Watched last night

[Joe Fraguela]

Last night I watched House of Secrets from 1956, directed by Guy Green and starring Michael Craig, Julia Arnall, Barbara Bates, Brenda De Banzie, Anton Diffring, Geoffrey Keen, David Kossoff, Eugene Deckers, Gerard Oury & Eric Pohlmann. Michael Craig is mistakenly taken for a known smuggler of counterfeit money who he resembles and is persuaded by Geoffrey Keen to go infiltrate a counterfeit gang. The leaders of the gang include Brenda De Banzie, Anton Diffring, Gerard Oury, although the real mastermind behind the gang is David Kossoff, who works for the same CID department as Geoffrey Keen, although this isn't revealed until near the end of the film, he doublecrosses his own gang, by planting a bomb on a plane where Brenda De Banzie, Anton Diffring, Gerard Oury believe they are flying to Tangiers with the money, Michael Craig has cottoned on to the fact that the money is not on board and while the others squabble and open every package, only to find blank paper, he parachutes out of the plane, before it blows up. I really enjoyed this film, the stunning photography and Paris locations. Top acting honors go to Michael Craig, Brenda De Banzie, Geoffrey Keen and Eric Pohlmann, playing another one of is enjoyable baddie roles.

[batman]

Originally Posted by Joe Fraguela Last night I watched House of Secrets from 1956

Your film collection and mine must be very similar ... another great film!

Bats.

[Harbottle]

Front Page Story (1954). Has anyone worn a cardigan with more aplomb than Jack Hawkins? Reliable Jack stars as a cardy clad news editor where we follow a number of stories in the focus of The Daily Globe. We have it all here a plane crash, boffin up to no good, mother’s life hanging by a thread cue group of mudlark like children brought to the paper (naturally the father is in the Scrubs). A beautiful wife accused of murdering her terminally ill hubby, and to top it all Jack’s marriage is in deep trouble. This may sound rather soapy and I suppose in a way it is but the acting and writing is good with excellent performances from “Sir” Jack, Michael Goodliffe as a hack with a conscience and Derek Farr. 8/10

How to Murder a Rich Uncle (1957) DVD-R. Very amusing black comedy where Henry Clitterburn played by the always excellent Nigel Patrick attempts to bump off wealthy Uncle Charles Coburn visiting from America. A rare directorial outing by Patrick and helped by a superb cast including Wendy Hiller and two wonderful dotties in Athene Seyler and Katie Johnson, plus an early appearance by Michael Caine A delightful way to spend 80 minutes. 9/10

[Steve Crook]

Primo (2007) with Anthony Sher as Primo Levi in a one-man performance based on Levi's If This is a Man.

Essentially a film of the stage show but with a little bit more movement around the set than would really be possible on stage. Very impressive use of lighting on a simple set to give the idea of people and actions around him, with a few "noises off". Directed by Richard (One Foot in the Grave) Wilson as a BBC / HBO production.

What can I say? A stunning piece of work. Based on Levi's incredible book of course so they had a very good starting point. Sher's performance and the design and direction were all superb.

Steve

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

Watched Hammer's 'Dracula Prince of Darkness' last night... my wife had never seen that movie before and really enjoyed it. It was a better movie than I had remembered... last time I saw it was while still a teen.

With the accompanying special features... it was great to learn why Christopher Lee didn't talk... that he thought the dialogue was so corny it would illicit laughter from the audience.

I was hoping against hope, while watching 'The Many Faces of Christopher Lee' to learn why 'I, Monster' wasn't called 'Jekyl and Hyde' and why, among all the other characters, Jekyl and Hyde's names alone were not used. Apparently this puzzles Christopher Lee also... and he never learned why. Ah well.

[Harbottle]

The Man Who Watched the Trains Go By (1952) DVD-R. I was gripped by his Georges Simenon story of meek clerk Claude Rains, and what happens when his quiet world is thrown upside down. Excellent performance by Rains and fine support from Marius Goring, Marta Toren (who tragically would die aged only 31 three years later) and Herbert Lom. Once again though I found the build up to be excellent, but the ending was flat and unsatisfactory, a great pity as this let down an otherwise excellent film. 7/10

[harryfielder]

Today I watched ''The Girl Can't Help It''

Last time I saw this was as a 16 year old in 1956..(it's only me that looks older)

Aitch,

[Joe Fraguela]

Last night I watched What Became of Jack & Jill? from 1971 starring Vanessa Howard, Paul Nicholas, Mona Washbourne & Peter Jeffrey. It starts "Out with the oldies", scrawled on a garden fence. Youth power is here, the burning of an old peoples home, students riots, prying telephone calls, checking up on the ages of householders. The age limit is 80, everyone over that age has their house and possessions taken away by the youth power mobs. Then the age limit is dropped to 75. This is the picture created by Johnny and Jill, played by Paul Nicholas & Vanessa Howard, in their plan to do away with his wealthy Gran, played by Mona Washbourne. Gran has a nasty heart condition which prevents her from going out. So Johnny is subtle in his methods. Jill organises for a rag day to pass by Gran’s house, so to make as much noise as possible, so Gran thinks that the Youth Power are coming to take her away. It all goes according to plan, Gran has a heart attack and dies in the kitchen. However, both Johnny & Jill have their illusions shattered when the solicitor reveals that Johnny can only have the estate and money if he marries someone other than Jill. It appears Gran was not very fond of Jill. Soon afterwards cracks begin to appear in the relationship, Jill decides that Johnny should marry someone so they can then pocket the money later. They both go to a club to hunt for a suitable spouse, when Johnny finds a suitable girl and goes off with her, Jill becomes jealous. It seems that Johnny has become quite attached with his new bride to be and decides it’s time for Jill’s exit. Things turn quite nasty and in a moment of fury she rips Johnny’s arm with a knife, he retaliates by plunging a knife in her stomach. While, he rushes upstairs to get some towels, Jill has crawled out onto the street. A passing motorist stops and the neighbours call for the ambulance and police. Jill looks up and sees the words “Out with the Oldies” scrawled on the garden fence and dies. Johnny closes the door, waiting the police to take him away, he crawls back upstairs crying save me, Gran, save me. The performances aren’t up to much from either Paul Nicholas or Vanessa Howard, however, Mona Washbourne’s performance is much better.

[Hepsville]

Originally Posted by Mr Flash Sullivan likes his horses, so I’d imagine all those scenes were done at his insistence. He even named a racehorse after Playbirds actress Suzy Mandel, despite the fact that the horse in question was a male. A recent episode of BBC’s Hustle, featured an obnoxious porn millionaire with a penchant for racehorses, a coincidence, or maybe not? Watched SWEET BEAT (1958) last night, promoted as a rock and roll musical its more a “young girl from the sticks, comes to the big city and finds its not all its cracked up to be” yarn. Young girl in question being Bonnie Martyn, who gets her first taste of fame by winning a Butlin’s beauty contest. Bonnie however feels “like a joint of meat in a butcher shop window” flashing her legs to bored campers, and has aspirations beyond Butlins. Just as well then that her prize includes train tickets for her and her boyfriend Bill to go to London and record a single. Cue Bonnie and Bill watching lots of acts performing in the recording studio, all lifelessly filmed. There she also meets slick, sweet talking American record producer Dave, who manages to drive a wedge between Bonnie and dumb, slack-jawed Bill and takes her off to New York. Predictably his promises of stardom don’t really come true though he does take her to Times Square to see some more musical acts (the American acts and New York location shots all look suspiciously like stock footage). Dave eventually tries it on with her “alright, I’m a heel, you dumb broad”, Bonnie being a good British girl slaps him around the face, and gets the first plane home. Acting, directing and editing are on the primitive level of a nudist camp film or a skin flick, only here with that raison d’etre never materializing. William Mishkin, the film’s American distributor, must have obviously thought the same since he cut in unrelated striptease sequences for the American release and re-titled the film “The Amorous Sex”. Not very good to be honest, its of minor interest as an early British attempt to emulate an American exploitation film, as well as a snapshot of the pre-Beatles music scene. You can tell from the American acts that rock and roll is coming, but the British acts are very rooted in war era crooning. DVD from “Hepsville Films” a dodgy American public domain outfit, whose company logo is bizarrely the old 1990s logo of our own Bravo satellite channel (remember the one with the fanfare music and floodlit tower). The cheeky swines.

It's nice to see that I am the topic of conversation. I used the bravo filming because it iwas easy to change and put my own writing on because I'm not a very good artist. For everyone's information I am English not American and proud of it.
Also if anyone is not happy with the films that they purchase from me all they have to do is say. Read my ebay feedback and my guestbook and you will see that I aim to please.
Thanyou.

[Joe Fraguela]

Last night I watched I Want What I Want from 1971 starring Anne Heywood, Harry Andrews, Jill Bennett, Michael Coles, Virginia Stride and Paul Rogers. One of the first films to deal with the issue of trans-sexualism. Anne Heywood's performance as the tragic Roy-Wendy is absolutely brilliant. Roy's problem is that he is physically a man but feels like a woman. He is at odds with his army type old father, played by Harry Andrews who thinks that all of Roy's problems can be cured by bringing back National Service. There follows a horrible scene in which Harry Andrews returns back home late one night, with his mistress, or old faithfull as Roy calls her, played by Jill Melford. They find Roy in full make up and wearing one of his dead mother's dresses. They have a terrible argument, where Roy's dad hits him across the face. Roy then runs away and goes to stay at a boarding house where he beings to train himself for the life of a woman, learning how to walk in high heels, growing his hair, sticking false eye lashes etc. He now has become Wendy and starts to live life as a woman and arrives at a boarding house, owed by Jill Bennett & Philip Bond who are both teachers. Also living in the house is a fellow teacher Frank played by Michael Coles who starts to take an interest in Wendy. Wendy isn't prepared for the psychological problems that will occur, however, she does visit a doctor played by Paul Rogers who is very kind and sympathetic and suggests she waits another year before having the operation. Wendy then decides to leave on hearing this Frank goes to her bedroom, where the shocking truth comes out when Frank finds out Wendy is really a man. I won't describe what happens next, suffice to say Wendy wakes up in a hospital bed one year later, the operation has been a success and she is now officially recognised as a woman. The performances throughout the film are superb, Anne Heywood's performance is brilliant and how she did not win a BAFTA is beyond me. Other notable performances include Paul Rogers as the kind sympathetic doctor, Michael Coles and Virginia Stride who plays Shirley, Roy's warm but bewildered sister. An enjoyable film.

[stevie boy]

Originally Posted by Joe Fraguela Last night I watched I Want What I Want from 1971 starring Anne Heywood, Harry Andrews, Jill Bennett, Michael Coles, Virginia Stride and Paul Rogers. One of the first films to deal with the issue of trans-sexualism. Anne Heywood's performance as the tragic Roy-Wendy is absolutely brilliant. Roy's problem is that he is physically a man but feels like a woman. He is at odds with his army type old father, played by Harry Andrews who thinks that all of Roy's problems can be cured by bringing back National Service. There follows a horrible scene in which Harry Andrews returns back home late one night, with his mistress, or old faithfull as Roy calls her, played by Jill Melford. They find Roy in full make up and wearing one of his dead mother's dresses. They have a terrible argument, where Roy's dad hits him across the face. Roy then runs away and goes to stay at a boarding house where he beings to train himself for the life of a woman, learning how to walk in high heels, growing his hair, sticking false eye lashes etc. He now has become Wendy and starts to live life as a woman and arrives at a boarding house, owed by Jill Bennett & Philip Bond who are both teachers. Also living in the house is a fellow teacher Frank played by Michael Coles who starts to take an interest in Wendy. Wendy isn't prepared for the psychological problems that will occur, however, she does visit a doctor played by Paul Rogers who is very kind and sympathetic and suggests she waits another year before having the operation. Wendy then decides to leave on hearing this Frank goes to her bedroom, where the shocking truth comes out when Frank finds out Wendy is really a man. I won't describe what happens next, suffice to say Wendy wakes up in a hospital bed one year later, the operation has been a success and she is now officially recognised as a woman. The performances throughout the film are superb, Anne Heywood's performance is brilliant and how she did not win a BAFTA is beyond me. Other notable performances include Paul Rogers as the kind sympathetic doctor, Michael Coles and Virginia Stride who plays Shirley, Roy's warm but bewildered sister. An enjoyable film.

I remember seeing this film as part of a double bill with Staircase(burton & Harrison), intersting film. I still cannot believe that Harry Andrews was homosexual that was one of the most surprising things that I had ever heard. Not judging or anything like that but it is completely at odds with his screen persona. Also Nigel Green was another.

[Joe Fraguela]

Originally Posted by stevie boy I remember seeing this film as part of a double bill with Staircase(burton & Harrison), intersting film. I still cannot believe that Harry Andrews was homosexual that was one of the most surprising things that I had ever heard. Not judging or anything like that but it is completely at odds with his screen persona. Also Nigel Green was another.

Yes I quite agree, still in those days, many actors were afraid of coming-out so to speak. Normally, Harry Andrews was cast as the gruff, stern army-type guy. Although, he did star in Enertaining Mr Sloane in 1970 as a homosexual.

[Harbottle]

The City of the Dead (1960) According to IMDB this was the first production by Amicus when known as Vulcan Productions, and rather good it is too. A tale of witchcraft in New England where director John L Moxey creates a creepy atmosphere, the acting honours go to a particularly sinister Patricia Jessel, with excellent support from Christopher Lee and Valentine Dyall. The pace of the film is maintained nicely with an excellent climax. Pity about the tacky renaming for the US market “Horror Hotel” though which is the version I have. 7/10

[batman]

Oh Mr Porter. Classic Will Hay. Genuinely funny with a host of great performances.

Bats.

[John Llewellyn Moxey]

Originally Posted by Harbottle The City of the Dead (1960) According to IMDB this was the first production by Amicus when known as Vulcan Productions, and rather good it is too. A tale of witchcraft in New England where director John L Moxey creates a creepy atmosphere, the acting honours go to a particularly sinister Patricia Jessel, with excellent support from Christopher Lee and Valentine Dyall. The pace of the film is maintained nicely with an excellent climax. Pity about the tacky renaming for the US market “Horror Hotel” though which is the version I have. 7/10

I am glad you liked it...My first feature length film!!

John