Ron Barker Movies

Wonderful Things was one of two Frankie Vaughan vehicles produced in the late 1950s by actress Anna Neagle. The popular British recording artist is cast as a Gilbraltar fisherman named Carmello, who vies with his brother Mario (Jeremy Spenser) over the attentions of the beauteous Pepita (Jackie Lane). While on holiday in London, Carmello falls in love with society girl Anne (Jean Dawnay), leaving the field clear for Mario back home. Since this is essentially a romantic drama, Frankie Vaughan limits himself to a single ballad, but it's a good one. Wilfred Hyde-White offers the film's best performance as the debutante's dry-witted papa. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

After several years' absence, Dirk Bogarde returns to the popular British "Doctor" film series in Doctor in Distress. Where once Bogarde's Dr. Simon Sparrow was naive and wide-eyed, he is a bit more urbane in this edition. He even manages to offer romantic advice to his old mentor/nemesis Sir Lancelot Sprat (James Robertson Justice). Sparrow's efforts to smooth the path for Sir Lancelot's amorous pursuit of physiotherapist Barbara Murray puts a strain on his own relationship with comely Samantha Eggar. Doctor in Distress is based on characters created by Dr. Richard Gordon, though the story is an original and not an adaptation of a Gordon novel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this lively British comedy, a newlywed couple's quaint country cottage becomes a nightmare of repairs as they try to fix it up themselves. They originally purchased the ramshackle pile to escape the influence of the new wife's meddlesome father. Unfortunately, the place needs more help than they are able to give and they must reluctantly get her father's help. He brings in a bumbling builder and things only get worse from there. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Steed and Emma are summoned to investigate when several businessmen and a few prize bulls are found mauled to death. The culprit would seem to be a "big cat" of some sort, obliging Steed to go on a safari to find the answers. But it is Emma who finds herself in the thick of it, thanks to a curious organization called the Philanthropic Union for the Rescue, Relief and Recuperation of Cats (or PURRR). Ronnie Barker, of Two Ronnies fame, is among the guest stars. Written by Philip Levene, "The Hidden Tiger" was first seen in England on March 4, 1967, and in America 13 days later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When a motley crew of high society miscreants gather at the country estate of the eccentric General Futtock (Ronnie Barker), the interaction between the staff and the guests grows increasingly saucy in this farcical, sound-effects driven comedy. With music, sound effects, and incoherent mumbles taking the place of actual dialogue, this "silent" tale of libidinous competition between a randy general and his lecherous butler (Michael Hordern) will have movie-lovers howling with laughter. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Though the story told in Robin and Marian is unfamiliar to most audiences, it is actually quite faithful to several of the ancient Robin Hood legends. During the Crusades, Robin (Sean Connery) is still loyal to King Richard the Lionheart (Richard Harris), but even he has trouble adjusting to the monarch's ever-increasing paranoia and lunacy. After Richard's death, Robin returns to England, his first visit to his home turf in 20 years. He looks up his beloved Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn, last seen in 1967's Wait Until Dark), who is now a middle-aged nun. No sooner do Robin and Marian renew their relationship than the aging Merry Men demand Robin's services in thwarting their old foe, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw). Marian is aghast that the long-standing feud between Robin and the sheriff threatens to expand into wholesale bloodshed. The two venerable enemies agree to one last mano a mano battle -- only to watch helplessly as the all-out war they'd tried to avoid commences anyway. Both the tragic climax and Robin's last, defiant arrow shot are drawn directly from authentic Robin Hood ballads of the 14th and 15th centuries. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The title tells it all in this compilation of some of the hilarious British duo's best bits from their long-running BBC comedy series including "A Life On The Ocean Waves Medley," and "The News." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Lionel Chetwynd's film documents the horrific struggles that faced American POWs held in the North Vietnamese prison Hoa Lo -- more infamously known as the Hanoi Hilton -- between 1964 and 1975. Williamson (Michael Moriarty) leads a group of American servicemen who are prisoners at the detention camp. He assumes command after Cathcart (Lawrence Pressman) is dragged off to be tortured. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Upon learning that her boss Evan Drake (Tom Skerritt) is about to be transferred to Japan, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) despairs, reasoning that she will never have the opportunity to express her ardor. Desperate to have one last moment alone with Evan, Rebecca takes Sam's suggestion to adopt a disguise -- and ends up in jail as a result. But as this final episode of Cheers' sixth season draws to a close, it looks as though the contentious relationship between Sam (Ted Danson) and Rebecca is about to enter a new and totally unexpected dimension. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tony award-winning British musical comedy star Robert Lindsay makes his first important American film appearance in Bert Rigby, You're a Fool. Lindsay, of course, plays the title character, a coal miner who dreams of becoming a big showbiz star. Only problem is, there's very little demand for Bert Rigby's impersonations of Buster Keaton and Gene Kelly. Undaunted, Bert heads to Hollywood, where, while working as a butler in the household of movie mogul Jim Shirley (Corbin Bernsen), he must fend off the advances of Shirley's hot-to-trot wife, Meredith (Anne Bancroft). Befitting the old-fashioned nature of Bert Rigby's behavior and tastes in entertainment, director Carl Reiner adopts a "retro" approach to his material; at times, the film looks as though it was made in 1939 rather than 1989, despite its R-rated sex, profanity, and body-function jokes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide