John Barry Movies
In this clunky suspense film, straining to be Hitchcockian, Michael Caine plays recovered alcoholic Henry Clarke, who finds himself enticed into the home of Fe Moreau (Giovanna Ralli), where he discovers an unusual arrangement -- apparently Fe Moreau would rather engage in a relationship with an ex-alcoholic than her husband Richard (Eric Portman). Seems Richard is an out-of-the-closet homosexual, complete with a young Spanish stud (Carlos Pierre) as a plaything. The staid home life heats up to a boil when the three misfits decide to steal jewels from a rich playboy. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Caine, Giovanna Ralli, (more)
- 1963
This engaging children's musical finds Billy Bowles (Tommy Steele) as an A & R talent co-ordinator who has grown up as an orphan. He returns every Saturday to play with the orphans in the place he grew up. The sentimental Billy arranges a recording session and a benefit performance to help the institution. He gathers a bevy of song and dance professionals in the spirit of Andy Hardy and puts on a show the kids will never forget. Billy steals the show with his inspired hoofing and crooning. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Steele, Michael Medwin, (more)
- 1957
This action-filled police drama chronicles the difficult first year of a rookie cop. The trouble begins on his very first day on the beat when he has a conflict with the criminally connected owner of the local tavern. Against the more moderate advice of his experienced partner, the rookie insists on strictly enforcing every law on the books. His unbending toughness creates hard feelings with the neighborhood toughs and soon he becomes their target. He becomes quite upset when a drunken woman leaps from his window to her death. He is then suspended. Later he redeems himself by solving a murder and bringing the corrupt tavern owner to justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Geraldine Brooks, Nehemiah Persoff, (more)
- 1954
Faithfully adapted from a popular holiday play by Wynyard Browne, this moving British drama centers on a recently widowed, aging country vicar who hosts a family Christmas and learns a valuable lesson about keeping his own homefires alight before spending too much time tending the fires of others. Those coming for the holiday include his sister, his late wife's sister, and her cousin. The vicar's free-spirited youngest daughter and his son, a furloughed soldier, also show up. The preacher's eldest daughter lives with him and together they welcome their guests. The vicar is a good man and a caring fellow who spends considerable time caring for and counseling his parishioners, perhaps too much time, for he does not recognize the troubles of his own clan. His devoted oldest daughter quietly deals with a terrible dilemma. She is about to marry an engineer who has just found a long-term job overseas. She wants desperately to be with him, but will not leave her beloved father who seems to need her so much. Her little sister also has trouble. While in the city she fell in love with a soldier. He impregnated her, returned to the war, and was killed. Later the child died and she has become an alcoholic, something she eventually tells her brother and sister. Meanwhile the young people's aunts, learning of the situation, ask the youngest to return home to care for her father so the eldest can marry. Unfortunately, the young woman refuses and heads off to get drunk with her brother. When the vicar learns about his daughter's troubles, he and she have an emotional reconciliation. He then moves on to make peace with the rest of his family. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ralph Richardson, Celia Johnson, (more)
- 1952
"Angels One Five" is the cognomen bestowed upon a group of WW II British fighter pilots. The squadron leader is Tiger Small (Jack Hawkins), who is taken out of commission after an accident. Despite the protests from his fellow flyboys, Tiger insists upon taking to the air again, thereby setting the stage for the film's exciting and inspirational finale. Angels One Five differs from other combat films in that the battles generally take place offscreen; the progress of the principal characters is relayed to the audience via radio reports and control-room charts. If this sounds dull and static, it isn't: in fact, Angels One Five is among the best of the "Battle of Britain" war epics. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Hawkins, Michael Denison, (more)
- 1952
The British Something Money Can't Buy offers a few smaller-scale variations on themes previously explored in the 1946 Hollywood Oscar-winner The Best Years of Our Lives. Harry Wilding (Anthony Steel), a high-ranking wartime military officer, has trouble adjusting to his go-nowhere civilian job and the monotony of his home life. Harry's wife Anne (Patricia Roc) tries to make things easier for her husband, but there are no easy answers to his plight. The inherent drama of the situation is leavened by moments of gentle humor, not to mention the warm rapport between stars. The supporting cast includes hirsute comic actor (and longtime David Niven crony) Michael Trubshawe and the venerable A. E. Mathews, at the time billed as England's oldest working actor. Director Pat Jackson co-authored the perceptive screenplay of Something Money Can't Buy with James Lonsdale Hudson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patricia Roc, Anthony Steel, (more)
- 1950
Zena Marshall endures a Dark Interval in this funereal British melodrama. Marshall plays the new bride of handsome and charming Andrew Osborn. No sooner does the honeymoon commence than Osborn drops his charm (though he's still pretty handsome). Marshall learns to her mounting horror that Osborn is hell on wheels when he's jealous--and he turns jealous at the slightest provocation. John Gilling, miles away from his horror classics of the 1960s, maintains a respectable level of suspense. Dark Interval is in and out in a breakneck 60 minutes, barely allowing us time to dwell on the plot inconsistencies. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1949
In this crime drama, a milque-toast bank clerk succumbs to the unending demands of his bullying girl friend for expensive things and embezzles money from his employer. Someone murders the girl, and terrified that he will be accused, the clerk takes his money and flees with a detective and the real killer in hot pursuit. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
