Robert Dorning Movies
British actor/dancer Robert Dorning began his career as a ballet dancer but went on to perform in musical comedies through WW II. Following the war, he began playing character roles in comedies and dramas. He later appeared on television where he is best known for playing a buffoonish stuffed shirt on Bootsie and Snudge. Dorning also appeared in a few films from the late '50s through the mid-'80s. Among those films are several of Roman Polanski, including Pirates and Mona Lisa (both 1986). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Bob Hoskins plays George, a tough but basically goodhearted British mob flunky, recently released from prison, where he'd served a term to cover up for his gangster boss (Michael Caine). Still willing to be everyone's doormat, George agrees to act as chauffeur for Simone (Cathy Tyson), a haughty, high-priced call girl. They don't like each other at first, but George begins to fall for her and take a protective interest. She implores him to help her find her only truly friend, a prostitute named Cathy (Kate Hardie). Touched by this devotion, George locates the girl, only to be chagrined to learn that Simone and Cathy are lovers. Hoskins is used and abused by so many people in Mona Lisa that when the worm finally does turn, you feel like cheering--even though it doesn't make him any happier. Director Neil Jordan cowrote this study of underworld mores with David Leland. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Hoskins, Cathy Tyson, (more)
- 1986
- PG13
Although the title evokes a swashbuckling adventure, Roman Polanski's Pirates tuns out to be a seagoing tale with a bit of a difference. Captain Red (Walter Matthau) runs a hardy pirate ship with the able assistance of Frog, a dashing young French sailor (Cris Campion). One day Capt. Red is captured and taken aboard a Spanish galleon, but thanks to his inventiveness, he raises the crew to mutiny, takes over the ship, and kidnaps the daughter of the governor of Maracaibo (Charlotte Lewis, soon to co-star in The Golden Child opposite Eddie Murphy). The question is, can he keep this pace up? ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Walter Matthau, Damien Thomas, (more)
Peter Ustinov makes his second appearance as Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in this adaptation of the popular Agatha Christie mystery. When noted stage star Arlena Marshall (Diana Rigg) is found murdered while visiting a posh island resort, Poirot is called upon to find the culprit, but given Marshall's shrewish personality and propensity for making enemies, the question isn't "Who wanted to see her dead?" but "Who didn't?" The suspects include Rex Brewster (Roddy McDowall), a writer penning a biography of Arlena that the actress tried to stop; Odell and Myra Gardener (James Mason and Sylvia Miles), theatrical producers who were financially shafted when Arlena refused to appear in a show; Arlena's husband, Kenneth (Denis Quilley); Kenneth's lover, Daphne (Maggie Smith); Patrick Redfern (Nicholas Clay), who was having an affair with Arlena; and Christine (Jane Birkin), Nicholas' wife. Ustinov would play Poirot again three years later in the made-for-TV feature Thirteen at Dinner. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, (more)
E. L. Doctorow's novel Ragtime was a sprawling fictional account of American manners and mores in the years between 1900 and 1913. Among the mosaic of colorful factual and fictional characters in the novel were escape artist Harry Houdini and radical Emma Goldman. Both characters are all but eliminated in the film version, which only concentrates on three of Doctorow's many plot threads: The story of an immigrant artist (Mandy Patinkin) who becomes a movie director; the saga of "Gibson Girl" Evelyn Nesbit Shaw (Elizabeth McGovern), for whose sake playboy Harry K. Thaw (Robert Joy); kills architect Stanford White (Norman Mailer) and a lone black man's (Howard Rollins Jr.) quest for justice when his car is destroyed by a racist fire chief (Kenneth McMillan). This last subplot consumes most of the film's running time, to the overall detriment of the pacing. There are also several scenes involving an unnamed upper-middle-class family (headed by James Olson and Mary Steenburgen) who are evidently meant to be the audience's eyes and ears, but are frankly not terribly interesting. Back in 1981, Ragtime was given plenty of press coverage as the "comeback" picture for James Cagney, after twenty years in retirement. The problem is that Cagney's character (a police commissioner) isn't in the book, and his inclusion not only throws the story off balance, but necessitates the removal of several potentially interesting characters and events. Another detriment is the gratuitous (and illogical) nudity in the Evelyn Nesbit scenes, which earned the film its "R" rating. An ornate misfire, Ragtime is of interest today only for its remarkable cast of veterans and stars-to-be, including Pat O'Brien and Eloise O'Brien, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Allen, Moses Gunn, Jeff Daniels and Fran Drescher. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Cagney, Brad Dourif, (more)
- 1979
- R
This routine espionage drama is based on a novel by Graham Greene about a low-level British informant who is caught in a trap. Castle (Nicol Williamson) has a desk job in British intelligence. Around him are heavyweights like Col. Daintry (Richard Attenborough), Sir John Hargreaves (Richard Vernon), and Percival (Robert Morley) who will cold-bloodedly stop at nothing to do their jobs as they see fit. And Castle certainly is a nobody compared to them. One day when a friend of his in Africa needs some help, Castle is conned into supplying the Eastern block countries with info on demand. No one suspects him because of his low position, but when his office partner is hauled off, Castle begins to rethink his situation. This was director Otto Preminger's last film. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Attenborough, John Gielgud, (more)
- 1978
- R
The Carry On series is living on fumes in this late entry. An unofficial burlesque of the Emmanuelle series (albeit with a single modification: the spelling of the name was changed to 'Emmannuelle' to avoid legal complications), the film centers upon Emmannuelle Prevert (Suzanne Danielle) and her unsuccessful attempts to make love to her husband Emile (Kenneth Williams), a French ambassador. Emile grants Emmannuelle permission to bed down with anyone she likes and her prodigious intercourse rate turns her into a celebrity and a frequent talk show guest. Meanwhile, Theodore Valentine (Larry Dann) is hopelessly in love with her and wants to marry her. Emmannuelle, however, is obsessed with arousing her husband Emile's sexual desire at almost any cost. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Suzanne Danielle, Kenny Williams, (more)
- 1976
The first British miniseries adaptation of E. Nesbit's classic children's novel The Phoenix and the Carpet ran for eight 25-minute episodes. Set in the late Victorian era, this was the story of five children who stumbled upon a magic carpet and an enormous egg. The fun really began when the egg hatched, revealing a fussy but lovable Phoenix (played by Richard Warner in an elaborate bird costume). Dramatized by John Tully, The Phoenix and the Carpet made its BBC debut on December 29, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tamzin Neville, Max Harris, (more)
- 1975
Handyman Bob (Barry Stokes) and his wife Margaretta (Penny Meredith) move into a new town, and as Bob sets up shop doing odd jobs and repairs, he discovers that more than a few of his neighbors are a bit on the eccentric side, including a clumsy policeman named Knowles (Chic Murray), a sexually adventurous schoolmarm (Sue Lloyd), and Squire Bullsworthy (Bob Todd), who has more than a passing interest in corporal punishment. Handsome Bob also finds he's a fast favorite with the local housewives, who seem to have more than small repairs on their minds. This saucy British comedy was later re-released under the title Confessions of a Handyman, though it is otherwise unrelated to the popular "Confessions Of ..." comedies starring Robin Askwith. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Stokes
- 1975
In this ribald erotic comedy, brothers team up to promote a rock band. Even though the musicians are remarkably untalented and one of the brothers is an incredible klutz, somehow they manage to succeed. Unfortunately, the band's fall to the bottom is nearly as quick as its rise to the top, for the boys find themselves unable to resist the temptations of several, seductive and large-breasted women. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robin Askwith, Anthony Booth, (more)
- 1974
In this British children's movie, an ingenious band of kids acquire a creaky old tractor and fix it up so they can enter the county championship. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Produced for British television, Murder in Mind was evidently slated for American release as part of ABC's Wide World Mystery anthology. We can't find its network debut date, though it sure got plenty of play on a local basis throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. Richard Johnson, Zena Walker, Donald Gee and Christina Greatorex star in this intricate puzzler. The story concerns a real-life murder involving a mystery writer and his wife. Suspects are plentiful, and it's up to a workaday policeman to piece things together. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Two steadfast members of Frank Sinatra's self-styled "clan," Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis Jr., are the stars of Salt and Pepper. The boys run a swinging nightclub in London's Soho district (which explains their awful "mod" wardrobe) and also reluctantly double as secret agents. Their current assignment is to put the kibosh on a half-baked military officer (John LeMesurier), who plans to hijack a nuclear sub and hold England captive. The film is securely locked into the 1960s, with weird camera angles and out-of-focus optical effects, plenty of compliant young miniskirted damsels, and Bondlike action highlights. Salt and Pepper was followed two years later by a sequel, imaginatively titled One More Time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Lawford, Michael Bates, (more)
- 1967
The subject matter being taught at this girls' school consists of teaching the ladies how to find rich husbands and separate them from their dough. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1966
The fact that there isn't a single likeable character in Cul de Sac does not diminish its artistic value in the least. Ageing, furtively kinky Donald Pleasence is married to sexy young Francoise Dorleac. The couple's hermitlike tranquility is shattered when wounded gangsters Jack MacGowan and Lionel Stander invade their home and hold them hostage. As Dorleac urges her tremulous husband to do something, the two criminals begin behaving in a fashion that can only inadequately be described as eccentric. Drawing upon two of Polanski's favorite themes-isolation and latent insanity--Cul de Sac actually improves upon each viewing, assuming that the viewer has the intestinal fortitude to sit through it once. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Pleasence, Françoise Dorléac, (more)
- 1965
For reasons unknown, a certain species of birds -- the martlets -- is disappearing from the face of the earth. Investigating this curious turn of events, as well as a sudden rash of crop failures, Steed and Emma cross the path of a most politically incorrect gentleman, who is in a cahoots with a band of biological terrorists. Faced with an ultimatum and a deadline -- pay forty million pounds, or suffer horrible consequences -- the British government must rely upon The Avengers to make the world safe for martlets once more. Written by Roger Marshall, "Silent Dust" was originally shown in England on January 1, 1966; though it was never seen on American network television, the episode was later included in the series' syndicated package. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diana Rigg
This Hammer film production is a surprisingly frightening horror thriller and a hoot-fest for lovers of over-the-top acting. Young Pat Carroll (Stefanie Powers) goes to the home of her dead fiancé to meet his beloved mother, Mrs. Trefoile (Tallulah Bankhead). There, she discovers that Mrs. Trefoile is not the loving mother she had anticipated, but rather a grieving psychopath who blames Pat for the death of her son. Tallulah Bankhead, in her last film, has never been know for her subtle acting, but in this she lets go of all restraint and gives a performance equal to that of Bette Davis in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Her maniacal intensity is comic, camp, and surprisingly effective. Stefanie Powers, who underplays her role, is a great contrast as the puzzled and then terrified Pat. This movie is a must-see for all lovers of camp horror movies or fans of the memorable Tallulah Bankhead. Die! Die! My Darling! was also released as Fanatic. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tallulah Bankhead, Stefanie Powers, (more)
- 1960
The luscious Hazel Court is the main attraction of The Man Who Was Nobody. She plays a sexy private detective, summoned to solve the murder of a jewel thief. For a while it looks as though the man who hired Hazel, the thief's brother, may himself be the murderer. But it turns out that a deeply-in-debt gambler is the guilty party. The Man Who Was Nobody was an average entry in Merton Park Productions' Edgar Wallace series of the 1960s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
A troubled teen discovers that reform isn't always easy in this drama. The lad is on probation for robbery when he falls in love with a wealthy young girl. Wanting to help him out, she gets him a job in her father's textile mill. Things are swell there until her father is unable to find his wallet. Due to the boy's dubious recent past, he is naturally the first suspect. Afraid that no one will believe him innocent, the boy takes off. In desperate need of quick cash, he robs a store. Eventually the police catch up to him, but by this time the wallet has been found and the boy's gal convinces him to go face his crime and go straight for good. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1959
In this crime drama, a young man must prove himself innocent of murder to clear his name and marry the daughter of a baronet. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1959
In this crime drama, an impoverished but enamored bank clerk joins his brother's gang of bank robbers so he can afford to marry his sweetheart. Unfortunately, their latest caper fails and the bank clerk accidentally gets involved in a murder leaving him to take a hard look at the life he has chosen. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1959
In this romance, a crooked, over-ambitious clerk will do anything to make it to the top, even if it means getting engaged to a man she doesn't love. Her "beloved" is the son of her richest client. Fortunately, by the story's end, the woman reconsiders her goals and ends up falling for a minor executive. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1958
In this crime drama, a Yankee rocket scientist stationed in Great Britain becomes an undercover investigator when he suspects that his laboratory base has been infiltrated by an enemy spy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1958
Boyish leading man Jack Watling is caught up in a rather mature set of circumstances in Links of Justice. In concert with his mistress Kay Callard, Watling plots to murder his wealthy wife Sarah Lawson. The best laid schemes gang aft agley, and the wrong person ends up dead. In a variation of Dial M for Murder, a false murder accusation is dissipated by the timely arrival of a housebreaker. Chalk up another serviceable second-feature British melodrama for the production team of Edward and Harry Danzinger. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
In this thriller, a married woman's unfortunately placed handkerchief leads police to accuse her of murder. Fortunately, her husband stands beside her and goes looking for the killer himself. He succeeds. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
