Joan Rice Movies

Billie Whitelaw dominates this crime melodrama, not as a criminal but as vengeful bystander Jackie Parker. Parker's husband, an armored car driver, is killed during a carefully orchestrated robbery. The police have an idea of who's responsible, but they lack proof. On her own, Parker goes after the suspects one by one, using psychological torture (phone calls, poison pen letters) to break them down. She reduces inside man Pearson (William Lucas) to a quivering mass of gelatin, and indirectly sends Monty (Kenneth Griffith) to a sticky end in a mire of quicksand. The film's climax is a showdown between Parker and gang boss Mellors (Michael Craig). Payroll was based on a novel by Derek Bickerton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this suspenseful mystery, an innocent nurse working at a convalescent home finds herself accused of killing several patients. She begins her own investigation to prove her innocence and finds that the victims were all being blackmailed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this police drama, a cop finds his recently killed partner replaced by an Alsatian police dog. While he adjusts, the one who killed his partner plans to crack a safe. After he breaks in, he is accosted by the cop and his dog. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In the tradition of Derby Day and The Extra Day came another multiplotted British comedy/drama, The Crowded Day. A huge and mobile cast play the various persons connected with a department store sale during the Christmas season. Special attention is given five members of the store's sales staff, each of whose private lives comprises a story wavering twixt laughter and tears. Joan Rice, John Gregson, Freda Jackson, Rachel Roberts, Thora Hird and Edward Chapman are among the familiar British faces commiserating at the bargain counter. The fragmentary nature of Crowded Day came in handy when the film was trimmed to accommodate commercials on American television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on The Hand and the Flower, a novel by Jerrard Tickell, A Day to Remember stars Stanley Holloway as Charley Porter, captain of London darts team. When the team travels to the French town of Boulogne for the annual darts tournament, a good time is had by all--and more besides. Jim Carver (Donald Sinden), one of the team's members, is reunited with a little French girl he'd befriended during the war, who has now developed into a beautiful young woman (Odelle Versois). And Fred Collins (James Hayter) makes a poignant journey to the hotel where he'd honeymooned with his late wife (Brenda DeBanzie). The film works best as a low-key comedy-drama; it is least successful when it ventures into O. Henry territory and strains for "surprise" story twists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Also known as Glory at Sea, a World War II British commander and his crew wage a fierce sea battle against the Germans in spite of their inferior vessel. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

Better known as The Story of Robin Hood, this colorful costume adventure was the second made-in-Britain production for Hollywood's Walt Disney. Avoiding the familiar episodes covered in previous "Robin Hood" films, this Disney effort still manages to adhere to the basic chronology. Richard Todd stars as the Earl of Huntington, who loses his title and his lands after besting the despotic Sheriff of Nottingham (Peter Finch) at an archery tournament. Reinventing himself as Robin Hood, our hero rounds up other victims of the oppression of the Sheriff and his dictatorial liege Prince John (Hubert Gregg), and thus the "Merry Men" are born. Robbing the rich to give to the poor, Robin manages to elude the villains and to prove his loyalty to John's brother Richard the Lionhearted (Patrick Barr) by raising the money for Richard's ransom. The Queen (Martita Hunt) is to deliver the ransom to Richard's Austrian captors, but Prince John schemes to steal the money and place the blame on Robin Hood. Maid Marian (Joan Rice) gets wind of this plan but is locked in John's dungeon before she can warn Robin and his men. How can virtue triumph with these odds? But triumph it does, as everyone in the audience knew it would. The success of The Story of Robin Hood inspired Disney to produce two additional British films, The Sword and the Rose and Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Long before she distinguished herself as a director, Mai Zetterling was the star of several moody melodramas. Based on a novel by Elizabeth Myers, the film casts Zetterling as Mrs. Carol Edwards, whose husband lies in a hospital bed, afflicted with asthma. Mrs. Edwards becomes a murder suspect when blackmailer Mr. Sine (James Robertson Justice) is killed on the hospital grounds. Since the film is not a mystery, it is safe to reveal that the genuine killer is Mrs. Christopher (Fay Compton), the hospital's wealthy patroness. Basically a character study, Blackmailed spends most of its time delving into the personal problems of Mrs. Edwards and the other suspects. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide