Donald Sinden Movies

Judging by the number of times it has shown up on TV, Above Us the Waves may be American viewers' favorite British war film. Most of the film is set in a British midget submarine, commandeered by John Mills. The sub's mission (together with its "fellow" vessels) is to sink the German battleship Tirpitz. This will be accomplished by the midget sub fleet sneaking into Norwegian waters, floating beneath the Tirpitz, then planting explosives. Only Mills' sub manages to complete the mission. Based on a true-life 1943 incident, Above Us the Waves takes a revisionist approach by showing the German officers and seamen to be human beings rather than faceless minions of Hitler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

You gets what you pays for in An Alligator Named Daisy. Donald Sinden stars as a young songwriter who accidentally picks up someone else's alligator suitcase. Somehow this leads to the luckless Sinden being saddled with a baby alligator, who prefers to sleep within his piano. Glamour girl Diana Dors is the leading lady, revealing an unexpected flair for wacky comedy. Based on a novel by Charles Terrot, An Alligator Named Daisy seemed to show up every other day on TV in the early 1960s, possibly due to its pleasant Technicolor photography. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this feather-weight version of Evelyn Waugh's novel Decline and Fall, Paul Pennyfeather (Robin Phillips) is an Oxford divinity student who finds himself expelled after a gang of drunken freshmen remove his pants and he is accused of exposing himself to a girl. Looking for work, he retains the services of an unsavory employment agency that secures a position for him at a sleazy Welsh boarding school for boys, presided over by the colorful Dr. Fagan (Donald Wolfit). On staff at the school are an assortment of distasteful screwballs; Mr. Prendergast (Robert Harris) is a withdrawn former clergyman; Captain Grimes (Leo McKern) is a one-legged two-timer with his eye on Fagan's daughter Flossie (Patience Collier); and Soloman Philbrick (Colin Blakely) is an undercover criminal posing as Fagan's butler. All hell breaks loose during the school's annual Sports Day, but Paul manages to meet a wealthy patron of the school, Margot Beste-Chetwynde (Geneviève Page), who hires him to tutor her son. At her estate, Margot seduces Paul, and Paul proposes marriage. But before the wedding, Margot asks Paul, as a favor, to travel to Tangiers on a business trip. He agrees but is soon arrested for trafficking in prostitution. Sent to jail, he runs into Philbrick and Captain Grimes, and now Margot has to scheme to get Paul out of jail. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

The first of the popular British "Doctor" comedy series, Doctor in the House stars Dirk Bogarde as callow young medical student Simon Sparrow. Beginning his five-year internship at St. Swithin's Teaching Hospital, Sparrow continually runs afoul of head doctor Sir Lancelot Sprat (James Robertson-Justice). His social life is spiced up when Sparrow is taken under the wings of three student repeaters, who've flunked their prelims and are seeking a second chance. Most of the humor is very basic and not a little vulgar, ranging from the character name "Sir Lancelot Sprat" (say it really fast) to the now famous "What's the bleeding time?" routine. The film spawned several theatrical follow-ups, as well as a 1970s TV series; all were based on the semi-satirical novels by Dr. Richard Gordon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The British TV sitcom Father Dear Father originally ran from 1968 through 1973. Veteran farceur Patrick Cargill starred as a divorced father with two nubile daughters. Complications ensued when the girls moved into the flat just below Cargill's. You may recognize this property as the basis for the 1980s Ted Knight series Too Close For Comfort. This feature-film version of Father Dear Father merely rehashes plot devices from the series; neither of the property's original writers, Brian Cooke and John Mortimer (of Rumpole of the Bailey fame) seem to have been involved in the movie adaptation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Mad About Men is the delightful sequel to the saucy British comedy-fantasy Miranda. Glynis Johns returns in the dual role of amorous mermaid Miranda and her somewhat more reserved "human" lookalike Caroline. Having inherited a house in Cornwall, Caroline goes on an extended holiday, whereupon Miranda takes her place as mistress of the estate. The dialogue is rather silly and obvious, but there's much fun to be had as Miranda casts out her net for every eligible male in the vicinity. Though not a big hit in the US, Mad About Men became a "Late Show" mainstay on TV, especially when color television came into common usage. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this confusing drama, the IRA, intrigue, psychiatric analysis, and a young man framed for murder are thrown together in a series of events that were perhaps originally intended to highlight the psychological aspects of the case under study. One night, eighteen-year-old Harry Jukes (British rock 'n roller Adam Faith in his first dramatic role) is driving down a deserted country road when he gets a flat tire. A policeman stops to help him out when a truck drives by, and the next thing Harry knows, the policeman is lying dead on the road and Harry is literally holding a smoking gun in his hand. From there to his arrest and trial is a brief hop, skip, and then a jump into prison to await his execution. His lawyer thinks he did it, but his psychiatrist (Anne Baxter) disagrees -- and sets out to prove she is right. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Set in an anti-aircraft station along the British coast, this light comedy features Donald Sinden as Lt. Gordon Brown and Barbara Murray as his wife, Private Betty Brown. When a group of female recruits are posted to the base, the handsome lieutenant attracts their attention, especially the attention of blonde charmer Private Marge White (Carole Lesley). Then Lt. Brown's wife Betty gets posted to the base as well, and that causes no end of trouble. Regulations require that they cannot be working out of the same place, and so they hide their relationship. Meanwhile, the enamored Marge does not have a clue and neither does Major Pym (Naunton Wayne). The good Major then gives the flummoxed lieutenant leave to go visit his wife, and matters deteriorate even more. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In this pre-Monty Python parody of private-eye movies by Graham Chapman and John Cleese, someone has stolen nerve gas that paralyzes victims from the waist down. Now the bumbling boys at Rentadick, Inc. must find them before it is too late. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Lee J. Cobb's last film is in this light romantic comedy starring Roger Moore as Michael Scott, an arms dealer who comes complete with a sophisticated playboy patter for the ladies. During war games, Michael attempts to sell weapons to NATO forces by trying to interest NATO general Steedman (Lee J. Cobb) in his wares. Opposing his sale is feminist reporter Julia Richardson (Susannah York), who is not impressed with either his job or his come-hither endearments. But, as happens to most movie feminists, she ends up putting her values on the back burner and she falls in love with Michael. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Anthony Steel stars in this fanciful wartime drama. Stationed in Libya, British soldier Steel is wounded, then nursed back to health by a band of Nomads. He manages to marry the tribal chieftan's daughter (Anna Maria Sandri) before getting down to the serious business of fending off the Nazis. Ten years afterwards, Steel's brother returns to the tribe, there to take his late father's place. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A typical light comedy based on a novel by Richard Gordon, The Captain's Table has director Jack Lee at its own helm, riding high on the success of his 1956 A Town Like Alice. Captain Ebbs (John Gregson) brings a part of his freighter experience with him as he takes charge of an ocean liner for the first time. He soon finds that the tactics that worked on the freighter do not work here, though his crew could use some discipline. His purser has sticky fingers, his chief officer has a roving eye, and the steward has his own problems. And then there are passengers like the secret heiress, the charming widow, the temptress, the would-be novelist, and the offensive VIP. Eventually, the captain catches on to the nuances of his new role, confident that he and the "Love Boat" can weather any storm. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide