John Turnbull Movies

So Well Remembered was the first of a proposed series of Anglo-American co-productions underwritten by Hollywood's RKO Radio Pictures and England's J. Arthur Rank. In one of his better postwar roles, John Mills stars as George Boswell, the editor of the newspaper in the small English mining town of Bowdley. Tirelessly fighting for fairer treatment and better working conditions for the miners, Boswell is sidetracked by his covetous, ambitious wife Olivia (Martha Scott), who hopes to maneuver her husband into Parliament. Eventually, Boswell gets his priorities in order, neglecting his campaign to help local doctor Whiteside (Trevor Howard) combat a diphtheria epidemic. When he loses his own child to the disease, a tragedy caused in part by his wife's selfishness, Boswell withdraws completely from his campaign -- and from life. Years pass before Boswell can find some purpose in his existence again, this time by preventing the still-unregenerate Olivia from destroying the happiness of her son (Richard Carlson), from a second marriage, and the son's sweetheart Julie (Patricia Roc), Dr. Whiteside's daughter. John Mills' 5-year-old daughter Juliet and infant daughter Hayley appear in bit parts. Though director Edward Dmytryk received plaudits from most critics for his work on So Well Remembered, there were those who insisted upon reading Dmytryk's perceived "pro-Red" sentiments in the screenplay -- which was actually adapted by John Paxton from a novel by James Hilton (who also narrates the picture). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Daybreak a dark, depressing melodrama, tells the story of Eddie (Eric Portman) an unemployed hangman who marries Frankie (Ann Todd) after meeting her in a bar. The couple live on a barge and one day Portman returns home unexpectedly to finds Frankie in the arms of handsome longshoreman Olaf (Maxwell Reed). A fight ensues, and Eddie is knocked overboard and disappears. Frankie, guilt-ridden, commits suicide, and Olaf is arrested for the murder and sentenced to death as the story concludes in a surprising plot twist. The film, rather long and somewhat labored, is difficult to watch because of its unrelentingly depressing viewpoint, but the performances of Eric Portman and Ann Todd add interest and flavor to an otherwise slow drama. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi

Don't Take It to Heart is an amiable entry in the 1940s cycle of "ghost comedies". A British castle is rocked by a German bombing raid, releasing a jaunty wraith (Richard Greene) from his house-haunting job. As long as he's got the run of the castle, the ghost decides to take a hand in the romance between mistress-of-the-house Patricia Medina and young researcher Richard Bird. Also in line for ghostly visitation is the nasty landlord who holds the local townsfolk in his avaricious clutches. Don't Take It to Heart received almost uniformly good reviews from the British press, which during wartime was often resistant to comedy films. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Shipbuilders is a rare film of true merit from prolific British "quota quickie" director John Baxter. Clive Brook heads the cast as the owner of a shipbuilding firm, presently dedicated to the War effort. Though naturally concerned that his business will flag once the war is over, it is shown that Brook has nothing to worry about, so long as diligent, patriotic men like riveter Morland Graham are on his payroll. The film's message is clear: While it's important to think of one's service to the present National Crisis, it is equally important to take the Future into consideration. Actual footage shipbuilders at work give this hastily assembled patriotic exercise a veneer of reality. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this drama, an amiable steel worker suddenly changes when he becomes a foreman. Suddenly Mr. Nice Guy becomes Mr. Hard Nose and he mercilessly pushes his men to work harder and faster. His callous attitude comes home with him and his wife, too suffers. Trouble ensues when the foreman pushes the men so hard that a man dies. The other workers revolt, and at home, his wife leaves. The foreman turns to his friend, a preacher, for guidance and begins to see where he went wrong. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Hollywood's Otto Kruger and Gertrude Michael head the cast of the British The Hidden Menace. The story takes place in a Vienna variety theatre, where a mad magician named Garvin (Kruger) periodically disposes of his romantic rivals by means of one of his deadlier hypnotic devices. His current target his high-wire artist Paul (John Clements), who is paying an inordinate amount of attention to Garvin's sweetheart, a dnacer named Yester (Gertrude Michael). The villain gets his comeuppance when one of his previous victims seemingly returns from the dead to mete out justice. Saving the film from wallowing in its melodramatic excesses are the comic interludes by pantomimist Gene Sheldon. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this British WW II comedy, a brave member of the Police War Reserve eventually becomes a hero when he exposes a conspiracy to sabotage the battleship Hercules on her first voyage. But at first his fellow officers believe that he is one of the enemy agents and pursue him down the docks, causing him to prematurely launch the ship and save it from exploding. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Dead Men are Dangerous stars Robert Newton as a shabby, unsuccessful writer. Newton is of the opinion that he might improve his chances of selling his work if only he could acquire a better wardrobe. As luck would have it, he stumbles across the immaculately attired corpse of a wealthy man. Newton swiftly switches clothes with the dead man--only to be accused of murder. Released in the US by Monogram, the British Dead Men are Dangerous was based on the H.C. Armstrong novel Hidden. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this mystery, the last entry in the Inspector Hornleigh series, Inspector Harker and his assistant take a two-week vacation to the English seaside. Just as the vacation is about to end, a fellow guest in their boardinghouse drives over a cliff and is burned to death. The local cops consider it an accident, but the Inspector has his own suspicions and begins to investigate. He soon exposes a gang of crooks planted the car with another body to cash in on an insurance policy. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this lively musical, a talented little tap dancer enters her grandpa's talent show and not only wins, she also helps her parents mend their differences. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this melodrama, a crooner becomes pals with a gangster and saves him from his own vindictive moll (she is also the crooner's singing partner). The singer is then blinded in an accident. To repay his favor, the gangster pays for the medical treatment he needs to regain his sight. Meanwhile the gangster tries to avoid his crack-shot ex-gal. Unfortunately she finds him, so he must don a mask and pretend to be her partner during a radio broadcast. Too bad he cannot sing like his friend. The woman recognizes him, but decides that he is too lovable to kill. The story, though not a musical, contains many songs and variety acts. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Sherlock Holmes and Watson travel to the home of their old friend Baskerville who wants Holmes to figure out who stole his prized race horse Silver Blaze and murdered the groom. The primary suspect is the young rider who loves the daughter of Baskerville, but he is innocent. Holmes finds the horse on a neighboring farm and deduces that his old enemy Moriarity is behind the mayhem. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi