Nigel Stock Movies

Also released under the title Young Sherlock Holmes and the Pyramid of Fear, this film follows the adventures of young John Watson (Alan Cox) when he is shipped off to boarding school and meets up with the brilliantly bizarre Sherlock Holmes (Nicolas Rowe). The two boys strike up a friendship and promptly become involved in the investigation of a number of mysterious murders. When their curiosity gets them into trouble with a dangerous religious cult, Watson and Holmes must struggle to avoid capture while attempting to notify the authorities. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

Presented in a series of ostensibly farcical or irreverent episodes without any particular connection to each other, and based on short stories written by Yuri Krotkov's own personal knowledge of Stalin, the Red Monarch sketches the infamous Russian dictator as something of a buffoon suffering under the responsibilities of total power. Stalin's many purges of "undesirables" that amounted to millions dead by the end of his reign are not mentioned, and Beria, the chief of the Secret Police (NKVD) responsible for those deaths, is presented in his other notorious persona, that of a vulgar skirt-chasing lecher. Episodes cover a meeting of the Politburo to go over the USSR's loss at a major basketball tournament, and an arm-wrestling context with Mao Zedong. No matter how well Colin Blakely portrays Stalin, he cannot overcome the aspects of the script that trivialize Stalin's criminal record in this failed attempt at a Mel Brooks-style comedy. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

In the third episode of the four-part story "Time-Flight," two Concordes -- one of them bearing the Doctor (Peter Davison) and his companions -- have vanished without a trace from London's Heathrow Airport. It turns out that the culprit behind these disappearance is the Doctor's perennial nemesis, the Master (Anthony Ainley), who hopes to gain control of the alien Xeraphin, and then the entire universe. First telecast March 29, 1982, "Time-Flight, Episode 3" was written by Peter Grimwade. ~ 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

Also titled The Price of Freedom, Operation Daybreak is a retelling of the terrible consequences attending the assassination of Nazi-occupation leader Richard Heydrich. When Heydrich puts all of Czechoslovakia under his thumb, a group of Czech expatriates parachute into their homeland to kill the man known as "The Hangman." They succeed, and in retaliation the Nazis wipe the tiny Czech village of Lidice off the map, killing its male residents and carting off its women and children to concentration camps. For the purposes of the plot, assassins Timothy Bottoms and Martin Shaw survive the massacre, albeit only briefly. The Heydrich/Lidice tragedy was previously dramatized in two wartime films, Hangmen Also Die (1943) and Hitler's Madman (1943). Operation Daybreak was adapted from Seven Men at Daybreak, a novel by Alan Burgess. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on a play by Terence Rattigan, The Nelson Affair recounts an infamous 18th century British scandal in slow-paced, talk-heavy fashion. Lord Nelson (Peter Finch) returns from battling Napoleon's navy and takes some well-deserved leave. He immediately picks up where he left off with Lady Hamilton (Glenda Jackson), blatantly carrying on their affair in public view of his family and beleagured wife (Margaret Leighton). Hamilton herself is under strain due to her advancing age and Nelson's unflagging need to return to sea. The picture plays more like a filmed theater piece than an epic historical romance (the famous Battle Of Trafalgar was filmed indoors and utilized stock footage), but Finch and Jackson turn in their usual excellent performances. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi

The year is 1183. Like many a modern-day politician, Britain's King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) finds it occasionally useful to take his wife out of mothballs and parade her before the public. Henry's Queen Eleanor (Katharine Hepburn), long exiled to a faraway castle, is "invited" to join Henry and their three sons for a family reunion. In this way, Henry hopes to maintain a stronghold on his Empire and to prevent the balance of power from shifting to Eleanor or to one of his sons: Richard the Lion-Hearted (Anthony Hopkins in his movie debut), Prince Geoffrey (John Castle), or Prince John (Nigel Terry). Also on hand for the get-together is Henry's mistress Princess Alais (Jane Merrow) -- who covets the King's influence -- and the Princess' brother, King Philip of France (Timothy Dalton). Despite Henry's efforts to keep his wife and offspring at arms' length (and away from the throne), Eleanor successfully reunites the brood, assuring that her power will not only be restored, but will last long after her death. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Regarded by many as the best-ever episode of The Prisoner, "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling" was written by Vincent Tilsley. Number Six awakens with the belief that he is actually another man -- to be exact, an Army colonel (Nigel Stock). Failing to recognize his own face in his own mirror, the confused protagonist also learns that "The Colonel" has been missing for a full year. The answer to the mystery rests in the hands of one Professor Seltzman (Hugh Schuster), the inventor of an insidious intellect-transfer machine. Clues essential to the action include a reference to Number Six's former fiancée, and an inventory of the former intelligence agent's code names. Also appearing are Zena Walker as Janet and Clifford Evans as the new Number Two. As originally conceived, "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling" was supposed to have been the series' ninth episode, but instead was rescheduled as episode 13 on British television, making its first appearance on January 7, 1968. When The Prisoner was rebroadcast in America on CBS, the intended episode chronology was restored, and "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling" was properly shown right after episode number eight ("Dance of the Dead") on August 3, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This story of love and espionage focuses on political turmoil as a small nation struggles to free itself from colonial rule, and one man tries to serve both justice and his own heart. In the late 1950s, the island of Cyprus is under the political control of Great Britain, but groups of Cypriot activists are fighting for the country's independence. Maj. McGuire (Dirk Bogarde) is an English military leader who is on the trail of Haghios (George Chakiris), a terrorist leader who guides the struggle for freedom in Cyprus. Juno Kozani (Susan Strasberg) is an American student of archeology who visits friends on the island, only to discover that they're helping to hide Haghios from the police and the British military. McGuire is convinced that Kozani knows Haghios' whereabouts, but while she has told McGuire nothing, Haghios is convinced that Kozani has turned him in and threatens to kill her. Desperate, Kozani seeks protection from McGuire, who allows her to hide out in his apartment. Put into close contact, McGuire and Kozani fall in love, but when his superiors find out that he's been keeping her in hiding, McGuire is transferred to Greece. Kozani follows him there, only to discover that a mysterious man has been following them. The High Bright Sun has also been released under the titles McGuire Go Home! and A Date with Death. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A prestigious university is the site for skullduggery when a noted economist is murdered while working on a plan to eliminate all forms of poverty. Arriving on the campus of Saint Bodes University to investigate, Steed and Emma discover that the place is festooned with suspicious characters, student and teacher alike. Though the episode scores points on its thrill contect, the highlight is a costume-party sequence wherein Emma is fetchingly garbed as Robin Hood (green tights and all). Written by Martin Woodhouse, "A Sense of History" was initially broadcast in England on March 12, 1966, and made its American TV debut on June 20 of that same year. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Nigel Stock guest stars as a Soviet pianist who has been implicated in an unsavory murder case. In order to save his reputation -- and his life -- the pianist must kill a visiting dignitary. Normally, Steed would be racing to the pianist's rescue; this time, however, he finds himself an unwilling accomplice to the upcoming assassination. Written by Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke, "Concerto" originally aired in England on March 7, 1964; it remained unseen in America until April 4, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi