Joe Fraguela

Last night I watched the following:-

The Hideout from 1956 starring Dermot Walsh, Rona Anderson, Ronald Howard, Sam Kydd, Richard Shaw, Edwin Richfield, Trevor Reid, Frank Hawkins, Jessica Cairns and Howard Lang. A very enjoyable b-film concerning a gang of thieves who steal furs which have deadly Anthrax. A very good cast and good use of London locations especially, the old London Docks.

Following on was Wheel of Fate from 1953 released by Rank Films starring Patric Doonan, Sandra Dorne, Bryan Forbes, John Horsley, Martin Benson, Bartlett Mullins, Johnnie Schofield, Cyril Smith and Frederick Treves. Patric Doonan plays Johnny Burrows who works in his ivalid father's garage trying to keep his half brother Ted, played by Bryan Forbes on the straight and narrow. Ted gets himself involved with a girl called Lucky Price played by the gorgeous Sandra Dorne, but she quickly finds she is more attracted to the quiet and reliable Johnny. Another enjoyable b-film.

Lastly was Escort for Hire from 1960 released by the Danzigier Brothers and starring June Thorburn, Noel Trevarthen, Guy Middleton, Mary Laura Wood, Jan Holden, Patricia Plunkett, Jill Melford, Pete Murray, Peter Butterworth, Derek Blomfield and Bruce Beeby. Steve played by Noel Trevarthen and Buzz played by Pete Murray are struggling actors who to earn some extra cash decide to enrol with an escort agency, the owner of the agency Terry is played by June Thorburn. Soon, one the ladies that Steve has been escorting is found murdered. He sets about clearing his name and finding the real culprit. An interesting and enjoyable story.

CaptainWaggett

The Hollywood Librarian, a, er, Hollywood film all about librarians. It was most excellent.

Windthrop

The Four-Sided Triangle - interesting but not spectacular early Hammer scifi. Nice to see James Hayter in a leading role. Not great but worth a look. From a long forgotten British scifi writer William F Temple.

Thats the joke that killed the Music Hall !

Harbottle

Some recently viewed offerings:

The Brothers (1947) DVD+R. Dark story of lust and sexual tensions brought to the fore by the arrival of fetching young Patricia Roc to a remote community on the Isle of Skye. Some good performances from John Laurie, Finlay Currie and Duncan Macrae but it was hampered by another wide eyed performance by wooden old Maxwell Reed (sorry Bats!). Even allowing for this I quite enjoyed it. Oh and the methods the locals have of dispatching those who fall foul of the community is bizarre indeed!

Romance with a Double Bass (1974) R.2 DVD. Fun and slightly bonkers short starring John Cleese and Connie Booth just pre-Fawlty Towers, based on a Chekhov short story.

Dublin Nightmare (1958) DVD-R. Decent second feature mystery thriller starring William Sylvester and Richard Leech, some location work adds to the enjoyment although there are not really many surprises.

Compelled (1960) DVD-R. Decent Danziger sees Ronald Howard compelled to assist John Gabriel with his plans, a second feature that hits no heights but fills fifty or so minutes nicely.

Windthrop

Also watched Island of Terror. Good cast - Peter Cushing, Edward Judd, Niall McGinnis, Sam Kydd et al. With Terry Fisher at the helm it should have been good. I found it sloppy and plodding and failed to generate any real frison of excitement. Any one else out there seen it as I would be interested as what theymade of it.

Thats the joke that killed the Music Hall !

Harbottle

I agree, great cast but it never really catches fire, Cushing seems totally wasted too.

smudge

Watched Mel Smith's BLACKBALL - basically because I'd spotted in the listings that the great Bernard Cribbins was in it. QUite formulaic - another attempt at a British 'feelgood' film a la Full Monty - but it does have it's moments, and some very funny 'dry' lines pperfectly delivered by a cast of British character stalwarts.

The satire on SKY movies and minority sports is quite good, but the 'hero' (played by Paul Kaye) is not entirely likeable enough to engender that full 'feelgood' factor.

The film did, however, introduce me to the delightful Alice Evans who bears a striking resemblance to the young Sarah Branch (of HELL IS A CITY, etc.) to my eyes...

Smudge

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

batman

Piccadilly Third Stop with Terence Morgan, John Crawford, Yoko Tani and William Hartnell, directed by Wolf Rilla. Top-notch early 60s caper yarn enlivened by some good performances and a cracking soundtrack. Highly recommended.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

dremble wedge

I much preferred the not dissimiliar Night of the Big Heat

batman

Plus a couple more episodes of Spy Smasher .... this must be one of the best of the Republic serials, it is absolutely terrific!

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

dremble wedge

I've never heard of it, but with that title and that still it looks fantastic!

wadsy

Four episodes of The Saint. He certainly gets around. Lima, Cannes,

Ireland, then it was off to Rome where Roger fought a Gladitorial duel with

Peter Wyngarde in "The Man who liked lions" Great stuff!!

( The Irish episode Little girl lost featured June Ritchie!)

CaptainWaggett

Jamaica Inn It's hard to believe that a Hitchcock film with that cast (Laughton, Robert Newton, Emlyn Williams, Wylie Watson, Leslie Banks etc) could be such rubbish but it really is the shambles everyone says it is. I only hope Basil Radford got paid enough to make it worthwhile shaving his 'tache.

batman

It is definitely one of the better serials and is, apparently, highly regarded by serial buffs ....

Spy Smasher (serial - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Images - Cliffhangers: Spy Smasher

Spy Smasher (1942)

... good quality dvds are readily available on ebay.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

batman

Aitch may be able to give more info on this but the Union rate for shaving off your moustache used to be IIRC about £30, £75 for shaving your hair off.

Baz doesn't look like Baz without his 'tache ....

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"