John Junkin Movies

Testosterone and football combine to paint a violent portrait of middle-class England in director Nick Love's adrenaline-charged adaptation of John King's popular novel. Tommy is your typical twenty-something soccer fan; bored with life, in love with lager, and always looking for a little action from the ladies. Of course there's the fighting, too. When Tommy exchanges blows with a rival football fan and the situation quickly spins out of control, the thuggish sports fanatic is prompted to reconsider his brutal lifestyle and make a change for the better. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

In his second half-hour BBC special, the spectacularly clumsy and clueless Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) stumbles and bumbles his way through three brief, interrelated sketches. In "The Department Store," Bean manages to lose his credit card in another fellow's pocket. In "The Restaurant," the food is terrible -- and such small portions. And in "Royal Film," Bean prepares to meet the Royal Family while standing in a long, long line (frequent Mr. Bean supporting actress Tina Maskell makes a significant appearance at the end of this bit). Written by star Atkinson in collaboration with Richard Curtis and Robin Driscoll, "The Return of Mr. Bean" first aired in Britain on November 5, 1990, and in America on April 9, 1992. It has since been included in such video compilations as The Amazing Adventures of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 2. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this British drama, a teenager gets out of reform school and heads for a seaside vacation with three friends. Their fun is interrupted by a gang of Scottish punks who come to cause trouble. The two groups tangle, but eventually the hero is able to prove to his girl that he is a good fellow and win her heart. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Tom Bell starred in this six-part British miniseries as Frank Ross, a nasty career criminal freshly released from prison. Hardly the better for his experience, Ross was consumed with the desire to get even with the person responsible for his incarceration. The "hero" was surrounded by such equally odious characters as his unhinged wife Anne (Lynn Farleigh) and his lowlife buddies Chris (Brian Croucher) and Ralph (John Junkin). Out was broadcast by Thames Television from July 24 to August 28, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Britain's Confessions series, like the Carry On films, were episodic slapstickfests with emphasis on questionable taste. Based on an autobiographical novel by Timothy Lea, the film stars Robin Askwith as a feckless driving teacher named...Tom Lea. His customers range from inept to dangerous. Their "victims" include golfing dowagers, violinists and boy hikers. Somehow or other, a group of former borstal boys (reform school students) gets mixed up with Lea and his reckless charges. Chronologically, Confessions of a Driving Instructor was wedged between Confessions of a Window Cleaner (one of the few series entries to get an American release) and Confessions of Holiday Camp. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This children's fantasy is about the "Wombles," borrowed from a British TV series, who are furry creatures (actors in suits), normally invisible to anyone but themselves, and whose mission in life is to clean up after humans -- their first chore was to pick up the forgotten apple core in the Garden of Eden. The British Wombles know something is wrong when humans start to notice them, beginning with little Kim Frogmorton (Bonnie Langford) and then her parents. In a series of vignettes, Wombles alone, or humans alone, or both together handle disconnected misadventures -- such as saving the Womble burrow at Wimbledon, fighting against pollution, and moaning over adult topics like an oil shortage, and a theater shortage, for that matter. A few Wombles are professional beasties (such as Kenny Baker of R2-D2 fame), but for the most part, the scenarios are conventional and range from ordinary to insensitive. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Originating in the first half of the 20th century, the satirical "Beachcomber" column was a regular feature of the British periodical The Daily Express. Though initially written by D.B. Wyndham-Lewis, the column became most closely associated with J.P. Morton, whose surreal, stream-of-consciousness sense of humor influenced several generations of British comedians, among them the great Spike Milligan. It was, in fact, Milligan who brought Morton's zany musings to the TV screen in a weekly, half-hour comedy anthology, World of Beachcomber. In addition to Milligan, the series boasted such stellar guest performers as Michael Redgrave, Fred Emney, and Hattie Jacques, while among the writers was Barry Took, one of the prime movers of Monty Python's Flying Circus. Nineteen episodes of World of Beachcomber were telecast beginning January 22, 1968, and ending October 27, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Horror-film icon Christopher Lee guest stars in this Philip Levene-scripted Avengers episode. When British scientist Professor Stone (Lee), supposedly killed in an auto accident, suddenly shows up alive and healthy, Steed and Emma want to know why. Their curiosity is peaked when Stone subsequently survives 100,000 volts of electricity and an exploding artillery shell. The clues lead to a hush-hush government facility called the Neoteric Research Unit, whose director is that selfsame Professor Stone -- or is it merely his robotic duplicate? First broadcast in England on March 18, 1967, "Never, Never Say Die" was shown in America 13 days later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A cardsharp comes up with the ultimate system for beating the casinos at their own game in this high-style caper comedy. Barney Lincoln (Warren Beatty) is a footloose playboy with a taste for gambling and an ingenious scheme for winning at the leading casinos in Europe. Barney discovers that nearly all of the major gambling houses use playing cards manufactured by the same company; by breaking into their plant and subtly altering the printing plates, he's able to mark the cards with a code only he can read, and he is soon pulling in record winnings across the continent. However, Barney's secret is discovered by his girlfriend Angel McGinnis (Suzannah York), a successful fashion designer, which might not be a problem if her father, "Manny" McGinnis (Clive Revill) weren't a top inspector at Scotland Yard. Manny approaches Barney and makes him a deal -- he won't reveal his secret about the cards if Barney will help him catch Harry Dominion (Eric Porter), a high-level international drug trafficker. Unfortunately, Barney's sleuthing goes awry after a certain amount of initial success, and when Harry gets wind of what he's been doing, he retaliates by kidnapping Angel and demanding repayment of his loss of sales. Jane Birkin makes her screen debut in this film, appropriately enough as a character named "Exquisite Thing." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Horace Quilby (Michael Bentine) is a sandwich-board advertising man who gets a tour of London and sees some of the city's most offbeat and outrageous characters in this situation comedy. British blonde bombshell (Diana Dors) co-stars. Watch for Michael Chaplin (son of Charlie) as a beatnik artist. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

During the first worldwide flush of Beatlemania in 1964, United Artists wanted to ship out a movie with The Beatles before their vogue was over. Working within a tight $500,000 budget, director Richard Lester turned out A Hard Day's Night in a fast 6 1/2 weeks; the picture was in the theatres three months after shooting commenced. Using a variety of techniques cribbed from Hollywood slapstick comedies, the French "new wave" movement, and his own experiences as a TV-commercial director, Lester, with screenwriter Alun Owen, fashioned an exhilarating study of a "typical" 36 hours in the lives of the Fab Four. Onto a plot about getting to the Big Show on time are hung a series of instant-reaction gags, character vignettes, and musical setpieces. Much of the humor arises from Paul McCartney's efforts to keep his grandfather (Wilfred Brambell), a "clean old man," from getting into mischief. Also good for several laughs is the hookey-playing Ringo Starr, whose mistimed declaration of independence lands him in jail. We are also treated to a war of nerves between the unflappable John Lennon and an uptight TV director (Victor Spinelli), who worries that, should the Beatles not show up at broadcast time, he'll be demoted to "News In Welsh." George Harrison stars in a sequence in which he is mistaken for an auditionee by the producer (Kenneth Haigh) of a superficially trendy, teen-oriented TV weekly. Then there's Norman Rossington and John Junkin as The Beatles' managers, who carry on a battle royale simply because one man is taller than the other. The supporting cast includes comedienne Anna Quayle, cartoonist Bob Godfrey, TV host Robin Ray, dancer Lionel Blair, Harrison's future wife Patti Boyd, and director Lester himself. The songs include "I Should Have Known Better," "And I Love Her," "Tell Me Why," "If I Fell," "Can't Buy Me Love," and the title song. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When a gang of London thieves, disguised as policemen, begin robbing other thieves....well, that's just not cricket. Benevolent burglar Peter Sellers, the man in charge of all "respectable" crooks in town (he even offers such incentives as a vacation plan and filmed training sessions!), sets about to ascertain how the renegade criminals have received inside information concerning upcoming robberies. He arranges a temporary truce with Scotland Yard so that both criminal and constable can work together in nabbing the miscreants. Alas, he must now contend with incompetent peacekeeper Lionel Jeffries, who poses an even greater threat than the "mole" who's been tipping off the phony cops (who is closer to Sellers than he'd ever suspect). Short, simple and sweet, the black-and-white Wrong Arm of the Law manages to pack more solid laughs than any three of Sellers' later overproduced Technicolor vehicles combined. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This third film version of the Curt Siodmak scare piece Donovan's Brain stars Peter Van Eyck as an overly dedicated scientist. When a powerful and ruthless financier dies in a plane crash, Van Eyck keeps the tycoon's brain alive in his laboratory. Gradually, the brain takes over the doctor's mind, forcing him into all sorts of evil chicanery. In a twist not found in the Siodmak original, the brain compels Van Eyck to seek out the financier's murderer. Anne Heywood costars as the dead man's daughter. A strong mulinational supporting cast distinguishes this Anglo-German coproduction. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide