Tony Britton Movies

What happened when best-selling mystery novelist Agatha Christie disappeared for 11 days back in 1926? The British Agatha "answers" that question. Vanessa Redgrave is cast as Ms. Christie, who vanished from her home not long after her husband (Timothy Dalton) informed her that he was leaving her. Nearly two weeks later, after being the subject of a nationwide search, Christie showed up none the worse for wear at a health spa in Yorkshire, insisting that she could remember nothing of her experiences during her disappearance. According to scriptwriters Kathleen Tynan and Arthur Hopcraft, Christie was located before her return by American reporter Wally Stanton (an uncomfortable-looking Dustin Hoffman), after enjoying a brief romantic fling with the authoress. The journalist decided to keep his discovery a secret. Another plot wrinkle concerns Christie's plan for revenge against her errant husband -- a scheme with all the earmarks of a Miss Marple or Poirot whodunit. Agatha represented former TV director Michael Apted's matriculation to A-pictures with major stars; he fared better with his subsequent endeavor, Coal Miner's Daughter (1980). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Night Watch a suspenseful, under-rated thriller tells the story of a lonely, unhappily married woman who believes that she sees a murder committed in the deserted house across her courtyard. Ellen Wheeler (Elizabeth Taylor) spends her nights alone, drinking, wandering around her living room, and looking out the window. One night she witnesses a murder. She calls the police, who investigate, but find nothing. Her husband John (Laurence Harvey) believes that she has imagined the entire thing, but her friend Sarah (Billie Whitelaw), while skeptical, is sympathetic to her deeply troubled friend. Director Brian G. Hutton fills the film with a number of distracting red-herrings and directs with a leisurely pace which tends to lessen the suspense. However, Taylor is splendid in the central role of a woman who seems to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and she creates a sympathetic believable character. Laurence Harvey, in his final performance, is less effective but is believable as the neglectful, emotionally abusive husband. Night Watch has a bloody, surprise ending, which while stretching credibility, is perfectly in keeping with the melodramatic intensity created by Taylor. Night Watch, reminiscent in some respect of Gaslight will be of interest to fans of Elizabeth Taylor and should entertain any fan of psychological thrillers. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi

This British film examines the choices individuals must make when confronted with a romantic relationship which is rewarding but does not offer them everything they want. In this sympathetic and psychologically precise drama, Alexandra Greville (Glenda Jackson), "Alex" to her friends, has a younger man as her sometime lover, the young sculptor Bob Elkin (Murray Head). Elkin is completely open about the fact that he is also the lover of her acquaintance, Dr. Daniel Hirsch (Peter Finch). These relationships continue in some kind of equilibrium until Alex and Bob agree to house-sit the children of a couple known to the three of them. In their roles, neither Head nor Finch "swished," or otherwise catered to homosexual stereotypes, and theirs was considered to be a groundbreaking, sympathetic portrayal of this kind of relationship, not condescending in any way. One highlight of the film is a scene in which Dr. Hirsch attends the Bar Mitzvah of his nephew. This critically well-received movie was unexpectedly successful at the box office. The film's director and screenwriter, as well as Jackson and Finch, were nominated for Academy Awards. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

The television host of a popular cooking show, Robert Danvers (Peter Sellers) has a real penchant for women. After one episode, he finds Marion (Goldie Hawn) changing from a wedding dress to street clothes. Instantly deciding to get to her and "take over" before the groom, Jimmy (Nicky Henson) has another opportunity, Robert invites her to his bachelor pad, a specially designed command center for his romantic adventures. He turns on the English gentleman's charm, only to have Marion laugh and suggest forthright that they sleep together. She moves in the following day and the two vacation in France on the Riviera and tour the wine country before returning to London. Upon their return, Robert proposes to %Marion; she rejects him in favor of Jimmy, however, who has sworn faithfulness to her and given up cheating forever. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

In the first episode of Walt Disney's two-part miniseries The Horsemasters, the viewer is whisked of to England's prestigious Valleywood Riding School, a training ground for future riding instructors. The head of the riding academy, Janet Hale (Janet Munro), greets her new pupils in her usual no-nonsense fashion. Among the newcomers is Dinah Wilcox (Annette Funicello), who may be "washed out" early on when she develops a fear of jumping. But another pupil, Danny Grant (Tommy Kirk), is determined to help Dinah overcome her terror. Highlights include "The Strummin' Song", written by prolific Disney tunesmiths Richard M. and Robert Sherman. Originally telecast on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, "Follow Your Heart" and the subsequent episode "Tally Ho" were later combined and released theatrically overseas as The Horsemasters. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this mystery, set in Devon, England, a writer, a fugitive and his sister, and a detective must solve a murder at a smuggler's farm. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Produced for television and released as a European feature, this Disney adventure stars Annette Funicello as a would-be equestrian who must conquer her fears of jumping. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

After spending most of the 1950s in Europe, writer/director Robert Siodmak filmed his only picture in England: The Rough and the Smooth (US title: Portrait of a Sinner). Based on a novel by Robin Maugham, the story concerns a young archaeologist (Tony Britton), engaged to marry the daughter (Natasha Parry) of a wealthy publisher (Donald Wolfit). At the last moment, the archaeologist leaves his bride-to-be for a nymphomaniac (Nadja Tiller) with a masochistic streak. He must wrest her away from an abusive relationship with a no-good lout (William Bendix). Even Robert Siodmak was embarrassed by the lunatic excesses of Rough and the Smooth, dismissing the film with "I've seen worse, but not much worse." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Herbert Wilcox wrapped up his long and prestigious film career as the director of Heart of a Man, which was produced by Wilcox' actress wife Anna Neagle. British teen idol Frankie Vaughn plays a sailor with a penchant for bursting into song. Vaughn has no intention of making a living as a vocalist, but a chance meeting with a whimsical hobo, coupled with a deepening relationship with nightclub thrush Anne Heywood, convinces Vaughn to go for the gold in the music world. In addition to enhancing the already successful career of Frankie Vaughn, Heart of a Man also gave a big boost to Anthony Newley, who popped up in a comic supporting role. As for producer Anna Neagle, this was the second and last of her Frankie Vaughn vehicles; after appearing in one more film (The Lady is a Square [59]) she followed her husband's lead and gracefully exited the British film industry. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Birthday Present is a bitter half-hour anecdote stretched to 100 minutes. Tony Britton plays a British toy salesman who purchases a watch for his wife's birthday while visiting the Continent. Not wishing to pay the customs duties, he hides the watch upon his return to England. Britton is caught with the goods, and his life is never the same afterwards. Intended as a slice of raw realism, Birthday Present plays more like a cautionary social studies film. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this mystery, a woman desiring to locate her missing employer engages the services of "The Toff," a suave amateur detective. Mayhem ensues until the detective reveals that the boss wanted to disappear so he could hide from the man behind an insurance fraud who wants to kill him. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi