Donald Wolfit Movies

Originally released in 1934 as Death at Broadcasting House, this musty British whodunit was distributed in the US in 1941 to cash in on the Hollywood-engendered popularity of its star, Ian Hunter. Set in a BBC radio studio, the story gets under way when a much-despised airwaves personality is murdered in the middle of a live broadcast. Scotland Yard inspector Gregory (Ian Hunter) shows up to piece together the clues and sift through the suspects. The solution of the mystery hinges on the fact that the victim insisted upon broadcasting in a private room, far removed from his fellow actors. Inspector Gregory provides this solution by coming up with a transcription of the fatal broadcast (this at a time when few radio programs were recorded for posterity). Elements of Death at a Broadcast resurfaced in the 1942 Abbott & Costello comedy Who Done It? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Drake of England was released variously to the British Empire, its commonwealths and the United States as Drake the Pirate and Elizabeth of England. In an agreeably compact fashion, the film recounts the exploits of British privateer Sir Francis Drake (played by the slightly long-in-tooth Matheson Lang), culminating with his 1588 triumph over the Spanish Armada. Athene Seyler appears as Queen Elizabeth I, bad wig and all. A goodly portion of screen time is devoted to the secret marriage between Drake and one of Elizabeth's ladies-in-waiting (Jane Baxter). Drake of England was based on a flagwaving stage play by Louis N. Parker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Walter Hackett's popular stage farce Hyde Park Corner was smoothly transferred to the screen in 1935. Gordon Harker repeats his stage role as insouciant cockney Cheatie, a central figure in a bit of history that repeats itself. A duel to the death in 1780 turns out to have long-reaching effects for the ancestors of the two participants. When in 1935 it looks as though the duel will be repeated -- under the same circumstances, at the same location -- the outcome is significantly different, and a whole lot happier. Binnie Hale co-stars as Sophie, a role originated on stage by Marion Lorne (yes, the same Marion Lorne who later played dithery Aunt Clara on TV's Bewitched). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sir Francis Drake (Lang), first English circumnavigator of the globe, is featured in this exciting adventure with his amazing defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 and a romance between the dashing sailor and a lady-in-waiting for Queen Elizabeth (Baxter). ~ All Movie Guide

Calling the Tune uses its skeletal plot to celebrate the British record industry, circa 1936. Adele Dixon plays the daughter of a powerful record company executive. She falls in love with Clifford Evans, who happens to be the man her father once cheated in order to build up his show business empire. Amidst several specialty numbers, love finds a way. Calling the Tune anticipates the 20th Century-Fox "feel good" musicals of the 1940s by spotlighting several prominent guest stars, including actor Cedric Hardwicke, music hall legend George Robey, conductor Sir Henry Wood, and the Queen's Hall Light Orchestra. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

John Hayter is Samuel Pickwick is this delightful filmization of Dickens' seriocomic novel. Mr. Pickwick is chairman of the Pickwick club, a scholarly league operating in mid-19th century London. The club's avowed purpose is to scrupulously study everyday life in England-not to improve or remonstrate, but simply examine, as a scientist would examine life under the microscope. The episodic storyline transports the Pickwicks all over town, from the fashionable digs of ever-in-debt roue Mr. Jingle (Nigel Patrick) to debtor's prison. The Candide-like Mr. Pickwick survives his many experiences (including a duel and breach of promise suit) with the invulnerability of innocence. The Pickwick Papers was produced, directed and adapted by Noel Langley, a brilliant, hard-drinking wit who once upon a time had labored on the screenplay of Hollywood's The Wizard of Oz. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In Svengali, the 1955 adaptation of George DuMaurier's classic novel Trilby, Donald Wolfit achieves the near-impossible: he out-hams John Barrymore, who'd played Svengali in the 1931 version. A last-minute replacement for the equally flamboyant Robert Newton, Wolfit pulls out all the stops as the scroungy, sinister musician/mesmerist who hypnotizes lovely artist's model Trilby (Hildegarde Neff) and transforms her into a world-famous singer. While under Svengali's spell, Trilby forgets all about "Little" Billy (Terence Morgan) the starving artist who loves her fervently. But Billy doesn't forget, and follows Svengali and Trilby all over the world. The film's best moment is the celebrated Covent Garden climax, wherein Svengali finally, and fatally, relaxes his hold on Trilby. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The topicality of Satellite in the Sky enabled the British-based Danzinger Bros. to release the film through Warner Bros., rather than their usual United Artists distribution channels. The story concerns the first manned space satellite, launched from England with commander Michael Hayden (Kieron Moore) at the controls. It is the mission of Hayden and his crew to test out the deadly "tritonium" bomb in outer space. Once he's left the atmosphere, Hayden discovers that he's been harboring a stowaway: reporter and anti-weapons activist Kim Hamilton (Lois Maxwell). Everyone's life is placed in peril when the bomb affixes itself to the side of the satellite. As tension mounts, the crew -- and Kim -- race against time to either remove or defuse the tick-tick-ticking weapon. Satellite in the Sky represented documentary filmmaker Paul Dickson's first fictional effort; like most other directors, Dickson was unable to curb the overacting of the venerable Donald Wolfit, here cast as the near-maniacal creator of the tritonium bomb. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A palatable combination of horror and science fiction, Blood of the Vampire takes place in 19th century Transylvania-and never mind that all the locals have cockney accents. British stage star Donald Wolfit, who never spoke when shouting would do, plays the vampiric Dr. Callistratus. Though we see Callistratus being dispatched in traditional stake-through-the-heart fashion during the opening credits, it isn't long before he returns to life, this time in the guise of a prison warden. Using his criminally insane charges as his guinea pigs, Callistratus drains their bodies of blood in order to stay alive. In the film's incredibly busy climax, Callistratus is prevented from carving up the toothsome Madeleine (Barbara Shelley) by his hunchbacked assistant Carl (Victor Maddern). We didn't see the kitchen sink, but we'll bet that that's in here somewhere too. Often mistaken for a Hammer film production (mainly because it was written by perennial Hammer scrivener Jimmy Sangster), Blood of the Vampire was actually produced by the short-lived Artistes Alliance Ltd. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The still-controversial L'Affair Dreyfuss of the late 19th century is the focal point of I Accuse! Jose Ferrer (who also directed) stars as French Army captain Alfred Dreyfus, who is chosen as the fall guy for a major military scandal for no other discernable reason than his Jewishness. Wrongly accused of treason, Dreyfus is stripped of his rank and shipped off to Devil's Island. Friends and family members, bolstered by the support of novelist Emile Zola (Emlyn Williams), force a retrial, to no avail. When their mistake and subsequent coverup is revealed, the Army tries to save face by offering Dreyfuss a pardon, even though they will not rescind their accusation of treason. Left with no alternatives, Dreyfuss accepts, returning to France in disgrace. Only the confession of the genuine traitor enables Dreyfuss to clear his name and have his rank restored. Many of the facts of the case that had been glossed over for legal reasons in 1937's Life of Emile Zola are herein presented on film for the first time. The screenplay for I Accuse! was adapted from the Nicholas Haasz' book by Gore Vidal, who manages to make several allusions to America's own McCarthy-era "witch hunts". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ruthless young working-class Englishman Laurence Harvey takes a job in a North Country village controlled by millionaire Donald Wolfit. Harvey resents Wolfit's class consciousness and vows to rise to the top by wooing the millionaire's daughter, Heather Sears. Meanwhile he has an affair with Frenchwoman Simone Signoret. Though he regards Signoret as a mere self-gratifying conquest, she takes their romance seriously enough to kill herself when Harvey impregnates Field. Only as he leaves the chapel after marrying the millionaire's daughter does Harvey that his "smart" marriage, coupled with the guarantee of a fabulous business career, has been attained at the cost of his soul. Based on the novel by John Braine, Room at the Top was one of the most successful films of the British angry-young-man school; it later spawned two sequels, as well as a weekly TV series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Robert Aldrich (Kiss Me Deadly) directed this cloak-and-dagger yarn (based on a bestseller by Leon Uris), filmed on sumptuous locations in Greece. Set in Athens in 1941, before the Nazis overran the country, Robert Mitchum plays American war correspondent Mike Morrison, who has come into the possession of a list of 16 Greek underground leaders that he agrees to deliver to British intelligence in London for a $20,000 fee. Trying to keep him from getting there is the local Gestapo chief Conrad Heisler (Stanley Baker) and fifth columnist Tassos (Theodore Bikel). Morrison also becomes involved with a group of Greek freedom fighters -- particularly the beautiful Eleftheria (Gia Scala). But then Morrison comes down from the mountains and back to Athens, where he finds himself trailed, not only by the Nazis, but by charming widow Lisa Kyriakides (Elisabeth Muller). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide