Natasha Parry Movies

In this somber movie, Martin (Heinz Bennent), a sculptor, is dying in his bed on a barge that floats along a fog-shrouded waterway. As he agonizingly descends into a final oblivion, his second wife is at his bedside, comforted by his first wife -- also present. Director and writer Marion Hansel stands at a slight remove while the last day in the life of the moribund man, with all its pain, is interspersed with flashbacks to happier times with his second wife. Some of the dialogue is oddly artificial and when combined with the space that the director places between the viewer and the events on the screen, it may distance some from the suffering of the lead figures. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Peter Brook, one of the pioneers of the experimental theatre movement of the 1950s and 1960s, was the director of Meetings with Remarkable Men. Brook tells the story of Asian mystic G. I. Gurdijeff, here played by Dragan Maksimovic. Gurdijeff devotes his entire existence, from youth to old age, in quest of the meaning of life. He eventually develops a form of meditation incorporating modern dance. Terence Stamp, who in Meetings with Remarkable Men plays Prince Lubovedsky, himself briefly retreated from his career after this picture, in favor of Eastern meditation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This 90-minute TV drama was lensed on location in Paris. Charles Boyer guest stars as an old-line French Marxist who happens to be an old friend of Crime magazine publisher Dan Howard (series regular Gene Barry). Howard would like Boyer to help him pull off a delicate diplomatic mission. The Red Chinese delegation has just stormed out of an international health conference, and Howard has been assigned to woo them back. Craig Stevens also guest-stars on this October 10, 1969 episode of the popular adventure series Name of the Game. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Director Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was touted at the time of its release (successfully, if the box-office receipts are any indication), as something of a "youth trip" movie. This is because Zeffirelli broke the long-standing tradition of casting over-aged, sometimes grey-haired players in the title roles. Seventeen-year-old Leonard Whiting plays Romeo, with 15-year-old Olivia Hussey as Juliet. The youthfulness and inexperience of the leading players works beautifully in the more passionate sequences (some of these breaking further ground by being played in the nude). Among the younger players are Michael York as Tybalt and John McEnery as Mercutio. The duel between Romeo and Tybalt starts out as a harmless, frat-boy exchange of insults, then escalates into tragedy before any of the participants are fully aware of what has happened. Photographed by Pasqualino DeSantis on various locations in Italy, Romeo and Juliet was one of the most profitable film adaptations of Shakespeare ever produced. Its most lasting legacy is its popular main theme music, composed by Nino Rota. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Inspector Birkett (Ian Hendry) and his faithful assistant Saunders (Ronald Fraser) are assigned to investigate the murder of a fashion model. they arrive at the scene of the crime, scouring the dead girl's apartment for clues. On the surface, it appears robbery is the motive, and the detectives find a concealed pistol, a ball point pen, and the girls diary. Her last entry is about a luncheon date, the last place the woman was seen alive. The sleuths must sift through a series of bogus clues and interview unwilling potential suspects before uncovering a ring of drug dealers. The duo systematically eliminate the innocent in their effort to bring the murderer to justice. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Kit (Doris Day), an American married to wealthy London businessman Tony Preston (Rex Harrison) becomes the terrified victim of a mysterious stalker, who she hears but can never see. She is threatened by the eerie, high-pitched voice as she walks in the thick London fog. She then begins receiving repeated threatening telephone calls. The now totally panicked Kit is nearly killed when someone pushes her in front of a bus. Unfortunately for Kit, no one but she hears the voice or the telephone calls and neither Tony, Kit's visiting aunt Bea (Myra Loy), or Scotland Yard take any of these incidents seriously. The only one who seems to believe Kit is Brian Younger (John Gavin), a construction foreman, but Kit is not convinced that she can trust him. The tension builds to a thrilling climax as Kit flees for her life on a scaffolding outside her apartment building. Midnight Lace is an exciting thriller, with many surprising plot twists and a nice sinister performance by Rex Harrison. Roddy McDowall is also fun as the son of Kit's housekeeper, who keeps hitting up his mom for money. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

Rene Clement's Monsieur Ripois was released in English-speaking countries as The Knave of Hearts and Lovers, Happy Lovers. Relying heavily on voiceover narration and subjective camerawork, the film has Gerard Phillipe in the title role. Believing himself to be love with his wife's best friend (Natasha Parry), Ripois pours out his heart to her by recounting his past amours. Though he has known many women, he has never truly loved any of them. This has proved more troublesome for Ripois than for the ladies in his life, but somehow he never learns his lesson--not even during the film's final scene. British actresses Valerie Hobson and Joan Greenwood are well cast as Ripois' wife and former girlfriend, respectively, while Germaine Montero has an effective cameo as a warm-hearted prostitute. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of the first important distinctions to be made about this version of King Lear is that it is not the same version directed by Peter Brook in 1971. Brook was responsible for the staging of this 1953 version, but it was Andrew McCullough who put it to film. Orson Welles portrays the titular character, one of the most memorable and important characters from the Shakespearean canon. The story begins with the famous request Lear makes of his daughters: to express how much they love him. In exchange, Lear will divide his land and power amongst them based on the extent of their answers. Cordelia (Natasha Parry), the youngest and the one whom Lear loves the most, answers very modestly -- yet honestly --and incurs the wrath of Lear, who not only withholds his gift to her, but banishes her as well. Lear divides his lands and power between the two older daughters, Goneril (Beatrice Straight) and Regan (Margaret Phillips), who intend to take swift and complete control of their father's power almost instantaneously. Lear is reduced to an angry, bitter man who realizes too late what has happened. After a series of indignities are inflicted upon him by his daughters, he retreats into a storm, vowing revenge. This film is an above-average adaptation with a very capable cast and a well-staged presentation. The subplot of Gloucester and his sons has been removed, however, presumably in interests of time conservation, but it doesn't seriously hinder the story. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide

Stanley Holloway carries the ball, comedically and dramatically, in the British Midnight Episode. Holloway plays "The Professor," a tattered hobo who recites Shakespeare for pennies. He also picks up spare change by opening car doors for theatre patrons. While thus occupied, the Professor is startled when a dead body tumbles out of a limousine. Soon after, the body disappears, leaving behind a wallet bulging with money. The Professor providentially turns in some of the money to the authorities, keeping the rest for himself--and thereby hangs the rest of this complicated tale. Wilfred Hyde-White, who later co-starred with Stanley Holloway in My Fair Lady, turns in a surprising characterization as the leader of a criminal gang. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Just before directing the comedy classic The Lavender Hill Mob, Charles Crichton dashed off the romantic melodrama Dance Hall. The story takes place in a London dance emporium, frequented by the local working girls. Natasha Parry stars as Eve, whose marriage to Phil (Donald Houston) is imperiled when she takes a different partner for an upcoming dance contest. Her reasoning is that Phil is a lousy dancer, but she loves him all the same; Phil, however, is the jealous type, who doesn't quite see things Eve's way. Among the familiar faces floating by in Dance Hall are Bonar Colleano, Diana Dors, and Petula Clark (yes, her career went back that far). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide