Third Man

I had a chuckle about that too - also the newsreel of Guinness receiving his award was amusing he looked like Gulley Jimson the character he portrayed in The Horse's Mouth - perhaps he was?

Simon

Steve Crook

It was one of the last two films that Powell & Pressburger made in their main run of films, the other being The Battle of the River Plate. Both of those stories gave them the same problem in that they were both true stories but they were both such amazing feats of daring and cheek that there wasn't too much that P&P could do to put their own stamp on them. They were coming to the end of the films they wanted to make together.

They do both still have quite a lot to recommend them, but P&P set the bar so high with the films they'd made together up to this point, there was no way that these two films could match up to that high standard.

With Ill Met they also had the problem that there was a bit of an upheaval going on in Crete so they actually had to film in the Alpes Maritimes on the border between France and Italy. But one mountain looks much like another

Did you also spot Cyril Cusack as Sandy, the smelly radio operator? Or David McCallum on the boat that comes to pick them up? Quite a few of the "Cretans" that helped Philedem were actually played by British actors heavily whiskered up

Steve

batman

New Tricks. An enjoyable episode with the cast on good form.

smudge

Yes, and the writing remains up to standard, although Mrs. Smudge was struck by how much older they all look, suddenly. I think it's because the lighting has changed - seemed to be a harder, more natural, light last night.

Before that we watched WHEEL OF FATE, a tight little melodrama produced and directed by Francis Searle. Starring Partic Doonan, Bryan Forbes and Sandra Dorne, this tale of love, betrayal and murder - set in a family garage business - reminded me of MARILYN quite a bit.

Doonan was very good as the solid, reliable stepbrother, as was Dorne as the good-girl-gone-bad, redeemed by love. Nice role too for John Horsley as 'Simmie' the local detective.

Smudge

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

dpgmel

Watched"The Hi-Jackers", a good Butchers film starring Tony Booth. Very watchable.

Greyandwhite

The Galloping Major (1951). Basil Radford as main character. Taped off the ABC late night viewing and watched this arvo. Fun in its way but a bit predictable. Lots of cameos to look out for i.e Sid James, Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth More, Alfie Bass, Leslie Philips, Thora Hird and Joyce Grenfell. I didn't recognise other names who were high up the billing such as Jimmy Hanley so maybe they were big at the time. Janette Scott gets an award as annoying teen character.

A group of locals in a poor London area form a syndicate to buy a good racehorse. They end up with a dud...or is it?? Can you guess?

Yeah, that's me. Billy Balthorpe, the man with no name.

Joe Fraguela

BEWARE! CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Last night I watched the following:-

This Is My Street from 1963 released by Anglo Amalgamated films and starring Ian Hendry, June Ritchie, Avice Landon, Meredith Edwards, John Hurt, Madge Ryan, Annette Andre, Mike Pratt, Philippa Gail, Tom Adams, Hilda Fenemore, Robert Bruce, Derek Francis and Patrick Cargill.

A very good watchable drama film filmed in South East London. Ian Hendry plays Harry King with an eye for the ladies especially for Margery Graham played by June Ritchie. Margery is married to Sid played by Mike Pratt. Margery longs to escape from the area to find a better home and a better job for Sid. Harry lodges with Margery's Mother Lily played by Avice Landone. Margery dislikes Harry but eventually she succumbs to his charms and they embark on an affair.

Soon, Harry becomes less interested in Margery as she becomes more demanding. Margery's younger sister Jinny played by Annette Andre returns home with her well spoken upper class boyfriend Paul played by Tom Adams. Harry now set his sights on Jinny. Margery begins to notice this.

Margery becomes depressed at the thought of not being able to be with Harry and the fact that Harry and Jinny are now engaged. Margery writes a letter for her mother and decides to commit suicide by gassing herself. Luckily, her mother who lives next door, is busy collecting the washing from the line and tries to open Margery's back door, she peers into the window and sees Margery. Whilst Margery is in Hospital recovering, the truth of her affair with Harry is revealed, Lily asks Harry to leave and the proposed marriage with Ginny is called off. Lily suggests to Sid that for Margery's sake he should try looking for a better job and a new home and move away from the area and rebuild a new life.

The closing sequence sees Margery leaving the Department Store where she works to find Harry waiting outside in his flash car. He asks Margery whether she would like to meet up with him at his nightclub. For a moment, you think will she or won't she. She remains strong and firmly declines his offer. Margery returns home back to the Street where she grew up.

There are also some other colourful characters notably Maureen as played by Philippa, the local tart, who starts an affair with a married man. She wants all the trimmings in life, money, jewellery, expensive clothes. She works in the local Coffee Bar. Charlie as played by John Hurt who also works at there he's interested in going out with Maureen, but he has no money and can't offer her the things she wants. Maureen continues with the affair, only because he keeps showering her with expensive jewellery etc.

However, one evening when she's out with her married lover, she starts flirting with a customer called Rinsome, played by Patrick Cargill. She arranges to meet Rinsome, whilst her married lover is waiting for her in the pub. After, she's met up with Rinsome she rushes to meet her married lover who is less than impressed and rather jealous. He is consumed with rage and while they are driving back he begins to accelerate, the car is speeding at a great pace, the car crashes, he dies and Maureen survives. After recovering the accident, her outlook on life is somewhat changed and her character as a person changes to a more likeable person and when Charlie asks her out, she agrees.

Not a bad film actually and some good performances especially from Ian Hendry, June Ritchie and Philippa Gail. The film was shot on location and this is used to good effect.

scholes

I did. Cusak played the gunsmith in Day of the Jackal.
Also the title is taken from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' as the code names of the members of the band were borrowed from the play.
Thanks for the info on the location.

scholes

The Prowler1951
This noir thriller directed by Joseph Losey explores the dark side of disillusionment with life.
Van Heflin stars as a patrolman who has a relationship with the young and frustrated wife of a rich man played by Evelyn Keyes. After having initially investigated reports of a prowler outside her house , he eventually become her lover,and sees her husband's affluence as a way out of the life he has as a policeman, which he clearly detests. The plot is very clever and there is an ironic and bitter twist at the end.
Edge of seat stuff. You almost warmed to his anti-hero character until you realised eventually that he'd stop at nothing to attain his dream.

I saw similar comparisons with Losey's The Servant 1963 where Bogarde
shows utter contempt for his upper middle class master, and uses his manipulative side to turn the tables round in order to compromise a better life for himself.

suzepulcheria

Ice Cold In Alex. Ah, those were the days!

"I've come a long way you know!" "Equally long way to go back..."

Freddy

Bonekickers

This would be suited more for childrens' hour. Absolute poppycock, drivel of the first order. Even a star cast couldn't save this. I could go on but to do so would be to give the plot away and some people might have recorded it.

Freddy

dpgmel

Watched Edward Judd in "Mystery Submarine", very enjoyable British B war movie.

David Brent

Mix Me A Person (1962) an entertaining, although rather implausible, crime story starring Adam Faith, Anne Baxter, Donald Sinden and Anthony Booth.

A bonus to the film was the Adam Faith soundtrack and the appearance of Alfred Burke in a minor role.

Dave.

Joe Fraguela

Last night's viewing consisted of Inn for Trouble from 1959 starring Peggy Mount, David Kossoff, Leslie Phillips, Glyn Owen, Yvonne Monlaur, Alan Wheatley, Charles Hawtrey, Willoughby Goddard, A E Matthews, Shaun O' Riordan, Shaun O' Casey, Irene Handl, Esma Cannon, Gerald Campion, Graham Moffatt, Graham Stark and Barbara Mitchell.

A spin off film from The Larkins, with Peggy Mount and David Kossoff in the roles of Ada & Alf Larkin who inherit a country inn and discover that someone doesn't want them to make a success of it. An enjoyable comedy film with Peggy Mount on top form.

Following on was Violent Moment from 1958, a british b-movie released by Anglo Amalgamated films and starring Lyndon Brook, Jane Hylton, John Paul, Jill Browne, Bruce Seton, Rupert Davies, Moira Redmond, Martin Miller, Martin Boddey and Frederick Piper.

Lyndon Brook plays Douglas Baines, a deserter who strangles his girlfriend after learning that she has had her 2 year old Son adopted for £20.00. The police later drop the case, but 5 years have passed, will they catch up with Douglas Baines?

A standard crime/drama b-film which is quite easy to follow.

Harbottle

They Made Me a Fugitive (1947) DVD-R. Gripping Film Noir starring Trevor Howard, Griffith Jones and Sally Gray. A film I had never heard of before and I'm amazed it is not mentioned in the same breath as for example Brighton Rock. Directed by the always excellent Cavalcanti, I was expecting something good and was not disappointed.