Gary Bond Movies
Best known as a theatrical actor in his native Britain, leading actor Gary Bond also occasionally dabbled in feature films and television. On stage, his most famous role was that of Joseph in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1972 musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Bond's film credits include Zulu (1964) and Outback (1971). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1981
A minor installment in the BBC's otherwise superb Hammer House of Horror television series, this installment details the woes suffered by a suburban family whose house displays the usual earmarks of rampant poltergeistism -- ranging from body parts in the fridge to literal geysers of blood bursting from overhead plumbing during the daughter's birthday party. The setpieces are obviously derivative of The Amityville Horror, with the only original twists arriving at the ending -- which turns out to be quite a groaner. Released in the U.S. first to cable TV, then to the "Thrillervideo" label, with bumper segments hosted by buxom horror vixen Elvira, who peppers the proceedings with her usual banter -- to wit: "When a house starts bleeding, it's darn near impossible to get a tourniquet on that sucker." ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Outback was based on Kenneth Cook's novel Wake in Fright. Gary Bond plays a naive young Australian teacher who is tragically unprepared for his new position in the outback. The community he has been sent to is populated almost exclusively by amoral, primitive toughs, more interested in slaughtering kangaroos and sexual carousing than in such niceties as education or propriety. The methodical shattering of Bond's dearly held values plunge the young teacher deeper into degeneracy. Outback was so graphic in its original Australian version that 15 minutes had to be cut before American distributor Group W would consider touching it. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
- PG
Anne of the Thousand Days is the belated film adaptation of Maxwell Anderson's 1948 stage play. The story concentrates on the romance between Britain's King Henry VIII (Richard Burton) and his ill-fated second wife Anne Boleyn (Genevieve Bujold). After holding out for marriage rather than an illegitimate union, Anne marries Henry after he sheds himself of Katherine of Aragon -- causing a rift between the Crown and the Church in the process. Anne's inability to produce a male heir leads Henry to look about for other suitable mates. Henry's sinister right-hand man Cromwell (John Colicos) arranges for Anne to be condemned on a charge of adultery. She is beheaded, while Henry disconsolately sits in Windsor Castle, regretting this callous example of political expediency. Richard Burton is ideally cast in Anne of the Thousand Days, but it is Genevieve Bujold who delivers the best, most complex performance in the film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Burton, Geneviève Bujold, (more)
- 1969
Greeting Steed after his three-week vacation, Tara asks him if he enjoyed himself. Unfortunately, he can't say, because he has absolutely no memory of the past three weeks. Investigating this curious lapse of memory, Tara stumbles upon a plot to kill Mother -- with Steed in the thick of things. The episode's highlight is a battle of one-upsmanship between a captive Tara and glamorous-but-deadly enemy agent Lisa (Kate O'Mara). Written by Don Chaffey, "Stay Tuned" first aired in England on February 26, 1969, two days after its American TV premiere. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Bond
Filmed on a grand scale, Zulu is a rousing recreation of the January 22, 1879, siege of Rorke's Drift in Natal, Africa. An army of 4,000 Zulu warriors have already decimated a huge British garrison; now they are on their way to the much smaller Rorke's Drift. A Royal Engineers officer (Stanley Baker) is determined to stand his ground, despite having only a skeleton garrison at his command. His steamroller tactics are constantly at odds with those of a by-the-book lieutenant (Michael Caine), who feels that a retreat is called for, but it becomes clear that if the garrison is to survive, they'd better pay heed. Jack Hawkins and Ulla Jacobsson are also on hand as an idealistic missionary and his somewhat more pragmatic daughter. Richard Burton provides the narration for Zulu, closing the film with the observation that 11 of the 1,344 Victoria Crosses awarded since 1856 were bestowed upon the survivors of Rorke's Drift. Zulu was followed in 1979 by a "prequel," Zulu Dawn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, (more)
