Sarah Churchill Movies
- 1959
A false accusation divides a town and destroys a clergyman's career in this adaptation of the Philip King stage play of the same name. Anthony Quayle stars as Reverend Howard Phillips, a new arrival in a small town that's become overrun with punk kids. Trying to make a difference and improve the town's fortunes, Phillips earns the respect and love of Hester Peters (Sarah Churchill), a spinster and the daughter of the previous vicar. Unfortunately, Phillips runs afoul of Larry Thompson (Andrew Ray), leader of the delinquents running roughshod over the town. A nasty piece of work, Thompson has murdered one person and doesn't hesitate to concoct a false story that Phillips made an unwelcome homosexual advance toward him that turned into an assault. Instead of rallying to his defense, the narrow-minded town elders simply backbite and gossip. Director Terence Young went on to direct three of the first four James Bond films, Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), and Thunderball (1965). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Quayle, Sarah Churchill, (more)
- 1957
In this horror movie, evil spirits threaten to steal the souls of two children. Only their governess can save them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1954
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, All Movie Guide
Two real-life events were incorporated into the plot of the 1951 MGM musical Royal Wedding. One, the marriage of Fred Astaire's sister Adele to a British nobleman had occurred years earlier; the other, the wedding of England's Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip was only four years in the past. MGM would probably have gotten Royal Wedding out closer to the Elizabeth-Philip nuptials, but the picture had leading-lady problems; every girl who was cast either became pregnant, ill, or otherwise unavailable. Finally, Jane Powell was cast as the sister and partner of American-entertainer Fred Astaire. The plot has Astaire and Powell heading to Merrie Olde England to perform at the palace. Once they've arrived, Powell breaks up the act when she falls in love with blueblooded Peter Lawford. Astaire himself finds romance in the form of Sarah Churchill (daughter of Sir Winston), and the four happy campers gleefully attend the titular Windsor Castle wedding. Also in the cast is Albert Sharpe, fresh from his Broadway triumph in Finian's Rainbow, and Keenan Wynn, hilarious as twin cousins. The plot is so light that it threatens to float away at times, but Royal Wedding sticks in the memory thanks to its first-rate musical numbers. The Astaire/Powell duets are entertaining enough; the real magic, however, occurs in Astaire's two solos: the hat-rack duet and the now-legendary tap-dance on the ceiling (even knowing how this cinematic legerdemain was accomplished does not detract from its brilliance and virtuosity). Because it has slipped into public domain, Royal Wedding is one of the most easily accessible of all the Fred Astaire musicals. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, (more)
- 1949
Norman Wooland, who in 1948 made an excellent impression as Horatio in Olivier's Hamlet, is awarded top billing in the 1949 British comedy All Over the Town. A gentle satire of provincial politics, the film stars Wooland as ex-soldier Nat Hearn, who returns to his newspaper job after the war. Upset that the paper compromises its journalistic integrity to satisfy local businessmen, Nat takes over the publication and radically alters its editorial policy. This brings him into conflict with the regional political bigwigs, and also puts a strain on his romance with Sally Thorpe (Dinah Churchill). Director Michael S. Gordon co-adapted the screenplay from a stage comedy by R. F. Delderfield. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Norman Wooland, Sarah Churchill, (more)
- 1941
Based on a stage play by M. J. Farrell and John Perry, Spring Meeting stars Enid-Stamp Taylor and Michael Wilding as Tiny and Tony Stamp-Collier, mother and son. Tiny is a wealthy British courtesan who hopes to arrange a profitable marriage for son Tony. The logical choice for a bride is beautiful but stuffy Joan Furze (played by Winston Churchill's daughter Sarah), but Tony insolently falls in love with Joan's fun-loving younger sister Baby (Nova Pilbeam). The film is stolen by Margaret Rutherford as an easily outraged maiden aunt and Henry Edwards as a miserly uncle. And in the tradition of British drawing-room comedies, the most admirable character in the story is family butler James (Basil Sydney), who solves everyone's problems just before the final-act curtain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Enid Stamp Taylor, Michael Wilding, Sr., (more)
- 1941
Based on Monica Ewer's novel Ring O'Roses, the British musiccomedy He Found a Star is dominated by the thousand-watt personality of music hall favorite Vic Oliver. He's cast as Lucky Lyndon, a seedy but enthusiastic talent agent specializing in small-time variety acts. Lyndon spends the entire picture searching for the next "big star", never realizing that his secretary Ruth Cavour (played by Sarah Churchill, Winston's daughter) is madly in love with him. By the time he's figured out what's what, Lyndon has nearly come to grief trying to promote ungrateful nightclub songstress Suzanne (Evelyn Dall). An average subject at best, He Found a Star is distinguished by the creative cinematography of Oscar-winning lensman Ernest Palmer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vic Oliver, Sarah Churchill, (more)
- 1937
Based upon a hit German musical that had already been filmed in 1934, Who's Your Lady Friend? emerged as a British comedy-with-music in 1937. Dr. Mangold (played by Vic Oliver, a popular dance-band leader of the day) is a famous Viennese "beauty specialist" (i.e., plastic surgeon), saddled with a rather incompetent secretary named Fred (Romney Brent). Expecting an extremely important new client from France, Dr. Mangold makes the mistake of sending Fred to the station to pick her up. Due to a mix-up about identities, Fred instead returns with a vixenish cabaret singer named Lulu (Frances Day). To add to the complications and misunderstandings, Fred's fiancée Mimi (Margaret Lockwood) sees him out with the beautiful singer and leaps to the conclusion that he is being unfaithful to her. At the same time, Mrs. Mangold (Betty Stockfield) assumes that her husband, the doctor, has also succumbed to Lulu's wiles. Matters are not made any better when Fred goes on a bender and somehow ends up in the same bed as Mrs. Mangold. Eventually, everything is cleared up and the couples reunite happily. The score features the minor hit "Moonlight and Music", and the character of the maid is played by Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston Churchill and wife of Vic Oliver. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
