Hugh Cross Movies
- 1977
Just William was one of two identically titled British TV series adapted from Richmal Crompton's best-selling books about naughty schoolboy William Brown. The terror of everyone over the age of consent, William and his youthful gang, the appropriately yclept "the Outlaws," seemed incapable of getting through an entire day without wreaking havoc. At that, William was easier to take than his classroom nemesis Violet Elizabeth (Bonnie Langford), a tantrum-throwing brat who sounded like Elmer Fudd. Telecast on Sunday afternoons, the 1978 version of Just William ran from February 6, 1977 to January 22, 1978, chalking up 26 half-hour episodes and one 60-minute special. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adrian Dannatt, Hugh Cross, (more)
- 1961
The British The Court Martial of Major Keller is similar in theme if not in outcome to the American film Time Limit. Major Keller (Lawrence Payne) is up on charges for killing his superior officer. He refuses to defend himself, leaving it to his attorney to probe the reason for his silence. An intensive line of questioning reveals that Keller's motives were patriotic: His commander was about to desert to the enemy. Court Martial of Major Keller was written by Brian Clemens, a loyal staffer on TV's long-running The Avengers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1955
In Svengali, the 1955 adaptation of George DuMaurier's classic novel Trilby, Donald Wolfit achieves the near-impossible: he out-hams John Barrymore, who'd played Svengali in the 1931 version. A last-minute replacement for the equally flamboyant Robert Newton, Wolfit pulls out all the stops as the scroungy, sinister musician/mesmerist who hypnotizes lovely artist's model Trilby (Hildegarde Neff) and transforms her into a world-famous singer. While under Svengali's spell, Trilby forgets all about "Little" Billy (Terence Morgan) the starving artist who loves her fervently. But Billy doesn't forget, and follows Svengali and Trilby all over the world. The film's best moment is the celebrated Covent Garden climax, wherein Svengali finally, and fatally, relaxes his hold on Trilby. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hildegarde Neff, Donald Wolfit, (more)
- 1951
Henry Koster directs the 1951 aviation drama No Highway in the Sky, based on the novel by Nevil Shute. James Stewart stars as Theodore Honey, a widower and single parent to 11-year-old Elspeth (Janette Scott). He's also an absent-minded engineer who has formed a scientific theory about metal fatigue in a specific model of aircraft. He tries to convince British Airways that their airplanes will come apart after a certain amount of miles, but no one believes him. Then administrator Dennis Scott (Jack Hawkins) sends him on a flying mission to investigate a crash site in Newfoundland. Along the way, he meets stewardess Marjorie Corder (Glynnis Johns) and movie star Monica Teasdale (Marlene Dietrich). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Stewart, Marlene Dietrich, (more)
- 1950
Barry Jones stars as an idealistic British professor working on atomic research. Upset by the apocalyptic ramifications of his work, Jones constructs his own bomb and threatens to blow up London within one week. His terms: Stop the atomic research or suffer the consequences. As London is evacuated, the authorities close in on Jones, using a rather sophisticated form of psychological warfare to trap the unhinged scientist. Seven Days to Noon manages to sustain its suspense and realism the most part, but is slightly undermined by grainy stock footage of London's children being evacuated during World War II. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Jones, Olive Sloane, (more)
- 1949
Based on a novel by Mary Mitchell, Warning to Wantons is the story of 17-year-old Renee (Anne Vernon). After wriggling out of a convent school, Renee manages to crash high society. She twists several wealthy men around her little finger before making a surprising marital decision. David Tomlinson, stuffy second lead of many a Disney film, is fun to watch as a high-society twit. The film's 144-minute running time had to be boiled down considerably before the film was distributed to America. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harold Warrender, Anne Vernon, (more)
- 1948
The popular "William" novels of British author Richmal Crompton were brought to the screen several times in 1930s and 1940s. William Goes to Town one of the better efforts in this off-and-on series. Young William Graham plays the eponymous wise-mouthed little schoolboy who causes all sorts of havoc during a trip to London. He even tries to crash the Prime Minister's headquarters to offer him financial advice! A subplot involving a circus keeps the film on an amiable kiddie-matinee level. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Garry Marsh, Jane Welsh, (more)
- 1947
William, the obstreperous Welsh schoolboy created by children's novelist Richmal Compton, appeared in several film incarnations in the 1930s and 1940s, none of them as successful as Compton's original books or the spin-off radio series. William Graham stars as the argumentative title character, who gets off to a bad start in the first scene by stealing his sister's cosmetics and wooden Indians -- after mixing up the shoe polish with the shaving cream. Venturing outside to play with his schoolmates, William decides to become a junior-league "righter of wrongs" by forming the Knights of the Square Table. This leads them to a "haunted" house, where William makes up for his past misdeeds by corralling a gang of crooks. Just William's Luck adheres strictly to formula, pleasing fans of the Compton books but doing nothing to broaden the character's appeal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Graham, Garry Marsh, (more)
- 1943
Millions Like Us is a fundamentally honest dramatization of the British "home front" during World War II. Patricia Roc plays a worker in a defense plant who lives in an all-female rooming house. Shy and sheltered, Roc loses some of her inhibitions when she falls in love with an airman (Gordon Jackson). After they marry, he is killed in battle. Roc's coworkers and friends rally round her, giving her the strength to persevere. Millions Like Us attempts to show the temporary breakdown of the British class structure during the war, with everyone--highborn to low--pitching in, working together, and bolstering one another's morale. That the old social system would inevitably resume after the war wasn't important to British movie fans, who lined up in droves to see Millions Like Us. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Portman, Patricia Roc, (more)
