Derek Francis Movies

Faye Dunaway stars in Michael Winner's labored re-make of the 1945 swashbuckler, which was co-scripted by Leslie Arliss, the original director of the 1945 film. Dunaway is Lady Barbara Skelton, a lady of the royal class, who becomes a highway robber, taking up with Captain Jerry Jackson (Alan Bates), a highwayman and her lover. Because of a notorious whiping scene in which Lady Barbara and Jackson's girlfriend (Marina Sirtis) take horsewhips to one another, tearing their clothing to strategically-placed ribbons, the film was held back from release because Winner refused to cut the salacious footage. After corralling author Kingsley Amis, and directors John Schlesinger, Karel Reisz, and Lindsay Anderson to attest to the redeeming social value of the scene, the scene stayed in the film. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

An innocent country farmer experiences a number of improbable misadventures that culminate in a battle against the titular beast in this broadly comic fantasy. The first solo outing of director Terry Gilliam, who served as animator and co-director on Monty Python and the Holy Grail, returns to the medieval setting that had previously served him so well, and brings along fellow Pythonite Michael Palin for the ride as reluctant hero Dennis Cooper. Cooper's journey to defeat the fearsome Jabberwock is filled with a similar combination of traditional fairy-tale narrative and irreverent humor, which at times aims to be even raunchier than classic Python fare. But while the film is too awkward and repetitive to succeed, it does boast impressively grungy medieval sets and costumes, and flashes of the visual brilliance that would characterize Gilliam's more mature works. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Christopher Lee stars in this weak occult melodrama as Father Michael Rayner, an excommunicated priest who decides to save the world from its decadence by teaming up with Satan. Richard Widmark is on hand as John Verney, out to stop Rayner's satanic rituals and helped along on the path of goodness by friends Anna Fountain (Honor Blackman) and David (Anthony Valentine). The plot centers on distraught father Henry Beddows (Denholm Elliott), who has signed over his daughter Catherine (Nastassja Kinski) to Rayner in order to save his own skin and now regrets it. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

This film brings more ribald nonsense from the British "Carry On" gang. This time the setting is the Spanish resort town of Elsbels. A group of stereotypical British tourists - led by courier Stuart Farquhar (Kenneth Williams) show up for a four-day weekend at a "luxury hotel." There are only two setbacks: the hotel doesn't seem to be finished yet...and it's raining through the roof. Oh, yes...all the staff members look suspiciously like the same person. Stalwart "Carry On" troupers Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor and Hattie Jacques are in attendance, while the toothsome Barbara Windsor shows up as "Miss Sadie Tompkins". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The last of four "medical" entries in the Carry On series is also the lewdest; whether it's the funniest is a matter of taste (taste?) The action takes places at Finisham Maternity Hospital. If you liked that "Finisham" gag, you'll adore such characters as Susan Ball, Miss Willing, and Mrs. Putzova. Oh, yes, we must have a plot somewhere. It seems that a group of thieves hope to steal a huge shipment of contraceptives from the hospital. Alas and alack for them, Matron (Hattie Jacques) and head doctor Sir Bernard Cutting (Kenneth Williams) remain forever underfoot. Other stalwart Carry On-ers in the cast, many in surprisingly fleeting roles, include Kevin Connor, Joan Sims and Barbara Windsor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

David Niven is Alex, a scholar who has won the Nobel Prize for developing a universal language. The U.S. State Department has decided to honor him with a statue, to be displayed in London's Grosvenor Square. The commission for the project went to Alex's wife Rhonda (Virna Lisi), who has designed a statue that is completely nude, without even a fig leaf. Husband Alex sees that is it a perfect replica of himself, except for the part usually covered by fig leaves. He accuses his wife of using one of her lovers as a model and begins a hilarious search for the original. Robert Vaughn has some good lines as the American Ambassador, discussing the couple's controversy with the President. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Scrooge was designed as a follow-up to 1968's Oliver!, the Oscar-winning musicalization of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. The umpteenth musical version of Dickens' 1843 novelette A Christmas Carol, Scrooge features several sprightly Leslie Bricusse songs, including the bona fide hit "Thank You Very Much." Buried under mounds of latex, Albert Finney is Ebenezer Scrooge. The Three Ghosts who turn the miserly Scrooge's life around on Christmas Eve are portrayed by Edith Evans (Past), Kenneth More (Present) and Paddy Stone (Yet to Come). Sir Alec Guinness also appears as a fussy, slightly effeminate Marley's Ghost. Intriguingly, Finney performs his many songs live, without post-production dubbing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This is the 20th feature in the successful "Carry On" series of bawdy slapstick comedies. Sidney Bliss (Sidney James) and his faithful assistant Sophie (Hattie Jacques) run a bogus matrimonial agency designed to unite people looking for love and romance. One couple never speaks a word in the film but are seen kissing in strange and familiar places. Three love-starved ladies offer their services to anyone who asks, and an excellent pie fight harkens back to the days of the classic silent comedies, with continual running gags and sexual innuendo permeating the film. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

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

The "Carry On" gravy train continues in this entry that registers high on the randiness and vulgarity levels. Sid Boggle (Sidney James) and his best pal Bernie Lugg (Bernard Bresslaw) take off for the holidays with their girlfriends Joan Fussey (Joan Sims) and Anthea meeks (Dilys Laye). The gals know that the boys are taking them camping -- what they don't know it that it is also a nudist camp. Once there they are attracted to other campers -- particularly a group of gals from the Chayste Place Finishing School. Sexual innuendoes and double entendres become the order of the day. . . and night. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

The producers of the popular British "Carry On" series aren't going to fix something if it is not broken. This workable, slapstick comedy returns to a hospital setting and benefits from the same gags that made Carry On, Nurse a top draw in Britain. Instead of Dr. Kildare, this emergency unit has Dr. Kilmore (Jim Dale), the usual curmudgeon supervisor (Kenneth Williams) and a bedpan full of quirky quacks and petulant patients. The hospital staff is plagued by bathroom humor, romance, medical mistakes and beautiful nurses who distract the doctors and patients alike. Sight gags and comedy ensues, and this film is just what the doctor ordered for those in need of some laughs. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Produced in the wake of the all-star "comedy spectacular" Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, Fantastic Flying Fools (originally titled Blast-Off, and also released as Those Fantastic Flying Fools) is based very loosely on a Jules Verne novel. A 19th century British newspaper offers a prize to the first scientist who is able to construct and launch a rocket to the moon. Contestants from all over the world compete for the prize, including Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines cast members Terry-Thomas and Gert Frobe. Much of the slapstick is tiresome and derivative, but there is one cute closing gag involving villains Terry-Thomas and Lionel Jeffries and a Siberian chain gang. There's precious little of the spirit of Jules Verne in Fantastic Flying Fools, save for the woodcut illustrations which decorate the opening credits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide