Directed by Basil Dearden and written by Jack Whittingham, the love that Judy, a young painter, feels for Alan, a promising doctor to whom she is engaged, falters when Bill, an old friend, suddenly appears. Starring: Jean Simmons, David Farrar, James Donald, Madeleine Lebeau, Herbert Lom, Bernard Lee, Harcourt Williams and Maria Mauban.

Dramas in the 1950s were just something else, it’s like every move no matter how small was a life and death matter, every reaction is bigger, it’s all utterly theatrical. Cage of Gold is a pretty perfect example of that because while arguably not that much actually happens, every moment is draped with tension and suspense. Something that Basil Dearden achieves from start to finish, qualities that are certainly improved by the new restorative work. They’re especially strong as there are some dour clouds hanging over the story’s head, which is an advantage and disadvantage.

It works well and keeps Cage of Gold from letting the romance angle run away from itself, but there’s something quite cold and calculated about the tone and progression. While Jean Simmons’ Judith is an easy character to follow with a good amount of intrigue, her plight never quite builds a heart to the film. It feels as though everything is at arm’s length rather than making you truly root for Judith’s happiness. Part of that is because so much of the story hinges upon such a petty, manipulative and coercive character, yet he’s not really villainous enough. As well as the fact that his actions are never well disguised as romantic.

David Farrar’s performance is still great but it simply doesn’t feel like his character has that much to offer. While James Donald’s Alan did but unfortunately wasn’t given that much to do, ending up more a bystander. Which is why the success of Cage of Gold hinges upon Jean Simmons and she gives an excellent performance, creating a strong female lead. She does fall into a lot of the usual traps but Simmons makes her resilient and headstrong. Madeleine Lebeau also provides us with a fierce yet desperate lioness, struggling to hold onto what she thinks is hers.

While we’re still very obsessed with drama in the modern day, nobody can quite pull off that heightened theatrical style that the 20^th Century did so well. Cage of Gold has a superb dramatic atmosphere and plenty of tension and suspense to boot but the story can feel lacking. Although it does undoubtedly give itself a nice and neatly wrapped up ending which is quite satisfying, so bonus points for that. As well as being led by a terrific performance from Jean Simmons and a Herbert Lom cameo never hurt any film.

Verdict: ✯✯✯ | 6/10

New 4K Restoration available from 16 September on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital as part of StudioCanal’s Vintage Classics Collection