James Donnelly Movies
- 1990
Frederick Forsyth's novel is the basis for this made-for-television movie about British agents attempting to halt arms-smuggling between the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and Libya. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shelley Hack, David Threlfall, (more)
On August 8, 1963, the Royal Mail train, on its nighttime run from London to Glasgow, was robbed by 15 men who got away with 2.6 million pounds (today the equivalent of $35 million). Buster tells the story of one of the junior robbers, Buster Edwards (played by pop singer Phil Collins), in a crime that came to be known as the Great Train Robbery. The film details the planning of the famous heist, but its main concern is Buster's relationship with his family and his devotion to his wife June (Julie Walters). The Edwards are like a British Kramden family, trying to make ends meet from day-to-day in their rental apartment, but instead of a bus driver, Buster is a two-bit thief who has the fine luck of hardly ever getting caught. After the Royal mail train robbery, the heat intensifies, since the Conservative Government, already smarting from the Profumo scandal, latches onto the train robbery as a means to deflect attention from the scandal by bringing the train robbers quickly to justice. Buster and June go into hiding and have a series of close calls before finally escaping to Mexico. Finally in paradise, the Edwards find their money quickly being eaten up and discover that they cannot adapt to the Mexico milieu. June, for her part, is homesick, and Buster, always ready to keep her happy, makes the grand gesture -- to return to England and turn himself in to the police. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Phil Collins, Julie Walters, (more)
- 1986
This made-for-television drama is a two-hour movie from the Britain's Robin of Sherwood series. Michael Praed stars as the legendary Robin Hood, possessor of one of the seven sought-after Swords of Wayland. In this installment, Robin defends himself against a coven of witches posing as nuns. New-age music pioneers Clannad provide the soundtrack music. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1986
- R
A young British soldier stationed in war-torn Northern Ireland kills an Irish rebel in self-defense and finds himself thrown into a hellish ordeal when the very authorities who sanctioned his actions suddenly change and decide to use him as a scapegoat to keep others from making the same mistake in this powerful, provocative British film. Welshman Wil Thomas joins the British army in hopes of escaping the poverty of his hometown and proves to be an honest and dutiful soldier. After the killing he is immediately taken back to England, tried, and, despite his vigorous protestations of innocence, thrown into the brig. There he is brutalized, harassed and denied medical attention. As he continues to fight to prove his innocence and endure the many indignities, the situation leading to his incarceration is presented via flashback. Also chronicled is his brief affair with an Irish Catholic woman who breaks up with him when she realizes that he belongs to the army. He later learns that she paid a horrible price for their relationship. He also reflects upon the orders of his sergeant who gave them permission to use force on the rebels and to defend themselves from attacks. Back in the present, cruel corporal Bernard Latham begins taking a special interest in tormenting Thomas. Still Thomas staunchly refuses to crack. Meanwhile his former sergeant launches a campaign to help his former friend. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Lynch, Dafydd Hywel, (more)
- 1982
Comparatively unknown, the British And Nothing But the Truth is a blistering indictment of government-sanctioned corruption, as well as the "facts of life" of the television industry. Filmmaker Glenda Jackson and reporter Jon Finch head to South Wales, where a farm family has taken on the local village government. Accusations have been raised that a powerful corporation has (within legal limits) bribed the village to permit encroachment upon local farm land. In pursuit of the truth, Jackson and Finch are subjected to character assassination and overt threats. Only gradually do they discover that their own bosses are also on the take. And Nothing But the Truth was originally titled Giro City. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenda Jackson, Jon Finch, (more)
- 1979
- R
Scum refers to the label slapped upon reform-school inmate Ray Winstone. Such reformatories are called "borstals" by the British. When he isn't being beaten up by the other boys, Ray is being beaten down by The System. He rebels against this treatment and "wins" by becoming more vicious than any of his oppressors. Scum was originally filmed for British television, but rejected because of the bleakness of its outlook. In America, it went straight into theatres, where audiences had to strain to comprehend the "punk" jargon and thick provincial accents. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Winstone, Mick Ford, (more)
"Grease," said the poster and the Barry Gibb song, "is the word." Transferring its setting from Chicago to sunny California, and adding a dash of disco to the ersatz '50s score, producer Allan Carr and director Randal Kleiser turned this long-running Jim Jacobs - Warren Casey Broadway smash into the biggest blockbuster of 1978. 1950s teens Danny (John Travolta) and Australian transfer Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) spend their "Summer Nights" falling in love, but once fall comes, it's back to Rydell High and its cliques. As one of the bad boy T-Birds, Danny has to act cool for best pal Kenickie (Jeff Conaway) and their leather-clad mates Sonny (Michael Tucci) and Doody (Barry Pearl, in the role Travolta played on stage). Despite befriending Frenchy (Didi Conn), one of the rebel Pink Ladies, virginal Sandy is "too pure to be Pink," as the Ladies' leader Rizzo (Stockard Channing) acidly observes. Declaring their devotion in such ballads as "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Sandy," Sandy and Danny split, reconcile, and split again amidst a pep rally, dances, drive-ins, and a drag race, before deciding "You're the One That I Want" at the climactic carnival. With Travolta white-hot from Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease soundtrack singles climbed the charts and summer movie crowds poured in. With the presence of Joan Blondell, Eve Arden, Sid Caesar, Edd "Kookie" Byrnes and Frankie Avalon appealing to grown-up memories, Grease became the highest grossing film of 1978, the highest grossing movie musical ever, and the third most popular film of the new blockbuster '70s after Star Wars (1977) and Jaws (1975). Its sequel, Grease 2, did not exactly set the world on fire in 1982. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, (more)
Written and directed by Derek Ford, the British Suburban Wives is a spicy satire of modern manners and mores. Newspaperwoman Eve Whishaw relates the separate stories of eight married couples. The husbands are satisfied with their lot, but the wives are bored, bored, bored. The manner in which the ladies add a little fun to their lives originally earned this film an X rating. Current prints of Suburban Wives have been toned down to a hard "R". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
This docu-drama purports to be a serious examination of the trendy pastime of spouse swapping. A deadly serious American psychologist introduces and discusses each segment. In the first one, a wife is forced to disrobe and swim to a houseboat where she must stay for an entire night. In the second sequence, a sexually frustrated couple find the satisfaction they crave with another couple. The wife is most reluctant but it doesn't take her long to become addicted to other men. In a later episode, a wife becomes a hooker to help pay the bills. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Donnelly, Larry Taylor, (more)
- 1970
- R
This docu-drama purports to be a serious examination of the trendy pastime of spouse swapping. A deadly serious American psychologist introduces and discusses each segment. In the first one, a wife is forced to disrobe and swim to a houseboat where she must stay for an entire night. In the second sequence, a sexually frustrated couple find the satisfaction they crave with another couple. The wife is most reluctant but it doesn't take her long to become addicted to other men. In a later episode, a wife becomes a hooker to help pay the bills. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In this sci-fi drama, an alien spaceship breaks down and crashes on the moon. These creatures need help to make repairs and so use their powers to possess a few scientists and use them as slaves. Unfortunately for them, one scientist has a metal plate in his head and cannot be controlled. It is he who travels to the moon and has a little chat with the aliens and suggests they might get more help, if they simply asked for it. The story is based on Joseph Millard's book The Gods Hate Kansas. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Hutton, Jennifer Jayne, (more)
- 1964
A horse stable turns out to be the headquarters of a highly sophisticated murder-for-hire service. Hoping to beard the crooks in their den, Steed employs the services of a valuable race horse. Cathy joins in the scheme when she takes a job with a bookmaking operation -- and, in the words of the episode's opening titles, "becomes the favourite for murder." Written by Malcolm Hulke, "The Trojan Horse" originally aired in England on February 8, 1964; American viewers first saw the episode on March 29, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
