stevie boy

Ill Met by Moonlight, not a classic, but much to admire and enjoyable and Timeline which is time travel adventure with Billy Connolly in it, I usually love these films but I thought this was rather disappointing.

Joe Fraguela

Another cluster of british b-movies last night kicking off with Lady Of Vengeance from 1957 starring Dennis O'Keefe, Ann Sears, Anton Diffring, Patrick Barr, Frederick Schiller, Eileen Elton, Jacqueline Curtis, Gerald Case, Vernon Greeves and G H Mulcaster. A good storyline.

Following on was Meet Mr Callaghan from 1954 starring Derrick De Marney, Harriette Johns, Peter Neil, Adrienne Corri, Delphi Lawrence, Belinda Lee, John Longden, Larry Burns, Trevor Reid, Roger Williams and Robert Adair. An entertaining murder mystery story with a highly amusing performance from Derrick De Marney as Slim Callaghan the Private Investigator. One of the best british b movies from the 1950's.

Lastly was Blood Orange from 1953 starring Tom Conway, Mila Parely, Eric Pohlmann, Naomi Chance, Richard Wattis, Eileen Way, Michael Ripper, Delphi Lawrence, Andrew Osborn, Margaret Halstan, Roger Delgado and Reed De Rouen. Released by Exclusive Films, Tom Conway plays a Private Detective brought in to discover the theft of some Jewels from a fashion house in London, soon various murders are committed. Another highly entertaining b-film from Exclusive Films.

Steve Crook

Now Ill Met by Moonlight with Dirk Bogarde and Billy Connolly, that could be interesting
Billy could have done Cyril Cusack's role as Sandy, the radio operator. That was played mainly for laughs

Steve

Third Man

Knight Without Armour (1937) Jacques Feyder

I'll watch anything with Marlene Dietrich in and although I thought this spy caper during the Russian revolution was a tad dull in some parts, other parts of it came over like high art.

The overall feeling I got from it though was of an adventurous, pompous and highly evocative affair of the time and circumstances it portrayed and it is quite overwhelming by the end as a bit of bizarre baroque melodramatic story telling. Robert Donat offers another compelling and interesting take on the quintessential British public servant, he's one of my favourite British film stars of the past, pure class.

Simon

batman

An exciting entry in the Edgar Wallace series ... A Man Detained with Paul Stassino as a murderous counterfeiter. A good plot and some fine acting lift make this one an above average entry in the series. Michael Coles also appears to good effect.

Now that Secret Agent X-9 has seen off The Hun it's the turn of Kirk Alyn's Superman to take a bow. An excellent serial this with some good animated special effects.

I wish I had claws.

lordtednfs

Last night I watched Fantabulosa, which is about the excellent Kenneth Williams and the story of his life.

I was totally mesmorised from start to finish and to be honest wanted more. Michael Sheen was just brilliant and portrayed Ken perfectly, with passion and anguish that made you want to laugh and cry at the same time. Brilliantly written and excellently portrayed by all.

The last few months has been brilliant tv, biographically speaking, with the following:

Fantabulosa
Hughie Green - Most sincerely, excellently portrayed by Trevor Eve
Hancock & Joan
Rather You Than Me - Frankie Howerd

More of the same please.

____________________
Hooked off the line

smudge

Last night - DEADLIER THAN THE MALE, starring Richard Johnson and Nigel Green. This Jimmy Sangster devised 60s spoof in the wake of 007 was far less camp than I remembered it - a much straighter film that the sequel, Some Girls Do. Nigel Green is excellent in sub-Ipcress mode as the meglomaniac villain in the typical cliff-top lair, surrounded by a bevy of leathal beauties.

A nice little sparring relationship was written for the principal villainesses, ably played by Elke Sommer and the pert Sylva Koscina - a nice touch of humour comes out of this female rivalry.

Some nice Bondian-style imagery, especially the computerised to-the-death chess game, make this whole thing an enjoyable romp.

=======

Tonight - IN BRUGES, currently playing in cinemas everywhere. This is a debut film for the director and a darned good one at that. It is a good character study of the lives and morality of three hitmen; the established gang leader, who only gets his hands dirty when he absolutely has to, the senior hitman who has worked for him down the line, and the rookie.

The action takes places in the visually stunning Belgian medieval city of Bruges, where the two hitmen have been sent by the boss to cool their heels after a botched job in London. It soon becomes apparent that they are not just there for the sightseeing as the plot takes a few interesting twists.

Set around Christmas, the film is nicely shot in a golden-to-near sepia palette. It boasts a good performance by Colin Farell as the rookie, but some playing from Brendan Gleeson which is head and shoulders above that as the seasoned killer. Well worth a view IMHO...

Smudge

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

Steve Crook

It's a one-off. Except that it's being repeated!
Sunday 27 April at 8pm on BBC4

Set your recorders for one of the best documentaries of the year - so far

Steve

CaptainWaggett

Hopefully Blue Peter will take up the challenge so start collecting corrugated cardboard and lolly sticks now!

Third Man

You can also watch it on the BBC iPlayer over the next five days here:

BBC iPlayer - How to Build a Cathedral

Simon

Joe Fraguela

Last night a further trio of british b-movies starting with Death In High Heels from 1947 starring Don Stannard, Elsa Tee, Patricia Laffan, Diana Wong, Nora Gordon, Veronica Rose, Denise Anthony, Bill Hodge, Kenneth Harrington and Leslie Spurling. Made by Marylebone/Hammer films it concerns a murder mystery story set in a London fashion boutique. Some funny dialogue scenes.

Following on was The Diplomatic Corpse from 1958 released by A.C.T Films and starring Robin Bailey, Susan Shaw, Harry Fowler, Liam Redmond, Charles Farrell, Andre Mikhelson, Maya Koumani and Bill Shine. An enjoyable detective story with some humerous performances from Robin Bailey & Susan Shaw who are reporters for a main newspaper investigating murder and dope smuggling involving foreign embassy staff. Harry Fowler as the cockney spiv Knocker Parsons is a delight.

Lastly was Dial 999 from 1955 starring Gene Nelson, Mona Freeman, John Bentley, Michael Goodliffe, Paula Byrne, Charles Victor, Sydney Tafler, Michael Golden, Arthur Lovegrove, Cyril Chamberlain and Kay Callard. Another enjoyable b-film from Anglo Amalgamated with some very good performances especially from Mona Freeman. Some nice London location filming as well.

Joe Fraguela

Another night's viewing of british b-movies starting off with The Brain Machine from 1955 released by Anglo Amalgamated and starring Elizabeth Allan, Maxwell Reed, Patrick Barr, Russell Napier, Vanda Godsell, Gibb McLaughlin, Neil Hallett, John Horsley, Bill Nagy, Edwin Richfield and a very young Anthony Valentine. It concerns a doctor played by Elizabeth Allan who is taken hostage by a drug smuggler whom she has diagnosed as psychotic played by Maxwell Reed. Her estranged husband also a doctor played by Patrick Barr has to find her before the smuggling gang find him and kill them both. A good exciting crime film.

Following on was The Lost Hours from 1952 released by Tempean/Eros and starring Mark Stevens, Jean Kent, John Horsley, John Bentley, Dianne Foster, Garry Marsh, Curil Smith, Thora Hird, Bryan Coleman, Leslie Perrins, Duncan Lamont, John Harvey, Hal Osmond, Jack Lambert and Sam Kydd. Another entertaining and fast paced b-film. Jean Kent is a delight.

Next up was The Man Who Was Nobody from 1960 an Edgar Wallace Mystery film released by Anglo Amalgamated starring the late Hazel Court alongside John Crawford, Lisa Daniely, Paul eddington, Kevin Stoney, Jack Watson, Vanda Godsell, Robert Dorning, William Abney and Arnold Diamond. The lovely Hazel Court plays Marjorie Stedman an ex reporter turned private detective hired to find a missing man.

Lastly was Assignment Redhead from 1956 released by Butchers Films and starring Richard Denning, Carole Matthews, Ronald Adam, Brian Worth, Hugh Moxey, Danny Green, Jan Holden, Bill Nagy, Peter Swanwick, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Elwyn Brook-Jones, Paul Hardtmuth and Robert O'Neil. Another fast paced and highly entertaining b-film concerning counterfeit money and murder. Interesting to see Ronald Adam who normally played figures of authority play the criminal mastermind villain Dumetrius who is assisted by his chief henchman Yotti Blum played by Danny Green

batman

What a coincidence Joe ... I watched The Man Who Was Nobody as well. I thought it was OK, not a top-notch EW film but well worth watching. I also watched 13 Lead Soldiers with Tom Conway as Bulldog Drummond. Again it was OK with Tom giving his usual entertaining performance.

ps - Max gives one of his best performances in The Brain Machine

I wish I had claws.

CaptainWaggett

More Robert Donat at the NFT. Last night's offering was Perfect Strangers which was popular enough for us to be transferred to the largest screen. Great little film with excellent performances from Donat in full Mr Chips mode and Deborah Kerr who actually manages to look dowdy at the start, plus Glynis Johns and Roland Culver. Deserves to be much better known.

wadsy

"Two o.clock courage"1945 ( another one i taped of the telly)

Tom Conway & Ann Rutherford ( the cutest taxi driver ever!!)

A short film, but a nice chemistry between the two leads made

it very enjoyable!