British kitchen sink realism, the movie is recognized for its authentic portrayal of life within urban slums.

Plot

The story unfolds through the perspective of Frank, an undercover policeman who harbors feelings for Hett, as he narrates past events to a rebellious youngster named Kenny.

Set against the backdrop of London’s slums before World War II, Tommy becomes entangled in crime under the sway of Wilkie, a local crime boss who wields power over the community and Tommy’s family. Tommy’s sister Hetty briefly becomes involved with Wilkie but ends their relationship after he publicly degrades her to assert dominance.

The film follows Tommy’s progression from minor thefts to committing murder. It concludes with Hetty and Frank married and residing in a newly built council flat following the demolition of the slums.

Cast

• Sylvia Syms as Hetty
• Herbert Lom as Wilkie
• Melvyn Hayes as Tommy
• Ronald Howard as Frank
• Stanley Holloway as Kipper
• Joan Miller as Jess
• Liam Redmond as Bill
• David Hemmings as Kenny
• Carole Lesley as Lova
• Lily Kann as Mrs Jacobson
• Lloyd Lamble as Superintendent
• Campbell Singer as Inspector
• Marianne Stone as Mrs. Jokel
• Rita Webb as Mrs. Brown
• Lana Morris as Marje

Production

Willis described the narrative as "loosely inspired by individuals I encountered during my childhood in Tottenham’s grim backstreets," crafted to "exorcise certain ghosts." Principal photography commenced on 10 March 1958. Following initial screenings, additional scenes were incorporated at both the beginning and end, depicting the detective marrying Hetty. Willis mentioned that a minor part was allocated to the mistress of a senior executive at Associated British.

Willis, Thompson, and Syms had previously worked together on Woman in a Dressing Gown (1957) and Ice Cold in Alex (1958). Although Associated British agreed to fund this project, they stipulated that earnings from Woman in a Dressing Gown be withheld to compensate for any financial shortfall incurred by No Trees in the Street.

Box office

According to Willis, the film "did not achieve the commercial success of Woman in a Dressing Gown." While it performed moderately well, it took several years before it recouped its expenses. Willis waited two to three years to receive deferred payments, ultimately earning less than £1,000 from his profit share across both films over a decade.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin critiqued the adaptation for diminishing the structural strength found in the original play, attributing this partly to censorship constraints, sensationalist elements, and what it considered excessive direction by Lee-Thompson. The cinematography effectively conveyed bleakness but was regarded as the sole authentic component.

Variety commended Willis’s empathetic script addressing working-class struggles and noted compelling performances by Syms and Lom. David Quinlan classified it as "mediocre," pointing out exaggerated direction and acting.

TV Guide remarked on contrived plot points and stereotypical characters but praised Syms’s nuanced portrayal alongside Holloway’s engaging comedic role. The filming captured slum environments with a documentary-like quality, though these strengths were overshadowed by other shortcomings.

Time Out described it as an unexceptional "we had it tough" drama released during kitchen sink realism’s emergence. Leslie Halliwell dismissed it as an artificial effort resembling a London-set remake of Love on the Dole.

The Radio Times Guide to Films awarded 2/5 stars, labeling Willis’s sentimental adaptation outdated compared to contemporary British kitchen sink cinema. Herbert Lom’s threatening presence was weakened by melodramatic performances from Syms and Hayes.

External links

• No Trees in the Street on Letterboxd
• No Trees in the Street featured at ReelStreets