Anthony Hopkins Movies
Herman Melville's short novel Billy Budd is adapted for the screen, distinguished by Robert Krasker's expressive black-and-white cinematography and Peter Ustinov's crisp direction. Terence Stamp is Billy Budd, a seaman forced to serve in the British Navy during the war between England and France in 1797. Billy looks upon all men as inherently good and, although his crewmates are initially skeptical about this sailor who appears too good to be true, he proves his mettle by his skills as a sailor and gains the respect of the crew -- all except for the ship's reviled master-at-arms John Claggert (Robert Ryan), who attempts to poison Billy's reputation by accusing him of instigating a mutiny. When the ship's captain, Edward Vere (Peter Ustinov), questions Billy about the charges, Billy reacts by striking Claggert, who falls over and dies from a blow on the head. A court-martial is called and Vere has to determine whether Billy should be hanged or acquitted. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Ryan, Peter Ustinov, (more)
- 1959
A cynical wounded war hero becomes the athletic director at a boys' camp. The lively children brighten his days and make him more optimistic about life. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide
- 1957
The British Seven Thunders was released in the US as Beasts of Marseilles. Set in 1943, the film stars Stephen Boyd and Tony Wright as escaped POWs Dave and Jim. Hiding out in Marseilles, the two protagonists battle over the affections of local gamine Lise (Anna Gaylor). When they find the time, Dave and Jim plan an elaborate breakout for the other POWs sequestered in the French port city. After an engaging opening, the film relies upon serial-like thrills and hairbreadth escapes to keep the audience awake. Stealing the show from the nominal stars are those grand old British troupers James Robertson Justice and Kathleen Harrison. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Boyd, Tony Wright, (more)
- 1955
Dirk Bogarde digressed from his usual lightweight image to portray a smarmy murderer in Cast a Dark Shadow. He kills his first wife (Mona Washbourne), hoping to claim her inheritance. Surprise! The inheritance is a myth. Thus Bogarde sets his sights on barkeeper Margaret Lockwood, whom he knows to be heavily insured. But Lockwood is possessed of a naturally suspicious nature, making Bogarde's second murder plot a bit more delicate than his first. Cast a Dark Shadow is a too-literal adaptation of Janet Green's stage play Murder Mistaken. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dirk Bogarde, Mona Washbourne, (more)
- 1954
The rundown British community of Islington is visited by a heavenly angel (Diane Cilento), sent down on a do-good mission. Her principal assignment is to soften the heart of a soulless pawnbroker (Felix Aylmer), and to that end appears in human form to do what the title says she does. During her brief earthly sojourn, Cilento finds time to salvage several other lost sheep, among them such reassuring British character players as Alfie Bass and David Kossoff. The unimportant fantasy was the first film assignment for Diane Cilento, whose career would later briefly be eclipsed by that of her then-husband Sean Connery. It's not likely we would have remembered Cilento at all had she stuck to such disposable fare as The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Felix Aylmer, Diane Cilento, (more)
- 1954
In this comedy, a physicist's son invents atomic popcorn at the center for atomic research. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1953
In this children's movie, little orphan Johnny endeavors to fulfill his dream and return to Poland, his native land. Unfortunately, his attempts get him entangled with jewel thieves who use him to pull off several robberies. The innocent boy has no idea he is being used until it is almost too late. He then comes upon a village populated by people from all over the world who protect him from the wicked outlaws. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1953
Director Hugo Fregonese and writer George Oppenheimer do the unthinkable: they manage to transform Giovanni Boccaccio's bawdy -- and downright raunchy -- medieval tales of martial discontent and infidelity into harmless white-bread treacle. Louis Jourdan plays Boccaccio in a framing story set in a villa in the Florentine hills. With a widowed woman and her sex-starved female wards hungrily hunched over listening to his every word, Boccaccio spins three tales of illicit romance involving a trio of medieval husbands and wives. All three tales feature Jourdan as the romantic male lead and Joan Fontaine -- spruced up in a collection of bright costumes -- as the misunderstood and mistreated women of the tales. The first story concerns the bored housewife, of a middle-aged husband, who willingly jumps into the arms of a roustabout. The second tale tells the story of a husband who is highly suspicious of his wife's fidelity and the wife's circumspect way of proving her virtue to her husband. The third story is an ineffectual lark about a wife who fools her indifferent husband into demonstrating his proper marital role. Boccaccio had to wait for Pier Pasolini in order to get the spirit of his Decameron right. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Fontaine, Louis Jourdan, (more)
- 1952
John Hayter is Samuel Pickwick is this delightful filmization of Dickens' seriocomic novel. Mr. Pickwick is chairman of the Pickwick club, a scholarly league operating in mid-19th century London. The club's avowed purpose is to scrupulously study everyday life in England-not to improve or remonstrate, but simply examine, as a scientist would examine life under the microscope. The episodic storyline transports the Pickwicks all over town, from the fashionable digs of ever-in-debt roue Mr. Jingle (Nigel Patrick) to debtor's prison. The Candide-like Mr. Pickwick survives his many experiences (including a duel and breach of promise suit) with the invulnerability of innocence. The Pickwick Papers was produced, directed and adapted by Noel Langley, a brilliant, hard-drinking wit who once upon a time had labored on the screenplay of Hollywood's The Wizard of Oz. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Hayter, James Donald, (more)
- 1948
In this comedy, after being discharged from the British army, an idealistic officer and war hero attempts to test his theory that the world would be better if people would harbor more goodwill towards each other. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jimmy Hanley, Anne Crawford, (more)
- 1948
In this comedy, the Huggett family patriarch decides to run for public office. His entire platform is built upon a promise to construct a war memorial. Unfortunately, he wants to build it on a parcel of his wife's land. She doesn't want anything there so her niece fakes her signature and the land gets donated. Fortunately, the candidate's daughter finds out about her conniving cousin and is able to save her father's name and his election. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1947
Written and directed by Peter Ustinov, Vice Versa is a one-joke fantasy comedy which manages to hold up almost to the very end. Anthony Newley plays the funloving son of stuffy stockbroker Roger Livesy. Father and son come into possession of a magic stone, and place a wish upon it. The result: Newley inherits Livesy's brain and personality, and vice versa. The best moments involve the suddenly matured Newley's besting of feet-of-clay schoolmaster James Robertson Justice. Not successful enough to spawn a cycle in 1947, Vice Versa is nonetheless an intriguing precursor of the brief spate of identity-switch comedies of the late 1980s--one of which was also titled Vice Versa. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
