Jeremy Burnham Movies

Aimed at the ten- to 15-year-old demographic, this six-episode British series offered an entertaining if not entirely accurate overview of celebrated comedian Charlie Chaplin's formative years. Though fairly explicit in detailing the alcoholism of Chaplin's music hall headliner father Charles Chaplin Sr. (Ian McShane) and the mental illness of Charlie's mother Hannah (Twiggy), the series had a predilection for broad, unsubtle comedy, suggesting that the Chaplin family's various tiltings with landlords, policemen, and orphanage officials were actually "dress rehearsals" for Charlie's famous two-reel comedy films (one sequence with David Kossoff was a virtual carbon copy of Chaplin's 1916 short The Pawnshop). Also, the chronology of events was sometimes fuzzy or misleading, especially concerning such famous Chaplin associates as vaudeville entrepreneur Fred Karno and fellow comic Stan Laurel. Otherwise, Joe Geary was excellent in the title role, as was Lee Whitlock as Charlie's protective half-brother Sydney. Originally telecast in England beginning on January 25, 1989, Young Charlie Chaplin was subsequently seen in America as part of the PBS Wonderworks anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Comedy combines with tragedy in acclaimed playwright Anton Chekhov's dramatic breakthrough concerning an aspiring writer who harbors dreams of transforming the theatrical experience. As friends and family gather at a remote country estate to attend the premiere performance of fledgling writer/producer Konstantin (Frank Langella)'s latest experimental play, the presence of his self-absorbed mother and her high profile lover Trigorin not only shifts the focus away from the production, but also changes the lives of all who attend. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A legendary Jack the Ripper-type killer named the Gaslight Ghoul has apparently returned from the dead. Using the London fog as his cover, the Ghoul is systematically bumping off members of a world disarmament conference. Steed and Tara investigate this phenomenon, only to find themselves on the venerable murderer's hit list. Written by frequent Avengers guest star Jeremy Burnham, "Fog" made its British TV bow on March 12, 1969; it had previously aired in America that same year, on February 17. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Someone is leaking confidential information from a top-secret missile department. The culprit would seem to be a beautiful woman (Veronica Strong) who has systematically seduced several department members -- all of whom subsequently turned up dead, after displaying some rather bizarre behavior. Upon investigating, Steed and Tara must follow a flimsy trail of evidence, consisting merely of an intoxicating perfume fragrance. Written by actor Jeremy Burnham, "Love All" was first telecast in America on February 3, 1969, then shown in England 16 days later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Filmed during the production break between the sixth and seventh season of The Avengers, this episode served as the swan song for Emma Peel (Diana Rigg). . .and as an introduction to novice secret agent Tara King (Linda Thorson) (Though, technically, it was not the first episode in which she appeared). On this occasion, Tara assists Steed and Emma as they try to flush out a traitor in their midst. The episode's "gimmick" is a drug which induces amnesia -- and also a loose tongue. The final scene, in which Emma turns over the reins to Tara, is a classic. According to some sources, "The Forget-Me-Knot," written by Brian Clemens, was first shown in England on September 25, 1968, while other sources list January 12, 1969, as its first airdate. Be that as it may, the episode actually debuted on American television on March 20, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The gap between the British and American telecast of the individual Avengers episodes narrowed considerably during the series' fifth season; this episode appeared on American television a scant six days after its British TV debut. Steed and Peel investigate the mysterious deaths of several top figures in the ceramics business. It turns out that all of the victims were literally frightened to death. . .and guess which leather-clad female secret agent is next on the villains' "scare" list. Written by Philip Levene, "The Fear Merchants" features a choice performance by Patrick Cargill, best known to American viewers for his work in the Beatles' theatrical film Help! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Diana Rigg made her first Avengers appearance as lissome "amateur agent" Emma Peel in this episode, which was originally broadcast on October 2, 1965. Written by Brian Clemens, the episode takes place in the village of Little Bazeley by the Sea, where several agents have vanished without a trace. Steed and Emma head to the tiny community, where they meet a wall of resistance from the locals. . .and a potentially horrible death during a nocturnal badger hunt. Scattered prints still exist of the unbroadcast version of this episode, in which Elizabeth Berridge played Emma. Curiously, "Town of No Return" was not the first Avengers installment to be telecast in America; instead, it was shown as the 21st in the series, on September 1, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this WW II drama, a captain attempts to navigate his Italian submarine through enemy waters. He is stalked by a British commander assigned to destroy the sub. The Italian captain somehow succeeds in getting into neutral waters and is granted permission to stay there a fortnight. The British commander also stays in Tangiers so he can monitor the Italian. During their stay, the two agree not to fight and gradually come to respect each other. Meanwhile an intelligence officer, tries to upset the careful balance between the men. He uses the Italian's lover to get him to make a move. It works, and the Italian accuses his girl of spying and leaves the safety of port. The British commander follows and ends up losing his ship to the Italian's torpedoes. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A father discovers that being a good role model for your son isn't always easy -- especially when you're a criminal -- in this bright British comedy. Percy Brand (Michael Redgrave) is an all-purpose con artist and small-time crook who makes a good living on the wrong side of the law but often finds himself behind bars as a result. Not wanting to present too bad an example to his son and needing an explanation for his frequent time away, he tells young Colin (Jeremy Burnham) that he's a missionary working with a religious group, and his good deeds take him all over the world on sudden missions of mercy. Colin accepts his father's word to the letter, and he grows up to be a law-abiding citizen who works as a barrister for Judge Crichton (Robert Morley), who has had to deal with Percy a number of times over the years. By this time, Percy has retired to a village by the ocean and is living nicely off his ill-gotten gains, but he gets roped into a scheme smuggling brandy and soon finds himself in trouble with the law again. Rather than go back to the pokey (and embarrass Colin), Percy and his mates concoct a bizarre plan by which they'll implicate Judge Crichton in the smuggling and send him to jail in their place. Director Charles Crichton directed a number of fine British comedies, right up to his final picture, A Fish Called Wanda, which he completed at the age of 78. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Francoise Sagan's bittersweet novel Bonjour Tristesse is given a sumptuous Riviera-filmed screen treatment. David Niven plays a wealthy playboy, the father of teenaged libertine-in-the-making Jean Seberg. Seberg tolerates most of her father's mistresses, but doesn't know what to make of the prudish Deborah Kerr, who will not cohabit with Niven until after they're married. Feeling that her own relation with her father will be disrupted by Kerr's presence, Seberg does her malicious best to break up the relationship--only to be beaten to the punch by Niven, who despite his promises of fidelity to Kerr cannot give up his hedonistic lifestyle. The combination of the daughter's disdain and the father's rakishness drive Kerr to suicide. Niven and Seberg continue pursuing their lavish but empty lifestyle, though both realize that their lack of moral fibre has destroyed a life. The incestuous undertones of the original Sagan novel are only slightly downplayed in the film version; the "tristesse" (sadness) is visually conveyed by filming the Deborah Kerr flashback scenes in color and the opening and closing of the film in bleak black and white. Bonjour Tristesse was codirected by Otto Preminger, who'd previously discovered Jean Seberg for his benighted 1957 filmization of Saint Joan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide