Bernard Braden Movies
- 1962
In this romantic comedy, a free-wheeling member of the U.S. Air Force goes AWOL. While traveling, the man and his girlfriend encounter another young couple. Both men are dressed exactly alike and are driving the same kind of bike. When the women climb aboard the wrong bikes, romantic mayhem ensues. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Chakiris, Janette Scott, (more)
Loosely based on a novel by John Hersey, this standard wartime drama stars Steve McQueen as Buzz Rickson, command pilot of a B17 bomber, and Robert Wagner as Ed Bolland, his co-pilot. When Buzz first comes on the scene, Ed admires him for his daring and skill in executing the bombing raids over Germany. But as time goes by, Buzz starts to fall for Ed's girlfriend Daphne (Shirley Ann Field) and at the same time, Ed begins to see that Buzz is only good at piloting bombers -- in civilian life he is a total washout. The contrasts between the men, Buzz's internal problems, and the love triangle provide the dramatic fodder throughout the 105-minute running time. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve McQueen, Robert Wagner, (more)
Despite its come-on title, The Day the Earth Caught Fire is an intelligent, disturbing piece of speculative fiction. Through the eyes of British reporter Peter Stenning (Edward Judd), we learn that both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. have simultaneously set off nuclear explosions to test their efficiency. The twin blasts have caused the Earth to go off its axis. The result is a disastrous upheaval in the balance of nature; floods and fires being the principal plagues. With the end of the world staring everyone in the face, chaos reigns. The only hope lies in another massive nuclear explosion, which will hopefully rebalance the Earth. The film ends ambiguously, with viewers allowed to decide for themselves whether or not the world has been saved. In the original prints of The Day the Earth Caught Fire, the opening and closing reels were tinted yellow, representing the scorching heat beating down on the frightened populace. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Janet Munro, Leo McKern, (more)
- 1961
In this heavy drama, a race car driver suffers a head injury on his wedding day and becomes a mental case. The couple puts off their honeymoon while he is treated by a psychiatrist. Later when they make love, he tries to strangle her. This behavior becomes a habit, for every time they are romantic he becomes insanely angry with her. He thinks he has really gone 'round the bend until he sees his new bride and the shrink together. He goes to the doctor and confronts him. In turn, the shrink tries to make the man believe that he is hallucinating. A chase ensues between the men. The frightened doctor tries to flee in a cable car and ends up having a fatal fall. The married couple then continues their honeymoon. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claude Dauphin, Diane Cilento, (more)
- 1961
The British All Night Long is Othello to a jazz beat. Paul Harris is the Othello counterpart, a bandleader happily married to "Desdemona" Marti Stevens. Patrick McGoohan plays the film's funky Iago character, who covets Harris' job. McGoohan hopes to unnerve Harris by spreading rumors that Stevens has been unfaithful. Like the 1956 Joe MacBeth, All Night Long can either be taken seriously or as what used to be called 'high camp." Jazz aficionados will appreciate the brief appearances by Dave Brubeck, Johnny Dankworth, Paul Mingus, Tubby Hayes, Charles Mingus, Kenny Napper and several other top musicians. Also showing up in a cameo role is dancing star Geoffrey Holder, who wouldn't make a bad Othello (or Iago) himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick McGoohan, Marti Stevens, (more)
- 1959
In this airborne disaster movie, a has-been brilliant scientist plants a bomb on a transatlantic jet to exact revenge upon a passenger whom he blames for his daughter's death -- she died during a plane crash. When the booby-trap is discovered and the passengers learn the motive for the scientists' actions, one of the passengers attempts to kill the man the scientist blames. A fight erupts and a window is shattered. The helpful passenger is sucked right out of the plane. Only when the scientist spies a child resembling his own lost daughter does he regain his humanity and disarm the bomb. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Attenborough, Stanley Baker, (more)
- 1957
Ten-year-old Canadian Braden brags about his horse riding abilities while living in Scotland. Luckily when a shepherd is in trouble he is able to save the man and prove his mettle. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1953
This fanciful British farce stars Bernard Braden as an impoverished artist. The uncle of Braden's wife Barbara Kelly agrees to bankroll the couple if Braden will start making his work more commercial. Uncle sends an attorney over to the couple's house to assess their net worth. In order to pay for the necessary home repairs, Kelly pawns her husband--not her husband's paintings, but hubby in the flesh. When Kelly can't make the payments, Braden remains on the pawnshop shelf, hence the film's title. Future Saint producers Robert Baker and Monty Berman were the perpetrators of this wobbly piece of whimsy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bernard Braden, Barbara Kelly, (more)
