Watched last night

[Greyandwhite]

Death At A Funeral. Poor, really quite poor. Mayhem, nudity, drugs, faeces, person of restricted height. Jane Asher, Peter Vaughan. So much potential; so little achievement.

[suzepulcheria]

I watched "King Arthur was a Gentleman"- Arthur Askey 1942. Weird and wonderful. I know most of you would say it was feeble, but I enjoyed it. (Saddo).

[John Llewellyn Moxey]

Originally Posted by Greyandwhite Death At A Funeral. Poor, really quite poor. Mayhem, nudity, drugs, faeces, person of restricted height. Jane Asher, Peter Vaughan. So much potential; so little achievement.

Thank goodness we all have differing levels of appreciation.

John

[smudge]

Originally Posted by suzepulcheria I watched "King Arthur was a Gentleman"- Arthur Askey 1942. Weird and wonderful. I know most of you would say it was feeble, but I enjoyed it. (Saddo).

Nothing wrong with a bit of Big-Hearted Arthur now and then Suze!

Fondly remembered early morning BBC2 school summer holidays films those...

Ay thang yew!!

Smudge

[smudge]

ALFIE DARLING (1975) Simply because it was on Film 24 the other day and I recorded it...

Ken Hughes' follow up to the original Michael Caine film is not a patch on the original. Not that it ever stood a chance, with the badly miscast Alan Price in the lothario lead. Is it me or does he always walk with his head slightly to one side - perhaps to keep his floppy fringe out of his eyes?

The film comes in the wake of the first Confessions movie, so for the first three quarters of the running time it is all boobs and bums, which were (apparently) the main drivers of British films of the period. At least that's what everyone says kept the studios afloat back then.

Then suddenly Alfie falls in love and on the back of all this subtextual misogynistic behaviour we have a besotted and vulnerable romantic lead. The film is wrung out for an emotional climax (which to some extent reads 'know your place') in a sudden and unexpected ending which almost verges into Norman Wisdom territory with the sudden plummet into pathos.

Perhaps the only redeeming feature of Alfie Darling is the presence of the lovely Jill Townsend who (Mrs. Smudge tells me) actually got together with Mr. Price for some time subsequently...

Smudge

[Joe Fraguela]

Last night I watched the delightful The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp from 1954 starring Diane Cilento, Felix Aymler, Joe Linnane, Sheila Sweet, Jerry Desmonde, Alfie Bass, Philip Guard, David Kossoff, Genitha Halsey, Edward Evans, Elaine Wodson and Maurice Kaufmann.

Diane Cilento plays The Angel who is despatched to Islington, London with her Harp to do good amongst some of the residents of Islington. In order to raise money though she has to pawn her Harp at the shop which Joshua Wenman owns played by Felix Aymler.

A truly delightful film. The film was partly shot near The Angel, Islington, London and I believe Harringay Greyhound Stadium, now long gone.

Lastly, one of my all time personal favourite films Pool of London from 1950 starring
Susan Shaw, Bonar Colleano, Earl Cameron, Moira Lister, Joan Dowling, Renee Asheron, Max Adrian, Alfie Bass, James Robertson-Justice, Michael Golden, John Longden, Leslie Phillips and Russell Waters.

The Dunbar has just docked into the Pool of London on Friday and tells the story of Dan McDonald, a crew member, played by Bonar Colleano who is just a petty smuggler but gets involved in a more serious crime. Another crew member Johnny Lambert played by Earl Cameron meets Pat, played by the lovely Susan Shaw who works in an enteratinment Theatre.

Some very good use of London locations showing a post war London as was, the hustle and the bustle of The London Docks, Trams, Camberwell Palace etc. Some excellent performances.

A highly enjoyable film which deserves a proper DVD release.

[batman]

Pool of London is a genuine British classic.

[Joe Fraguela]

Originally Posted by batman Pool of London is a genuine British classic.

It most definitely is. I can't understand why it's never been released on DVD.

[ollie]

Originally Posted by smudge ALFIE DARLING (1975) Simply because it was on Film 24 the other day and I recorded it... Ken Hughes' follow up to the original Michael Caine film is not a patch on the original. Not that it ever stood a chance, with the badly miscast Alan Price in the lothario lead. Is it me or does he always walk with his head slightly to one side - perhaps to keep his floppy fringe out of his eyes? The film comes in the wake of the first Confessions movie, so for the first three quarters of the running time it is all boobs and bums, which were (apparently) the main drivers of British films of the period. At least that's what everyone says kept the studios afloat back then. Then suddenly Alfie falls in love and on the back of all this subtextual misogynistic behaviour we have a besotted and vulnerable romantic lead. The film is wrung out for an emotional climax (which to some extent reads 'know your place') in a sudden and unexpected ending which almost verges into Norman Wisdom territory with the sudden plummet into pathos. Perhaps the only redeeming feature of Alfie Darling is the presence of the lovely Jill Townsend who (Mrs. Smudge tells me) actually got together with Mr. Price for some time subsequently... Smudge

I too watched this, enjoyed the scenery,What were they thinking with alan price ? he did write the feeeme tune,but i didnt get the pathos at the end because i fell ..............zzzzzzzzzzz

cheers Ollie.

[wadsy]

Three episodes of "Sir Francis Drake". Brilliant!!

I have not seen this show since the early 60's. I got the complete series.

Terence Morgan is a great leading man, a teenage gangly Michael Crawford

& the beautiful Jean Kent co-star. Some very young famous faces among

the cast. Production values pretty good for its age . Terrific!!

[stevie boy]

Originally Posted by batman Pool of London is a genuine British classic.

I believe it is the last film to feature trams

[stevie boy]

the Hero's of Telemark(again) I wonder if this inspired Where Eagles Dare?? good film btw

[batman]

Where Eagles Dare is from an Alastair MacLean novel, I have never seen the novel linked to the Telemark story.

This is from Wikipedia ...

History:
The driving force behind the film was Richard Burton's son, who wanted to see his father in a good, old-fashioned adventure war movie. Burton approached producer Elliott Kastner for ideas, who consulted with MacLean. At that time, most of MacLean's novels had either been made into films, or were in the process of being filmed, nevertheless, Kastner persuaded MacLean to write a new story; six weeks later, MacLean delivered the script of Where Eagles Dare. The title derives from Act I, Scene III in William Shakespeare's Richard III: "The world is grown so bad, that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch".

[stevie boy]

Originally Posted by batman Where Eagles Dare is from an Alastair MacLean novel, I have never seen the novel linked to the Telemark story. This is from Wikipedia ... History: The driving force behind the film was Richard Burton's son, who wanted to see his father in a good, old-fashioned adventure war movie. Burton approached producer Elliott Kastner for ideas, who consulted with MacLean. At that time, most of MacLean's novels had either been made into films, or were in the process of being filmed, nevertheless, Kastner persuaded MacLean to write a new story; six weeks later, MacLean delivered the script of Where Eagles Dare. The title derives from Act I, Scene III in William Shakespeare's Richard III: "The world is grown so bad, that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch".

cheers Bats, good story. My boy said that The Telemark film was a rip off of WED and then I told him that it was made first. Both films have a similar feel and of course Snow

[penfold]

Trawling through some Richard Greene Robin Hoods....great casting in the supporting roles; John Longden (Silent era veteran) as Norman baddy of the week for three weeks on the trot, each differentiated only by ludicrous facial hair, but he's fine....Nicholas Parsons as a Norman Knight anyone?? And, as two kids left to to fend for themselves, Peter (and Gordon) Asher and his ten-year-old sister Jane...