Ann Hanslip Movies

The British omnibus thriller, Three Cases of Murder includes two supernatural tales and a straight whodunit. The first segment, "The Picture," was directed by Wendy Toye, based on a short story by Roderick Wilkinson. A museum tour guide, Jarvis (Hugh Pryse), is plagued by artworks going missing, and by the mysterious repeated breaking of the protective glass over a gloomy landscape painting. Jarvis is fascinated by the dark, foreboding house in the painting. One day while he's admiring it, he bumps into a stranger (Alan Badel, who appears in all three segments). Jarvis ends up following the stranger into the world of the painting with terrifying consequences. Eddie Byrne (General Willard in Star Wars) plays the demented taxidermist, Snyder. In the second segment, "You Killed Elizabeth," written by Sidney Carroll (who co-wrote The Hustler), and directed by David Eady, lifelong friends fall in love with the same woman. George (Emrys Jones) has always stood in Edgar's (John Gregson) shadow. The two have a falling out when they realize they both love Elizabeth (Elizabeth Sellars), and when she later turns up dead, it affects the friendship in a surprising way. Badel plays the friendly bartender, Harry. The final story, "Lord Mountdrago," was based on a story by W. Somerset Maugham. Directed by George More O'Ferrall, the segment stars Orson Welles as Lord Mountdrago, the officious secretary of state for foreign affairs. Mountdrago uses his oratory powers to destroy the career of a charismatic political opponent, Owen (Badel again). Mountdrago then finds himself tormented by the vengeful Owen, who seems to have found a way to enter his dreams. Andre Morrell (Bridge on the River Kwai) plays Mountdrago's baffled psychiatrist. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Fabian of the Yard is a feature-length compilation of episodes from the British TV series of the same name. Bruce Seton plays Scotland Yard superintendent Fabian, a man who prefers brain over brawn but isn't averse to cracking a few skulls to make his point. In three "Fabian" episodes represented herein, the good inspector goes after a serial-killing truck driver, a blackmailer and a group of bomb-happy IRA terrorists. The supporting cast features such familiar faces as Sarah Churchill (Winston's daughter) and Victor Maddern. When Fabian of the Yard was syndicated in America, its title was helpfully altered to Fabian of Scotland Yard. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Robert Morley and Maurice Evans play W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, 19th-century composers of such imperishable comic operettas as H.M.S. Pinafore, Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado. Much is made of the inescapable fact that Gilbert and Sullivan grew to dislike each other intensely. Also touched upon is the fact that both men felt they were writing "beneath" their talents, and yearned to do something more serious than their witty frivolities. And of course, we are treated to generous excerpts from several of Gilbert and Sullivan's works, performed by such D'Oyly Carte veterans as Martyn Green. Gilbert and Sullivan was originally titled The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan; its US release title was The Great Gilbert and Sullivan. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi