Mark Eden Movies

Eager to escape her high-society life among the English elite, a woman falls in love with a young musician. Her husband, however, has other plans for her. ~ John Bush, Rovi

Major James Wilson (Lloyd Bridges) must lead his troops across the English channel in the D-day invasion of Normandy. He trains his regulars for the invasion knowing that many, if not all, may never survive the assault. Wilson is plagued by memories of previous missions that turned out to be suicidal. Captain Franklin (Andrew Keir) is the British officer who opposed the plan and has a personal vendetta against Wilson. The two are thrown together on the same mission when Franklin is slated to command the mine sweepers that transport Wilson's troops to their destination. They face overwhelming odds and a barrage of cannon fire from the Nazi stronghold on the Normandy coast. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

In this spooky thriller, an evil sorcerer invites an innocent young man and his girl friend to his dark and scary mansion. The two have no idea that the black magician is planning to sacrifice the young man to atone for the evil misdeeds of his ancestors who 200 years ago burned the wizard's relative, a witch, at the stake. A crazy party precedes the gruesome ritual. Fortunately for the young couple the sage Professor March (80-year-old Boris Karloff in one of his final films) is also a skilled magic maker and is there to save them. The film is also titled Curse of the Crimson Altar and The Crimson Altar. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The imprisoning aspects of Success are humorously analyzed in this British-made film. Oliver Reed plays a wealthy advertising man who feels he has sold his soul and wishes to return to his happier earlier existence as a poor but swinging Londoner. Reed is goaded on by his boss, Orson Welles, who represents all the mercenary crassness that Reed despises. Handed a crucial commercial account, Reed plans to destroy himself by producing as offensive and confusing an ad campaign as possible. But Welles and the client are delighted by the "insult," and the disgruntled Reed is more successful than ever. Directed in the fragmentary "psychedelic" style typical of the late 1960s, I'll Never Forget What's'is Name gained notoriety upon its initial release by being the first mainstream British film in which the "F" word was spoken on-screen. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this political thriller, the trouble begins when a prominent politician finds himself entangled with some shady dealings that threaten to destroy his carefully constructed career. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Kim Stanley plays a crooked medium who has become slightly unhinged since the death of her son. Craving money and publicity, she concocts a scheme with her weak-willed husband (Richard Attenborough). The pair will kidnap a wealthy young girl, collect the ransom, then use her "powers" to help the parents locate the child. The scheme falls apart, but not in the way that anyone might expect. Adapted by director Bryan Forbes from a novel by Mark McShane, Seance on a Wet Afternoon is a compelling psychological melodrama made doubly powerful by Stanley's mesmerizing performance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the fourth episode of the seven-part story arc "Marco Polo," the Doctor's (William Hartnell) granddaughter Susan (Carole Ann Ford), is terrified by the phantoms which seem to haunt the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes. Meanwhile, Tegana (Derren Nesbitt) returns to advise Marco Polo (Mark Eden) to rid himself of the Doctor and his friends. And on another front, Ian (William Russell) uncovers gruesome evidence that someone in the traveling party intends to use the TARDIS time-traveling machine for his own evil purposes. Written by John Lucarotti, "The Wall of Lies" first aired on March 14, 1964; alas, none of the episodes in the "Marco Polo" arc are known to have survived. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the second episode of the seven-part story arc "Marco Polo," the Doctor and his companions reluctantly accompany Marco Polo (Mark Eden) on a long journey to the Peking stronghold of Kublai Khan. The first leg of their journey requires them to cross the Gobi Desert, known as "the singing sands" due to the eerie sounds made by the relentless wind. What no one yet suspects is that Marco's "trusted" associate Tegana (Derren Nesbitt) plans to use the Doctor's TARDIS to topple Kublai Khan from power -- and it is Tegana who has volunteered to search for water on behalf of Marco and his entourage. Written by John Lucarotti, "The Singing Sands" first aired on February 29, 1964; alas, none of the episodes in the "Marco Polo" arc are known to have survived. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the sixth episode of the seven-part story arc "Marco Polo," the Doctor (William Hartnell) and his friends, still the reluctant traveling companions of Marco Polo (Mark Eden), arrive at Shang-Tu, where stands the opulent summer palace of the all-powerful Kublai Khan (Martin Miller). Fascinated by the TARDIS, Khan orders the Doctor and the others to accompany him to Peking, and for a while it looks as though none of the people will ever be able to return to their own home and time. Meanwhile, the treacherous Tagana (Derren Nesbitt) continues plotting to become absolute ruler of Cathay. Written by John Lucarotti, "Mighty Kublai Khan" first aired on March 28, 1964; alas, none of the episodes in the "Marco Polo" arc are known to have survived. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Man in the Dark is a quickie British suspenser geared for double-feature bills. William Sylvester stars as a blind composer of hit songs. Sylvester's wife Barbara Shelley hates him beyond measure. She contrives with her lover, artist Rickie Seldon, to kill Sylvester, but the composer has the last ha-ha. The so-called popular songs heard on the soundtrack of Man in the Dark, including the title number, suggest that William Sylvester is not only blind but tone-deaf. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Considered a bit too sacrilegious for general consumption in 1963, the Boulting brothers' Heavens Above was simply ahead of its time, and has since accrued a loyal and vocal following. Peter Sellers plays an idealistic British reverend with a bad habit of telling the truth at all times. He also follows his conscience whenever possible, resulting in several cleric decisions that shock his wealthy, landed-gentry parishioners. By inviting such "undesirables" as gypsies and West Africans to worship freely in his church, Sellers rouses the ire of the rest of his white-bread flock. He does, however, compel the selfish owner (Isabel Jeans) of a laxative firm to "see the light" and to sell off all her holdings on behalf of the poor and downtrodden. Unfortunately, by doing this the woman wrecks her business--which is the principal source of income for the community where Sellers works. Retreating from town with an angry mob on his heels, Sellers relocates on a tiny island in the Pacific. Since the island is the site of a missile base, and since the local astronauts have shown signs of agnosticism, where else is there for Sellers to go...but up? Heavens Above was inspired by a notion cooked up by iconoclastic British satirist Malcolm Muggeridge. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on the true story of Sergeant-Major Charlie Coward (played by Dirk Bogarde) during World War II, this conventional wartime drama does not convincingly put across Coward's heroism, or his seemingly impossible exploits. A German POW and leader in Stalag 8B, Coward finds ways to humiliate his German captors whenever he can, but most importantly he and the men under him are working out an escape. They have already dug out a 280-foot tunnel, and now Coward has to somehow reach the Polish resistance fighters in order to get the necessary maps and money before exiting through the tunnel. To that end, he gets put in charge of prisoners at a lumber yard, burns the place down, blames it on a German officer, and manages to get an afternoon off in town if he does not rat on the officer. That time off allows him to contact the resistance movement and get the supplies he needs. And this is only the beginning of several adventures that Coward somehow survives. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

While investigating a series of mysterious fires, Steed's assistant Carol takes time off for a hairdressing appointment. When she is nearly killed by an exploding hair drier, Carol deduces that the owners of the beauty salon are the brains behind an arson ring. Steed and Keel close in on the villains, only to risk immolation themselves. Written by Peter Ling and Shelaigh Ward, "Ashes of Roses" was originally telecast live on March 4, 1961; the following week, the series switched to videotape. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi