Mona Bruce Movies
Peter Davison stars as bespectacled, aristocratic private detective Albert Campion in this two-part adaptation of Margery Allingham's novel Look to the Lady. Set in Suffolk, England during the 1930s, the story concerns the Gyrth Chalice, a 1000-year-old artifact stolen from a once-prominent family now on its uppers. In his efforts to recover the chalice and restore the Gyrth family's prestige, Campion and his assistant Lugg (Brian Glover) enlist the aid of a shabby drifter named Val (Robin Lermette). The key to the story is "the Daisy"--which also happens to be the name of one of the principal characters. In America, "ook to the Lady" was telecast November 23 and 30, 1989, as part of the PBS anthology Mystery! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Davison, Brian Glover, (more)
- 1988
As indicated by the title, The Woman He Loved is the story of the romance between Britain's King Edward VII (Anthony Andrews) and American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson (Jane Seymour). Forbidden by the Church of England and Royal Protocol to wed Mrs. Simpson, Edward abdicates in 1936, spending the rest of his life with his beloved Wallis as the world's most visible non-paying guest. Told in flashback (Wallis, preparing for Edward's funeral in 1972, reflects on their life together), this made-for-TV movie manages to sidestep the pricklier aspects of Edward's post-monarch existence, notably his heavy drinking, his flirtation with Nazism his attempts to avoid military service during World War II. Olivia De Havilland, Julie Harris, Robert Hardy, Lucy Gutteridge and Phyllis Calvert are among the familiar faces dotting the supporting cast. The Woman He Loved was first telecast April 3, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
The British drama series Within These Walls chronicled the lives of those unfortunate souls incarcerated in Stone Park, a tough woman's prison. Running four years and 52 episodes, the series was on long enough to require the services of three different female wardens, each with her own penal methods and personal hangups: Faye Boswell (Googie Withers), Helen Forrester (Katherine Blake), and Susan Marshall (Sarah Lawson). At the time of its original airing, the series stirred up both controversy and praise for its unstinting realism, though by 21st century standards it was rather restrained. Within These Walls debuted in 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Googie Withers, Katherine Blake, (more)
Though Roger Moore was born in England and established himself as star of the British TV series The Saint, Crossplot represents Moore's very first British theatrical film. He stars as an advertising executive swept up in a plot to murder a visiting African statesman. Lensed in "swinging" London, the film is "mod" to an almost depressing degree, obscuring what is at base a solid espionage thriller. Moore ultimately thwarts the villains by decoding a message secreted in a crossword puzzle -- hence the film's title. A climactic shootout in Hyde Park tops this dry run for Roger Moore's subsequent stint as James Bond. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Moore, Martha Hyer, (more)
Sidney Poitier, who in 1955 played a student in a tough inner-city high school, portrays a teacher assigned to a similar institution in To Sir, With Love. Unable to find work as an engineer, Poitier accepts a teaching post in London's East End slums. To reach his sullen, rebellious students, Poitier throws away his textbooks and endeavors to reach them as human beings--and as the adults they're going to become. It's an uphill climb, but gradually the students are won over. They begin referring to Poitier as "Sir," not out of blind obedience but as a gesture of genuine affection. Not that there aren't obstacles to overcome: in addition to trying to get through to hardcase student Christian Roberts, Poitier must face down the resistance and hostility of his fellow teachers. The sweetly sentimental finale amply displays the vocal talents of Lulu, who trills the title song. Based on the novel by E. R. Brainwaite, To Sir, With Love was one of the biggest moneyspinners of 1967 (with this film, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and In the Heat of the Night, Sidney Poitier had quite a year). In 1996, a belated made-for-TV sequel was produced, briefly reuniting To Sir with Love co-stars Sidney Poiter, Lulu and Judy Geason, none of whom looked a day older. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sidney Poitier, Christian Roberts, (more)
