Roy Dean Movies
- 1969
Posing as a magazine writer, Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) dogs the trail of celebrated Parisian ballet dancer Danielle Chabrol (Claudine Longet), whom the Feds suspect of being a Communist spy. At present, Danielle is a guest at the Hawaiian estate of retired US diplomat Eric Reeverson (Michael Rennie). Her plan is to romance Reeverson and extract some top-secret information, which she will then relay to her Hawaiian contact James Kellogg (Russell Johnson)--who, conveniently, is Reeverson's next-door neighbor. But this scheme takes a deadly turn when Reeverson's son Glen (played by a young Harrison Ford) falls for Danielle himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Hanley (Rick Jason) and his men are stranded in the middle of enemy territory when they are refused transportation by arrogant British commando Major Cole-Hughes (Michael Evans). Thus, it is no small surprise to Hanley when, later on, Cole-Hughes demands that Hanley and Kirby (Jack Hogan) accompany him on a mission to seek out and destroy a German V-2 launching site. The swaggering, bombastic Cole-Hughes provides a fascinating contrast to the taciturn, no-nonsense Hanley--but will the two men be able to smother their mutual animosity for the Greater Good? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
James Clavell incorporated a few of his own experiences as a British POW in his novel King Rat. Bryan Forbes' film version stars George Segal as the mastermind of all black market operations in a Japanese prison camp. He is called "King Rat" because of his breeding of rodents to serve as food for his emaciated fellow prisoners; the nickname also alludes to Segal's shifty personality. British officer James Fox helps Segal expand his operation to include trading with the Japanese officers. Though on surface level a thoroughly selfish sort, Segal saves the ailing Fox's life by wangling precious antibiotics from the guards. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Segal, Tom Courtenay, (more)
At one time the longest-running Broadway musical, My Fair Lady was adapted by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe from the George Bernard Shaw comedy Pygmalion. Outside Covent Garden on a rainy evening in 1912, dishevelled cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) meets linguistic expert Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison). After delivering a musical tirade against "verbal class distinction," Higgins tells his companion Colonel Pickering (Wilfred Hyde-White) that, within six months, he could transform Eliza into a proper lady, simply by teaching her proper English. The next morning, face and hands freshly scrubbed, Eliza presents herself on Higgins' doorstep, offering to pay him to teach her to be a lady. "It's almost irresistable," clucks Higgins. "She's so deliciously low. So horribly dirty." He turns his mission into a sporting proposition, making a bet with Pickering that he can accomplish his six-month miracle to turn Eliza into a lady. This is one of the all-time great movie musicals, featuring classic songs and the legendary performances of Harrison, repeating his stage role after Cary Grant wisely turned down the movie job, and Stanley Holloway as Eliza's dustman father. Julie Andrews originated the role of Eliza on Broadway but producer Jack Warner felt that Andrews, at the time unknown beyond Broadway, wasn't bankable; Hepburn's singing was dubbed by Marni Nixon, who also dubbed Natalie Wood in West Side Story (1961). Andrews instead made Mary Poppins, for which she was given the Best Actress Oscar, beating out Hepburn. The movie, however, won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Harrison, and five other Oscars, and it remains one of the all-time best movie musicals. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, (more)
Meredith Wilson's hit 1957 Broadway musical was transferred to the screen in larger-than-life fashion in 1962. Robert Preston repeats his legendary stage performance as fast-talking con man Harold Hill, who goes from town to town selling citizens on starting a "boy's band," then extracts money from them by ordering instruments and uniforms, with the promise that he'll teach the kids how to be musicians. Once he's collected his bankroll, Hill skips town, leaving the kids in the lurch. Looking for new suckers in Iowa, Hill arrives in River City, where he declares that the only way to save the youth of River City from the lure of the poolroom is to organize a boy's band. He charms the mayor's wife Eulalie (Hermione Gingold) into forming a "ladies' dance committee" and sets his sights on winning over local music teacher Marian Paroo (Shirley Jones). Marian rightly considers Hill a fraud, especially when he espouses the "Think System" of learning music: if you think a tune, he claims, you can play it. But Marian becomes Hill's staunchest ally when her young brother Winthrop (Ronny Howard), sullen and withdrawn since the death of his father, exuberantly comes out of his shell at the prospect of joining Hill's band; and Marian's budding romance with the charming but unreliable Hill ultimately brings her out of her own shell as well. Marion Hargrove's script uses most of the original play, with a handful of amusing expansions, especially in the roles played by Gingold and by Buddy Hackett as Hill's comic sidekick. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, (more)
- 1960
Kit (Doris Day), an American married to wealthy London businessman Tony Preston (Rex Harrison) becomes the terrified victim of a mysterious stalker, who she hears but can never see. She is threatened by the eerie, high-pitched voice as she walks in the thick London fog. She then begins receiving repeated threatening telephone calls. The now totally panicked Kit is nearly killed when someone pushes her in front of a bus. Unfortunately for Kit, no one but she hears the voice or the telephone calls and neither Tony, Kit's visiting aunt Bea (Myra Loy), or Scotland Yard take any of these incidents seriously. The only one who seems to believe Kit is Brian Younger (John Gavin), a construction foreman, but Kit is not convinced that she can trust him. The tension builds to a thrilling climax as Kit flees for her life on a scaffolding outside her apartment building. Midnight Lace is an exciting thriller, with many surprising plot twists and a nice sinister performance by Rex Harrison. Roddy McDowall is also fun as the son of Kit's housekeeper, who keeps hitting up his mom for money. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Doris Day, Rex Harrison, (more)
- 1958
An old backstage legend is the source for this, the final episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents' third season. Herbert Marshall stars as over-the-hill actor Colin Bragner, who hopes to stage a comeback in a play written by Adam Longworth (Tom Helmore). For his part, Longworth wants nothing to do with Bragner, considering him to be a mediocre actor. Nevertheless, Bragner invites Longworth and his wife (Julie Adams) to dinner, where he ultimately moves them to tears by telling them of a profoundly tragic incident in his past. Naturally, there's a twist to the story...but no murder this time out. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
