Avril Angers Movies

A great deal of director Al Viola's version of this film was pruned away for its general release. The missing portions are not only the heart of the story, but they are the heart of the novel by Graham Billings which gave rise to the film. The whole story is that Forbush (John Hurt) is going nowhere in his romance of Tara (Hayley Mills) because he is basically an uninteresting, shallow man. In desperation, he decides to go off to Antarctica and study penguins. He hopes that his heroism in doing this will prove his sincerity to Tara. Once there, he grows genuinely enchanted by his project and develops a real interest in penguins. It is this, rather than his courage, which wins him Tara's affections. The truncated version omits most of the film's reputedly spectacular and affecting Antarctic footage (shot by Arne Sucksdorff) in order to concentrate on the love story. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Homosexuality is only incidentally important in this drama of dependence and intimacy between two aging hair stylists, and nothing shocking to staid and heterosexual sensibilities takes place in this movie, a star turn for Richard Burton and Rex Harrison. Whether the original play was as patently offensive to actual homosexuals as this movie is, is open to question. What is certain is that it grossly exaggerates every unpleasant "fag" stereotype in the books, However, the lead actors skillfully make art out of these very same offensive tics, demonstrating the mysterious power of great performers to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. In the story, Charlie (Harrison) and Harry (Burton) have been roommates, business partners and intimates for many long years, and their convoluted mutual dependency is every bit as complicated as that between any aged but incompatible couple who have grown used to one another over the years. Charlie thinks he can do without Harry, but Harry knows better and patiently bears the barbs and arrows that come his way. One of the nicer aspects of the stereotypical portrayal is that both men get to demonstrate some beautifully sharp, barbed wit. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Jamie Hopkins (Cliff Richard) is a wayward young man who lives with his mother and steals drugs from the doctor's office where she works. His similarly unscrupulous girlfriend Carol (Ann Holloway) lives gleefully in her similarly amoral life until she is converted to Christianity when she attends a traveling religious crusade led by evangelist Billy Graham (himself). Carol's life is changed as a result of her conversion, and she attempts to show her wayward boyfriend the light. Jamie is eventually prepared to change his lowdown ways in this predictable, overly simple story of spiritual redemption and religious piety. Pop singer Richard delivers three songs as well as starring as the principle character in the film. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

This gently farcical British comedy stars Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett as Jenny and Arthur, a young couple who have just gotten married. However, while both of them are filled with anticipation for their honeymoon, a practical joke played by their "friends" causes their bed to collapse just as they're about to consummate their relationship. Through a variety of misfortunes, they end up spending the night at the home of Arthur's parents, where nervousness and a certain lack of privacy make it difficult for them to enjoy their first night together as they'd wish. While a bit of frank language and some fleeting nudity by former child star Hayley Mills generated a certain amount of controversy upon first release, by today's standards The Family Way is more easily seen as the compassionate relationship comedy its creators intended. The Family Way is also of note to Beatles fans as the first film scored by Paul McCartney. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Dave Martin (David Hemmings) and his mates once again find themselves dealing with the tricky side of the music business in this sequel to the British pop musical Live It Up. Dave has become interested in writing, and has a lead on a job with a newspaper in the seaside community of Brighton. As luck would have it, his parents Herbert (Ivor Salter) and Margaret (Diana King) are also moving to Brighton, having inherited a guest house there that they've decided to take over as the family business. En route to Brighton, Dave meets Erica (Andrea Monet), a pretty girl from the United States who is going to Brighton to audition for a job as a dancer. She is lacking accommodations, so Dave offers to put her up at the family's new guest house, though Herbert and Margaret at first believe their son has less than honorable intentions. When Erica's audition falls through, she opts to stay on in Brighton, and she's soon joined by Dave's old pals Phil (John Pike) and Ricky (Stephen Marriot), who were his partners in the beat group the Smart Alecks. Publicity friendly impresario Hilton Bass (David Healy) arrives in town looking for "the Brighton Sound," which he's convinced will be the next big thing after the success of Merseybeat. Dave asks his pals to re-form the Smart Alecks to enter the talent competition Bass is staging, but he's disqualified when he learns the paper he's working for is helping to sponsor the contest. However, Dave thinks he may have struck upon a story when he uncovers evidence that suggests Bass has rigged the contest to favor a group he's already signed to a deal. Be My Guest features guest appearances from Jerry Lee Lewis and the Nashville Teens (the latter of whom also serve as Lewis' backing band), as well as lesser known beat groups the Nightshades, Kenny and the Wranglers, and the Zephyrs. Noted British rock producer Shel Talmy coordinated the film's musical score. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this thriller a family vacation turns into a nightmare when the travelers discover an escaped killer hiding in their trailer. The killer takes them hostage and forces them to take him to Dover. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Tired of the humdrum routine at a staid British woman's prison, brassy American chorine Angela Booth (Beverly Michaels) busts out. Scotland Yard decides to allow Angela to roam free, hoping that she'll lead them to her partner in crime, who unbeknownst to her is a notorious traitor and killer. Blonde Bait was originally released in Great Britain as Women without Men. For American consumption, a few new scenes were shot, featuring Hollywood actors Jim Davis, Richard Travis, and Paul Cavanagh. Direction of the finished product was credited to the film's editor, Elmo Williams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this crime drama, two Scotland Yard investigators try to break up "The Six Men," a notorious gang of jewel thieves. Their informer is a blind man known as "The Mole;" with his help, the inspectors find an actress who is involved with the gang. They then begin endeavoring to turn the gang members against each other. Their ploy succeeds and justice ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

We're not sure, but the character of "Skimpy Carter" must have had some sort of following in Britain. Why else would a whole movie--Skimpy in the Navy--be built around this thinnish character? Music hall star Hal Monty plays the title role, playing an ex-soldier who becomes a sailor in order to seek out buried treasure. Monty and his pals Max Bygraves (later a stellar comedian in his own right) and Les Ritchie search and dig to and fro, all for the love of heroine Avril Angers. 84 minutes of forgettable songs and shapeless slapstick later, Skimpy emerges triumphant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide