Anton Rodgers Movies
British character actor, onscreen from the '60s; he often played underdogs. ~ All Movie Guide- 1959
Cowritten by future Avengers mainstay Brian Clemens, the British-filmed Crash Drive plays like an American Pat O'Brien programmer of the 1930s. Dermot Walsh stars as a race car driver who is paralyzed in an accident. Rather than accept the situation, he immerses himself in the mire of self-pity. Only the return of estranged wife Wendy Williams snaps Walsh out of his weeping and wailing. Just as Wendy Williams is not rock star Wendy O. Williams, neither is Crash Drive supporting actor Ian Fleming the same person as the novelist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dermot Walsh, Wendy Williams, (more)
- 1960
In this crime thriller, a convicted embezzler kidnaps his son after his release from prison, not knowing that the boy is diabetic and will die without insulin injections. The police launch a massive manhunt. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Any movie with a title like Petticoat Pirates would be hard to dislike--and equally hard to believe. Anticipating the "feminist" films of the 1970s, the plot concerns a group of female officers in the British Navy. Angered by the sexism inherent in the Admiralty, the uniformed ladies stage a mutiny, taking a timorous male stoker as a sort of hostage. Not terribly credible to begin with, the film ultimately veers off into fantasy. Petticoat Pirates is both innocuous and inconsequential; you may have seen it, but chances are you don't remember it. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Drake, Anne Heywood, (more)
- 1961
In this wartime drama, a band of soldiers prefer to drink, steal, and leave the army to fighting. They change their tunes when they are assigned a suicide mission. Their brave commanding officer leads the men to successfully blow up an important bridge. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1961
When a good-buddy needs an "instant wife" to impress a moneyed uncle, an insurance salesman is only too happy to loan out his wife in this British farce. Unfortunately for the friends, they are not the only two deceivers in the game. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Filmed in England, this final episode of One Step Beyond is set in 1883--August 25, 1883, to be exact. While sitting at his desk in Boston, newspaperman Henry Soames thinks that he hears four explosions. Suddenly going into a trance, Soames turns out a story about the volcano island of Krakatoa--one day before its famous eruption, and 15,000 miles from where the event will take place. If one can believe the rest of this story, one will accept the neat twist at the climax. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
A familiar cast and crew -- which will continue carrying on for several more of these comedies by director Gerald Thomas -- once again star in well-established character types. This time around, the put-upon captain of a cruise ship (Sidney James) has five top positions suddenly needing to be filled by replacements, and unfortunately, he gets a rather inept lot. The quintet does not lack for trying, but then that attitude engenders the difficulties in the first place. The new and amateur cook, the sophisticated bartender, and the shapely femme fatale all make their appearance among the eccentrics on board. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sidney James, Kenny Williams, (more)
- 1963
In this suspenseful espionage film a British agent and a man from NATO attempt to bust a communist spy ring. Following the discovery of a roll of top secret microfilm following a plane crash, the two finds themselves embroiled in a complex web of treachery and double agents. Fortunately, they survive all and bring the rogue spies to justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Carry on Venus was originally titled Carry On Jack. A parody of seafaring epics, this one takes place in 1805 (give or take a few years). Kenneth Williams stars as Captain Fearless, doing battle against pirates, mutineers and the Spanish Armada (in 1805?) The recently released Marlon Brando version of Mutiny on the Bounty is mercilessly lampooned throughout. Aiding and abetting the usual gang of "Carry On"-ers are newcomers Juliet Mills and Bernard Cribbins. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kenny Williams, Bernard Cribbins, (more)
- 1965
England's famed comedy brothers John Boulting and Roy Boulting created this caper about a trio of crooks plotting to retrieve their ill-gotten booty. Jelly Knight (Dudley Sutton), Lenny the Dip (Kenneth Griffith), and Scapa Flood (James Beckett) are released from the stir upon finishing their sentence for pulling off a heist. They immediately go in search of their one-time leader, The Duke (Anton Rodgers), who was supposed to safeguard their share of the money. When they find the Duke's girlfriend Sara (Charlotte Rampling), she tells them that the Duke is dead, and the money is long gone. It's not long before the gang discovers that she's lying, however, and that the Duke is masquerading as the head of a spa, the Hope Springs Nature Clinic, where he is planning a felony with some criminal cronies. Jelly, Lenny, and Scapa get in on the scam, while Sara dallies with Lieutenant Vine (Ian Bannen), an officer from a nearby army camp. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anton Rodgers, Eric Sykes, (more)
- 1967
Number Six awakens one morning to find that his appearance has been radically altered and that he has been reassigned the "identity" of Number Two. Compounding his confusion, he comes face to face with the new Number Six, who looks exactly like his "old" self (Patrick McGoohan plays both roles). It's all part of a scheme by the New Number Two (Anton Rodgers) to break down the protagonist's resistance --- and possibly, his sanity. Jane Merrow costars as Alison, a woman claiming to have a mental link with Number Six (but which one?) Written by Terence Feely, "The Schizoid Man" first aired in England on October 29, 1967, and in America on July 6, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
A two-part episode of the British series Man in a Suitcase, this received a smattering of showings on American TV in the late 1960s before completely disappearing from view. The cast includes such espionage-flick vets as Richard Bradford, Yoko Tani, Ron Randell and Norman Rossington. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Basil Dearden's final film is a psychological thriller, adapted from an episode of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents television series. Roger Moore stars as wealthy business executive Harold Pelham, who becomes involved in a terrible car accident. While recovering from his injuries, his alter ego is unleashed and begins to live Pelham's life where he left off. When Pelham returns to his home and his job, he discovers his alter ego has not only undermined his business, but began an affair with a minor acquaintance and revitalized his previously unexciting sex life with his wife. This was Moore's final film before he took over the role of James Bond with Live and Let Die. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Moore, Hildegard Neil, (more)
Scrooge was designed as a follow-up to 1968's Oliver!, the Oscar-winning musicalization of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. The umpteenth musical version of Dickens' 1843 novelette A Christmas Carol, Scrooge features several sprightly Leslie Bricusse songs, including the bona fide hit "Thank You Very Much." Buried under mounds of latex, Albert Finney is Ebenezer Scrooge. The Three Ghosts who turn the miserly Scrooge's life around on Christmas Eve are portrayed by Edith Evans (Past), Kenneth More (Present) and Paddy Stone (Yet to Come). Sir Alec Guinness also appears as a fussy, slightly effeminate Marley's Ghost. Intriguingly, Finney performs his many songs live, without post-production dubbing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Albert Finney, Alec Guinness, (more)
In this involving political thriller, a secret French paramilitary organization plans to assassinate French President Charles De Gaulle (Adrien Cayla-Legrand) because of their disagreement with his policies during the Algerian War. They hire a professional killer, known only as "The Jackal" (Edward Fox). The police learn of the plot from an informer, and police investigator Lebel (Michel Lonsdale) cleverly pieces together the clues to the Jackal's identity. The complicated plot uses parallel editing to cross-cut between the details of the Jackal's preparations for the assassination and Lebel's efforts to find him before it is too late. Fred Zinnemann presents the story, faithfully adapted from the book by Frederick Forsyth, with precise, dramatic flair. Edward Fox is coldly alluring as the Jackal. Well acted and directed, Day of the Jackal is a tense and engrossing political thriller with a surprising ending. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward Fox, Michel Lonsdale, (more)
- 1974
Police procedure collided head-on with stargazing in this 6-part British drama series. Anton Rodgers headed the cast as Scotland Yard detective David Gradley. While tracking down an elusive culprit, Gradley detected a pattern in the miscreant's crimes, one related to the signs of the zodiac. Thus, our hero enlisted the services of astrologer Esther Jones (Anouska Hempel) to solve the case. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anouska Hempel, Anton Rodgers, (more)
- 1976
A young secretary (John Hurt) for the British Embassy in the Orient becomes involved with a plantation owner's wife (Judi Bowker). ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
Francesca Annis, previously seen on the Masterpiece Theatre presentation of Madame Bovary, plays the title role in the 13-installment Masterpiece offering Lillie. This is the story of legendary British actress Lillie Langtry, who during the Victorian and Edwardian era was as celebrated for her romantic pursuits as her theatrical accomplishments. We first see Lillie Le Breton living with her family on the isle of Jersey, escaping the strictures of her environment by marrying wealthy Edward Langtry (Anton Rodgers). When this marriage proves as confining as her previous existence, Lillie kicks over the traces and becomes an actress. Before long, she is the toast of London, and the object of every man's desires. Her admirers range from Belgium's King Leopold (Derek Smith) to the Prince of Wales (Dennis Lili) to American "hangin' judge" Roy Bean (Tommy Duggan) Even homosexual playwright Oscar Wilde is so smitten by Lillie that he writes Lady Windemere's Fan specifically for her. The story ends with Lillie undergoing a domestic crisis with her grown daughter (Joanna David). Lillie was originally telecast on PBS from March 11 through June 3, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Francesca Annis, Anton Rodgers, (more)
- 1983
Pictures was a sequel of sorts to the 1981 British miniseries Flickers, which enjoyed great success on both sides of the Atlantic. Whereas the earlier program dramatized the formative years of the British motion-picture industry, this sequel covered the years between World War I and the Great Depression, when the silent cinema was at its zenith. The various interrelated characters, employees all of the movie business, weathered such crises as the "invasion" of autocratic German directors and the "talkie revolution" following the release of Al Jolson's The Jazz Singer. The seven hour-long installments of Pictures first aired in the U.K. in 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anton Rodgers, Peter McEnery, (more)
- 1985
Helen Hayes makes her second TV appearance as Agatha Christie's female sleuth Miss Marple in Murder with Mirrors. Marple has been summoned to the lavish country estate of her old friend Carrie Louise Serrocold (Bette Davis). Carrie's stepson has been killed, and she fears that his won't be the last corpse to befoul the estate. She's right, and the game is afoot for Miss Marple once more, with a full contingent of prime suspects (including John Mills, Leo McKern and Dorothy Tutin). Murder with Mirrors was filmed on location on a genuine 13th century British estate. If Helen Hayes seems more spirited than Bette Davis (eight years Helen's junior), it's because Bette was seriously ill prior to and during shooting. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helen Hayes, Bette Davis, (more)
- 1987
- R
Scripted by Frederick Forsyth from his own novel, The Fourth Protocol is a fact-based spy thriller. The titular protocol is a secret agreement between America, Britain and Russia to cease smuggling nuclear weapons into their respective countries. This figures into the schemes of several rogue spies, who hope to destroy NATO by embarking on just such a smuggling endeavor. Russian agent Valeri Petrofsky (Pierce Brosnan) is ordered to stage a nuclear accident in England, then arrange the evidence to point to the Americans. British intelligence agent John Preston (Michael Caine) begins wondering why such nuclear-weapon components like lithium are showing up in the unlikeliest places. Ignored by his superiors, who figure that Preston is merely an old-line anti-Commie paranoic, Preston gathers the clues that will enable him to find out who's behind the potential breaking of The Fourth Protocol. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Caine, Pierce Brosnan, (more)
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a remake of the 1964 film farce Bedtime Story. Steve Martin and Michael Caine take over the roles originally played by Marlon Brando and David Niven: two international con artists, plying their trade on gullible wealthy women up and down the Riviera. Martin and Caine vie over the honor of fleecing ingenuous heiress Glenne Headly (in a role originated by Shirley Jones). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Michael Caine, (more)
Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin, better known in the literary world as George Sand, not only took a man's name, but trotted around wearing pants and smoking cigars in public. No great shakes today, but in the 1800s she was perhaps the most famous (or infamous) woman in the world. One of the first original celebrities, aside from her garb and literary output, she was known to inspire many duels and broken hearts among other famous hedonist artists. One character describes her in Impromptu, as "that graveyard." The film engages in a sexual roundelay among Sand's (Judy Davis) many friends -- Eugene Delacroix (Ralph Brown), Alfred DeMusset (Mandy Patinkin), Franz Liszt (Julian Sands), and Frederick Chopin (Hugh Grant). The entire crew heads off to the summer estate of the Duke and Duchess d'Antan (Anton Rodgers and Emma Thompson), invited there by the culture-vulture hosts. Sand takes a bead on the sickly Chopin and spends her time throwing herself at him. Also on hand is Liszt's mistress Marie d'Agoult (Bernadette Peters) and Felicien Mallefille (Georges Corraface), Sand's recently jilted lover. Mallefille is jealous of any of the other guests who glance in Sand's direction and continually challenges them to duels. Marie, on the other hand, is enlisted by Sand to deliver a note to Chopin. But Marie, jealous of Sand, delivers the note substituting her name for Sand's. And as the weekend continues, the sexual merry-go-round continues at full tilt. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judy Davis, Hugh Grant, (more)
