Craig Marriott Movies
A hardened ex-convict is charged with leading six teenage delinquents on a journey through the forest designed to scare them straight before they head back to the big city. Soon after being dropped off deep in the woods with few resources, however, the group's quest quickly takes an ominous turn as an unknown presence begins stalking them from the dense foliage. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Grives, Peter Kent, (more)
- 1971
An excellent musical score by the Bee Gees adds appeal to this curious little movie about two ten-year olds, Daniel and Melody (Mark Lester and Tracy Hyde) who are completely taken with each other and announce to their parents, in all seriousness, that they plan to get married. This marriage is not planned for the distant future, but as soon as possible. The uproar that is caused when their seriousness becomes clear is not too surprising. Their best friend Ornshaw (Jack Wild) is not too thrilled with their plan either. What makes the film work is that the entire story is told from the children's point of view in which the grownups' objections, since they have no relation to the truth of what the children are feeling, come across as silly or inconsequential. This film is a reunion of sorts for Oscar-winning Oliver! co-stars Mark Lester and Jack Wild ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Wild, Mark Lester, (more)
While it might not have been the best idea on earth to remake the 1939 classic Goodbye Mr. Chips as a musical, the end result is not altogether displeasing. Peter O'Toole steps into the old Robert Donat role of Arthur Chipping (originally Charles Chipping), a young by-the-book schoolmaster at a 1920s British boys school who is humanized by the love of good-natured music-hall singer Katherine Bridges (played by Petula Clark; Greer Garson essayed this role, then named Katherine Ellis, in the original). Though Chips must endure the tragedy of Katherine's death during the 1940 London blitz (a scene filmed from the bomb's point of view!), he is able to persevere by devoting himself to his young charges. In retrospect, this version of Goodbye Mr. Chips might have worked better without the songs, which never rise above banality. And though Petula Clark can't match the poignancy of Greer Garson's performance (in all fairness, she didn't have much of a script to work with), Peter O'Toole is terrific as the title character, convincingly ageing and mellowing as the story unfolds. Originally road-shown at 151 minutes, Goodbye Mr. Chips is today generally available in its 131-minute general-release version. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter O'Toole, Petula Clark, (more)
