A Prize of Arms

A Prize of Arms

Year: 1962

Runtime: 105 mins

Language: English

Director: Cliff Owen

CrimeDrama

A criminal gang sets out to pull off the heist of a large army payroll.

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Timeline & Setting – A Prize of Arms (1962)

Explore the full timeline and setting of A Prize of Arms (1962). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

World War II

The story unfolds during a wartime mobilization when troops are being prepared for deployment to the Middle East. The period emphasizes routine military discipline, strict security, and covert operations within a busy base. These elements create a tense backdrop for the planned robbery and its aftermath.

Location

Army barracks, Pay corps headquarters, Disused country barn

The action takes place on a British military installation centered on a pay corps headquarters. The base includes disciplined barracks life and security procedures, including vaccinations for Overseas service. The plot moves between the pay HQ, the surrounding barracks, and a secluded country barn used in the escape.

🏰 Military base 🧭 Strategic operations 🪖 Barracks life

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:23

Main Characters – A Prize of Arms (1962)

Meet the key characters of A Prize of Arms (1962), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Capt. James (David Conville)

A base officer representing command and order. He oversees security procedures and responds to anomalies with cautious scrutiny. He anchors the formal, rule-bound world of the base.

🧭 Authority 🥾 Officer

Col. Fowler (John Phillips)

Senior commander embodying the chain of command and strategic oversight. He’s concerned with discipline, readiness, and the flow of operations on the installation.

🗺️ Commander 🧭 Strategy

Maj. Palmer (Frank Gatliff)

A higher-ranking officer who presides over daily base operations. His presence emphasizes hierarchy and the formal handling of security procedures.

🏷️ Officer 🗃️ Administration

Lt. Davies (David Courtney)

A junior officer navigating the pressures of deployment and base duties. He represents the newer generation of service members under stress.

🎯 Officer 🧩 Youth

Sgt. Reeves (Anthony Bate)

A seasoned sergeant who enforces discipline and practical order on the base. He embodies the no-nonsense, procedural side of military life.

🛡️ Non-commissioned officer 🗡️ Discipline

Cpl. Myers (Geoffrey Palmer)

A corporal responsible for routine duties that keep the base functioning. He represents mid-level personnel who maintain security under pressure.

🔧 NCO 🗺️ Routine

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:23

Major Themes – A Prize of Arms (1962)

Explore the central themes of A Prize of Arms (1962), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕵️ Deception

Disguises and misdirection drive the plot as the criminals blend in with soldiers and manipulate base routines. The plan relies on exploiting maintenance work, alarms, and the cover of darkness to stage the heist. Tension arises from distinguishing legitimate duty from calculated cunning.

💰 Greed

The lure of a large pay stash fuels risk and improvisation among the criminals. Wealth becomes a motive that tests loyalty and prompts bold, dangerous moves. The narrative questions whether the pursuit of money justifies the peril.

⚖️ Duty vs Crime

The base's strict code of conduct clashes with the criminals' opportunistic plan. Characters wrestle with loyalty, obedience, and integrity within a hierarchical system. Consequences loom as the pursuit threatens the stability of the camp.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:23

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Methodical Heist Movies That Go Wrong like A Prize of Arms

Carefully planned crimes unravel under pressure, leading to catastrophic consequences.Fans of A Prize of Arms often seek similar movies where a tightly-planned heist unravels. This section features tense crime dramas and bleak capers where meticulous schemes collapse under pressure, leading to desperate survival and grim conclusions. If you liked the steady build and fiery finale of A Prize of Arms, explore these stories of criminal plans meeting catastrophic failure.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically begin with a detailed planning phase, establishing the competence of the criminals. The central conflict arises not from a flawed plan, but from external pressures, bad luck, or internal betrayals that create a domino effect of failure. The narrative arc is one of escalating tension and shrinking options, culminating in a finale where the characters' survival is the final, desperate goal.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared focus on the procedural details of a crime and the subsequent, tension-filled unravelling. They create a specific viewing experience built on methodical pacing, high-stakes tension, and a bleak outlook, where the interest lies in seeing a perfect plan systematically dismantled.

Claustrophobic Crime Pursuits and Tense Manhunts like A Prize of Arms

Stories where the walls close in on criminals during a desperate flight.If you enjoyed the second half of A Prize of Arms, where the heist turns into a frantic chase, this section is for you. Discover movies with a similar vibe of claustrophobic pursuit, where criminals are hunted down in a tense, methodical manhunt. These stories share a feeling of inescapable doom and high-stakes survival against overwhelming odds.

claustrophobictensepursuitoppressiveurgentmanhuntdesperatesurvival

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a pivotal event that turns protagonists from hunters into the hunted. The story then becomes a game of cat-and-mouse, often set in confined or inhospitable environments. The pacing is driven by a relentless forward momentum, focusing on the psychological and physical toll of being pursued, with a climax that resolves the flight, often tragically.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their oppressive, anxious mood and the central theme of pursuit. The similarity lies in the visceral feeling of being trapped and the steady build of tension as the net closes around the characters, prioritizing a tense atmosphere over complex plotting.

Unlock the Full Story of A Prize of Arms

Don't stop at just watching — explore A Prize of Arms in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what A Prize of Arms is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

A Prize of Arms Summary

Read a complete plot summary of A Prize of Arms, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

A Prize of Arms Summary

A Prize of Arms Timeline

Track the full timeline of A Prize of Arms with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

A Prize of Arms Timeline

A Prize of Arms Spoiler-Free Summary

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A Prize of Arms Spoiler-Free Summary

More About A Prize of Arms

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about A Prize of Arms: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

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Discover movies like A Prize of Arms that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.