Ruth Dunning Movies
- 1996
Between 1972 and 1975, the notorious hooded psychopathic killer, Donald "The Black Panther" Neilson, kept British authorities on their toes and locals terrified with his series of post office robberies and murders. This docu-drama chronicles his crime spree that ended in 1975 with the kidnapping and murder of an adolescent heiress. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Sumpter, Debbie Farrington, (more)
- 1973
- PG
In this mundane, droll horror spoof, British comedian Frankie Howerd plays a washed-up actor who tries to cash in on his newly-discovered ties to the outrageously wealthy Henderson family. His efforts are stymied by the greed of stern patriarch Ray Milland, whose equally-avaricious offspring go to great lengths to bump off the hapless hero, abetted by a convenient household nest of venomous snakes. The producers conceived this film as a star vehicle for Howerd, but it didn't exactly propel him to super-stardom. Though competently filmed, this project is hampered by a lazy pace and unimaginative murder setpieces, leaving viewers with a horror-comedy featuring scarcely a scare or a snicker. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
A woman who is blackmailed by her boss discovers his plans are not at all what she imagined in this low-key comedy-drama. Benjamin Hoffman (Peter Sellers) is a businessman who has eyes for a secretary working in his office, Janet Smith (Sinead Cusack). Smith is engaged to marry a man named Tom Mitchell (Jeremy Bulloch), but when Hoffman learns that Mitchell has a criminal past and is wanted by the law, he makes a startling proposal to Smith -- he'll turn her fiancé in to the police unless she agrees to spend the weekend with him. Smith sees little choice but to agree, but arrives at Hoffman's door imagining the worst. However, to her surprise she discovers Hoffman is a desperately lonely man who wants to be loved, and he demands almost nothing of her but her companionship. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Sellers, Sinéad Cusack, (more)
Based on a whimsical novel by Paul Gallico, Disney's Three Lives of Thomasina is an imaginative tale of a resourceful cat. Thomasina is the pet of Karen Dotrice, the daughter of taciturn Scottish veterinarian Patrick McGoohan. When Thomasina falls ill, McGoohan coldly diagnoses the cat as suffering from tetanus and declares that the pet must be put out of its misery. As Dotrice and her friends sadly prepare to bury the "dead" Thomasina, backwoods girl Susan Hampshire, who is said to be a witch, shows up and runs off with the kitty corpse. Using equal doses of intuition and love, Hampshire revives Thomasina, who of course wasn't dead at all. While in limbo, Thomasina ascends to Cat Heaven, where her case is heard by the Cat Goddess (this is a wonderful piece of special-effects wizardry, even if you don't like cats). Returned to life, Thomasina has no memory of her previous existence. Thus, the cat runs off in terror when Dotrice sees her again during a torrential downpour. Now it is Dotrice who becomes seriously ill, necessitating a collaboration between the cold, cut-and-dried ministrations of her father and the tender loving care of the "bewitched" Hampshire. As it turns out, Thomasina is the catalyst for both Dotrice's recovery and the film's happy ending. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick McGoohan, Susan Hampshire, (more)
- 1963
One-and-a-half seconds after his election, a muckraking politician is murdered. Hoping to get to the bottom of the mystery, Steed arranges for Cathy to take the dead man's place. But it turns out that the "murder victim" is very much alive, and he intends to detonate a nuclear warhead in London on Guy Fawkes' Day. Originally telecast in England on November 2, 1963 (three days before the annual Guy Fawkes celebration), "November Five" was written by Eric Paise. The significance of its title (and its topicality) was lost to American viewers when the episode made its U.S. TV debut on March 12, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
In this drama, a female ex-con runs a house for other women in her shoes. Someone threatens her with blackmail. She kills him with poison. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1960
In this crime drama the badly mutilated body of a local tavern owner's daughter is found upon a nearby dock. The police suspect that a retarded boy did it. Fortunately for him, the police superintendent does not believe this. When another corpse is found, he begins investigating and proves the boy's innocence. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1960
The Motion Picture Production Code was still in effect (albeit weakly) when Sons and Lovers was filmed in 1960, so don't expect a thoroughly frank and faithful adaptation of the D.H. Lawrence novel. Set in an English mining town, the film focuses on Paul Morel (Dean Stockwell), the sensitive son of a roughhewn, alcoholic miner (Trevor Howard) and his gentle, repressed wife (Wendy Hiller). Intent on becoming an artist, Paul is not above depending upon the financial kindnesses of the young women of the town. Many of the girls carry a torch for him, but his strong bonds to his mother leave him emotionally sapped. Freddie Francis's evocative, grimy industrial-town cinematography won him an Academy Award. Despite censorial restrictions, this admirably captures the essence of the dour Lawrence original. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Trevor Howard, Dean Stockwell, (more)
- 1960
Ruth Dunning plays a widow with two sons, one good, one bad. The bad one kills a pawnbroker, then begs Dunning to cover for him. She spends about three reels agonizing over the dilemma before she does the right thing. And Women Shall Weep is officially an Anglo-American co-production, but the "Britishness" of the whole affair dominates. Star Ruth Dunning was better known in Great Britain for her extensive work on television, often in similar tearjerkers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
In this drama, a construction contractor gets into trouble when he inadvertently receives some stolen property. This makes it even more difficult for him to frantically finish a housing estate designed to harbor a visiting princess. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1953
The romantic travails within an English family provide the basis of this remake of Les Parents Terribles. It all begins as a young man finds himself falling in love with his father's mistress, causing his mother to fear that she lose both her husband and her son. When the father finds out about his son's love for the mistress, he gallantly gives her up. Meanwhile, an enamored aunt sees that family peace and harmony is restored. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1948
A mother provides a lousy example for her daughter in this gritty, realistic drama. The mother is a mistress of manipulating the sympathies of others for her own gain. Rather than working, she solicits the sympathy of others. Like her mother, the daughter is equally manipulative and ends up with a rich husband. Her mother decides to go straight and get a real job, but it may be too late for the daughter who forges a check and gets caught. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ursula Jeans, Jean Simmons, (more)
- 1938
In this musical comedy, a man earns a reward and decides to spend some of it on restoring a ramshackle boarding house. Unfortunately, his endeavor fails, and he ends up working there to make ends meet. Later, his ingenious girl friend saves the day by suggesting he turn the house into a fancy restaurant. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
