Donald Pleasence Movies
Balding, deceptively bland-looking British actor Donald Pleasence was first seen on the London stage in a 1939 production of Wuthering Heights. He then served in the RAF, spending the last years of World War II in a German POW camp. Resuming his career after the war, Pleasence eventually came to New York in the company of Laurence Olivier in 1950, appearing in Caesar and Cleopatra. And although he began appearing in films in 1954, Pleasence's British fame during the '50s was the result of his television work, notably a recurring role as Prince John in The Adventures of Robin Hood from 1955-1958. He also co-starred in TV productions of The Millionairess, Man in a Moon, and Call Me Daddy. Voted British television actor of the year in 1958, Pleasence produced and hosted the 1960 series Armchair Mystery Theatre, before creating the stage role for which he was best remembered: Davies, the menacing tramp in Harold Pinter's The Caretaker. The actor revived the character throughout his career, appearing as Davies for the last time in 1991.Pleasence was fortunate enough to be associated with the success of The Great Escape in 1963, which led to a wealth of American film offers. Four years later, the actor portrayed arch criminal Ernst Blofeld in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice -- the first time that the scarred face of the secretive character was seen onscreen in the Bond series. Firmly established as a villain, Pleasence gradually eased into horror films such as Halloween (1978), The Devonsville Terror (1979), and Buried Alive (1990); commenting on this phase of his career, Pleasence once mused "I only appear in odd films." One of his few "mainstream" appearances during this period was virtually invisible. Pleasence is seen and prominently billed as a rabbi in Carl Reiner's Oh, God! (1977), but the role was deemed dispensable and all the actor's lines were cut.
Pleasence continued to work steadily in the 1980s and early '90s -- making 17 pictures alone in 1987-1989 -- before undergoing heart surgery in 1994; he died from complications two months later. Married four times, the actor was the father of six daughters, among them actress Angela Pleasence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Alan Arkin stars as real-life Lithuanian seaman Simas Kudirka, a radio operator on a Russian vessel. When his ship docks at Martha's Vineyard in early 1970, Kudirka makes a dramatic leap from the deck, landing on the American coast guard cutter Vigilant. He announces that he wishes to defect, but the rules of maritime law prohibit the Americans from offering him asylum. As the crew of the Vigilant looks on helplessly, the Russian officers board the cutter, beat and bind Kudirka, and drag him back to his own ship. This tinderbox political incident occurs during a Soviet/U.S. conference over fishing rights. The ultimate fate of Simas Kudirka provides the core of Bruce Feldman's script. Directed for television by David Lowell Rich (who won an Emmy), The Defection of Simas Kudirka was first broadcast January 23, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
After years of an oppressive dictatorship, a group of army officers in a tiny, vaguely delineated European country organize a coup. Colonel Narriman (David Hemmings) has bravely taken chances which could have resulted in his death, and he expects, once the coup is successful, to become the next leader of his country. Quietly biding his time, Colonel Zeller (Peter O'Toole) has played along with the revolutionaries but doesn't like their methods. In the end, he puts a monkey-wrench into their whole operation. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter O'Toole, David Hemmings, (more)
- 1978
Romain (Lino Ventura) lost his wife in a forest fire, and his son, who blamed him for the death, left France for Canada. Romain is called to Canada to identify the corpse of a murder victim believed to his son. When the murdered man turns out to be someone else, his son automatically becomes the chief suspect in the murder. Romain decides to try and get the young man to turn himself in and searches through the byway underground and underworld life in Canadian cities with the help of Karen (Angie Dickenson), a lady with an unsavory past. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lino Ventura, Angie Dickinson, (more)
The longest (26-1/2 hours), most expensive ($25 million) and most complicated (four directors, five producers, five cinematographers, almost 100 speaking parts, several hundred extras) project made for television up to that time, Centennial was shown in two- and three-hour installments over a period of four months. An adaptation of James Michener's best-selling novel, it told the story of the settling of the American West by looking at the founding of the fictional town of Centennial, Colorado, from the settling of the area in the late 18th century to the present. Emmy-nominated for film editing and art direction, it boasts of sterling performances from Richard Chamberlain as frontiersman Alexander McKeag, Robert Conrad as the French-Canadian trapper Pasquinel, and a surprisingly powerful performance from former football star Alex Karras as compassionate but iron-willed immigrant farmer Hans Brumbaugh. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1977
The Final Eye began life as the pilot for a futuristic TV series. Joe Cortese stars as Mike Stringer, who in the year 1996 is the last private eye left on earth. Stringer is hired by Lisa Korter (Susan George), the daughter of a mysterious financier (Liam Sullivan). Twenty years earlier, the financier had created Eden Isle, a posh resort. Something very odd has been going on at Eden Isle of late, as indicated by the fact that the financier doesn't look a day younger than he did when he opened the place in 1975. Digging a bit too deep, Stringer discovers an insidious conspiracy linked to a master computer. Filmed in 1977, The Final Eye was shelved until August 1, 1982, when it was finally telecast under the new title Computercide. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Because director Franco Zeffirelli noted publicly that he intended to depict Jesus Christ as a human being rather than a religious icon, his expensive made-for-TV miniseries Jesus of Nazareth fell victim to protestors long before its April 3, 1977, debut. Despite the pullout of several sponsors, Jesus of Nazareth was aired as scheduled, sweeping the ratings in the process. In avoiding the usual overproduced Hollywood approach to the Gospels, Zeffirelli offers one of the most sensitive and reverent portrayals of Jesus ever seen on film. In the title role, Robert Powell heads a huge international cast, which includes Olivia Hussey as Mary, Peter Ustinov as Herod the Great, Christopher Plummer as Herod Antipas, Michael York as John the Baptist, James Farentino as Simon Peter, Donald Pleasence as Melchior, James Earl Jones as Balthazar, Ian McShane as Judas, Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene, Rod Steiger as Pontius Pilate, James Mason as Joseph of Arimathea, Anthony Quinn as Caiaphas, Laurence Olivier as Nicodemus, Ernest Borgnine as the Centurion, and Claudia Cardinale as the Adulteress. Filmed in England, Tunisia, and Morocco, Jesus of Nazareth was scripted by Zeffirelli, Anthony Burgess, and Suso Cecchi D'Amico. It originally aired in two three-hour segments, telecast Palm and Easter Sunday of 1977 as part of NBC's Big Event anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Powell, Olivia Hussey, (more)
- 1977
- PG
Don Siegel took over the directing chores from Peter Hyams on this taut cold war action film, based on the novel by Walter Wager. With the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union thawing, old KGB hard-liner Nicolai Dalchimsky (Donald Pleasence) activates a group of Americans who were brainwashed twenty years earlier to blow up United States defenses when a passage from a Robert Frost poem is recited to them. When bombs go off at an abandoned United States defense installation, the Kremlin realizes that they have a rogue KGB agent on their hands who is trying to re-ignite the cold war. To stop him, the Russians send out KGB agent Grigori Borzov (Charles Bronson). Accompanying him is KGB double agent Barbara (Lee Remick). As the two agents try to stop Nicolai from starting World War III, they find time to fall in love with each other. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Lee Remick, (more)
- 1977
Making a rare visit to Canada, Claude Chabrol cowrote and directed the low-pressure psychological melodrama Blood Relatives (Les Liens de sang). Donald Sutherland and Donald Pleasence head the cast in this story of the aftermath of a brutal murder. The victim, a 17-year-old girl, was apparently raped before she died, leading Carella (Sutherland) to believe that she was killed by a sex maniac. Pedophile Doniac (Pleasence) tops the suspect list, but don't be too sure. The truth is much "closer to home" than anyone realizes at first. Lisa Langlois, who made something of a career of Canadian scare flicks, makes her screen debut in Blood Relatives; also appearing, is Chabrol's wife Stephane Audran. Blood Relatives was based on a novel by Ed McBain (aka Evan Hunter), of 87th Precinct fame; the film was released in the US in 1981, three years after its completion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Sutherland, Stéphane Audran, (more)
- 1977
The superb made-for-TV drama Goldenrod invokes vivid memories of television's Golden Age of the 1950s. Tony LoBianco heads the cast as Jess Gifford, a former rodeo champion permanently sidelined by a crippling accident. Things get worse when Jess' wife Shirley (Gloria Carlin) walks out on him, leaving him to raise his two sons alone. Jess undergoes a great deal of soul-searching until, with the help of eldest son Ethan (Will MacMillan), he finally discerns a light at the end of the tunnel. Produced by David Susskind and filmed in Canada, Goldenrod debuted June 1, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This police melodrama is set in a coastal resort where a young man becomes insanely jealous after learning that his girl has been with another. He takes her hostage in the town hotel and threatens to kill her. Now a hot-tempered police chief and his peace-loving lieutenant must somehow team-up to resolve the situation. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oliver Reed, Susan George, (more)
- 1977
- PG
Brian Eno composed the score for this horror tale about a cult (led by Peter Cushing) which kidnaps Greek tourists for their ritual murders. Also known as Minotaur and The Devil's Men. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
Adapted by Larry Gelbart from the novel by Avery Corman, the film stars John Denver as Jerry Landers, the assistant manager of a grocery store who is chosen by God (George Burns) to spread the Word to the rest of the world. Not surprisingly, Jerry is soon labelled a basket case: even his loving wife Bobbie (Teri Garr) doubts her husband's sanity. But there's enough evidence on Jerry's side for a panel of prominent clerics to demand that the hapless fellow prove in court that he's the agent of God. Donald Pleasence was supposed to have an extended supporting role in the film, but the first cut ran too long, and Pleasence's dialogue was eliminated -- but not Pleasence himself, who retains his prominent billing and is seen doing precisely nothing in several scenes. Netting $30 million on its first run, Oh God was followed by two lesser sequels, both featuring Burns. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Burns, John Denver, (more)
Elia Kazan directed this curiously constipated film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's unfinished final novel, about Monroe Starr, a brilliant and efficient studio executive (based upon Fitzgerald's experiences with MGM wunderkind Irving Thalberg). Robert De Niro plays Monroe Starr in a cool and detached manner, and as Kazan pans around the Hollywood Dream Factory of the 1930s, Starr juggles several productions, deals with nervous actors and recalcitrant directors, stays afloat in the Hollywood corporate battlefields, and secretly carries on a love affair with an even cooler and more detached English girl, Kathleen Moore (Ingrid Boulting). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert De Niro, Tony Curtis, (more)
- 1976
A former policeman investigates a series of murders by centering on an organization which re-creates medieval battles. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
John Sturges directed this taut adaptation of Jack Higgins' suspense novel about an attempted kidnapping of Winston Churchill by the German high command during World War II. When it is discovered that in November 1943 Winston Churchill is scheduled to spend a weekend in a country home in Norfolk, the Germans plan to kidnap him. Heinrich Himmler (Donald Pleasence), under orders from Hitler, assigns Nazi colonel Max Radl (Robert Duvall) the chore of sneaking the English-hating Irishman Liam Devlin (Donald Sutherland) into the British countryside and arranging for a 16-man task force to be parachuted into the English country town of Sudley Constable, under the auspices of Colonel Kurt Steiner (Michael Caine). The efficient planning works too well, and before long their exactingly perfect timetable begins to come apart. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, (more)
- 1975
- PG
Hearts of the West (British title: Hollywood Cowboy) stars Jeff Bridges as Lewis Tater, a 1930s-era aspiring novelist who harbors dreams of becoming the next Zane Grey or Peter B. Kyne. He arrives in Nevada to seek out the correspondence school that has "graduated" him. After learning that he's been taken to the cleaners by crooks, he stumbles onto a threadbare film-unit grinding out "B" westerns. He is given a job by unit manager Kessler (Alan Arkin), then falls in love with spunky script girl Miss Trout (Blythe Danner). With the help of crusty stunt man Howard Pike (Andy Griffith), Tyler fends off the correspondence-school crooks who want the money that he has accidentally stolen from them. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Bridges, Andy Griffith, (more)
This weird British hybrid of The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby and It's Alive! stars Joan Collins as a stripper who spurns the advances of a lecherous dwarf and is subsequently cursed by a monstrous baby -- which emits horrifying demonic howls and attacks everyone within reach, including his parents, his nanny and the family doctor (Donald Pleasence). A final exorcism is attempted by a nun (Eileen Atkins), for what it's worth. No clear explanation is given for the link between the spurned dwarf and the demonic influence placed upon the homicidal tyke (even the countless Italian Exorcist knock-offs usually maintained some sort of twisted logic), and the considerable potential for horror in the killer-baby concept is not explored thoroughly enough to keep viewers involved. Also released as I Don't Want To Be Born. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Collins, Eileen Atkins, (more)
This fast-paced Disney endeavor stars Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann as two adolescents with acute psychic powers. The kids are actually space aliens, but suffer from amnesia and are unaware of their origins. Pursued by greedy business-mogul Ray Milland, who wants to harness their special powers for his benefit, Kim and Ike are rescued by likeable camper Eddie Albert. He and the kids escape to the mountain of the title when Albert's RV suddenly acquires the power of flight. In 1978, the film spawned the sequel Return from Witch Mountain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Albert, Ray Milland, (more)
- 1975
- PG
Was Jesus Christ the son of God -- or a clever political activist who staged his crucifixion and resurrection to help promote his point of view? The latter possibility is proposed in this bit of historical speculation, based on the best-selling novel by Hugh J. Schonfield. Yeshua (Zalman King), as the Hebrews called him, was a member of the Zealots who sought to end to the rule of the Romans who had taken control of their land. To rally support for their cause, Yeshua proclaims himself the son of God, born of mortal woman, and carefully orchestrates the events that lead to him being sentenced to death; he's also able to add to his martyrdom by falsifying a resurrection two days later. Understandably controversial upon release, The Passover Plot also stars Donald Pleasance, Scott Wilson, and Hugh Griffith; Mary Wills' costume design earned an Academy Award nomination. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harry Andrews, Hugh Griffith, (more)
The Freakmaker is a creepy horror film about a mad scientist who abducts college students for the subjects he needs in his attempts to crossbreed plants with humans. His failures are turned over to a dwarf who runs a circus freakshow. This film is also known by the title The Mutations. ~ All Movie Guide
This film is a madcap slapstick comedy about a pair of racing drivers who tangle with crooks and get themselves into all manner of perilous situations. ~ Mark Hockley, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Comedian, actor, and author Barry Humphries wrote and co-stars in this sequel to the surprise international hit The Adventures of Barry McKenzie, based on the comic-strip character created by Humphries. Well-meaning but dunderheaded über-Aussie Barry McKenzie (Barry Crocker) is escorting his aunt, self-proclaimed "housewife superstar" Edna Everage (Barry Humphries), on a trip to France, where they've learned Barry's twin brother, Ken McKenzie, a progressive priest, will be speaking as part of a seminar on "Christ and the Orgasm." En route, a pair of Transylvanian agents, working under the command of the evil Communist vampire Count Plasma (Donald Pleasance), become convinced that Edna is actually Queen Elizabeth II, and not long after arriving in Paris, they kidnap Edna and spirit her away to the count's castle. When Barry learns that his aunt has fallen victim to foul play, he and his mates, including transplanted Australian Colin the Frog (Dick Bentley), set out to find her -- when they're not busy chasing "Shelias," swilling Foster's Lager, or projectile vomiting. In addition to playing Edna Everage, Humphries takes on two other roles in Barry McKenzie Holds His Own, and managed to persuade former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and his wife to make a cameo appearance in the film. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Crocker, Barry Humphries, (more)
- 1974
Four villains seek to wrest from a mute girl (Carmen Sevilla) the secret location of a prehistoric gold statuette discovered by her father. Her silence dates from the day when she saw her father murdered for that same statue. Donald Pleasance and Michael Dunn lend their expert presences to this crime thriller. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1974
- R
This remake of the Orson Welles film stars Sam Waterston as a researcher who finds himself entangled in intrigue and danger in Turkey. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Michael Caine stars as an espionage agent whose young son is kidnapped. Complicating matters is the fact that the kidnappers (John Vernon and Delphine Seyrig) are Caine's own colleagues. They want to secure Caine's aid in rounding up a diamond smuggling ring, and they don't care who they have to hurt to do so. He agrees to go along, all the while searching for his missing son. Janet Suzman co-stars as Caine's estranged wife, who is compelled to join him in his search. Helmed by veteran filmmaker Don Siegel, The Black Windmill is based on Seven Days to a Killing, a novel by Clive Egleton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Caine, Donald Pleasence, (more)
