Peter Butterworth Movies

Not a remake of the landmark 1903 Edwin S. Porter film, The Great Train Robbery is a dramatization of the famous first hold-up of a moving train in 1855 England. The conspirators in this undertaking are Edward Pierce (Sean Connery), Agar (Donald Sutherland) and Clean Willy (Wayne Sleep). Pierce is the brains, Clean Willy the brawn, and safecracker Agar provides the finesse. The scheme involves stealing a shipment of gold bars intended to be used in the payroll for the Army in the Crimean War. Lesley Anne Down co-stars as Miriam, the woman on the outside who arranges Connery's getaway. When released in England, this film was titled The First Great Train Robbery, so as not to be confused with Britain's embarrassing 1963 railroad heist. Director Michael Crichton adapted the story from his own, more-clinical novel on the same subject. Filmed in Ireland, The Great Train Robbery was dedicated to the memory of its director of photography, Geoffrey Unsworth, who died shortly after the production wrapped. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

British sexploitation expert Derek Ford takes the helm for this raunchy comedy that is sure to quicken the pulse of men who like women in uniform. When Dr. Robert "Sweeney" Todd arrives to fill his post at a new hospital, he is shocked to see the lengths that the nurses go to in caring for their patients. Of course Dr. Todd is no prude, and it isn't long before he's joining in on all the lusty, after-hours fun. In the course of his erotic exploits, Dr. Todd makes it his mission to fully satisfy his boss' daughter Olivia even if it means putting in a little overtime. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Though the story told in Robin and Marian is unfamiliar to most audiences, it is actually quite faithful to several of the ancient Robin Hood legends. During the Crusades, Robin (Sean Connery) is still loyal to King Richard the Lionheart (Richard Harris), but even he has trouble adjusting to the monarch's ever-increasing paranoia and lunacy. After Richard's death, Robin returns to England, his first visit to his home turf in 20 years. He looks up his beloved Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn, last seen in 1967's Wait Until Dark), who is now a middle-aged nun. No sooner do Robin and Marian renew their relationship than the aging Merry Men demand Robin's services in thwarting their old foe, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw). Marian is aghast that the long-standing feud between Robin and the sheriff threatens to expand into wholesale bloodshed. The two venerable enemies agree to one last mano a mano battle -- only to watch helplessly as the all-out war they'd tried to avoid commences anyway. Both the tragic climax and Robin's last, defiant arrow shot are drawn directly from authentic Robin Hood ballads of the 14th and 15th centuries. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The British comedy group chalks up another few laughs as some folks attempt to camp out on the location of an archaeological dig. Unfortunately, the dig in question happens amid the busyness of the holiday season; matters grow more complicated when a sexy female Russian woman (Elke Sommer) joins in, and soon an oversized wolfhound and a mynah bird with a naughty turn of phrase become implicated, creating additional panic and chaos. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi

This threadbare "Carry On" comedy is set in the 18th century and concerns a fellow with a dual identity: by day, he's the Reverend Flasher; after dusk, he moonlights as the treacherous highwayman Dick Turpin. (Both are played by Sidney James). Dogooders Captain Desmond Fancey (Kenneth Williams) and Sgt. Jock Strapp (Jack Douglas) search for this elusive scoundrel who is robbing travelers every evening. Adding fool to the fire is Mme. Desiree (Joan Sims) and her entourage of doxies. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Bless This House is a feature-length spinoff of the British TV sitcom of the same name. The episodic nature of the film suggests that it was cobbled together from various half hours of the original series. Sidney James and Diana Coupland play the nonplussed owners of a "money pit" new home. Their misadventures involve fire, water, homemade booze, and angry neighbors. Most American viewers got their first chance to savor Bless This House when the featurized version was made available to cable TV in the early 1980s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This is the 20th feature in the successful "Carry On" series of bawdy slapstick comedies. Sidney Bliss (Sidney James) and his faithful assistant Sophie (Hattie Jacques) run a bogus matrimonial agency designed to unite people looking for love and romance. One couple never speaks a word in the film but are seen kissing in strange and familiar places. Three love-starved ladies offer their services to anyone who asks, and an excellent pie fight harkens back to the days of the classic silent comedies, with continual running gags and sexual innuendo permeating the film. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

The "Carry On" gravy train continues in this entry that registers high on the randiness and vulgarity levels. Sid Boggle (Sidney James) and his best pal Bernie Lugg (Bernard Bresslaw) take off for the holidays with their girlfriends Joan Fussey (Joan Sims) and Anthea meeks (Dilys Laye). The gals know that the boys are taking them camping -- what they don't know it that it is also a nudist camp. Once there they are attracted to other campers -- particularly a group of gals from the Chayste Place Finishing School. Sexual innuendoes and double entendres become the order of the day. . . and night. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

The Carry On gang carries on with this 17th entry in the gang's never-ending series of lowbrow British comedy films. This time the Carry On crowd spoofs the stiff-upper-lip, "defending-the-Empire" epics of an earlier era. Comic opera British troops are sent to the Khyber Pass to prevent the local citizenry from discovering what's under the kilts of the Scottish Devil's Regiment. Series regulars Sidney James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey and Joan Sims are put through their usual risque paces by their usual director Gerald Thomas. This stirring historical saga was followed by the equally inspiring 1970 epic Carry On, Up the Jungle. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Part of the "Carry On Series", this is a satire on the French Revolution in which Sidney James portrays the Black Fingernail, a rip-off Scarlet Pimpernel using double entendres and jokes of questionable taste and a wide variety of disguises to hid his identity. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi

In the ninth episode of the 12-part story "The Dalek Masterplan," the Meddling Monk (Peter Butterworth), a renegade Time Lord, unexpectedly offers to help the Doctor (William Hartnell) in his efforts to halt the Daleks' campaign of interplanetary destruction. More characteristically, however, the Monk double-crosses everyone at the first opportunity. Fortunately, Sara Kingdom (Jean Marsh) is on hand to duke it out with the Enemy (the Daleks, that is). Written by Dennis Spooner, "Golden Death" originally aired on January 8, 1966; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the eighth episode of the 12-part story "The Dalek Masterplan," the Doctor (William Hartnell) resumes his efforts to foil the mass-destruction schemes of the mutant Daleks. Unfortunately, he stymied by the unexpected appearance of his old enemy, the renegade Time Lord known as the Meddling Monk (Peter Butterworth). On another front, the Daleks, angrier than ever, step up their campaign of devastation. Written by Dennis Spooner, "Volcano" originally aired on January 1, 1966; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the third episode of the four-part story "The Time Meddler," the efforts of the Doctor (William Hartnell) to prevent a renegade Time Lord (Peter Butterworth) from altering the course of history in 11th century England are complicated when the TARDIS vanishes from sight. Sadly, there are even more pressing problems at hand: The Battle of Hastings has begun and the villain intends to disastrously redirect the outcome. Written by Dennis Spooner, Doctor Who: A Battle of Wits first aired on July 17, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi