Gwen Watford Movies
British supporting and occasional leading actress Gwen Watford made her feature film debut as Lady Usher in The Fall of the House of Usher (1952) and went on to have a sporadic film career as her main focus was stage and television work. She was named the Woman of the Year on British television. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Based on a novel by Catherine Heath, the four-part British miniseries Behaving Badly starred Judi Dench as Bridget, a typically dutiful upper middle-class wife and mother. Upon learning that her husband is a philanderer, Bridget is shocked but willing to forgive. But when hubby walks out, she decides to kick over the traces and have some fun of her own, which -- in time-honored "double standard" fashion -- thoroughly scandalizes her family and friends. Behaving Badly first aired in 1988 over Britain's Channel 4. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judi Dench, Douglas Hodge, (more)
Previously filmed in 1927 and 1934, Warwick Deeping's novel Sorrel and Son was adapted as a British TV miniseries in 1984. Set in the 1920s, the story concerned the efforts of impoverished Captain Stephen Sorrell (Richard Pasco) to raise his son Kit (Paul Critchley) all by himself, after his wife had walked out on him. Despite many deprivations, Kit grew up to become a doctor, justifying the years of devotion and sacrifice on the part of Sorrel Sr. The six hour-long episodes of Sorrel and Son were telecast by Yorkshire Television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Pasco, Peter Chelsom, (more)
Richard Attenborough directed this dramatic story, based on actual events, about the friendship between two men struggling against apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. Donald Woods (Kevin Kline) is a white liberal journalist in South Africa who begins to follow the activities of Stephen Biko (Denzel Washington), a courageous and outspoken black anti-apartheid activist. Woods and his wife Wendy (Penelope Wilton) get to know Biko, and they become friends, until Biko is brutally murdered at the hands of government troops in 1977 for his activities against the country's repression of the black majority population. Donald is shocked and appalled by Biko's murder and determined that the truth about Biko will become known to the world; eventually, Donald and Wendy Woods and their children must leave South Africa (and nearly everything they have) as they spread the word about Biko's life and death to ensure that he did not die in vain. Washington received an Academy Award nomination for his performance as Biko. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Kline, Penelope Wilton, (more)
- 1984
The first installment of the British mystery series based on the books by Agatha Christie, Miss Marple: The Body in the Library was first aired in 1984. In the village of St. Mary Mead, Miss Jane Marple (Joan Hickson) investigates the home of Colonel Arthur (Moray Watson) and Mrs. Dolly Bantry (Gwen Watford). The couple was shocked to discover the body of a dead girl wearing makeup and an evening gown in the library of their country manor, Gossington Hall. As soon as the police can identify her, another mysterious dead body is discovered. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Hickson
- 1979
Written by Monty Python veterans, More Ripping Yarns includes the skits "The Testing of Eric Olwaite," "Whinfrey's Last Case" and "The Curse of the Claw." ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
England's Tigon studios produced fairly sophisticated period horror films in the 1970s, including this drawing-room horror-mystery directed by Hammer stalwart Freddie Francis. Peter Cushing stars as a former priest who harbors a dark and horrible secret in his attic. The locked room serves as a prison cell for his crazed, cannibalistic adult son, who acquired his savage tastes in India during his father's missionary work there. Cushing fears that his son will escape to prey upon the effete guests at his rural English estate during a cross-country auto race... though there may be more to fear from one of his guests than from his monstrous son. Far too stuffy to generate any real suspense until the violent, blood-soaked climax, this is definitely one of Tigon's lesser efforts, benefiting mainly from the presence of Cushing and John Hurt as an unbalanced young gardener. Not to be confused with the 1933 horror classic of the same name. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Cushing, John Hurt, (more)
- 1975
Adapted by James Costigan from the best-selling novel by Rumer Godden, In This House of Brede stars Diana Rigg as a widowed, fortyish business executive in search of a more meaningful life. She turns her back on the world of commerce and capitalism to enter a strict order of Benedictine nuns at Brede Abbey. Here, the peace of mind that Rigg seeks remains elusive, especially when her fidelity to her vows is questioned by the younger novices. Filmed on location at genuine convents in London and Ireland, In This House of Brede premiered February 27, 1975, as a GE TheaterTV special. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
One of the more accomplished entries in Hammer's Dracula series (which would soon lapse into creative anemia during the 1970s), this fourth installment finds Christopher Lee in top form as the Count, who returns to menacing life after three middle-aged swingers decide to dabble in black magic to bolster their sagging sex lives. Dracula is reborn when the trio's blood-drinking rituals lead to the destruction of his devil-worshipping colleague Lord Courtley (Ralph Bates), whereupon the Count unleashes his deadly wrath on those responsible, even involving members of their families in his scheme of revenge, which culminates in a dramatic finale in a recently reconstructed cathedral. Fine direction from Hammer regular Peter Sasdy enlivens a middling script, and an early appearance from the lovely Linda Hayden (later to star in the eerie Blood on Satan's Claw) is a definite plus. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Lee, Geoffrey Keen, (more)
- 1964
Dan Duryea stars in this unsavory British melodrama as a seedy kidnapper who accidentally kills his child victim. The police pretend to be unaware of the murder in hopes of capturing Duryea when he comes to collect the ransom. He wriggles out of this trap, then finds he must contend with a nosy neighbor (Isa Miranda) who seems to know more about him than she's letting on. Duryea schemes to poison the woman, but the plan boomerangs and his own wife dies instead. Outside of Dan Duryea's bravura performance, Do You Know This Voice? has zero entertainment value. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
This melodramatic tale of a sexual assault on a married woman has a few implausible moments but is believably acted by Anne Heywood as Tracey, the victim, Richard Todd as her husband Lawrence, and Jack Hedley as the man from Scotland Yard sent to track down the violent attacker. Tracey is pregnant and happily married to Lawrence, an architect. She has few cares in the world until the day a maniac breaks into the house, rapes her, and ultimately causes her to miscarry. Tracey falls to pieces and is so affected by the encounter she finds men repulsive, including her husband. Her attitude does not soften with time, and sooner rather than later, her husband takes up with his secretary. But in the meantime, the Scotland Yard detective has still not been able to track down the psychotic rapist, and there is no guarantee that Tracey is safe. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anne Heywood, Richard Todd, (more)
In 1963, this colossal and opulent $60 million spectacular was epic in every sense of the word -- an epic investment, an epic in the annals of Hollywood gossip, and, ultimately, an epic flop that nearly dragged 20th Century Fox down the Nile along with Cleopatra's barge. Handsomely mounted by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who replaced Rouben Mamoulian as director after six days of shooting), the drama follows the eighteen tumultuous years that led to the founding of the Roman Empire. Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor) meets up with Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison) and plans to lure Caesar to her boudoir in order to forge an alliance with Rome so that she may hold on to her Egyptian empire. When Caesar is stabbed to death in the Roman Senate, Cleopatra is left without an ally, and Egypt is up for grabs. When Roman general Mark Antony (Richard Burton) comes along, she seduces him in order to make him over into her new protector. But, under the charms of Cleopatra, Mark Antony is reduced from a an awesome and dominating general to a sniveling, drunken wimp. At the Battle of Actium, Mark Antony is defeated and Cleopatra withdraws her troops, dooming Mark Antony and his army. With Egypt in peril, Antony and Cleopatra, the doomed lovers, meet each other for the last time, as the enemy forces close in. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, (more)
- 1960
Set in Canada, this nasty little fable is about a respectable village elder (Patrick Allen) who is also a sexual deviate. Using candy as bait, he persuades two little girls to dance naked for him. When the girls complain to their parents, the old man is taken to court, but his prestige in town assures an acquittal. Inevitably, the man's perversities lead to the death of a child. The British title for this repellant film was Never Take Sweets From a Stranger; it was based on John Hunter's play The Pony Cart. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gwen Watford, Patrick Allen, (more)
- 1952
Filmed in 1950, this British adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's Fall of the House of Usher made the U.S. art-house rounds in 1952. Essentially an amateur production (though its non-union participants received minimal salaries), Usher is nowhere near as stylish as Jean Epstein's 1929 version or Roger Corman's 1960 remake, though it does have its own austere charm. At 70 minutes, the film is able to tell the familiar story of the accursed Usher family with a minimum of waste footage. Director Ivan Barnett also produced and handled the camera, making up in enthusiasm what he lacks in technique. Gwendoline Watford, the film's ill-fated Lady Usher, later appeared on Broadway in Women of Twilight. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kaye Tendeter, Irving Steen, (more)
