Jack Watling Movies

This meticulous re-creation of the sinking of the Titanic was adapted by Eric Ambler from the best-selling book by Walter Lord, and it preceded the blockbuster Titanic by almost 40 years. The film covers the life and death of the huge vessel from its launching celebration to that fateful night of April 14, 1912, when the "unsinkable" ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Of the 2224 passengers on board, 1513 were drowned as a result of the bad planning of lifeboats and escape routes. Kenneth More heads a huge and stellar cast, with 200 speaking parts, as second officer Herbert Lightoller, from whose point-of-view the story unfolds. Also in the cast are Laurence Naismith as the ill-fated Captain Smith; Michael Goodliffe as conscience-stricken ship's designer Thomas Andrews; Tucker McGuire as feisty American millionaire Molly Brown, whose courage and tenacity saved many lives; and Anthony Bushell as the captain of the Carpathia, who launched a noble but vain rescue mission once he was apprised of the disaster. Also appearing are two future TV favorites: The Avengers' Honor Blackman as a woman who believes that she has nothing to live for, and The Man From UNCLE's David McCallum as a wireless operator. The climactic sinking of the vessel is re-created with painstaking accuracy; filmed in "real time," it is a mere 37 minutes shorter than the actual tragedy. Two years before the film's release, an American TV adaptation of A Night to Remember set a precedent as the most elaborate and technically complex "live" broadcast of its time. Some viewers will find this movie a more accurate and gripping representation of this sea disaster than the romance-heavy Titanic. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this complex thriller, a womanizing chemist is accused of murder after his mistress is found poisoned to death. No one believes his claims of innocence except his fiancee who is determined to get him freed from prison. She soon unearths an extortion plot involving a newspaper reporter trying to hide the fact that he had abused the mistress. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The British That Woman Opposite is better known by its American title City After Midnight. Dan O'Herlihy stars as detective Kinross, presently investigating the murder of antique dealer Sir Maurice (Wilfred Hyde-White). The principal suspects are the dead man's son Toby (Jack Watling) and Toby's American fiancee Eve (Phyllis Kirk). Digging a bit deeper, Kinross discovers that Eve's ex-husband Ned (William Franklyn) had a vested interest in a rare snuff box owned by the murder victim--and it's just possible that Eve would have been his accomplice if he he'd wanted to commit the murder. Based on a novel by John Dickson Carr, That Woman Opposite bears some resemblance to the 1962 Kim Novak-Jack Lemmon starrer The Notorious Landlady. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Doctor (Patrick Troughton) arrives at the Det-sen monastery in Tibet, sometime in the mid-'30s. Almost immediately, a colleague of one Professor Travers (Jack Watling) is murdered, and the Doctor finds himself the number one suspect. Written by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, the six-part adventure "The Abominable Snowmen" was filmed in North Wales, a surprisingly suitable substitute for the rocks and rills of ancient Tibet. The first episode originally aired on September 30, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the six-part story "The Abominable Snowmen," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) has learned that the Tibetan monastery of Det-sen is being held in thrall by the malevolent Great Intelligence. He also now knows that his alien adversary intends to use an army of Yeti robots to take over the world. But he doesn't what to do about it -- especially since one of his oldest friends is unwillingly mixed up in the intrigue. Written by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, "The Abominable Snowmen, Episode 3" first aired on October 14, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "The Abominable Snowmen," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) continues to face great danger at the Det-sen monastery in Tibet. His only hope for survival is to banish the Great Intelligence, an alien force bent on world domination, from the earth's Solar System. Unfortunately, the Intelligence holds prisoner the soul of the Doctor's very old friend Padmasambhava (Wolfe Morris), the creator of a race of robotic Yetis. Written by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, "The Abominable Snowmen, Episode 5" first aired on October 28, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Doctor (Patrick Troughton) once more crosses paths with the robotic Yeti from the earlier Doctor Who adventure "The Abominable Snowmen" -- and with the alien Great Intelligence who controls the monsters. The adventure begins when the Doctor investigates some unusual activity in the contemporary London subway system -- little realizing that there's more to this case than a few renegade commuters who refuse to pay their fare! Written by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, this adventure lasted six episodes, beginning its run on February 3, 1968. Unfortunately, only episode one of "The Web of Fear" is available; the rest have apparently vanished from the earth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the six-part story "The Web of Fear," an army of Yeti robots runs amok in the London subway system, controlled by the alien Great Intelligence. To prevent this havoc from reaching the surface, the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) enlists the aid of the entire British Army. Nicholas Courtney makes his first series appearance as Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart. Originally telecast February 17, 1968, "The Web of Fear, Episode 3" was written by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "The Web of Fear," the Great Intelligence continues to deploy his army of Yeti robots to take over London, and then the world. Fortunately, the villain's efforts to steal the mind of the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) have failed. But how can the Doctor turn the tables on the Great Intelligence, using the alien's villainous scheme for good rather than evil? Originally telecast March 2, 1968, "The Web of Fear, Episode 5" was written by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Easy Money is a satire of that most venerated of all middle-class British traditions, the football pool. The film is divided into four separate episodes, illustrating the effects of the football pool on the "average chap." Among those who participate in the pool in hopes of winning the 50,000-pound jackpot are the Stafford family: husband Phillip (Jack Warner), wife Ruth (Marjorie Fielding), son Dennis (Jack Watling), and daughter Jackie (Petula Clark). Other interested parties are the Atkins clan -- Herbert ($Mervyn Johns) and Agnes ($Joan Young) -- and lovers Pat (Greta Gynt) and Joe (Dennis Price). Among the huge cast of supporting players, Edward Rigby stands out as the hapless Teddy Ball. Critics of the time noted that Easy Money was faintly reminiscent of the all-star 1932 Hollywood film If I Had a Million. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this comedy, an off-center widow and her eccentric daughters must deal with a series of comic mishaps while they wait for one of the daughters to have a baby. The nervous father-to-be complicates matters. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

An innocent architect stands accused of killing a professional gambler in this crime drama. Now only his lawyer can save him. Unfortunately, he soon discovers that he may be better off defending himself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide