THE DIAMOND

The Diamond Wizard (United Artists, 1954). Half Sheet (22" X 28 ...

GB
1954
1hr 23mins
Dir: Montgomery Tully
Starring: Dennis O’Keefe and Margaret Sheridan

A gang pulls off a heist to acquire freshly minted dollars and a US Treasury Agent pursues their trail to London

This film noir crime movie has the distinction of being the UK’s first 3D film, though according to the British Film Institute, it was shown in 3D format only once, and as late as September 2006. The film is based on the 1952 novel Rich is the Treasure by Maurice Procter and was released in the US as The Diamond Wizard. It features a shoot-out scene at night that was filmed in the booking hall of St. John’s Wood Underground station.

The booking hall of St. John’s Woods Underground station
Dennis O’Keefe shoots the killer of his pal in the circulating area at the top of the escalators of St. John’s Wood
Philip Friend and Dennis O’Keefe outside the by now familiar building of St. John’s Wood Underground station. This was a part of the Bakerloo Line at the time of filming, but was transferred to the Jubilee Line in 1979. The station has appeared in at least four other films.