Cecil Parker Movies
Sandpaper-voiced British character actor Cecil Parker was able to channel his stuffy, aristocratic demeanor into characters of both authority and menace. Kicking off his stage career after World War I, Parker made his stage bow in 1922 and his first film appearance seven years later. In his film roles, he was frequently addressed as "Colonel," "Your Majesty," or "Your Lordship," though these titles were not always an indication of his character's basic integrity. American filmgoers of the 1930s were most familiar with Parker's portrayal of the philandering, cowardly businessman in Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes (1938). He played leads in such post-World War II films as Captain Boycott (1947), The Weaker Sex (1948), The Amazing Mr. Beecham (1949), Tony Draws a Horse (1950), and I Believe in You (1952). He also played such prominent supporting roles as Britannus in Caesar and Cleopatra (1946), the usurping king in Danny Kaye's The Court Jester (1956), Lord Loam in The Admirable Crichton (1957), and Jarvis Lorry in A Tale of Two Cities (1958). Cecil Parker's last film appearance was a comedy cameo in Oh, What a Lovely War (1969). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1937
The unorthodox teaming of Vivien Leigh and Conrad Veidt is but one of the many pleasures of the 1937 spy yarn Dark Journey. Leigh plays a Stockholm dress-shop owner during World War I, who, being a neutral, is permitted to travel unmolested to and from France. Veidt plays a supposedly disgraced German officer who is actually head of his country's secret service. The two fall in love, despite the fact that Leigh has a secret as well: she is a double agent, sympathetic towards the Allied cause. During one of Leigh's voyages to France, her ship is captured by a German U-boat. Veidt swaggers on board, threatening to sink the ship if Leigh is not turned over to him. But the circumstances reverse themselves, and Veidt finds himself Leigh's prisoner--a circumstance that is not altogether unpleasant for him. When originally released in England, Dark Journey bore the title The Anxious Years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Conrad Veidt, Vivien Leigh, (more)
- 1936
In this anti-war drama, set in England during its Depression, a demobilized major from WW I, tries to a veteran's reunion that is to include soldiers from all sides of the conflict. To do this, the major loses everything to no avail. Just as the despairing pacifist is about to end his life, an old army orderly, now a noncommissioned officer appears, cheers him up, and helps make his dream become reality. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1936
Jack Hulbert is Jack Warrender in Jack of All Trades. A spoof of Big Business, 1930s style, the film begins as Jack ends a long spell of unemployment by taking a waiter's job at a fancy society reception. Because he's decked out in a tuxedo, Jack is assumed to be one of the guests, and before long everyone is convinced that he's a financial wizard (it's a lot more believable than it sounds!) Unable to reveal his true identity, Jack reluctantly accepts a chairmanship at a bank, and through a series of lucky breaks he manages to save the institution from ruin and enrich himself in the process. It stands to reason that Jack also wins the girl (Gina Malo), who would have loved him even if he'd remained a waiter. Jack of All Trades was co-directed by Hulbert and future Disney Studio fixture Robert Stevenson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Hulbert, Gina Malo, (more)
Attractive scientist Dr. Clare Wyatt (Anna Lee) fondly declines the proposal of journalist Dick Haslewood (John Loder), who loves her, and she goes to work for the reclusive Dr. Laurience (Boris Karloff), whom the scientific world regards as a crackpot. At Laurience's remote estate, she's greeted at the door by bitter, wheelchair-bound Clayton (Donald Calthrop), one of the doctor's more hopeless cases. Dick hangs around the neighborhood, sending stories to his newspaper, which is owned by his tycoon father, Lord Haslewood (Frank Cellier). Laurience demonstrates the reality of his discredited theory to an astonished Claire. Using an array of electrical equipment, he switches the minds of a good-natured and a cranky chimpanzee, then suggests to Claire that this could be done with people, making immortality possible. Lord Haslewood turns up unexpectedly, and offers the skeptical scientist the full use of the prestigious Haslewood Institute in exchange for the right to run stories on Laurience's progress, and to own the resulting patents. But problems arise when Haslewood sets up a conference of prominent scientists to hear Laurience explain the intent of his research. They all scoff loudly, and walk out. Lord Haslewood is furious, feeling he's been humiliated; he tells the shocked Laurience that he, not the scientist, owns everything, and orders him out of the Institute. Laurience suffers a mental breakdown, and invites Haslewood to his lab, where he straps him into the chair of his apparatus, then switches the minds of Haslewood and the crippled Clayton. When Haslewood realizes he's now in Clayton's body, he bursts into laughter and drops dead, puzzling the other two. Clayton is delighted to be in a body that's not only capable of walking, but is that of a financially powerful man. When Laurience offers Claire "eternal youth, eternal loveliness," she is shocked, and he realizes she's in love with Dick, so he makes plans for Dick to come to the Institute.
Meanwhile, Clayton learns why Haslewood laughed: Clayton is trapped in the body of a dying man: Haslewood had a weak heart. With his own scheme in mind, Laurience murders Clayton. He switches his mind with Dick's, giving the perfect alibi for murder -- and Laurience, in Dick's body, will have Claire. After the transfer, Laurience, in Dick's body, places Dick, in Laurience's body, in a chamber with poison gas. But when Claire arrives, she immediately realizes what has happened. Dick, in Laurience's body, awakes and falls out a window, gravely injured. On the street below, Sue encounters scientist Dr. Gratton (Cecil Parker), and convinces him to help her switch back the minds of Dick and Laurience before Laurience's body dies. Afterward, Laurience, in his own body, admits he was wrong, and begs Claire to destroy his equipment, then he dies.
A few years after this film, Karloff would make a series of movies for Columbia Pictures with plots very similar to this, but British film is far livelier than those; it's to the point, intelligent and entertaining. This was partly due to the clever script by L. Du Garde Peach, Sidney Gilliat and John L. Balderston. Gilliat later wrote several films for Alfred Hitchcock, and Balderston had co-written Dracula, among other notable films. Director Robert Stevenson was busy making a name for himself as a kind of back-up Hitchcock, though Hitchcock was not likely to have tackled The Man Who Changed His Mind, King Solomon's Mines or Non-Stop New York. Later, Stevenson came to the United States and gradually evolved away from thrillers to more romantic films, such as the 1944 Jane Eyre. His career was then spotty until he signed with Walt Disney, where he helmed many of the more prestigious films, including Mary Poppins, a far cry from the brisk horror of The Man Who Changed His Mind. Also known as The Man Who Lived Again, the U.S. title of this film is Brainsnatcher, and the U.S. reissue title is Dr. Maniac. ~ Bill Warren, All Movie Guide
Meanwhile, Clayton learns why Haslewood laughed: Clayton is trapped in the body of a dying man: Haslewood had a weak heart. With his own scheme in mind, Laurience murders Clayton. He switches his mind with Dick's, giving the perfect alibi for murder -- and Laurience, in Dick's body, will have Claire. After the transfer, Laurience, in Dick's body, places Dick, in Laurience's body, in a chamber with poison gas. But when Claire arrives, she immediately realizes what has happened. Dick, in Laurience's body, awakes and falls out a window, gravely injured. On the street below, Sue encounters scientist Dr. Gratton (Cecil Parker), and convinces him to help her switch back the minds of Dick and Laurience before Laurience's body dies. Afterward, Laurience, in his own body, admits he was wrong, and begs Claire to destroy his equipment, then he dies.
A few years after this film, Karloff would make a series of movies for Columbia Pictures with plots very similar to this, but British film is far livelier than those; it's to the point, intelligent and entertaining. This was partly due to the clever script by L. Du Garde Peach, Sidney Gilliat and John L. Balderston. Gilliat later wrote several films for Alfred Hitchcock, and Balderston had co-written Dracula, among other notable films. Director Robert Stevenson was busy making a name for himself as a kind of back-up Hitchcock, though Hitchcock was not likely to have tackled The Man Who Changed His Mind, King Solomon's Mines or Non-Stop New York. Later, Stevenson came to the United States and gradually evolved away from thrillers to more romantic films, such as the 1944 Jane Eyre. His career was then spotty until he signed with Walt Disney, where he helmed many of the more prestigious films, including Mary Poppins, a far cry from the brisk horror of The Man Who Changed His Mind. Also known as The Man Who Lived Again, the U.S. title of this film is Brainsnatcher, and the U.S. reissue title is Dr. Maniac. ~ Bill Warren, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Boris Karloff, Anna Lee, (more)
- 1936
Dishonor Bright draws upon the talents of two master farceurs from Britain's Aldwych Theatre, Tom Walls (star-director) and Ben Travers (screenwriter). A correspondent in a bitter divorce case, Stephen Champion (Walls), ends up marrying the defendant, Ivy Lamb (Dinah Churchill), though he still carries a torch for Stella (Betty Stockfield), the wife of the plaintiff's attorney (Cecil Parker). While on an Alpine honeymoon with Ivy, Stephen tries to rescue Stella from the libidinous machinations of rakish Lisle (George Sanders, in one of his earliest major roles). In so doing, Stephen not only nearly messes up Stella's marriage but his own as well. Hollywood's Eugene Pallette offers a well-rounded characterization (in every sense of the word) as a duplicitous American tourist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Walls, Eugene Pallette, (more)
- 1935
In this British comedy, an aging aristocrat with a gambling addiction borrows money from a relative and ends up winning big at the track. Unfortunately he quickly loses it all in Nice. Impoverished once again, he encounters another loser. Together the two get in cahoots with a diamond thief masquerading as a count who cons the wealthy tourists out of their gems. The two end up going to rat on the count to the police when they are arrested. They go to trial, and at the last minute they are acquitted. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Walls, Ralph Lynn, (more)
- 1935
In this British comedy, the owner of a country pub finds her wedding night ruined when a man comes up and offers her husband a shilling. He accepts it, but discovers that it is really the Queen's bounty for enlistment and that the kindly man is the local recruiting officer. The bride decides she must be with her man and ends up impersonating one to be with him. Eventually she saves him from the French. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dame Cicely Courtneidge, Tom Walls, (more)
- 1935
Previously filmed in 1929 as S.O.S. (also the title of the Walter Ellis play that is its basis), Her Last Affaire switches the sexes of its leading characters so that the protagonist is now a male, Alan Heriot (Hugh Williams). Heriot is the secretary to Sir Julian Weyre (Francis L. Sullivan) a politician of increasing power and influence; he also has designs on Weyre's daughter (Sophie Stewart), and wishes to marry her. Weyre and his new wife, Lady Avril (Viola Keats), are against the marriage, primarily because Heriot's father was involved in a criminal scandal. As the film unfolds, the viewer comes to doubt the sincerity of Heriot's affection toward the boss' daughter, for he arranges a suspicious assignation at a country inn with Lady Avril. Eventually, however, it becomes clear that he has done so because he knows Lady Avril has information that could clear his family's name, and he is attempting to force her to sign a document to that effect. Unfortunately, while he is trying to persuade her, Lady Avril suffers a heart attack and dies. Panicking, Heriot flees and thus becomes the prime suspect in what is declared to be a murder. With motive and without a valid alibi, things look bleak for the young man, who comes to rely upon a maid at the inn to help him out of this difficult situation. Thought lost for many years, the film was rediscovered and restored in the 1980s. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugh Williams, Viola Keats, (more)
- 1934
Tom Walls is both star and director of the airy comedy-melodrama Lady in Danger. Marooned in the revolution-torn kingdom of Ardenburg, British businessman Richard Dexter (Tom Walls) is requested by the leader of the insurgents to safely escort the country's beloved queen (Yvonne Arnaud) to England. Dexter obliges, bundling the queen into his private plane and zooming across the border. He hides the pretty monarch in his apartment, resulting in quite a row when his fiancee Lydia (Anne Grey) shows up unannounced. The farcical possibilities of Lady in Danger are played to the hilt, and the rest is good semi-clean fun. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yvonne Arnaud, Tom Walls, (more)
- 1934
The Blue Squadron is commandeered by Esmond Knight in this British adventure film. Knight conducts a friendly rivalry with his Italian counterpart John Stuart over the affections of winsome Greta Hansen. Stuart proves that there's no hard feelings by saving Knight's life in the snowy peaks of the Italian alps. Good outdoor photography enhances this otherwise by-the-numbers melodrama. Blue Squadron was co-produced by Warner Bros.' British appendage, Teddington Studios, and by Italy's Steffano Pittaluga. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1934
The corpse of a hated man is discovered in this mystery. The police inspector and investigating doctor found their work hindered by three people who confess to killing him. The trouble is, none of them did. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1934
Fourteen-year-old British actress Nova Pilbeam (best known for her work in Hitchcock's Man Who Knew too Much and Young and Innocent) plays the title role in Little Friend. When her parents (Matheson Lang and Lydia Sherwood) decide to divorce, poor Felicity Hughes (Pilbeam) seeks out a way to bring them back together. She tells a few "white lies" on the witness stand, which merely exacerbates the situation. Finally she attempts suicide, and it is this that brings Mr. and Mrs. Hughes back to their senses. Surprisingly, the Margaret Kennedy-Christopher Isherwood screenplay isn't as sappy and overdone on screen as it plays on paper. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matheson Lang, Nova Pilbeam, (more)
- 1934
Although this Laurel and Hardy short is quite funny, it's often neglected. The boys, playing chimney sweeps, don't appear right away -- first the stage is set in the laboratory of a mad scientist, Professor Noodle (Lucien Littlefield). He has been working intensely for the past 20 years to create an elixir of youth and he is just moments away from success. At this significant moment, Stan and Ollie arrive to sweep the chimney. The butler, Jessup (Sam Adams), directs them to the fireplace and they go to work while, in another room, Noodle is adding a few drops of this, a half drop of that (he uses a scissors to cut off the last half drop). The professor's work goes far more smoothly than Stan and Ollie's efforts -- in fact, by the time they're done, the room is ankle-deep in debris, and both the boys and the butler are black with soot. Jessup looks at the wreckage and promises that somewhere "an electric chair is waiting." While he is upstairs washing off the grime, the professor proudly appears with his successful elixir and since no one else is around, he decides to show it to the boys. He places a duckling in a big tub of water, adds just a few drops of the potent solution, and the duck reverts to an egg. When Noodle disappears in search of Jessup, Stan and Ollie wonder if there's any validity to what they've just witnessed. They decide to try it out with a fish, but as Ollie stands over the tub holding the full beaker, Stan accidentally knocks him in. The water violently bubbles and churns and finally Ollie emerges -- as a chimp, wearing the inevitable bowler hat. His reply to Stan and the whole situation: "I have nothing to say!" ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ralph Lynn, Gordon Harker, (more)
- 1933
In this romance, a golddigger jilts her poorer true love in favor of a wealthy man whom she marries. The poor man is broken-hearted, but soon involves himself with another. His relationship progresses smoothly until the golddigger reappears and wants to keep their love affair going. They begin again until the girl realizes that she if she continues she will derail the gravy train and lose her luxurious life. She jilts him again and returns to her sugar daddy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1933
In this film, an inn is filled to capacity and a couple must spend the night together in a room. The problem is that both of them are married to other people; before that, they had been engaged to each other. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
