Wendy Craig Movies

The fourth and final seven-episode season of the British sitcom Butterflies was initially telecast from September 7 through October 19, 1983. Wealthy businessman Leonard is "Back From New York" in the opening, but will this mean that he and bored housewife Ria (Wendy Craig) will finally consummate their clandestine but heretofore chaste relationship? The title character in the next episode, "Amanda," is an old and dear friend of Ria's husband Ben (Geoffrey Palmer), whose presence makes Ria wonder anew if it would be worth it to chuck Ben in favor of Leonard. Next up, Ben and Ria find that someone -- perhaps their sons Russell (Andrew Hall) and Adam (Nicholas Parkhurst) -- has left a cache of pot in their home during their absence. "Cleaning Windows" represents the latest business enterprise for Adam and Russell. In "Calling," Russell's girlfriend announces that she wants to keep her baby -- but not Russell! "Breaking Up" finds Ria finally calling it quits with Leonard. But in the season closer, "Loose Ends," Ria still hasn't chosen between dashing Leonard and dull old Ben. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Like the previous season, season three of the British sitcom Butterflies yields seven episodes, originally broadcast from September 9 through October 21, 1980. Things get rolling with "An Empty Cage," in which Adam (Nicholas Parkhurst), layabout son of Ben and Ria Parkinson (Geoffrey Palmer, Wendy Craig), surprises one and all by getting a job -- while Ria, again depressed over her dead-end existence, once more crosses the path of her would-be lover Leonard (Bruce Montague). Next up is "Ruby's Crisis," wherein the Parkinsons' cleaning lady, Ruby (Joyce Windsor), turns to kleptomania out of boredom. The Parkinsons' other son Russell (Andrew Hall) is given some startling news by his girlfriend Jeannie in "Pregnancy." Small wonder after all this that the next episode is titled "Problems, Problems." Then in "Happy Birthday, Ria," the Parkinsons' holiday in Paris turns sour when Ria renews a bad friendship. And in the season finale, "Parting," it looks as though Ria and Leonard's relationship will take a serious turn when Leonard insists that Ria spend some time with him before he leaves for New York. As a coda to the third season, a ten minute Butterflies sketch was included in the December 1982 BBC1special "The Funny Side of Christmas." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Season one of the bittersweet British sitcom Butterflies runs six episodes, originally telecast from November 10 through December 15, 1978. The series opens with "When Ria Met Leonard," detailing the humdrum existence of the Parkinson family, and bored housewife Ria Parkinson (Wendy Craig)'s first encounter with the wealthy and outwardly adventurous Leonard Dutton (Bruce Montague). The second episode "Breaking the Silence" further underlines the basic lack of communication amongst the Parkinsons, with a situation between Ria's dentist husband Ben (Geoffrey Palmer) and teenage son Russell (Andrew Hall). "Thinking About a Job" finds Ria figuring out a "respectable" method of staying close to her new dream man by applying for the position of Leonard's chauffeur, while Ben bemoans the fact that Russell and his brother Adam (Nicholas Lyndhurst) have taken to entertaining on the sidewalk to pick up spending money. "How About Lunch" not only delineates Ben's failed attempt at being "spontaneous," but also introduces Michael Ripper in the role of Leonard's new chauffeur, Thomas. In "The Lovers," activist wannabe Russell chains himself to a statue as a means of protesting capitalism. And in the final offering of the season, "He'll Have to Go," Ria strives not to be the "perfect wife" as she prepares for a crucial meeting with Leonard. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The imprisoning aspects of Success are humorously analyzed in this British-made film. Oliver Reed plays a wealthy advertising man who feels he has sold his soul and wishes to return to his happier earlier existence as a poor but swinging Londoner. Reed is goaded on by his boss, Orson Welles, who represents all the mercenary crassness that Reed despises. Handed a crucial commercial account, Reed plans to destroy himself by producing as offensive and confusing an ad campaign as possible. But Welles and the client are delighted by the "insult," and the disgruntled Reed is more successful than ever. Directed in the fragmentary "psychedelic" style typical of the late 1960s, I'll Never Forget What's'is Name gained notoriety upon its initial release by being the first mainstream British film in which the "F" word was spoken on-screen. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this thriller (which represented something of a departure for Hammer Films, noted for their gothic period pieces), Joey Fane (William Dix) has returned home after two years in an institution for mentally ill children. His sister drowned, and his family believes that Joey was to blame, despite his claims of innocence. Joey is convinced that the family's Nanny (Bette Davis) was responsible and refuses to have anything to do with her, but only neighbor girl Bobby (Pamela Franklin) agrees that there's something sinister about the woman minding the house. When Joey's neurotic mother Virginia (Wendy Craig) nearly dies after eating tainted food prepared by the Nanny, Virginia's sister Penelope (Jill Bennett) comes by to help. Penelope soon witnesses the bad blood between Joey and the Nanny, though before long she begins to think that the boy might be right about her after all. Jimmy Sangster adapted the screenplay from a novel by Evelyn Piper. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A scientist's attempts to clear the name of a friend nearly destroy his life in this intelligent science fiction drama. Prof. Sharpley (Harold Goldblatt) is a research scientist from Oxford University working with the British government on experiments in sensory deprivation. One day, Sharpley suddenly and shockingly commits suicide by throwing himself under an oncomming train while holding a briefcase stuffed with cash. While investigating the death, the police present the theory that Sharpley was a double agent, perhaps allied with the Communists, and that the death was the final result of his shame over betraying Great Britain. However, Sharpley's friend and associate Dr. Henry Longman (Dirk Bogarde) strongly disagrees, and he speculates that Sharpley's death had something to do with his research. In hopes of clearing Sharpley's name with police investigator Maj. Hall (John Clements), Longman begins subjecting himself to sessions in a sensory deprivation tank in order to prove that use of the technique can make one unusually suceptable to brainwashing or hypnotic suggestion. Longman emerges from the chamber frightened and disoriented, and in Long's presence one of his associates is able to convince Longman that he no longer cares for his wife Oonagh (Mary Ure). The doctor returns home displaying a callous and distant attitude toward his pregnant wife, and his personality begins to display an increasing number of deeply troubling changes. James Kennaway adapted the screenplay from his own novel. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A young David McCallum heads the cast of the British melodrama The Secret Place. Set amongst the bombed-out buildings of London's East Side, the film concerns the misdeeds of a two-bit criminal gang headed by Gerry Carter (Ronald Lewis). In a fit of inspiration, Carter masterminds a meticulously planned diamond robbery, actually succeeding in swiping the precious gems. Unfortunately for the crooks, the diamonds accidentally come into the the possession of Freddie Haywood (Michael Brooke), a policeman's son. McCallum plays Mike Wilson, the sullen teddy-boy brother of Carter's girlfriend Molly (Belinda Lee), who tries to inveigle Freddie into giving up the diamonds. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi