Dilys Hamlett Movies
Dilys Hamlett is a versatile actress of considerable dramatic range whose formidable comic skills found her equally adept at comedy, despite a career that frequently leaned toward drama. Born in Hampshire, England, in March of 1928, the young actress received her first stage role, in a 1952 production of The Innocents, before moving on as an understudy for Vivien Leigh in Laurence Olivier's production of Macbeth. Hamlett would later essay roles in Danton's Death, A Passage to India, and The Miracle Worker at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, and it was also at the Hammersmith that the actress would meet her future husband, Caspar Wrede. Following her film debut in 1957's Twelfth Night, Hamlett would go on to appear in such movies as The Bananas Boat (1974), Diagnosis: Murder (1975), The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1988), and Hollow Reed (1996). Her television work included such made-for-TV features as 1987's Gaudy Night and the 1999 miniseries Wives and Daughters. On November 7, 2002, Dilys Hamlett died of a brain hemorrhage in Scotland. She was 78 years old. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide- 1996
- R
Violence and anti-gay prejudice combine to make a heated custody battle all the more ugly in this tense domestic drama. Hannah Wyatt (Joely Richardson) is a single mother who lives with her nine-year-old son Oliver (Sam Bould) and her boyfriend Frank Donally (Jason Flemyng). Hannah was married to Martyn (Martin Donovan), but their relationship ended bitterly when Martyn chose to finally acknowledge his homosexuality and left her to move in with his lover Tom Dixon (Ian Hart). Oliver has suffered several unexplained injuries in recent months, and one day Hannah comes home from work to discover that Frank has severely wounded Oliver's hand when he lashed out with violence over a minor bit of misbehavior. Hannah kicks Frank out of the house, but when he returns -- tearfully begging forgiveness and claiming he'll never hurt Oliver again -- she takes him back. Martyn learns of Frank's violence against his son, and she sues to have full custody of Oliver for the sake of the child's safety. However, Hannah is terrified of both losing her son and being left without a man in her life; she and Frank join forces in court against Martyn, using his homosexuality as their chief weapon against him and trying to poison Oliver's mind with homophobia against his father. Hollow Reed's soundtrack features selections recorded for the film by Elvis Costello, Annie Lennox, and Paul Weller. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Donovan, Joely Richardson, (more)
- 1988
Stuart Orme directed this charming children's adventure-fantasy based on the book by Joan Aiken. Set during the imaginary reign of King James III, sometime in the last century, the story takes place in the snowbound and wolf-infested North Yorkshire countryside in England. The tale centers upon two children -- Bonnie (Emily Hudson) and Sylvia (Aleks Darowska) -- and how they attempt to foil a sinister plot by their evil governess Slighcarp (Stephanie Beacham). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephanie Beacham, Mel Smith, (more)
- 1984
Part of the British mystery series based on the books by Agatha Christie, Miss Marple: The Moving Finger was first aired in 1985. Maud Calthorp (Dilys Hamlett) calls in Miss Jane Marple (Joan Hickson) to investigate a hate-mail case in the small village of Lymston. The problem is kept relatively quiet until lawyer Edward Symmington (Michael Culver) discovers his wife dead after receiving one of the letters. The coroner says suicide, but Miss Marple is convinced otherwise. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Hickson
When a well-known psychiatrist reports that his wife has disappeared, the police discover an anonymous note stating that he has killed her. Under suspicion now of having murdered his wife and done away with the body, he becomes entangled in a suspenseful mystery as he tries to clear his name. One of several such movies, this one stands out of the pack. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1974
What Changed Charley Farthing stars Doug McClure as a wayfaring sailor stopping over in Havana. In the tradition of The African Queen, the sailor becomes a reluctant hero when he is hired to give safe passage out of Cuba to a young woman (Hayley Mills) and her father (Lionel Jeffries). This involves stealing a boat, ducking the authorities, and avoiding bullets. David Pursall and Jack Seddon adapted the screenplay from a novel by Mark Hebdon. What Changed Charley Farthing has been run repeatedly on American television under its alternate title The Bananas Boat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Someone is sexually assaulting and (usually) killing the students of a girls' school. There are entirely too many suspects to make the job of the Scotland Yard detective (Frank Finlay) an easy one. The girls' persistent use of the shortcut through the woods in which the crimes occur has only compounded the problem. Although one of the victims has survived the attack, shock has erased her memory of the event, and the detective's investigations are perforce guided by the vague impressions of the school's art mistress (Suzy Kendall), who witnessed something. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1962
In this confusing drama, the IRA, intrigue, psychiatric analysis, and a young man framed for murder are thrown together in a series of events that were perhaps originally intended to highlight the psychological aspects of the case under study. One night, eighteen-year-old Harry Jukes (British rock 'n roller Adam Faith in his first dramatic role) is driving down a deserted country road when he gets a flat tire. A policeman stops to help him out when a truck drives by, and the next thing Harry knows, the policeman is lying dead on the road and Harry is literally holding a smoking gun in his hand. From there to his arrest and trial is a brief hop, skip, and then a jump into prison to await his execution. His lawyer thinks he did it, but his psychiatrist (Anne Baxter) disagrees -- and sets out to prove she is right. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anne Baxter, Donald Sinden, (more)
