Jeremy Spenser Movies

In the future, an oppressive government maintains control of public opinion by outlawing literature and maintaining a group of enforcers known as "firemen" to perform the necessary book burnings. This is the premise of Ray Bradbury's acclaimed science-fiction novel Fahrenheit 451, which became the source material for French director François Truffaut's English-language debut. While some liberties are taken with the description of the world, the narrative remains the same, as fireman Montag (Oskar Werner) begins to question the morality of his vocation. Curious about the world of books, he soon falls in love with a beautiful young member of a pro-literature underground -- and with literature itself. Critics were divided on the effectiveness of the result; some praised the unique design and eerie color cinematography by Nicolas Roeg, while others found the film's stylized approach overly distancing and attacked the central performances as unnatural. In any case, however, the film inarguably succeeds in making Truffaut's reverence for the written word abundantly clear, especially during the film's justifiably famous finale. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

This third film version of the Curt Siodmak scare piece Donovan's Brain stars Peter Van Eyck as an overly dedicated scientist. When a powerful and ruthless financier dies in a plane crash, Van Eyck keeps the tycoon's brain alive in his laboratory. Gradually, the brain takes over the doctor's mind, forcing him into all sorts of evil chicanery. In a twist not found in the Siodmak original, the brain compels Van Eyck to seek out the financier's murderer. Anne Heywood costars as the dead man's daughter. A strong mulinational supporting cast distinguishes this Anglo-German coproduction. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This curious African Queen derivation stars Curt Jurgens as Mark Conrad, an Austrian exile and Orson Welles as blustery ferry-boat captain Cecil Hart. Banned from both Hong Kong and Macao, Conrad is forced to spend his life on Hart's ferry, shuttling endlessly between the two countries and irritating everyone with whom he comes in contact. Conrad redeems himself when he rescues Hart and the passengers during a raging storm. Poor Welles is reduced to Gale Gordon-like bombast throughout the proceedings, while leading lady Sylvia Sims has practically no purpose in the film whatsoever. Ferry to Hong Kong was released in America through 20th Century-Fox along with several other like-vintage Rank Organisation films. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The title of the Anglo-American The Prince and the Showgirl could well have alluded to the genuine stations in life of stars Sir Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe. Based on the Terence Rattigan play The Sleeping Prince, the film casts Olivier as Charles, prince regent of Carpathia, who is in London to attend the 1911 coronation of King George V. Monroe is deceptively dizzy American chorus girl Elsie Marina, who while performing in a West End revue catches Charles' eye. The prince arranges for Elsie to attend an "intimate supper" at his hotel suite. Though Elsie successfully wards off Charles' advances, she drinks too much bubbly and ends up falling asleep. Comes the dawn, and Prince Charles is anxious to show the awkward Elsie the door. She, however, has fallen in love with the prince, and sticks around long enough to upset a plan to overthrow the Carpathian throne, and to patch up a feud between Charles and his son Nicholas (Jeremy Spencer). Olivier directed as well as starred in The Prince and the Showgirl; he knew he had his work cut out for him in dealing with the mercurial Marilyn Monroe, but he managed to hold his temper and to extract a delightful comic performance from the actress. Alas, the film was a box-office disappointment, leading many Hollywood insiders to moan and wail that Monroe was "washed up" in films -- at least until her spectacular comeback in Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot (1959). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Katharine Hepburn stars as Jane Hudson, an Ohio secretary on the verge of spinsterhood. Carefully saving her money, Jane takes an extended trip to Venice, half hoping to find the romance that has always eluded her. Luck of luck, she meets handsome Renato Di Rossi (Rossano Brazzi), who sweeps her off her feet. Jane's flight on Cloud Nine comes to a flaming crash when she learns that Renato is married and the father of a large family. Picking herself up and dusting herself off, Jane is determined to keep her romance alive, and hang the consequences. She ultimately does what's best for everyone, and heads back to Ohio, wistfully clutching to the memory of the happiest summer of life. Gorgeously color-photographed on location by Jack Hildyard, Summertime was an adaptation of (and vast improvement upon) Arthur Laurents' play The Time of the Cuckoo. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Escapade has to be one of the most overused titles in movie history. This particular Escapade is a mild British comedy with something to say. John Mills plays a renowned pacifist author, whose sons Andrew Ray and Peter Asher are completely sympatico with their dad's views. Convincing their schoolmates to sign a petition begging for universal peace, the boys decide to present the list of signatures to the four world powers occupying Germany, including those rascally Russians and unpredictable Yanks. But they have to get to Berlin first, and to do that the headstrong lads steal an airplane. It turns out that the boys' long-term goal, cooked up with their sister Yvonne Mitchell, is to reunite their bickering father and mother. Escapade opens up the original Roger MacDougall play to the extent that we actually witness the plane in flight; beyond that, the dialogue and situations remain the same--even down to the slight pauses after the laugh lines. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Background is a tearful flashback drama centering around a dysfunctional family. Valerie Hobson and Philip Friend play a long-married couple on the verge of divorce. As they ponder the question of who will receive custody of their children (Janette Scott, Mandy Miller and Jeremy Spencer), the couple has second thoughts about their upcoming litigation. It is the children who eventually bring Hobson and Friend back together, though the reunion seems strangely without passion. Background was released in the US as Edge of Divorce. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Don't be misled by the title, and by the presence of Glynis Johns in the cast. The "Venus" in Appointment with Venus is a prized cow. The time is World War II: special operatives David Niven and Glynis Johns are dispatched to a Nazi-held island to rescue Venus, who for some reason or other is vital for British morale. Naturally, this isn't easy and leads to all sorts of complications. Released in the US as Island Rescue, Appointment with Venus was based on a novel by Jerrard Tickell. ~ 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

The Dancing Years was written by British theatrical favorite Ivor Novello, who also penned the songs. Set in turn-of-the-century Vienna, the film stars Dennis Price as Rudi Kiebler, the role played by Novello in the original stage version. A struggling young composer, Rudi is elevated to prominence when famed operetta star Maria Ziedler (Giselle Preville) agrees to perform one of his works. Falling in love with Rudi, Maria nonetheless enters into a loveless marriage to a prince (Anthony Nicholls) due to a misunderstanding. The source of this misunderstanding is attractively played by Patricia Dainton. Old-fashioned in the extreme, The Dancing Years is given a fresh coat of paint by the engaging performances of the stars and the sprightly direction by Harold French. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This big-budget, big-studio espionage film is set in the last years of World War II. George Peppard, Tom Courtenay and Jeremy Kemp parachute into Germany, with orders to destroy the Nazis' rocket base at Peenemunde. Featuring Sophia Loren as the wife of the Nazi collaborator whom Peppard is pretending to be, Operation Crossbow failed badly in its first release; MGM, deciding that the title misled moviegoers into thinking that the picture was a "Robin Hood" derivation, cleared up matters by renaming the film The Great Spy Mission. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi