Joe Robinson Movies
After George Lazenby portrayed James Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Sean Connery returned to the tux, gimmicks, and catchphrases of Secret Agent 007 in his penultimate Bond outing, Diamonds Are Forever. Fragments of Ian Fleming's original 1954 novel remain, including the characters of the alluring Tiffany Case (Jill St. John) and fey hitmen Wint (Bruce Glover) and Mr. Kidd (Putter Smith). The remainder of Richard Maibaum and Tom Mankiewicz's script diverges dramatically from the novel, involving Bond in a scheme by the insidious Ernst Blofeld (Charles Gray) to force the world powers to disarm so that he can take over the globe. Folksinger Jimmy Dean shows up briefly as a Howard Hughes-like reclusive billionaire, while Lana Wood (Natalie's sister) participates in one of the film's edgiest cliffhangers. Agreeing to make Diamonds Are Forever only because of the money offered him, Sean Connery parted company with the role for 12 years after this film; he returned to the role once more in 1983, for Irvin Kershner's underrated Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Connery, Jill St. John, (more)
After several years' absence, Dirk Bogarde returns to the popular British "Doctor" film series in Doctor in Distress. Where once Bogarde's Dr. Simon Sparrow was naive and wide-eyed, he is a bit more urbane in this edition. He even manages to offer romantic advice to his old mentor/nemesis Sir Lancelot Sprat (James Robertson Justice). Sparrow's efforts to smooth the path for Sir Lancelot's amorous pursuit of physiotherapist Barbara Murray puts a strain on his own relationship with comely Samantha Eggar. Doctor in Distress is based on characters created by Dr. Richard Gordon, though the story is an original and not an adaptation of a Gordon novel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dirk Bogarde, Samantha Eggar, (more)
- 1963
One-and-a-half seconds after his election, a muckraking politician is murdered. Hoping to get to the bottom of the mystery, Steed arranges for Cathy to take the dead man's place. But it turns out that the "murder victim" is very much alive, and he intends to detonate a nuclear warhead in London on Guy Fawkes' Day. Originally telecast in England on November 2, 1963 (three days before the annual Guy Fawkes celebration), "November Five" was written by Eric Paise. The significance of its title (and its topicality) was lost to American viewers when the episode made its U.S. TV debut on March 12, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
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One of the key "angry young man" films which helped define the British "Kitchen Sink Drama" style of the late 1950's and early 60's, this story centers on Colin Smith (Tom Courtenay), a bitter young man from a working-class family. Uninterested in school and determined not to follow his father into factory work, Colin and his friend Mike (James Bolam) make their pocket money through petty crime, until they're arrested after the robbery of a baker's shop and sentenced to Borstal (British reform school). The Governor of the school (Michael Redgrave) takes a keen interest in Colin, but he cares less for his rehabilitation than his gifts as a broken-field runner; Colin finds himself torn between the need to please his captors and his determination not to play along with what he sees as a corrupt system. The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner was the first film for Courtenay, whose performance earned him the "Most Promising Newcomer" prize at the 1962 British Film Academy awards. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Courtenay, Michael Redgrave, (more)
This 1962 Biblical epic was adapted by Christopher Fry from the novel by Pär Lagerkvist. Anthony Quinn stars as Barabbas, the thief who was pardoned in place of Jesus. For the rest of his life, the guilt-ridden criminal tries to justify his existence and to determine his place in the scheme of things. Along the way he encounters the self-righteous pomposity of Pontius Pilate (Arthur Kennedy), the stoning of Sara (Katy Jurado), the gladiatorial sadism of Torvald (Jack Palance), and the burning of Rome. The film's unbilled Christ is played by Roy Magnano, the brother of Quinn's second-billed costar Silvia Mangano. Watch for the genuine solar eclipse during the Crucifixion sequence, an effect that director Richard Fleischer spent several days preparing for. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Quinn, Silvana Mangano, (more)
Italian director Mario Bava took a brief hiatus from horror films to make this fairly interesting Viking-themed adventure. Iron (Cameron Mitchell) is a Viking leader whose long-lost brother Erik (Giorgio Ardisson) was raised by Queen Alice of England. Alice's counselor, Gunnar (Andrea Checchi) betrays her and helps the Vikings take over, while the shipwrecked Erik is nursed back to health by Rama (Alice Kessleri), the twin sister of Iron's wife Daja (Ellen Kessleri). Naturally, Erik returns home and must fight Iron and defeat Gunnar in order to save the country. It doesn't quite work out that way, however, as the ruthless counselor kills Iron, leading the Vikings and British to join forces with Erik and take Gunnar down. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cameron Mitchell, Andrea Checchi, (more)
- 1961
In this 17th-century adventure, the terrible Tartars try to overtake Poland. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1960
In this historical martial arts adventure, a medieval warrior tries to free an oppressed village from a band of deadly crooks. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In this fantasy/actioner, beefy Thor takes on Amazon women and their wicked Queen Nera. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- 1960
This is the film version of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in which Hyde is the handsome, clean-shaven one. Though top-billed Christopher Lee, portraying a caddish playboy, was the beneficiary of all the ad publicity, it is Paul Massie who plays Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The "horror" in the film is mostly sociological, with Jekyll learning first hand of the corruption lurking beneath the respectable facade of the Victorian Era. His metamorphosis into Hyde is meant as an allegory to the evils of drug addiction, another "don't ask--don't tell" element of 19th century London. In still another departure from the Stevenson original, Jekyll becomes Hyde not because he can't control his alter ego, but because he wants to exact revenge on Christopher Lee, who has been siphoning off Jekyll's savings to finance his own gambling and womanizing. In contrast to Stevenson's story, Jekyll/Hyde does not die--though the strain of being Hyde has permanently scarred Jekyll's psyche. Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll was originally released in Britain as House of Fright. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Massie, Dawn Addams, (more)
The weak story in The Bulldog Breed is an excuse to tie together a long series of funny episodes, slapstick incidents, and absurd situations. What does bring everything into a certain unity is the comic character type created by Norman Wisdom, an inept, likeable loser whose efforts to succeed against all odds somehow bumble through to final triumph. Playing Norman Puckle in this romp, he is heartbroken after being scorned by an unattainable blond and fails at a suicide attempt, only to end up in the Navy. Bungling most of his work there, he is surprised to discover that he has been chosen by the admiral to be the first man the Navy sends into space. This time, Norman's losing streak is up against a formidable phalanx of expertise -- what could possibly go wrong? ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Norman Wisdom, Ian Hunter, (more)
- 1959
In this thriller, an engraver gets involved with a counterfeiting ring until the gang members commit murder. He decides to flee, grabs his daughter and heads for Spain. His vengeful comrades pursue him and then abduct his child. Fortunately, two smugglers help the engraver to get her back. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1958
In this French suspenser, a tourist gets entangled in an easy money scheme. The trouble begins when the tourist offers a hitchhiker a lift. He is quickly knocked-out and left by the road. When he regains consciousness, he finds that he is in a strange house and cannot remember who he is or how he got there. The woman who owns the house sees the amnesiac tourist's presence as a way for her to get the money her late husband was supposed to receive. To do this, she convinces the poor fellow that he is the heir to the fortune. Fortunately the tourist figures it all out. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1958
Victor McLaglen made his last film appearance in the British Sea Fury. McLaglen plays the brawny captain of a salvage vessel, while Stanley Baker is his second in command. The two men battle over the affections of South American beauty Luciana Paluzzi. Baker has the advantage, but Luciana's father disapproves. During the climactic rescue sequence, Baker proves his mettle, while McLaglen is permanently removed from the scene. Sea Fury was instrumental in the spectacular comeback of director Cyril Endfield, who'd been forced to flee Hollywood and seek out work in England thanks to the Blacklist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stanley Baker, Victor McLaglen, (more)
- 1958
In this crime drama, an American suffers a head injury while vacationing in France and finds himself victimized by a conniving female con artist. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lex Barker, Carole Mathews, (more)
- 1958
In this mystery, an ace reporter is assigned to investigate the murder of a politician whose body was found stashed in a trunk. The reporter's enthusiasm soon wanes when his editor insists that he take his daughter with him to investigate. Fortunately, the girl has a real knack for investigative reporting and they make a good team. Eventually they fall in love. They also discover that the killer was the politician's rival. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Carpenter, Melissa Stribling, (more)
- 1957
This once-notorious British expose film now seems as innocent as a community choir rehearsal. Based on the real-life activities of London's Messina gang, The Flesh is Weak tells the story of a decent girl named Marissa Cooper (Milly Vitale) who is inveigled by a family of pimps into a life of prostitution. When she tries to break away from her sordid surroundings, her "protectors" have her thrown in jail on a phony assault charge. It takes the intervention of journalist Lloyd Buxton (William Franklyn) to rescue Marissa and convict the man responsible for her downfall. John Derek heads the cast as Tony Giani, a ruthless young punk with a smooth line and movie-star looks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Derek, Milly Vitale, (more)
- 1957
The all-purpose title Fighting Mad was applied in 1957 to this British melodrama, filmed on location in Canada. Joe Robinson stars as Muscles Tanner, who like John Wayne in The Quiet Man retires after killing a man in the ring. Relocating to Canada, Muscles goes to work for his oil-prospector uncle Beckett Bould. Vowing to keep his fists to himself, Muscles finds that he must revitalize his boxing skills when his uncle is victimized by dishonest landowners. Adrienne Scott supplies a much-needed dose of femininity to the he-man proceedings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this sentimental comedy, Carol Reed tries for a bit of neo-realist whimsy that takes place in the London slums of Petticoat Lane. The film centers upon Joe (Jonathan Ashmore), a six-year-old London East-ender who believes strongly in the magical power of unicorns. Joe and his lonely mother Joanna (Celia Johnson) live with wily, philosophical tailor Kandinsky (David Kossoff), who convinces Joe that if he could only come upon the legendary unicorn, he could grant all the wishes of his poor neighbors. Taking Kandinsky at his word, Joe searches the slums for a unicorn. Then one morning, he finds one. Only thing is, it is not a unicorn but a baby goat with a growth sticking out of his forehead. Nevertheless, Joe is convinced that the goat is a unicorn. He gives an elderly homeless man all of his savings for the kid and triumphantly takes it home. Hoping to use the kid to grant all his friends' wishes, he hopes to grant the wishes of Kandinsky, who wants a steam-pressing table, and Sonia (Diana Dors), an attractive blonde who wants to marry Sam (Joe Robinson), a handsome wrestler. And finally, he wishes for his father to return home to his lonely mother. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Celia Johnson, Diana Dors, (more)
- 194z
A documentary video looks at the rise of Hitler and Mussolini. ~ All Movie Guide
