Kathleen Ryan Movies

In this adventure, an American is forced by smugglers to sail his boat from Barcelona to Tangiers. The ruthless fugitives then kill his son, and harm his shipmate, sending the pilot, himself an ex-smuggler into such a rage that he kills two gang members and helps police capture the survivors and bring them to justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Rock Hudson stars as Michael Martin, a naive and impetuous young would-be rebel in 1815 Ireland, who turns to robbery in his desire to support the cause against England. Now wanted by the British and forced into hiding, he crosses paths with the renowned rebel leader Captain Thunderbolt aka John Doherty (Jeff Morrow), who takes him under his wing. Impressed with Michael's bravery, Thunderbolt makes him his second-in-command, a job that becomes twice as difficult when Thunderbolt is wounded and must drop out of sight. Michael must replace him, not only as a rebel leader, but also in running the business that Doherty fronts as a cover, and in his household -- and that puts Michaal on a collision course with Doherty's equally impetuous, headstrong daughter Aga (Barbara Rush). Sparks fly between them, as the English draw ever closer in their pursuit of the rebels. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi

A small Scottish island has never paid its mandatory road tax. This brings forth an investigating committee of Parliament members, including the formidable Ronald Squire. The committee heads to the delinquent Hebridean isle, where they succumb to the easygoing charm of the residents. Cowritten by director John Eldridge, Laxdale Hall was an adequate imitation of the Ealing farces (notably Tight Little Island), with an overload of whimsy in place of originality. out to the Hebridean isle to check into this breach of law. The film made it to the States under the title Scotch on the Rocks. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Guy Rolfe is top-billed in the British Prelude to Fame, but the critics' attention was directed at young newcomer Jeremy Spencer. This is the story of a poverty-stricken boy named Guido (Spencer) who turns out to be a musical prodigy. Prodded into fame by a wealthy, childless patroness of the arts (Kathleen Ryan), Guido rises to the uppermost rungs of the musical world -- and loses his childhood in the process. Star Rolfe is cast as John Morrell, the philosophy professor who discovers Guido's genius, only to regret what happens to the boy afterward. Best scene: Jeremy Spencer leading the London Philharmonic without adult assistance. Released in America by Universal-International, Prelude to Fame is based on a story by Aldous Huxley. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

On the outs in Hollywood due to the blacklist, director Edward Dmytryk briefly operated in England in the late 1940s. Though filmed in its entirety in London, Dmytryk's Give Us This Day is set in New York during the depression. Fellow blacklistee Sam Wanamaker is starred as the head of an Italian immigrant family struggling to survive the economic crisis. Perhaps had it been made in Hollywood as intended, Give Us This Day would not have been allowed to run on for 120 minutes, nor would the actors have been permitted to indulge in terminal sanctimony. Based on Pietro di Donato's novel Christ in Concrete, Give Us This Day was released in the US under the intriguing title Salt to the Devil. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Carol Reed's taut character study (disguised as a suspense melodrama) was adapted from the novel by F.L. Green and stars James Mason in his star-making role as I.R.A. operative Johnny McQueen. Breaking out of jail, Johnny takes it on the lam, but idealism forces him out of hiding in order to raise money for the I.R.A. cause he believes in so strongly. He decides to rob a bank, but the hold-up goes bad and Johnny is seriously wounded by the police. Staggering through the streets of Belfast, Johnny meets a succession of people who either want to help him or turn him over to the authorities. Johnny finally stumbles into a pub, where he is taken in by a homosexual artist (Robert Newton) who wants Johnny to pose for him in order to capture the desperation in his eyes. Johnny breaks free from the artist and tries to make his way to the waterfront in a final effort to escape ... but the police are slowly closing in. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi