Gabrielle Brune Movies
- 1972
This English comedy is based on a short play by Peter Shaffer (better known for Equus). Belinda is a free-spirited American woman married to a stuffy English rolled-umbrella man. When he leaves for work each day, she leaves their London apartment too. She says she's just sightseeing, but he doesn't believe her. He hires a private eye (Chaim Topol) to follow her around and find the "other man" in her life. What she said was true, however, and the private eye becomes her traveling companion. He tells his employer that she was telling the truth, but he doesn't believe him. At that point, the detective admits to being the "other man," complicating things thoroughly. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1964
When a beautiful model is found shot in her apartment, a famous television star is felt to be the murderer in a failed extortion plot. Although the investigation turns up a surprise ending, by the time most viewers get there they could not care less who did it. Singularly uninspired murder drama. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1957
True as a Turtle isn't nearly as funny as its title, but it tries hard to please. Most of the action takes place aboard a yacht called the Turtle, owned by crusty Dudley (Cecil Parker). The yachtsman's guests are newlywed Tony (John Gregson) and his chronically seasick bride Jane (June Thorburn). After a series of slapstick mishaps, the plot rears its ugly head when crew member Harry (Keith Mitchell) reveals himself to be a criminal -- only he isn't really a criminal, see? Moderately successful in England, True as a Turtle made it to the U.S. by way of the Late Late Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Gregson, June Thorburn, (more)
- 1956
Stars in Your Eyes is a glorified "vaudeville" picture, tied together by the thinnest of plotlines. As the top British vaudeville houses begin closing their doors, a great many entertainers are thrown out of work. At the instigation of music-hall headliners Sally Bishop (Patricia Kirkwood) and Jimmy Knowles (Nat Jackley), a group of veteran performers decide to reopen one of the old theatres, staging a gala opening revue to attract the customers. Financing this project is the wife of alcoholic ex-songwriter David Laws (Bonar Colleano). A gang of crooks tries to sabotage the show, but all ends happily -- especially for Laws, who is reunited with his loving spouse. Among the guest performers in Stars in Your Eyes is Vera Lynn, the sweetheart of WW II, whose famous rendition of "We'll Meet Again" was heard in the unforgettable finale of Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nat Jackley, Patricia Kirkwood, (more)
- 1956
Droll British farceur Fred Emney is the star of Fun at St. Fanny's. Emney plays Dr. Septimus Jankers, headmaster of an exclusive boy's college. When the insititution is threatened with a shutdown instigated by its creditors, Dr. Jankers decides to "shake down" a wealthy, middle-aged student threatening to withhold that worthy's long-overdue student accreditation. The overaged "schoolboy" is played by music hall-TV comedian Cardew Robinson, who in 1956 was at the height of his popularity--so much so that he plays "himself'. Fun at St. Fanny's is chock full of the sort of healthily vulgar humor indigenous to the British stage of the 1940s and 1950s; even the title is a cheeky double-entendre. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Emney, Cardew Robinson, (more)
- 1954
In this British comedy, a wealthy, hypochondriac gets unwittingly entangled in counterfeiters' plans when he comes to own the printing plates the gang is after. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1953
The first Ealing Studios comedy shot in color, Titfield Thunderbolt takes place in a tiny British village serviced by a branch railway line. When the government plans to close the line down, the locals are in a panic--except for a group intending to set up an expensive bus service. The local vicar (George Relph) concocts a scheme with the town's wealthiest man (Stanley Holloway) for the villagers to run the rail line themselves; in this way they hope to prove to the railway inspectors that their branch is still worth keeping. When the bus interests attempt to sabotage this undertaking, the villagers respond by stealing a stray locomotive--and when this proves cumbersome, they reactivate a 19th century train engine from the local museum. The Titfield Thunderbolt is uniquely British in humor and approach, but not so "inside" as to alienate American filmgoers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stanley Holloway, George Relph, (more)
- 1953
This romantic and tuneful war drama tells the story the singer who captured the hearts of Allied soldiers during WW II. It begins when she refuses to marry the American reporter she loves. She vows not to say yes until she becomes a star. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1953
Like many of the Robert S. Baker-Monty Berman productions of the 1950s, the British White Fire was released stateside by Lippert Films. Hollywood's Scott Brady heads the cast as US merchant marine officer Gregor Stevens. Arriving in London to pay his brother a visit, Stevens discovers that his sibling is to be hanged for murder within three days. After digesting this unpleasant news morsel, Stevens sets about to prove his brother's innocence. Before the 72 hours has transpired, our hero has become involved with a gang of diamond smugglers--not to mention gorgeous nightclub chanteuse Yvonne Durante (Mary Castle). Director John Gilling cowrote the screenplay with Paul Erickson, who also appears in a minor role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Brady, Mary Castle, (more)
- 1952
Released in Britain as Crash of Silence, Mandy is a straightforward story about a handicapped child's efforts to adapt to a normal world. Born deaf, Mandy is mute for most of her childhood. Her desperate parents enroll her in special education classes. It's a slow, uphill climb, but by film's end Mandy is talking and playing happily with non-impaired children. A well-intentioned effort, Mandy unfortunately falls prey to corniness, save for the thoroughly convincing performance by child actress Mandy Miller (who was not deaf). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Phyllis Calvert, Jack Hawkins, (more)
- 1952
In this drama, a man journeys to the posh British estate of a friend for a weekend soiree. There he learns that the real purpose of the party is to provide the host the opportunity to steal the jewels of his guests. To thwart the plan, the man and the host's adopted step-daughter team up. Unfortunately she winds up getting locked in the room where the jewels were begin stored. The host is attempting to beat a hasty retreat with the jewels but is stopped by an enterprising butler who throws a switch as his boss is attempting to scale the estate fence. The hapless thief is promptly electrocuted. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1949
In this comedy, two brothers, both of them Welsh coal-miners, win a contest and get to go on a day trip to London. Upon their arrival in the town, they miss their newspaper escort and get separated. Mayhem ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alec Guinness, Donald Houston, (more)
- 1943
Tomorrow we Live is the more upbeat American title of the British war drama At Dawn we Die. When his village is overtaken by Nazis, Frenchman Jean Baptiste (John Clements) tries to go to England. Armed with secret information about a German submarine base, Jean hopes to avenge his countrymen. Unfortunately, thanks to inquisitive soldiers and fifth columnists, Jean may never make it to the White Cliffs of Dover. On the plus side, however, Jean's fellow patriots do their best to sabotage the enemy until the (hopefully) inevitable day of Liberation. The strangest aspect of Tomorrow we Live is that all the Frenchmen are played by popular British actors, despite the influx of French expatriates in the United Kingdom. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Clements, Godfrey Tearle, (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)
- 1940
Plumber/coronet player Lupino and retired major Maltby bumble through the organization of a show for the soldiers in this World War II comedy. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1938
Theatre folks used to call pieces like Bad Boy "ten-twent-thirt melodrama", referring to the cost of the seats (ten cents, twenty cents, thirty cents) in the undemanding houses where such dramas were presented. John Warwick plays the title character, a young crook with chips on both shoulders. Fresh out of prison, Warwick can't find honest work because of his bad reputation. He goes back to his old gang, then decides to tip the law when the gang boss falls in love with Warwick's innocent sister (Gabrielle Brune). As a result, sis is kidnaped, sparking the anticipated last-minute rescue. Filmed in England, Bad Boy was released in the US by RKO Radio Pictures as Branded. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this espionage drama, a Secret Service agent must discover who has been smuggling British arms into China. The prime suspect is a prosperous Chinese merchant-philanthropist and the agent thinks the merchant is working with the notorious Chinese guerrilla warlord General Ling. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Griffith Jones, Valery Inkijinoff, (more)
