Dinah Sheridan Movies

Doctor Who celebrated its 20th anniversary with the 90-minute special "The Five Doctors." The life of the present Doctor (Peter Davison) is jeopardized when his four previous incarnations -- played by William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, and Tom Baker -- are taken out of time by an illegal Time Scoop. Even worse, the five doctors are confronted by a seemingly endless series of past enemies, included Daleks, Cybermen, and Yetis. The climax takes place in the Forbidden Zone on Gallifrey, where the instigator of the aforementioned time-scooping forces the five doctors to engage in the potentially deadly Game of Rassilon. Can any of the doctors save themselves -- and if not, will robot dog K-9 come galloping to the rescue? The late William Hartnell appeared only in clips from the second-season episode "Invasion of Earth: Flashpoint"; he was replaced in the body of the 20th anniversary special by Richard Hurndall. Written by Terrance Dicks, "The Five Doctors" was first presented in America on November 23, 1983, two days before its British TV debut. Since that time, it has been reedited into a four-part cliffhanger for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Angela Lansbury takes over the legacy of Margaret Rutherford as Agatha Christie's dogged sleuth Miss Marple in The Mirror Crack'd. The story takes place on a film set in a small British town in the 1950s. Elizabeth Taylor plays a washed-up actress trying to make a comeback but is plagued by a mysterious incident from her past. Unfortunately for her mental state, a collection of murders jar the quiet village where the movie is being made. Miss Marple arrives on the scene with her nephew, Inspector Craddock (Edward Fox), to investigate. In addition to Taylor, an assortment of other movie stars grace the roster of suspects, including Rock Hudson, Kim Novak, and Tony Curtis. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

A made-for-TV production of one of Oscar Wilde's peerless stage comedies, this frothy satire concerns Lord Arthur Goring and his close friend Sir Robert Chiltern. Arthur is a wealthy but unambitious man who is proudly lazy and uses his not inconsiderable knowledge and wit for no profitable purpose, other than verbally sparring with Mabel Chiltern, Sir Robert's sister and a woman of no small beauty and charm. Mabel is hardly the only woman interested in Arthur, but despite the pleas of his father, Arthur has little interest in settling down with one woman. In striking contrast, Robert is a member of Parliament who is well-known for his firmly held principles and his devotion to his loving wife, Lady Gertrude. When a proposal is placed before Parliament to build a British canal through Argentina, Robert makes it clear he regards the project as a huge mistake and will speak out against it. However, one Laura Cheveley soon arrives on the scene, telling Robert it is in his best interest to support the canal plan -- and if he does not, Laura has incriminating information that could ruin his career in politics. An Ideal Husband stars Keith Michell, Jeremy Brett, Susan Hampshire, and Margaret Leighton. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The plot of the thoroughly captivating British comedy Genevieve can be summed up in a sentence: Two young couples participate in the Vintage Car Rally, a yearly race from London to Brighton. The title "character" is the 1904 Darracq auto owned by John Gregson and Dinah Sheridan. The couple's friendly rivals are Kenneth More and Kay Kendall, the latter graduating to stardom on the basis of this film. At first treating the race as a lark, the two couples become increasingly--and hilariously--competitive as they near the finishing line. Among the film's plethora of small pleasures are Joyce Grenfell as a wry hotel proprietress and Arthur Wontner as an elderly car fancier. Despite the many technical gaffes and continuity errors overlooked by director Henry Cornelius, Genevieve is a uniquely British delight from beginning to end, its charm enhanced by the uncredited harmonica score of American expatriate Larry Adler. The film was a moneymaker in every country that it played, and a multi-award winner in England and abroad. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Breaking the Sound Barrier juxtaposes the history of jet aviation with an intensely personal fictional story. Ralph Richardson plays a wealthy aircraft manufacturer, stubbornly determined to develop a jet that will travel faster than the speed of sound. Richardson's seemingly cavalier attitude toward the pilots who have died on behalf of his dream--including his own son (Denholm Elliott)--has turned his daughter (Ann Todd) against him. When the daughter's fighter-pilot husband (Nigel Patrick) agrees to test Richardson's jet, he too loses his life. The daughter walks out of her father's life and sets up residence with the wife (Dinah Sheridan) of another pilot (John Junkin). Richardson approaches this pilot as well with his challenge--and this time the "sound barrier" is successfully broken without anyone being killed. Reconciled to the fact that her father's apparent coldbloodedness was in the interest of scientific progress, the daughter and her newborn child are reconciled with Richardson. The first independent project of director David Lean, Breaking the Sound Barrier was a huge success, persuasively scripted by Terence Rattigan and beautifully photographed by aerial specialist Jack Hildyard. The film's original British title was simply The Sound Barrier, but the American distributor apparently didn't want filmgoers to think the movie was about the record industry. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Anthony Steel plays a humane British game warden who sets up an African wildlife preserve. Ivory poachers sign up for the preserve's safari tour in hopes of bagging a few pachyderms. Steel and his wife Dinah Sheridan foil the villains, whose leader (Harold Warrender) is shot by the police while trying to escape. The film ends with Steel creating the Mt. Kilimanjaro Game Preserve Park (Ernest Hemingway was not among the board of directors). Filmed in semi-documentary fashion, Where No Vultures Fly was a hit in Britain, where it was originally released as The Ivory Hunter. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this melodrama, a blind man's sight is restored. Soon afterward he learns that his girl friend's dead brother is very much alive and is unfortunately leading a smuggling ring. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The Huggets Abroad is the last and most contrived of Britain's "Huggetts" film series. The titular family members, first introduced in the 1947 film Holiday Camp, are played by Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Susan Shaw and Petula Clark (the same). Mr. Huggett feels he's in a rut, so he quits his jobs and packs himself and his family off to Africa. In quick order, the innocents abroad (a) become involved with diamond smugglers and (b) wind up in jail. When his job becomes available again, the chastened Mr. Huggett returns to his own back yard. Four writers were required to concoct this tired British Ma and Pa Kettle equivalent. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this crime drama, a nurse is accused of murdering the ailing wife of a British lord. Just before the woman died, the nurse had administered a special shot, prepared by the attending physician to the woman. The main reason she stands accused is because she and the lord were former lovers. Later she is tried and much damning evidence is presented against her. Fortunately, the good doctor proves that neither he nor she are guilty of the crime. His evidence results in the capture of the real killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Future Doctor Who star William Hartnell plays the leading role in the British second feature Murder in Reverse. Hartnell portrays a man who has spent 15 years in prison on a murder charge. Not only is he innocent, but the murder never took place. Once released, Hartnell tracks down his "victim" and kills him in full view of a crowded courtroom. He then laughingly dares the authorities to convict him again for a murder he's supposed to have already committed. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

When blind veteran Whiley realizes that the love of his life, Brook, is in love with Griffith, Whiley bows out gracefully in this musical. ~ Rovi

Mechanic Formby bests a neighboring rival at a Home Guard exercise and when others obtain an army weapon, Formby converts a truck into a tank to get the weapon back. ~ Rovi