Reginald Hearne Movies
- 1967
British musical star Tommy Steele had starred in Half a Sixpence in London and on Broadway, thus he was first choice for this garish film version. Based on the H.G. Wells story Kipps (previously filmed in 1941 with Michael Redgrave), Half a Sixpence tells the tale of a humble London drapery clerk (Steele) who inherits a fortune. He briefly forgets his old mates and his faithful girl friend (Julia Foster), but soon discovers that High Society isn't his cup of tea. Filmed during the "monster musical" cycle fostered by The Sound of Music, Half a Sixpence isn't really suited for the spectacular approach dictated by co-producer Charles H. Schneer. Fortunately, the guiding directorial hand is the film's other producer: George Sidney, a veteran of MGM's Arthur Freed unit, who knew how to successfully weld music with story. Thanks to Sidney and star Steele, Half a Sixpence never gets too out of hand, though we'd argue with some of the eyestrain-inducing color choices in the bigger numbers. The film might have done better at the box office had the score yielded a few hit songs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Steele, Julia Foster, (more)
- 1964
In this crime drama, a Mafioso decides to go straight and turn states evidence against the mob. The mob retaliates by kidnapping the squealer's son. To get him back, the ex-gangster enlists the aid of a dancer, a worker for the American embassy, and Scotland Yard. At the end of it all, the boy is returned and the Mafia is temporarily destroyed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1963
A spy ring is responsible for the death of Betty McDowall's husband as discovered by reporters. ~ All Movie Guide
In this odd crime film, Scotland Yard begins searching for the one-armed killer behind a series of gruesome murders. The story begins in Burma during WW II with the capture and torture of a British captain and his two men. The soldiers refuse to give the Burmese information, and their interrogators chop off their right hands. The captain relents and tells them all they want to know; thereby, preserving his own hand. The story leaps ahead into the present where a series of murders involving amputations have occurred. The Yard detectives trace the killings to the former captain. He is pursued by the police. He flees across some railroad tracks, falls and has his hand cut off by a passing train. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Having portrayed Robin Hood on TV for five years, Richard Greene reprises the role in Hammer Films' Sword of Sherwood Forest. This time, Robin does a little undercover work to determine the wicked machinations of the Sheriff of Nottingham (played by Hammer stalwart Peter Cushing). Our Hero and the Merrie Men do their best to foil a plot to kill the Archbishop of Canterbury (Jack Gwillim). Sarah Branch co-stars as the obligatory Maid Marian. Sword of Sherwood Forest was released in the US by Columbia Pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Greene, Peter Cushing, (more)
- 1960
In this crime drama, an engineer is falsely accused of selling secret information to enemy spies and receives a life sentence in prison. The engineer thinks his ex-partner is behind the frame-up and so asks his son, a law student, to look into it. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1958
Lucian Currie (Griffith Jones) approaches Peter Brady with a bizarre proposition: Currie intends to murder his partner in a gold mine, and he wants the invisible Brady to pull off the dirty deed. To bind the bargain, Currie threatens to unleash his vicious guard dog on Brady--who knows all too well that even an Invisible Man can be sniffed out by a dog. Highlights in this episode include the opening scene wherein Brady is "seen" mowing his lawn, and a brief moment in which the deadly dog appears to be attacking thin air. Appearing as Currie's hapless partner Vickers is Patrick Troughton of Doctor Who fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
Based on Robb White's novel 3DOur Virgin Island3D (the film's original title), this harmless location-filmed comedy boasts an unusually impressive cast. With their combined life savings of $85, fiercely independent archeologist Evan (John Cassavetes) and his wife Tina (Virginia Maskell) purchase an island in the tropics. They create an idyllic home-away-from-home with the help of resourceful islander Marcus (Sidney Poitier). All is serene until Tina becomes pregnant--but the fun 3Dreally3D begins when she goes into labor while stranded with her husband in a rickety boat in the middle of the ocean. The "Philip Rush" credited as screenwriter is actually a joint pseudonym for blacklisted Hollywood scriveners Ring Lardner Jr. and Ian McClellan Hunter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Cassavetes, Virginia Maskell, (more)
- 1957
A fateful Stranger's Meeting leads to a maelstrom of crime, deception and murder in this 64-minute British programmer. The beautiful Delphi Lawrence heads a stellar cast, including such reliables as Victor Maddern, Norman Rossington, Conrad Phillips and Reginald Hearne. The plot centers around acrobat Peter Arne, falsely accused of murder. Escaping from the authorities, Arne hides out in a rustic inn, allowing first-time director (and former cinematographer) Robert Day ample opportunity for dark, menacing shadows and sinister underlighting. The genuine murderer is revealed just seconds before the culprit's death. Stranger's Meeting was held back from release until Robert Day's "official" directorial debut, The Green Man, had made the rounds. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
In this comedy, a milque-toast bank clerk is forced to deliver blackmail money to a seductive woman. Misunderstandings abound when the clerk's brother-in-law sees him leaving the woman's house. Soon word that the clerk has become a dashing rake is spread around the town. In the end, the owner of a sexy lingerie factory offers the clerk a partnership in his business. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1957
In this crime drama, a movie stunt man finds himself caught up in a wicked scam designed to exploit post-WW II Algerian refugees after the members of a passport forging gang try to frame him for murder. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1957
In this British detective yarn, a Yankee sleuth teams up with Scotland Yard to catch the culprits behind a successful counterfeiting ring. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1955
In this comedy, two rabid football fans begin an unstoppable train of events when they physically harass a referee. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1955
In this drama, a convicted killer serves his time and after his release sets off in search of those who framed him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1954
In this comedy, the routines of two British army barracks are disrupted when they are invaded by a Hollywood film unit while their CO is away. Trouble ensues when he returns unannounced. Now the filmmakers must convince him to allow them to keep filming. To do so, they employ the charms of a full-bodied blonde starlet. Filming finally resumes, but then a larger military impresario decides to drop by for a snap inspection; the film crew is unable to offer an acceptable explanation for their presence in the camp. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1954
The Devil's Harbor is a second-string British melodrama starring American film vet Richard Arlen. Arlen is the captain of a small boat that is commandeered by narcotics smugglers. Though he himself is ignorant of the drug traffic, Arlen is hounded by an insurance investigator (Donald Huston). The skipper and the detective team up to track down the crooks who, much to the investigator's discomfort, turn out to have powerful allies in his own insurance company. Devil's Harbor was issued in the states by 20th Century-Fox, in order to free up some of the studio's "frozen funds" in England. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Arlen, Greta Gynt, (more)
