Rodney Bennett Movies

Based on a novel by Graham Greene, Alec Guinness stars as the title character, a descendent of Don Quixote. After he is appointed monsignor, he sets off with a leftist politician (played by Leo McKern) on an adventure reminiscent of the Cervantes novel. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

Though we never see him, Edwin is the pivotal character in this British comedy. Alec Guinness stars as a retired British barrister Sir Fennimore Truscott, who discovers that his wife Renee Ashershon has been cheating on him. This is embarrassment enough: even worse is the fact that Renee's affair with neighbor Paul Rogers has apparently been going on for years. The question: who's the real father of Sir Fennimore's son Edwin? Played out with the sort of dry wit that only the British ever seem to get completely right, Edwin was produced for television; it enjoyed its widest American exposure via cable and public TV. Guiding the mirthsome proceedings is director Rodney Bennett, of Rumpole of the Bailey fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ten years before Jane Austen's novel Sense and Sensibility was transformed into a lavish theatrical feature by director Ang Lee, the property was adapted as a rather less lavish but no less entertaining British TV miniseries. Irene Richard and Tracy Childs starred as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, two attractive sisters from a prominent British family. When the Dashwoods go broke after the death of their father, the flighty Marianne and the more reserved (and, need we add, more intelligent) Elinor go on an exhaustive search for proper, and properly wealthy, husbands. Sense and Sensibility was served up in three 60-minute portions by the BBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ian Holm starred in this three-part British miniseries as James M. Barrie, the author of such whimsical works as The Admirable Crichton, A Kiss for Cinderella, and, of course, Peter Pan. The dramatic focus in this series was on the latter work, which according to screenwriter Andrew Birkin, drew its inspiration from the friendship between Barrie and the Llewellyn-Davies family. As fond as he was of "progressive" parents Arthur and Sylvia Llewelyn-Davies (Tim Piggott-Smith and Anna Cropper), Barrie was enchanted by the couple's sons: George, Jack, Peter, Michael, and Nico (played by different actors at various stages of the kids' lives). It was George in fact who described death as "an awfully big adventure," a line which Barrie would ultimately immortalize in his novel and play about Peter Pan, the little boy who never grew up. Upon the deaths of both Arthur and Sylvia from cancer, Barrie became the legal guardian of the Llewelyn-Davies boys, a responsibility that yielded equal shares of happiness and heartbreak. The Lost Boys originally aired over the BBC in 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of the four-part story "The Mask of Mandragora," both the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) are slated to die at the hands of the Renaissance-era religious coven, The Brotherhood of Demnos. Arriving in the Brotherhood's palace, the Doctor steels himself for a showdown with coven leader Hieronymous (Norman Jones) -- while the Mandragora Helix, which has been using Hieronymous as a pawn in a scheme to take over the world, awaits the outcome of this final battle. An omnimous warning caps the last scene of "The Mask of Mandragora, Episode 4," which was written by Terrance Dicks and first aired on September 25, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the four-part story "The Mask of Mandragora," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) find themselves trapped in the Italian village of San Martino in the 15th century. The village is held in the grip of terror by an ancient religious coven called the Brotherhood of Demnos -- which, in turn, is under the control of the Mandragora Helix, an entity been on conquering the world. Norman Jones is cast as Hieronymus, leader of the Brotherhood. Originally telecast on September 11, 1976, "The Mask of Mandragora, Episode 2" was written by Terrance Dicks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In a follow-up to the previous Doctor Who adventure "The Ark in Space," the Doctor (Tom Baker) pilots the TARDIS to the barren, burned-out planet that was once known as Earth. Here he confronts Sontaran warrior Styre (Kevin Lindsay) who is conducting experiments on a group of captured Earthlings as part of a master plan to take over the entire galaxy. Written by Bob Baker and Dave Marten, the first episode of the two-part "The Sontaran Experiment" was originally telecast on February 22, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the four-part story "The Ark in Space," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and his companions are still adrift in the derelict space station Nerva Beacon, where they have successfully revived the last surviving residents of Planet Earth, who have long been held in suspended animation. Danger rears its ugly head when the Wirrrn, a race of gigantic insects, step up their efforts to "brain-drain" the hapless humans. Adding to the crisis is the discovery that Noah (Kenton Moore), the leader of the humans, is not all he seems to be. Written by Robert Holmes, "The Ark in Space, Episode 3" originally aired on February 8, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Gustave Flaubert's "romantic-realist" 19th century novel Madame Bovary had been adapted for films and television on several occasions before this British miniseries version debuted over the BBC in 1975. Francesca Annis starred as Emma Bovary, the bored and disgruntled wife of provincial doctor Charles Bovary (Tom Conti). Seeking to enliven her dull existence, Emma ended up putting her reputation and her husband's career on the line with a careless romantic tryst. Originally telecast in eight 50-minute episodes, Madame Bovary was pared down to four episodes when it was shown in America as part of the PBS anthology Masterpiece Theatre beginning October 10, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the four-part story "The Ark in Space," the Doctor (Tom Baker), Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen), and Harry (Ian Marter) endeavor to protect the last inhabitants of planet earth, who are being kept in a cryogenically frozen state on the deserted space station Nerva Beacon. Successfully shielding the station from a dangerous surge of solar activity, the time travellers discover that an even greater danger lurks within the walls of the Nerva Beacon itself -- a danger manifested in the body of a long-dead member of the insectasoid Wirrrn species. Written by Robert Holmes, "The Ark in Space, Episode 2" originally aired on February 1, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide