Hugh Manning Movies
John Hurt stars as John Merrick, the hideously deformed 19th century Londoner known as "The Elephant Man". Treated as a sideshow freak, Merrick is assumed to be retarded as well as misshapen because of his inability to speak coherently. In fact, he is highly intelligent and sensitive, a fact made public when one Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) rescues Merrick from a carnival and brings him to a hospital for analysis. Alas, even after being recognized as a man of advanced intellect, Merrick is still treated like a freak; no matter his station in life, he will forever be a prisoner of his own malformed body. Unable to secure rights for the famous stage play The Elephant Man, producer Mel Brooks based his film on the memoirs of Frederick Treves and a much later account of Merrick's life by Ashley Montagu. The film is lensed in black and white by British master cinematographer Freddie Francis. Though nominated for eight Academy Awards, the film was ultimately shut out in every category. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, (more)
- 1976
Based on the film Man Hunt, the BBC-produced Rogue Male stars Peter O'Toole as a British aristocrat who attempts to assassinate Hitler. After he fails, he is hunted down by the German Gestapo. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1973
- PG
John Huston directed this cold war spy thriller (from a script by Walter Hill) concerning a British agent trying infiltrate the organization of a nefarious communist spy. Paul Newman is Joseph Reardon, a British secret agent commissioned by Mackintosh (Harry Andrews) to impersonate a jewel thief. When the police are tipped off about his diamond robbery, Reardon is arrested and shipped off to a high-security prison. At the prison, he meets a convicted Russian spy and the two are involved in a prison break, arranged by a mysterious group called the Scarperers. After the successful breakout, Reardon finds himself drugged and sent to Ireland. It turns out that the escapade was organized by Mackintosh in the hopes Reardon could infiltrate the Scarperers and gather information on the group's leader, Sir George Wheeler (James Mason), and prove him to be a Russian spy. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Newman, Dominique Sanda, (more)
- 1969
During the excavation of an old Norman church, several top archeologists are killed. Upon further investigation, Steed and Tara discover that the dead men had been sapped of all their energy. The cause of this phenomenon is a tiny black box containing a deadly supercharge of electricity, which in turn has spawned a race of omniverous pure-energy creatures, bent on destroying all of England. Written by Terry Nation, "Thingumajig" first aired in America on March 24, 1969, then in England on April 2 of that year. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Invited to an airborne costume party, Steed and six other guests find themselves stranded on a desert island. The castaways then learn that there's a highly trained assassin in their midst. As the festivities degenerate into a campy replay of Ten Little Indians, Emma tries to figure out a means of rescuing her partner. As was the case with many fifth-season episodes, this one benefits from a superb guest-star roster, including Donald Sutherland, Brian Blessed, and Charlotte Rampling. Written by Brian Clemens, "The Superlative Seven" first aired in England on April 8, 1967, and made its American TV bow on April 21 of that year. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Cecil Fox (Rex Harrison) summons his three former mistresses to his deathbed for a final visit in this engaging crime comedy. Princess Dominique (Capucine), fading movie star Merle McGill (Edie Adams), and Texas millionairess Mrs. Sheridan (Susan Hayward) all travel to pay their respects to the supposedly dying Fox. William McFly (Cliff Robertson) is the personal secretary and gigolo employed by Fox to lure the women to his estate. When Mrs. Sheridan is found murdered, Inspector Rizzi (Adolfo Celi) investigates her mysterious death in this feature highlighted by several twists and turns. Alternate titles are Mr. Fox Of Venice and Anyone For Venice?. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rex Harrison, Susan Hayward, (more)
- 1967
Nigel Kneale's Quatermass TV series spawned a brief film series produced over an eleven-year period; 1967's Quatermass and the Pit, released in the US as Five Million Years to Earth, was the third and (until 1979's Quatermass Conclusion) last. As in previous chapters in the Kneale saga, the film begins with a baffling scientific discovery. This time it's a bunch of prehistoric skulls, discovered during a subway excavation in the heart of London. Sequestered in a lab, the skulls start to emanate a bizarre force over the populace, resulting in death and destruction. Professor Quatermass (Andrew Keir) concludes that the skulls are the residue of an extraterrestrial invading army -- a theory which (as usual) is scoffed at by the authorities until it's almost too late. Blessed with superb special effects and an expertly sustained tension level, Quatermass and the Pit is easily the best of the short-lived "Quatermass" series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Donald, Andrew Keir, (more)
- 1966
A golf course turns into a killing ground for an unfortunate British agent. Investigating, Steed and Emma discover that the course is actually a front (or, technically, a "top") for an enemy espionage base. The foresighted villains use satellite technology -- then very much in its infancy -- to relay secret information, obliging Steed and Emma to follow through for a few well-placed chip shots. Written by Tony Williamson, "The Thirteenth Hole" premiered in England on January 29, 1966, and in America on August 18, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
This 1961 adaptation of Shakespeare's magical comedy of errors was performed entirely by puppets. Let's qualify that: the puppets are of the stop-motion variety, expertly manipulated into "humanity" by Czech animator Jiri Trnka. The adaptation is faithful to the text, while the technique allows a wider range of visual delights than any previous movie Midsummer--and an eminently convincing man-to-jackass transformation for vainglorious amateur thespian Bottom. The English-language version of this Czech animated feature was directed and adapted by Howard O. Sackler, best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Great White Hope. Richard Burton provided the narration for this version, which was issued in 1963 and is still in circulation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Graham Greene wrote this witty comedy inspired by Cold War paranoia. Jim Wormald (Alec Guiness) is an Englishman selling vacuum cleaners in Cuba on the cusp of the revolution. Hawthorne (Noel Coward), a British intelligence agent, is looking for information on Cuban affairs and recruits Jim to act as a spy. Jim has no experience in espionage and no useful knowledge to pass along, but Hawthorne is willing to pay for his services, and since Jim's daughter Milly (Jo Morrow) has expensive tastes, he can use the money. To keep Hawthorne happy (and his paychecks coming in), he turns in reports on the Cuban revolution that are copied from public documents, "hires" additional agents who don't exist, and presents blueprints of secret weapons that are actually schematics of his carpet sweepers. However, Hawthorne and associate "C" (Ralph Richardson) think that Jim is doing splendid work and encourage him to continue; meanwhile, Capt. Segura (Ernie Kovacs), the elegantly corrupt chief of police, has been fooled by Jim's charade into believing he's a real spy -- and has also become attracted to Milly. Our Man in Havana also features Burl Ives and Maureen O'Hara in supporting roles. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alec Guinness, Burl Ives, (more)
- 1957
A young David McCallum heads the cast of the British melodrama The Secret Place. Set amongst the bombed-out buildings of London's East Side, the film concerns the misdeeds of a two-bit criminal gang headed by Gerry Carter (Ronald Lewis). In a fit of inspiration, Carter masterminds a meticulously planned diamond robbery, actually succeeding in swiping the precious gems. Unfortunately for the crooks, the diamonds accidentally come into the the possession of Freddie Haywood (Michael Brooke), a policeman's son. McCallum plays Mike Wilson, the sullen teddy-boy brother of Carter's girlfriend Molly (Belinda Lee), who tries to inveigle Freddie into giving up the diamonds. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Belinda Lee, David McCallum, (more)
