Godfrey Quigley Movies

Stanley Kubrick dissects the nature of violence in this darkly ironic, near-future satire, adapted from Anthony Burgess's novel, complete with "Nadsat" slang. Classical music-loving proto-punk Alex (Malcolm McDowell) and his "Droogs" spend their nights getting high at the Korova Milkbar before embarking on "a little of the old ultraviolence," such as terrorizing a writer, Mr. Alexander (Patrick Magee), and gang raping his wife (who later dies as a result). After Alex is jailed for bludgeoning the Cat Lady (Miriam Karlin) to death with one of her phallic sculptures, Alex submits to the Ludovico behavior modification technique to earn his freedom; he's conditioned to abhor violence through watching gory movies, and even his adored Beethoven is turned against him. Returned to the world defenseless, Alex becomes the victim of his prior victims, with Mr. Alexander using Beethoven's Ninth to inflict the greatest pain of all. When society sees what the state has done to Alex, however, the politically expedient move is made. Casting a coldly pessimistic view on the then-future of the late '70s-early '80s, Kubrick and production designer John Barry created a world of high-tech cultural decay, mixing old details like bowler hats with bizarrely alienating "new" environments like the Milkbar. Alex's violence is horrific, yet it is an aesthetically calculated fact of his existence; his charisma makes the icily clinical Ludovico treatment seem more negatively abusive than positively therapeutic. Alex may be a sadist, but the state's autocratic control is another violent act, rather than a solution. Released in late 1971 (within weeks of Sam Peckinpah's brutally violent Straw Dogs), the film sparked considerable controversy in the U.S. with its X-rated violence; after copycat crimes in England, Kubrick withdrew the film from British distribution until after his death. Opinion was divided on the meaning of Kubrick's detached view of this shocking future, but, whether the discord drew the curious or Kubrick's scathing diagnosis spoke to the chaotic cultural moment, A Clockwork Orange became a hit. On the heels of New York Film Critics Circle awards as Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, Kubrick received Oscar nominations in all three categories. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

With ornate imagery reminiscent of paintings from the story's 18th century period, Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel depicts the rise and fall of a sensitive rogue in the British aristocracy. Young Irishman Redmond Barry (Ryan O'Neal) leaves home to seek his fortune after apparently killing an English officer in a duel. Through a series of mishaps and accidents, Barry winds up fighting with the Prussian army in the Seven Years' War under the command of Capt. Potzdorf (Hardy Kruger); at war's end, Potzdorf enlists Barry to spy on a shady Chevalier (Patrick Magee). Instead, Barry joins up with the Irish Chevalier to flee Prussia and live as gamblers among Europe's elite. Wishing to climb even higher, Barry soon meets the beautiful Lady Lyndon (Marisa Berenson), marrying her for her fortune after her older titled husband dies. Her son Lord Bullingdon (Leon Vitali), however, despises the upstart Barry, and, regardless of how his mother may feel, sees to it that the re-named Barry Lyndon will never be able to stake his claim to the entrenched aristocracy. Coming after Kubrick's esteemed hits 2001 (1968) and A Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry Lyndon opened with high expectations and met with decidedly mixed responses to its restrained tone. Even with Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director (and wins for Cinematography, Art Direction, Costumes, and Adapted Score), Barry Lyndon was a box office failure, as mid-'70s audiences increasingly turned away from such narrative challenges as its epic length and muffled emotions. Since then, Barry Lyndon has gained in stature, taking its place among the formidable artistic achievements of Kubrick's career. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

This entertaining sequel to 1965's Dr. Who and the Daleks has been released under several titles: Invasion Earth 2150 AD, Daleks Invade Earth: 2150 AD, and Daleks-Invasion Earth 2150 AD. So guess when the story takes place? Peter Cushing returns as eccentric time-traveller Dr. Who, idol of millions of BBC viewers and PBS pledge drive fans. This time, Dr. Who, his niece Susan (Roberta Tovey) and a flustered London bobby (Bernard Cribbins) are whisked into the future via the Doc's TARDIS call box. In 2150, London is under siege from the extraterrestrial Daleks, with whom Dr. Who has crossed swords in the past. The Daleks intend to convert the earth into a huge spaceship by activating the planet's metallic core. Props essential to the action include flying saucers, death rays and robots, all of which look a lot more expensive than those silver-painted tinker toys seen on the Dr. Who TV series. Coproducer Milton Subotsky based his screenplay upon a Dr. Who television continuity written by Terry Nation. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A trio of Oscar nominations and a pair of Golden Globes went to this acclaimed romantic comedy-drama based on the play by Willy Russell. Julie Walters stars as Rita, a witty, 26-year-old working class British hairdresser who decides to seek an education at Open University. Rita needs a tutor, and she selects Dr. Frank Bryant (Michael Caine), an alcoholic college literature professor whose life is a shambles. Divorced, Bryant's new lover is now having an affair with his best friend and he's increasingly depressed, seeking solace in whisky. Bryant's domestic turmoil is mirrored by Rita's, as she has opted for college over motherhood, a source of friction between her and her husband. As Rita blooms intellectually under the tutelage of Bryant, she realizes that what she really lacks is self-confidence, not education, and a gentle romance blossoms between her and Bryant. At home, however, Rita's newfound self-respect and intelligence cause her even greater pain. Director Lewis Gilbert and writer Russell teamed again six years later on the similarly-themed Shirley Valentine (1989). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

The Secret of Boyne Castle stars Kurt Russell as an American exchange student in Ireland. Russell and his Irish friend Patrick Dawson find themselves waist-deep in intrigue when they get involved with a defecting Iron Curtain scientist. After a wild chase through the Hibernian countryside, Russell and Dawson are trapped by enemy agents, who hope to hoodwink the boys into revealing the location of a secret message in their possession. The Secret of Boyne Castle was first shown in British theatres as the feature-length Guns in the Heather. It was then converted into a three-part installment of TV's Wonderful World of Disney, which was telecast in the US on February 9, 16, and 23 1969. A few years later, the project was rebroadcast under the title Spy Busters. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rooney (John Gregson) is a handsome but unambitious Irish sanitation worker. Rooney's landladies would love to see him married to one of their daughters, or nieces, or whatever, but Rooney ain't buyin'. Barry Fitzgerald plays Rooney's elderly bedridden neighbor, whom the young man befriends, turns to for advice, and tries to shield from the old man's bickering relatives. Stronger on characterization than plot, Rooney was based on a popular novel by Catherine Cookson. The film is at its best when the camera roams around the misty streets of Dublin, and at its worst when it pauses for sentiment. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this drama, a conservative Catholic priest representing the Pope is sent to Ireland to settle down a few influential radical priests whose doctrine is contrary to standard church guidelines. AKA The Conflict. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The made-for-television The Man in the Iron Mask was, at the very least, the twelfth film version of Alexandre Dumas' novel The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later - the second sequel to his Three Musketeers. The title character is Philippe (Richard Chamberlain), claimant to the throne of France. Supporters of Philippe's vile twin brother, King Louis XIV (also Chamberlain), kidnap Philippe, lock him in a dungeon, and obscure his identity with an iron mask. But aging D'Artagnan (Louis Jourdan), who'd virtually raised Philippe from boyhood, reunites his old musketeer cohorts to rescue Philippe, overthrow the wicked Louis, and place the "rightful heir" on the throne. Emmy nominations went to scripter William Bast and costumer Olga Lehmann. Photographed by the great Freddie Young, Man in the Iron Mask was first telecast January 17, 1977 ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

To make the Rising of the Moon, American filmmaker John Ford returned to his Irish roots. An obscure and highly personal film for Ford, it is comprised of three episodes--each offering insight into Irish culture and values. All are introduced by Tyrone Power. In "The Majesty of the Law," a police officer is assigned to arrest an Irish curmudgeon who hit the neighbor who sold him a lousy batch of homemade whiskey. But this is no ordinary arrest as the old man is a traditionalist who loathes the new directions his beloved Eire is going. Out of respect, the cop eschews his car and walks to his cottage. The two have a conversation and the old man mourns the loss of the old ways and expresses his frustration over the encroachment of modern amenities that are destroying the Irish heritage. The sympathetic cop offers to free him if the old man will pay a small fine, but though the codger has more than enough to pay it, he refuses on principal. Even when the man who filed the charges offers to pay the fine, the coot refuses to give in and stoically heads off to serve his time. As he walks with the officer to the jail, the whole town comes out to honor the old man. Set at a train station "A Minute's Wait" offers a humorous look at Irish conceptions of time as train's brief scheduled stop to pick up some lobsters for an important dinner stretches out into a long, leisurely pause. The final vignette, "1921" features members of Dublin's Abbey Theatre and tells the story of how they engineer an elaborate rescue of an Irish patriot from prison. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi