Freelance – 1970 | 91 mins | Thriller | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Largely ignored for decades, Francis Megahy’s ‘Freelance’ is an undemanding serviceable thriller set against the seamy underworld of crooked business deals and small-time gangsters in 70s West London. The films gritty atmosphere is augment by some good action sequences and low-key location shooting. Ian Mcshane convincingly portrays a likeable wide-boy attempting to go legitimate with a final shady deal. Attractive Texan Gayle Hunnicutt as the admirable love interest gradually tiring of his roguish antics, whilst Keith Barron is his credibly smarmy but reliable best friend.

Small-time conman, Robin Mitchell (Ian McShane), is showing blue movies to earn a crust but attempts to clinch a crooked West Indies land deal that would finally set him up as a businessman and placate his unhappy girlfriend, Chris (Gayle Hunnicutt). His plans are disrupted when he encounters what appears to be a random street mugging and gives chase to the assailant. In fact, Mitch unwitting disrupted a piece of gangland retribution, and after the victim subsequently dies, the gangster (Peter Gilmore) despatches his henchman, Dean (Alan Lake), to silence Mitch – permanently. A game of cat-and-mouse ensues as Mitch attempts to tie-up his deal and avoid the hitman on his tail, but after a close scrape in his flat, the roguish wheeler-dealer moves into a grubby flat in an anonymous boarding house. Mitch relies on best pal Gary (Keith Barron) to act as go-between in completing his business deal, but with hitman Dean getting ever closer he has to prepare to defend himself.