Ursula Howells Movies
In the summer of 1937, wealthy timber importer William Cazalet (Frederick Treves) and his wife, Kitty (Ursula Howells), host their children -- Hugh, Edward, Rupert, and Rachel -- and grandchildren for an extended holiday at William's idyllic Sussex estate. At dinner, William invites Rupert (Paul Rhys), a struggling artist, to join his other two sons, Hugh and Edward, in his thriving firm. Idealistic Rupert declines the offer. While attempting to justify his decision to his self-centered wife, Zoe (Joanna Page), whom he married after his first wife died, Rupert also must cope with his adolescent daughter's resentment of her stepmother. Meanwhile, rumors of war with Germany unsettle the family, and they monitor radio broadcasts closely. Hugh (Hugh Bonneville) knows well the perils of soldiery. In the Great War, he lost the use of his left hand and suffered a head injury that causes recurring headaches. His wife, Sybil (Anastasia Hille), worries about him, and he in turn worries about her, especially when her health mysteriously declines. Edward (Stephen Dillane), on the other hand, worries only about getting caught cheating on his wife, Villy (Lesley Manville), who is pregnant. His lustful behavior becomes truly detestable when he gropes his own daughter. His sister, spinster Rachel (Catherine Russell), is his opposite: reserved, always thinking of others. But a secret longing distresses her, and she vies with it in silence. Meanwhile, Villy, Zoe, and Edward's mistress all become pregnant; Sybil develops cancer; Rupert enlists when the Nazis go on the march; and a nephew comes to the Cazalet estate to escape his autocratic father. The war, familial conflict, and Sybil's illness test the family as never before. The final two hours of the six-hour saga reveal whether the Cazalets have the mettle to choose selflessness over self. ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugh Bonneville, Stephen Dillane, (more)
A sort of mannered, British version of The Odd Couple (1970), this drama won four of the seven major BAFTA Awards for which it was nominated. Albert Finney stars as Reggie Cunningham-Jarvis, a former Royal Air Force squadron leader who is utterly debilitated by the death of his wife, allowing his estate to decay. At the suggestion of a social worker, Reggie is paired with Roy Southgate (Tom Courtenay), a retired milkman, orderly homebody, and fellow recent widower. Roy moves in and begins caring for Reggie's manor, and an unlikely friendship between the two men develops, although Reggie treats Roy more as a servant than a roommate. Their relationship becomes tested, however, with the arrival of Lizzie Franks (Joanna Lumley), a shop owner hoping to seduce Reggie for his riches. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay, (more)
- 1998
David Yates directed this $4 million fact-based British period drama, set in Victorian England and reminiscent of The Return of Martin Guerre and Sommersby. An elderly African-American man, Andrew Bogle (John Kani), dying in a London workhouse in 1895, reflects on the circumstances that led to this end. As a Tichborne family servant, Bogle was sent to Australia during the mid-1870s to locate the family's missing heir Sir Roger. Bogle selects someone (Robert Pugh) from several claimants, trains him in the proper behavior, and tutors him on the family background. Together, they will split the profits on the Tichborne estate. The family is convinced, but the sudden death of Sir Roger's mother (Paola Dionisotti) raises suspicions, leading to a rejection of the Claimant. With the support of Bogle, young lawyer John Holmes (Perry Fenwick), and entrepreneur Onslow (Dudley Sutton), the Claimant takes his case to the High Court, forum of the witty and clever barrister Hawkins (Stephen Fry). Until recently, this was the longest trial in British legal history. Shown at the 1998 Edinburgh Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Kani, Robert Pugh, (more)
- 1994
Two years before Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan firmly established themselves as detectives Dalziel and Pascoe in the British cop series of the same name, comedians Gareth Hale and Norman Pace essayed the same roles in the semi-serious three-parter A Pinch of Snuff. Based on a novel by Reginald Hill, the story found Inspector Andy Dalziel (Hale) and Sgt. Peter Pascoe (Pace) investigating a murder at an upscale gentleman's club. The fact that the "club" was a front for a porno-film theater only served to add an extra dash of spice to the already zesty proceedings. A Pinch of Snuff made its British-TV premiere on April 9, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gareth Hale, Norman Pace, (more)
When an American socialite's husband dies, she is faced with running the business the two have successfully created--a vast jewelry empire--together with staving off the petty jealousies and rivalries she has with her siblings. Of course, there is also romance off in the wings, or it wouldn't be a Danielle Steel novel, would it? ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Joan Hickson stars as Miss Jane Marple in this made-for-TV adaptation of one of Agatha Christie's classic murder mystery tales. An odd advertisement appears in the Chipping Cleghorne Gazette, which announces that a murder will take place on October 5 at 7 p.m. at a cottage in Little Paddocks. While the neighbors and assembled curiosity seekers who show up are expecting some sort of a stunt, it turns out the advertiser was good to their word, and three shots ring out, leaving a man dead. So who is the killer, and why did they commit such a bizarre crime? Could it be retiree Mrs. Blacklock (Ursula Howells), her cousins Julia (Samantha Bond) or Patrick (Simon Shepherd), her close friend Miss Bunner (Renee Asherson), or gardener Mrs. Haymes (Nicola King), all of whom happened to be living at the scene of the crime? ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Hickson
- 1985
Based on a novel by Molly Keane, this literary drama focuses on the mutually antagonistic lives of three aging Irish sisters and a brother who live together in a run-down family mansion. One of the sisters is a widow, another a shoplifter, and a third a happy-go-lucky type. Although their brother Jasper (John Gielgud) tries to keep the peace, he is not always successful. Their tight enclave is disrupted when cousin Leda (Googie Withers) comes for a visit, stirring up unwanted memories. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Gielgud, Googie Withers, (more)
- 1984
This chilling made-for-cable production stars winsome Amanda Pays as a prissy English college student who accompanies her estranged father (George Segal) to East Germany in an attempt to reconcile their differences. Shortly after her arrival, she begins to experience intense feelings of cold and dread in their flat -- which eventually progress into strange mental fugues wherein she is apparently transported to the era of Nazi occupation. As her perception of the present begins to unravel, she is thrust into a harrowing adventure involving a young anti-Nazi activist who is being hunted by Hitler's SS. Whether these time-slips are a product of her deteriorating sanity or the result of an actual rift in time is never fully explained -- until the effective climax, in which the parallel storylines intersect. Despite a few vague stretches and some unresolved plot holes, this is overall a well-crafted thriller which plays like a slick feature-length episode of The Twilight Zone. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Segal, Amanda Pays, (more)
- 1975
- Add Upstairs, Downstairs: Series 05 to QueueAdd Upstairs, Downstairs: Series 05 to top of Queue
The fifth and final season of Upstairs, Downstairs covers the years 1910 to 1930, bringing the saga of the Bellamy household to a close. So much time has to be dealt with this season that the producers expanded the episode output from 13 to 16 hour-long episodes. And because virtually every one of those episodes deals with the events of a single year, the writers must for the most part abandon the "serialization" format in favor of self-contained plotlines. As the season begins, James Bellamy (Simon Williams), seriously wounded in WW1, has been invalided out of the service. The injuries sustained by James are compounded by the emotional impact of the death from influenza of his wife Hazel. Thoughout the rest of the season, James will desperately cast about for a purpose in life, ultimately entering into a "surefire" stock-speculation scheme that will bring financial ruin to the Bellamys and precipitate James' premature demise. Meanwhile, James' father Richard (David Langton), whose first wife Marjorie went down with the "Titanic" in 1912, marries Virginia Hamilton (Hannah Gordon), a war widow with two children of her own. Richard's ward Georgina (Leslie-Anne Down) returns from an extended stay in America in 1924, as rumors buzz about head butler Hudson (Gordon Jackson) and new housemaid Lily (Karen Dotrice); after a desultory romance with James and a tragic accident which nearly ruins her future, Georgina will eventually wed Robert Stockbridge (Anthony Andrews), the son of a family of noblemen. In 1925, Member of Parliament Richard Bellamy is appointed Britain's Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs; and the following year, the "upstairs" and "downstairs" factions of the Bellamy household are virtually torn asunder by the General Strike of 1926. In the series' now-legendary final episode, head maid Rose (Jean Marsh) tearfully wanders through the empty halls of 165 Eaton, wistfully recalling the highlights--and a few of the lowlights--of the past 27 years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gordon Jackson, Jean Marsh, (more)
- 1973
The British TV sitcom Father Dear Father originally ran from 1968 through 1973. Veteran farceur Patrick Cargill starred as a divorced father with two nubile daughters. Complications ensued when the girls moved into the flat just below Cargill's. You may recognize this property as the basis for the 1980s Ted Knight series Too Close For Comfort. This feature-film version of Father Dear Father merely rehashes plot devices from the series; neither of the property's original writers, Brian Cooke and John Mortimer (of Rumpole of the Bailey fame) seem to have been involved in the movie adaptation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
An embittered spinster rains vengeance upon her wealthy family after a beautiful niece steals her handsome protégé in this classic BBC drama based on the novel by Honoré de Balzac and starring revered British actress Helen Mirren in her very first mini-series. Cousin Bette is approaching middle-age, and earns her keep as an embroiderer whose beautiful work belies the pent-up resentment she feels towards her wealthy family. When her handsome protégé runs off with her gorgeous young niece, an infuriated Bette determines to make the lives of her pompous family members a living hell. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
The Torture Garden is an "omnibus" chiller, adapted from four short stories by Robert Bloch (Psycho). Each is introduced by Burgess Meredith, playing a sinister carnival barker by the name of Dr. Diabolo. The doctor's audience consists of five people, four of whom are apprised of their ultimate fates as Diabolo weaves his stories. In "Enoch," a young playboy falls under the spell of a cannibalistic cat. In "Terror Over Hollywood," a famous movie star is revealed to be an android. In "Mr. Steinway," the "villain" is a killer piano. And in "The Man Who Collected Poe," the title character murders another collector over a valuable Poe manuscript--only to receive retribution from ol' Edgar himself. If we told you anything about the fifth person in Meredith's audience, we'd be giving away the ending, wouldn't we now? The individual episodes tend to rise and fall depending upon the strength of their stars. Among those present in Torture Garden are horror-flick regulars Jack Palance, Peter Cushing, Robert Hutton, Michael Ripper and Niall McGinniss. No, this isn't a Hammer Production; it was put together by Hammer's principal British rival of the 1960s, Amicus Films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Palance, Burgess Meredith, (more)
- 1967
This lugubrious spy yarn finds Philip Scott (Stephen Boyd) posing as a toy manufacturer to hide his real purpose in life. He and his faithful operative Harris (Michael Redgrave) battle the evil Smith (Leo McKern) in Austria, England and West Germany. Toni Peters (Camilla Sparv) is the love interest in Philip's life, which is in constant danger from shadowy spies and double agents. The low-key direction ends up having no key to unlock anyone's imagination, but there's nothing inspiring about much of anything in this feature. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Boyd, Camilla Sparv, (more)
- 1965
Not to be confused with David Hewitt's abominable Dr. Terror's Gallery of Horrors (AKA The Blood Suckers), this clever horror omnibus is one of the better early anthologies from Amicus Productions, thanks to Freddie Francis' stylish direction and a tongue-in-cheek approach from writer Milton Subotsky (who would later apply the same sardonic treatment to the EC Comics-based productions Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror). The framing story is set in a train car, where five passengers have their fortunes told by the all-seeing Dr. Schreck (Peter Cushing), who refers to his ominous tarot deck as his "House of Horrors." Their respective stories involve all manner of occult happenings: a jazz musician's involvement with a voodoo curse; an estate haunted by a werewolf; a doctor (Donald Sutherland) who suspects that his wife has become a vampire; a cottage besieged by a monster kudzu vine; and the most entertaining segment, in which arrogant art critic Christopher Lee is avidly pursued by a snubbed artist's severed hand. In the end, it doesn't take a jaded horror buff to deduce Schreck's true identity or the ultimate destination of the train passengers, but it's a fun ride nonetheless. Not all of the stories work (the vampire story's "twist" ending is rather silly, the voodoo tale painfully dated), and the effects are generally sub-par, but Francis keeps the pace snappy throughout, giving the entire film a throwaway, Halloween spook-house feel. Hammer horror fans will certainly find this a keeper on the strength of Cushing and Lee's performances. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, (more)
- 1964
In this crime drama, a Mafioso decides to go straight and turn states evidence against the mob. The mob retaliates by kidnapping the squealer's son. To get him back, the ex-gangster enlists the aid of a dancer, a worker for the American embassy, and Scotland Yard. At the end of it all, the boy is returned and the Mafia is temporarily destroyed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1963
British doctor Richard Johnson arrives in the city of Bath, where a smallpox epidemic has broken out. If he has any hope of stemming the disease, he must locate and isolate its source. As if he hasn't got enough trouble on his hands, Johnson must contend with his failing marriage to Claire Bloom. Both of his problems are solved to everyone's satisfaction, but not without a few hypertense moments along the way. Director Val Guest lifts 80,000 Suspects out of the ordinary with his inventive utilization of darkness and shadows. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, (more)
- 1962
In this crime drama, a TV star tries to prove that her lover did not murder his boozy wife. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1957
The always reliable Griffith Jones is afforded the leading role in the British Account Rendered. Jones plays a victim of circumstance, accused of murdering his wife Ursula Howells. With the police breathing down his neck, Jones endeavors to prove his innocence. He is aided in this effort by the lovely Honor Blackman ("Pussy Galore" in Goldfinger and the first female star of the long-running TVer The Avengers). Account Rendered is based on a novel by Pamela Barrington. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
In this suspense movie, a Yankee mercenary is hired to blow up an Arab dignitary. A gun battle thwarts the bombing and the mercenary's lover gives her life to protect the Arab. The grieving soldier the goes after the man who hired him. The two foes shoot each other dead. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1956
In this crime drama, the trouble begins when a crook cheats his buddies at a dog track, stuffs his loot into a suitcase, and flees. He then gives the suitcase to his lover who in turn gives it to her sister just before she takes a bus to the coast. Her actions rouse the suspicions of an observant reporter. Later the crook manages to catch up with the sisters. Unfortunately, the sisters catch them at the same time and justice prevails. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1956
In this comedy, an ad man attempts to promote his brother-in-law's new cleaning machine. He is backed by a member of the Purity League. It isn't easy, but he eventually helps the product go public. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Jack Hawkins is starred as a gruff, intensely dedicated Scotland Yard superintendent. Working as much by instinct as through scientific methods, Hawkins and rookie sergeant John Stratton tackle the case of a string of unsolved safecrackings, committed by the elusive Richard Leech. This Dragnet approach gives way to suspense as robbery leads to murder. A neat surprise twist caps this finely honed example of British moviemaking know-how. The Long Arm was released in the U.S. as The Third Key. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Hawkins, John Stratton, (more)
- 1955
In this British espionage drama, a murderer hopes to escape his fateful appointment on death row by identifying the leaders of a spy ring. Unfortunately, a detective has already figured it out before he talks and the killer hangs for his crime. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1955
Rex Harrison is The Constant Husband in this delightful British comedy. It all begins when amnesia victim Charles Hathaway (Harrison) tries to reconstruct his past with the aid of psychiatrist Llewellyn (Cecil Parker). Our hero would have been better off had his memory remained lost: Llewellyn discovers that he's had seven wives -- simultaneously! Lady lawyer Chesterman (Margaret Leighton) tries to keep Llewellyn out of jail, though in fact he'd prefer incarceration to multiple matrimony. Of the seven spouses, Kay Kendall (the real-life Mrs. Rex Harrison) stands out with a sparkling comic characterization. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rex Harrison, Margaret Leighton, (more)
- 1955
In this crime drama, a man finds a rare stamp, takes it to an expert for appraisal, and finds that it is a forgery. This discovery leads the man to look for the counterfeiter. After grilling three suspects, he finally learns that the art expert was behind it all the time. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
