The action mainly takes place in Angelo's coffee bar in Soho, a place of bentwood chairs and red checked tablecloths, spivs, teenage delinquents, a wise fatherly policeman, prostitutes (some retired), a medical student turned artist and a newspaperman - Bill Scott, played by Richard Murdoch (future partner of Kenneth Horne and voicer of the Moomins).
One night at about three in the morning, while Scott is on the trail of a local strangler, a nice young girl, Susan, wanders in. She's been at a party, and then got taken on to a dubious club by a boyfriend. She didn't think much of it and left, but now finds herself stuck in Soho. Back then there was no transport at night, and it would be too late for a hotel, but there were such things as all-night cafes.
Susan is welcomed by Bill Scott and Simon, the artist. After an initial quarrel, she also chums up with the prostitute, Julie, who offers her a bed for the night. Bill says he'll take her with him on the following night's search for clues.
They go on a tour of a multi-ethnic Soho where everybody mucks in, and dances despite the venue's lack of a licence. Stolen goods change hands, and a Marxist explains that "what's mine is mine and what's yours in mine." "What a twerp!" observes his victim.
Of course there's another murder, and it all starts to get rather close to home...
A lovely film. But as Julie says, "You have to know when to get out of Soho." Still true!
