Gordon Gostelow Movies

After years of capitalizing on the weaknesses of a gullible public, a London advertising executive finds that his worst qualities have literally taken on a life of their own in this scathing satire. Successful copywriter Dennis Bagley (Richard E. Grant) lives a posh life with his lovely wife, Julia (Rachel Ward), in the London suburbs. Pushed to distraction by a bothersome new pimple-ointment account, he flirts with renouncing his career and becoming socially aware. Immediately thereafter, Bagley discovers that he's developed a zit of his own -- a monstrous boil on his neck that begins whispering evil things in his ear. Convinced that he's being taken over by his dark half, Bagley soon finds his "good" self relegated to the boil while his malevolent alter ego returns to the world of advertising with a vengeance. At first, Julia is relieved that her husband seems to have bounced back from the abyss of mental illness, but soon she realizes that she prefers the gentle but crazy Dennis to the poisonous professional. Written and directed by Withnail & I's Bruce Robinson, How to Get Ahead in Advertising reunites the director with that film's leading man Richard E. Grant. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Windsor is a peaceful town on the Thames where hardly a leaf falls to disturb the silence. And then England's most notorious mischief maker, Sir John Falstaff (Richard Griffiths), arrives from London with his hooligans -- Bardolph (Gordon Gostelow), Nym (Michael Robbins), and Pistol (Nigel Terry) -- to steal and make merry. After breaking into a lodge and killing a deer on private land, they arouse the wrath of the locals. But quick tongues and pleadings of innocence exonerate them and even earn Falstaff a meal at the home of George Page (Bryan Marshall), a Windsor gentleman. There, Falstaff converses with Mrs. Page (Prunella Scales) and her neighbor, Mrs. Ford (Judy Davis), both of whom rule the purse strings of their households. Falstaff then decides to woo both women and charm them free of their money. But after he writes them a love letter -- the same letter word-for-word except for the name of the addressee -- the two "merry wives" compare letters and decide to give Sir John his comeuppance. Meanwhile, Mr. Ford (Ben Kingsley) gets wind of Falstaff's designs on his wife and, riven with jealousy, plots to surprise Falstaff when he comes calling. Scenes ensue in which Mr. Ford bursts through his front door in an attempt to discover Falstaff. The tee-heeing wives couldn't be happier, for these occasions give them a chance to humiliate Falstaff -- once by having him hide in a laundry basket which is dumped in the muddy Thames and another time by dressing as "the fat woman of Brentford." A subplot follows three men as they woo Mrs. Page's lovely daughter, Anne (Miranda Foster). In the end, Falstaff acknowledges his bad behavior, Anne Page gets her man, and good feelings abound. ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide

This historical dramatic series, produced by the BBC, explores political and social intrigue among England's privileged classes during the Victorian era. Plantagenet Palliser (Philip Latham) weds Lady Glencora (Susan Hampshire) in a match that has more to do with power than love as Palliser enters into a career as a member of Parliament. The supporting cast includes Anna Massey, Barbara Murray, Roland Culver, and Caroline Mortimer. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this psychological drama, Catherine (Julie Christie) is an attractive young woman living in Rome who is infatuated with a man named Gregory, whom she's never actually met. When her father informs her that he intends to remarry, Catherine is not interested in attending the wedding until she learns that Gregory will also be a guest. She flies to Geneva for the ceremony and imagines Gregory to be an athlete in an advertising poster she sees at the airport; she's lost in fantasies about him, even as her brother Daniel (John Hurt), with whom she once had an incestuous relationship, attempts to seduce her. While she misses meeting Gregory, she does run into the sports star from the poster (Michael Sarrazin); they soon repair to a hotel where they make love. However, Catherine discovers that his chiseled looks don't match his drab personality, and she soon leaves him behind. Before returning to Rome, Catherine makes a last attempt at finding Gregory, whom she's been told is also looking for her. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "The Space Pirates," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his friends are once more in the clutches of Argonite pirate leader Craven (Dudley Foster). Salvation arrives from an unlikely source: Madeleine Issigi (Lisa Danniely), the daughter of Craven's partner Dom (Esmond Knight). But the Doctor has precious little time to enjoy his freedom: He now faces an even deadlier peril than the pirates. Written by Robert Holmes, "The Space Pirates, Part 5" originally aired on April 5, 1969. This episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the six-part story "The Space Pirates," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) miraculously saves himself and his companions Jamie (Frazer Hines) and Zoe (Wendy Padbury) from being marooned in space forever. Landing on the planet Ta, the TARDIS crew locates the hiding place of the Argonite space pirates. Alas, no sooner have they done so than the Doctor and his friends are captured by the villains. Written by Robert Holmes, "The Space Pirates, Part 3" originally aired on March 22, 1969. This episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the six-part story "The Space Pirates," the renegade Argonites have captured the TARDIS and abandoned the Doctor (Patrick Troughton), Jamie (Frazier Hines), and Zoe (Wendy Padbury) in Deep Space. Though without a ship to his name, the Doctor concocts a scheme to save himself and his marooned companions. Meanwhile, a second plot line develops, involving a long-standing conflict between the Interstellar Mining Corps and eccentric engineer Milo Clancey (Gordon Gostelow). Written by Robert Holmes, "The Space Pirates, Part 2" originally aired on March 15, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide