The Criminal (1960) Plot Summary Explained

Bannion refuses to disclose the money's location because he knows it is the only leverage he has against the criminals who double-crossed him. By keeping silent, he maintains power in a situation where he has been stripped of freedom and control. His silence also reflects a code of loyalty among criminals, he won't cooperate with those who betrayed him, even under pressure from both the outside world and prison authorities.

• bannion money silence double-cross loyalty

The prison riot is not a spontaneous event, it is deliberately orchestrated by Bannion using the £40,000. He pays for the chaos and for a 'fast car' to be waiting during his transfer. The riot creates the perfect distraction for authorities, allowing the planned escape to unfold. When Bannion opens the door for guards during the riot, he earns the governor's favor and secures a transfer to lower security, which is exactly where his conspirators are waiting to spring him.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Saffron and Bannion whispering during Sunday mass, plotting how to leverage the money once outside.

• prison riot escape plan car transfer

Bannion's own associates double-cross him after the successful racetrack heist. Word spreads that he is responsible for the robbery, and rather than protecting him, his fellow criminals betray him to authorities. The double-cross returns him to prison, where he becomes trapped between rival prison factions and outside criminals both demanding the money.

• betrayal associates racetrack heist double-cross

The 'fast car' is part of the escape arrangement Bannion arranges from inside prison. He uses £40,000 to fund both the prison riot and the external rescue operation. During his transfer, a car arrives and crashes into the prison van, driving it off the road to free him. However, this rescue is itself another double-cross, the criminals holding his girlfriend Suzanne use the escape to trap him.

Foreshadowing: Saffron and Bannion discuss leveraging outside deals during Sunday mass, showing the escape was planned long before the riot.

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The inmates boo Bannion because he betrayed the prison community by opening the door to let the guards back in during the riot. In the hierarchical world of prison, helping authorities restore control is seen as a betrayal of fellow inmates. Despite his criminal reputation, Bannion's action of aiding the governor marks him as a 'snitch' in the eyes of other prisoners, earning their contempt.

• inmates boo betrayal prison snitch

Italian mob boss Frank Saffron takes Bannion under his protection when he arrives at the prison, using his influence to move Bannion to a different cell block. Saffron claims religious devotion as a Catholic to secure the cell transfer, creating a space where they can plot together. He acts as the intermediary between Bannion and the outside world, negotiating deals tied to the stolen £40,000.

• frank saffron protection prison mob boss cell block

The location of the £40,000 remains a mystery that dies with Bannion. He is shot during the escape attempt and dies in a snowy field before he can reveal where the money is hidden. The film closes with the money's location never disclosed, leaving the stolen loot unaccounted for and ensuring the futility of Bannion's entire criminal endeavor.

Foreshadowing: Bannion's refusal to reveal the money's location throughout the film builds toward this unresolved ending.

• money hidden location dies unrevealed

Bannion dies from gunshot wounds sustained during the final chase before he can say where he hid the £40,000. His death is intentional to the film's cynical worldview, he survives the prison system, the riots, and multiple betrayals only to die in a snowy field, taking the secret of the money to his grave. The timing of his death ensures the money's location remains forever unknown.

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