Michael Bilton Movies
- 1991
Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) spends several days at the races in the Conan Doyle mystery "Shoscombe Old Place." Holmes' client is an English lord who faces ruin at the hands of an old enemy. Murder and extortion are key ingredients in this 50-minute dramatization. Before everything is straightened out, Holmes has unearthed many an unpleasant deep, dark secret. This entry from the British Casebook of Sherlock Holmes TV series was released to American television and to U.S. video stores almost simultaneously. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Brett
- 1987
- R
Scripted by Frederick Forsyth from his own novel, The Fourth Protocol is a fact-based spy thriller. The titular protocol is a secret agreement between America, Britain and Russia to cease smuggling nuclear weapons into their respective countries. This figures into the schemes of several rogue spies, who hope to destroy NATO by embarking on just such a smuggling endeavor. Russian agent Valeri Petrofsky (Pierce Brosnan) is ordered to stage a nuclear accident in England, then arrange the evidence to point to the Americans. British intelligence agent John Preston (Michael Caine) begins wondering why such nuclear-weapon components like lithium are showing up in the unlikeliest places. Ignored by his superiors, who figure that Preston is merely an old-line anti-Commie paranoic, Preston gathers the clues that will enable him to find out who's behind the potential breaking of The Fourth Protocol. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Caine, Pierce Brosnan, (more)
- 1978
- PG
This 1978 re-remake of The 39 Steps adheres more closely to the source novel by John Buchan than Alfred Hitchcock's better-known original, restoring the pre-World War I time frame of the Buchan story. Hannay (Robert Powell) is an innocent bystander, suspected by enemy agents of having intercepted their secret war plans. Pursued by both the spies and the police, Hannay runs for his life in the company of Alex (Karen Dotrice). The Thirty-Nine Steps ends with a "high and dizzy" sequence on the face of Big Ben, borrowed from the 1942 Will Hay comedy My Learned Friend. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Powell, David Warner, (more)
- 1976
Called back to his home planet Gallifrey, the Doctor (Tom Baker) arrives in time for Presidential Resignation Day. Having experience a premonition that the current president is to be assassinated, the Doctor is framed for the inevitable murder by an old enemy, the Master (played by Peter Pratt, replacing the late Roger Delgado). Written by Robert Holmes, "The Deadly Assassin, Episode 1" of the four-part adventure, first aired on October 30, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Bernard Horsfall, (more)
- 1967
Number Six learns of an impending assassination, "Plan Division Q," in which the target is the Retiring Number Two (Andre Van Gyseghem). Actually, these plans were deliberately divulged by the New Number Two (Derren Nesbitt), who hopes thereby to discredit Number Six. With no one willing to believe that an assassination is about to take place, Number Six finds that his fate may rest in the hands of a watchmaker (Martin Miller) and his daughter (Annette Andre). Written by Michael Cramoy, "It's Your Funeral" was supposed to have been the 10th episode of The Prisoner, but instead was telecast in England as episode number 11 on December 17, 1967. Its original chronology was restored when it debuted in America on August 10, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In the third episode of the four-part story "The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve," Steven (Peter Purves) overhears a plot that will profoundly effect the outcome of hostilties between the Catholics and the Huguenots in 16th century Paris. On another front, the Doctor (William Hartnell), still mistaken for the Abbott of Amboise, is forced into making a succession of potentially deadly decisions. As the episode draws to a climax, a possible reunion between the Doctor and Steven is botched. Written by John Lucarotti, "Priest of Death" first aired on February 19, 1966; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Hartnell, Peter Purves, (more)
- 1966
In the conclusion of the four-part story "The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve," The religious differences that have suddenly cropped up between the Doctor (William Hartnell) and Steven (Peter Purves) serve to heighten Steven's feelings of isolation. Of far greater importance, the Catholic hierarchy of 16th century Paris prepares its final fatal assault on the Huguenot population. Jackie Lane joins the cast in the role of the Doctor's new travelling companion Dorothea "Dodo" Chaplet. Written by John Lucarotti and Donald Tosh, "Bell of Doom" first aired on February 26, 1966; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Hartnell, Peter Purves, (more)
In this English comedy, the trouble begins when a bumbling young man embarrasses his grandfather, the British Prime Minister, by selling newspapers on a street corner. Soon the fellow finds himself given a reporter's job and sent to cover a story in a tiny coastal village. There he soon finds himself entangled in a massive scandal. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Norman Wisdom, Derek Bond, (more)
- 1965
No sooner has Steed inherited an ornate dagger from an unknown benefactor than he is besieged by mysterious characters who offer him enormous sums of money and other tantalizing inducements to hand the dagger over to them. Things go from mildly amusing to highly dangerous when several of the bidders turn up end. It is up to Tara to find out just why the dagger is so valuable -- and the answer, as they say, lies within. Also known as "Falcon" (as in the "Maltese" variety), "Legacy of Death" was written by Terry Nation; it first aired in the U.S. on November 4, 1968, and in England the following November 20. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
In this lively British satire, a plucky milkman who works for an independent family-run dairy fights to keep a large trust from overtaking his business. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Norman Wisdom, Edward Chapman, (more)
- 1952
In this melodrama, a Welsh storekeeper secretly dreams of becoming a songwriter. His dream comes true when he wins a contest and gets a contract with a big London publishing company. He moves to the city and leaves his beloved behind. Once there, he finds himself so lonely that he is unable to create. Fortunately, he has enough music already written to satisfy his publisher, but he is totally blocked for writing new material. After a great struggle, he manages to write a decent song, but a corrupt publisher steals it from him. Fortunately, the writer has kept the music. Later he and his lover are reunited. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
