Iris Russell Movies
- 1969
Greeting Steed after his three-week vacation, Tara asks him if he enjoyed himself. Unfortunately, he can't say, because he has absolutely no memory of the past three weeks. Investigating this curious lapse of memory, Tara stumbles upon a plot to kill Mother -- with Steed in the thick of things. The episode's highlight is a battle of one-upsmanship between a captive Tara and glamorous-but-deadly enemy agent Lisa (Kate O'Mara). Written by Don Chaffey, "Stay Tuned" first aired in England on February 26, 1969, two days after its American TV premiere. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Bond
- 1964
Downfall is yet another hour-long entry in the seemingly endless series of British-filmed Edgar Wallace mysteries. Maurice Denham plays a brilliant attorney who arranges an acquittal for murderer T.P. McKenna. It's all part of Denham's master scheme to divest himself of his wife (Nadja Regan). Denham hires McKenna as his chauffeur, then blackmails the poor bloke into murdering the wife. Downfall was the 22nd entry in Merton Park's Edgar Wallace series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
One-and-a-half seconds after his election, a muckraking politician is murdered. Hoping to get to the bottom of the mystery, Steed arranges for Cathy to take the dead man's place. But it turns out that the "murder victim" is very much alive, and he intends to detonate a nuclear warhead in London on Guy Fawkes' Day. Originally telecast in England on November 2, 1963 (three days before the annual Guy Fawkes celebration), "November Five" was written by Eric Paise. The significance of its title (and its topicality) was lost to American viewers when the episode made its U.S. TV debut on March 12, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
In this adventure, a group of young people try to guard a valuable British plane. Unfortunately, international crooks gull them into believing that they are buyers and hijack the craft. During the flight, the guardians try to take the craft back from the crooks. Meanwhile the RAF flies to their rescue and justice eventually prevails, but not before some daring mid-air stunts ensue. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Giving up her career after her stand-in is murdered, alcoholic film star Carla Berotti (Patricia English) takes the first ship to Canada. Here she is blackmailed into acting as a courier for her husband, a double agent. It so happens that Carla's personal physician is Dr. Martin King (Jon Rollason) -- who, of course, is a close associate of John Steed. Apprised of the situation, Steed books passage on the ship in hopes of rounding up the villains once and for all. Written by Lester Powell, "Mission to Montreal" first aired in England on October 27, 1962, and was first shown in America on January 31, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
When the English Civil War is winding down but the Roundheads and Royalists are still at odds with each other, it is decided that the King, Raymond, should be moved from England to France for safekeeping. When the Cavalier assigned the task is thwarted by the discovery of the scheme, other measures must be taken. Good action scenes with a smidgen of romance thrown in for good measure. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Baker, Sylvia Syms, (more)
- 1956
This British drama is a soft-pedalled paean to the nursing profession. The story takes place in a large hospital, where several aspiring nurses receive their training. Special attention is paid to novice nurse Pat (Delphi Lawrence), who is more concerned with landing a wealthy husband than ministering to the sick, and fellow trainee Susan (Belinda Lee), who is torn between marrying her doctor-lover or continuing her studies. Mandy Miller, one of Britain's best child performers, is effectively cast as a dying heart patient. The Feminine Touch is based on a novel by Sheila MacKay Russell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Baker, Belinda Lee, (more)
- 1954
This crime drama contains two stories. In the first, a luckless fellow has even worse luck when he is suspected of murder because the victim carried information that would have kept the man from inheriting a fortune. Fortunately, another person had an even greater motive for the killing and justice ensues. In the second, a widow gets revenge upon the two who killed her husband for money. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1952
Created by Ernest Dudley, The Armchair Detective was a BBC radio anthology, tied in with a series of popular detective novels. The film version of Armchair Detective features Dudley as "himself", both narrating the story and acting as sidelines observer. Sally Newton co-stars as a radio singer suspected of murdering her hateful boss. Her friend Hartley Power tries to expose the real killer before Scotland Yard inspector Derek Elphinstone can pounce upon the poor girl. If Elphinstone seems to have all the best lines, it may be because he wrote the script. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
