Leonard Sachs Movies

In the second episode of the four-part story "Arc of Infinity," the renegade anti-matter creature (Ian Collier) has overtaken the titular Arc as part of an overall scheme to pass over into normal matter. Crucial to the villain's plan is to adopt a physical presence, and thus, the renegade bonds with the Doctor (Peter Davison), making him a huge risk to the well-being of the universe. First broadcast on January 4, 1983, "Arc of Infinity, Episode 2" was written by Johnny Byrne. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the third episode of the four-part story "Arc of Infinity," a renegade anti-matter creature (Ian Collier) has passed over into the normal universe by bonding with the Doctor (Peter Davison). The High Council of Gallifrey decrees that the only way to destroy the deadly creature is to execute the Doctor -- a fate to which he reluctantly but valiantly acquiesces. First broadcast on January 10, 1983, "Arc of Infinity, Episode 3" was written by Johnny Byrne. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this crime melodrama, a Swiss woman finds herself unwittingly involved in a plot to steal from her employer, a London diamond merchant. Her boyfriend is behind the scheme. First he sends two accomplices disguised as German jewelers to see the boss. He is not fooled by their ruse and is killed while the woman is knocked unconscious. She awakens with amnesia and begins aimlessly wandering the London streets. Thinking that his girl has squealed to the police, her boy friend begins scouring the town to find her. Meanwhile, she is taken in by a boxer who returns to the ring to win the money needed to get her out of the country. Trouble ensues when her lover finally finds her after the match and begins beating on the exhausted fighter. To stop him, the woman shoots the villainous lover. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In the conclusion of the four-part story "The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve," The religious differences that have suddenly cropped up between the Doctor (William Hartnell) and Steven (Peter Purves) serve to heighten Steven's feelings of isolation. Of far greater importance, the Catholic hierarchy of 16th century Paris prepares its final fatal assault on the Huguenot population. Jackie Lane joins the cast in the role of the Doctor's new travelling companion Dorothea "Dodo" Chaplet. Written by John Lucarotti and Donald Tosh, "Bell of Doom" first aired on February 26, 1966; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Kim Novak's decolletage, rather than the lady herself, is the true star of The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders. This rambunctious filmization of Daniel Defoe's "naughty" novel stars Novak as a poverty-stricken 18th century damsel who rises to the top of society surrendering her virtue--time and time again. After several wealthy patrons and husbands, our heroine finds true love with roguish highwayman Richard Johnson (who briefly became Novak's husband in real life). The film's best moments belong to its largely British supporting cast, especially Leo McKern as a myopic bandit. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Filmed in Germany by American director John Huston, Freud is a sincerely felt but overly simplistic biopic of the pioneering psychotherapist. The brooding, introspective Montgomery Clift was a curious choice for the role of Sigmund Freud; at times he looks more off the beam than some of his patients (his comic-opera Viennese accent doesn't add to the credibility). The screenplay takes the shape of a detective mystery, attempting to link various crises in Freud's private and professional life with his theoretical conclusions, most often doing so within well-staged dream sequences. Less successful are the scenes with the poor unfortunates who come to Freud for help, notably an embarrassing sequence with a young man suffering from an Oedipus complex. Freud was at one point supposed to have been scripted by existentialist playwright Jean-Paul Sartre, who gave up after he realized that the subject would require a four- or five-hour film at the very least. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A movie star is typecast as a ruthless gangster. His troubles begin when he gets reality confused with his job and becomes deluded into believing that he really is a mobster. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The British writer/director team of Jimmy Sangster and Seth Holt was never satisfied unless it scared the bejeepers out of its audience. Scream of Fear stars Susan Strasberg as the crippled daughter of Ann Todd, whom she meets for the first time during a vacation on the Riviera. There's something unsettling about Strasberg's surroundings and her mother's behavior. But when Strasberg insists that she's seen the dead body of her father, it is she who is considered off the beam, while everyone else is treated as normal. Perhaps the authorities are right; perhaps Strasberg is merely neurotic and overwrought. And perhaps there's more than one plot twist ahead of us as we draw nearer and nearer the truth. Scream of Fear was originally released in Great Britain as Taste of Fear. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A British botanist goes bananas after he discovers a serum that turns his cuddly chimpanzee subject into a ferocious gorilla-sized ape. To further his hideous experiment, the scientist mesmerizes the chimp and sends into London to kill all of his former enemies. One of those he has killed is the lover of the girl the doctor wants for himself. This doesn't set well with the botanist's assistant and current gal who gets even by giving Konga the giant chimp an enormous amount of the strange serum and turns him into a Godzilla-sized monster. Just before going on a deadly rampage, the super-sized ape grabs the bad doctor in one of his enormous hands. Fortunately, the British army and all of its weaponry are able to stop the chimp before he destroys the town. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

A real-life incident became the basis for this highly fictionalized drama about a January 1911 confrontation between political anarchists and London police in that city's Whitechapel district that resulted in an infamous, blazing gun battle. Sara (Nicole Berger) is an orphaned Russian girl who works as a singer in a nightclub. There she meets Peter (Peter Wyngarde), anarchist leader of expatriate Latvians agitating for the independence of their home country following the failed revolt of 1905. At first, Sara is sympathetic to Peter and his cause, but she soon discovers that the rebels are using whatever means necessary, including robbery and murder, to raise money for their crusade, and that Peter himself has an overly pragmatic, callous attitude toward the taking of innocent life. The group's nefarious activities have attracted the attention of London police, and an inspector, Mannering (Donald Sinden) goes undercover with the anarchists in order to help bring them to justice. Mannering feels sympathy for Sara and befriends her, coming to understand her lonely attraction to Peter. The gang's violent onslaught continues unabated and results in a raid that pits gang members against hundreds of armed police. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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, Rovi

The Man Who Wouldn't Talk was coproduced by husband-and-wife Herbert Wilcox and Anna Neagle, with Ms. Neagle filling the role of Queen's Council representative Mary Randall. The title character is American scientist Frank Smith, played by Anthony Quayle, who is honeymooning in London with his new bride Eve Trent (Zsa Zsa Gabor). What the authorities don't know is that Frank and Eve are secret agents, bound and determined to pick up germ-warfare information from Hungarian scientist Horvad (Leonard Sachs). By prearranged agreeement, Smith will relay this information, and the purpose of his mission, to one man and one man only. His self-enforced silence proves to be a severe handicap when Eve is murdered and Smith is unable to provide an alibi for himself. It is up to lady lawyer Mary Randall to defend the close-mouthed Smith in court. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi