Andrew Osborn Movies

Created by James Mitchell, the long-running British drama series When the Boat Comes In was set in the decades between the two World Wars. Disillusioned by his wartime experiences in France, ex-sergeant Jack Ford (James Bolam) arrived in the town of Gallowshields on Tyneside in search of a job -- any job. Unfortunately, what with the nationwide financial recession, virtually no one in town had any employment to offer. Aligning himself with the equally impoverished Seaton family, Jack set about to improve his fortunes -- and somewhere along the line, he wed the lovely Jessie Seaton (Susan Jameson). An entertaining capsule of the confusion and sociopolitical upheaval in Britain after WWI, When the Boat Comes In was almost painfully accurate in its period detail, right down to the contemporary-sounding theme tune, performed by Alex Glasgow. Debuting January 8, 1976, the series yielded 51 episodes before folding in 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Adapted from the popular British radio serial of the same name, Spaceways is a dual-market science fiction effort, co-financed by England's Hammer Films and America's Lippert Studios. American rocket scientist Stephen Mitchell (Howard Duff) works day and night to realize his goal of sending the first man-made satellite into outer space. Meanwhile, Mitchell's wife Vanessa (Cecile Chevreau) is carrying on an affair with fellow-scientist Crenshaw (Andrew Osborn). Not long after Mitchell discovers this, the satellite is launched ahead of schedule. Since both his wife and her lover have disappeared at the same time, Mitchell is accused of murdering the pair and stuffing their corpses into the spaceship. To prove his innocence, Mitchell volunteers to go up in a second ship with mathematician Lisa (Eva Bartok) to conduct a search of the satellite. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Blood Orange is an early effort from the British "shock shop" of Hammer Films. Hollywood's Tom Conway stars as a former FBI agent, living in contented retirement in London. Conway's quietude is interrupted when gorgeous model Delphi Lawrence is murdered. Ere the "The End" sign looms into view, Conway learns that the girl's death was tied in with a jewel theft. The film's title refers to the most valuable of the stolen gems. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this drama, a woman with a sordid past desires to marry. Her intended is so in love that he disregards the many warnings he receives about her and goes through with the ceremony. Soon he loses every friend, and even his daughter begins to pull away. It does not help that his new wife is abusive to the girl. It is then learned that the step-mother is abusive because the girl's fiancé is one of the wicked woman's many lovers. In the end, the mother is so humiliated and ashamed that she kills herself. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The title is a reference to the mental state of leading lady Phyllis Calvert. Ms. Calvert plays an amnesiac, a victim of the wartime air raids, whose past is literally closed off to her. She doesn't know why, but everyone at every turn seems to want something from her--and some of these strangers have a homicidal glint in their eyes. Among the supporting players is Richard Burton, making his fourth screen appearance. Retitled as Her Panelled Door for U.S. theatrical release. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Zena Marshall endures a Dark Interval in this funereal British melodrama. Marshall plays the new bride of handsome and charming Andrew Osborn. No sooner does the honeymoon commence than Osborn drops his charm (though he's still pretty handsome). Marshall learns to her mounting horror that Osborn is hell on wheels when he's jealous--and he turns jealous at the slightest provocation. John Gilling, miles away from his horror classics of the 1960s, maintains a respectable level of suspense. Dark Interval is in and out in a breakneck 60 minutes, barely allowing us time to dwell on the plot inconsistencies. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Idol of Paris is based on Paiva, Queen of Love, a novel by Alfred Schirokauer. Set in the mid-19th century, the film traces the rags-to-riches story of a girl named Theresa (Beryl Baxter). Sleeping her way to the top, she becomes a highly sought-after Parisian courtesan, one worthy of the attentions of the Emperor Napoleon (Kenneth Kent). But Theresa has no time for the Emperor, not with such virile lovers as Hertz (Michael Rennie) around and about. Despite inherent censorship problems, The Idol of Paris was picked up for American distribution by Warner Bros. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi