Anthony Pelissier Movies
The son of actress Fay Compton and producer Arthur Pelissier, London-born Anthony Pelissier began his own acting career in the 1930s. Finding stage directing more to his liking, Pelissier switched his base of operations to films in 1949. His finest movie directorial efforts were literally adaptations: H.G. Wells' The History of Mr. Polly (1949), D.H. Lawrence's The Rocking Horse Winner (1950) and Somerset Maugham's Encore (1950). Pelissier also turned out Tonight at 8:30 (1952), a stylish cinemazation of a Noel Coward theatrical piece (complete with descending curtains during the act-breaks). Leaving films in 1956, Anthony Pelissier went on to head the experimental production unit at BBC television (his bosses evidently forgave him for raking TV over the coals in the 1954 satire Meet Mr. Lucifer). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1956
In this British crime drama, an escaped killer heads for the French coast to find a mysterious treasure reportedly buried in a widow's mansion. The lonely widow is preparing to marry a man she doesn't love. Suddenly she begins receiving mysterious photos of her late spouse; they seem to suggest that he is alive. Frightened, she takes the pictures to the cops; they then implicate the fugitive and just as they get to the widow's mansion, they find the crook holding an invaluable statue of the Madonna. The cops inform the cornered thief that the statue is useless to him because no one will buy it from him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Sinden, Muriel Pavlow, (more)
- 1953
The star power of leading lady Gene Tierney enabled the British Personal Affair to get good bookings in the U.S. The story is set in motion by impulsive schoolgirl Barbara Vining (Glynis Johns), who develops a crush on teacher Stephen Barlow (Leo Genn). Barlow's wife Kay (Tierney) confronts Barbara, advising the girl to get over his misguided ardor. Shortly thereafter, Barbara completely disappears. All evidence suggests that she has either met with foul play, or at the very least has killed herself. With nothing but rumor and hearsay to go on, the Court of Public Opinion forms its own vituperative opinions, thoroughly ruining the lives of Stephen and Kay Barlow. In any other circumstances, the outcome of the film might be regarded as a happy ending. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Tierney, Leo Genn, (more)
- 1953
Though Meet Mr. Lucifer reads rather better than it plays, the film is still good for a few healthy laughs. Stanley Holloway plays Hollingsworth, an actor who is playing Lucifer in a stage production. While being hoisted through a trap door, Hollingsworth is knocked cold. While unconscious, he is replaced by the real Lucifer. Seeking about for a new form of deviltry to inflict upon the public, Lucifer comes up with the most hellish device of all: Television! The rest of the film details the effects that the boob tube has on otherwise normal, rational British citizens (there's even time for a swipe at 3D movies). Based on a play by Arnold Ridley, Meet Mr. Lucifer is enhanced by an all-star cast, including Peggy Cummins, Kay Kendall and Ernst Thesiger. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stanley Holloway, Peggy Cummins, (more)
- 1952
Meet Me Tonight was the American title for the British-filmed Tonight at 8:30, adapted from the Noel Coward stage production of the same name. Several rotating playlets were presented in the original Tonight at 8:30, most of them starring Coward and Gertrude Lawrence. The film version utilizes three of these short plays. "The Red Peppers" stars Kay Walsh and George Pepper as a brash music-hall team (their big number is "Has Anybody Seen our Ship") on the verge of splitting up. "Fumed Oak" stars Stanley Holloway as a man finagled into marriage by a domineering woman (Betty Ann Davies). And "Ways and Means" stars Valerie Hobson and Nigel Patrick as a pair of impoverished "professional guests" who have worn out the welcome of every wealthy host in Europe. Meet Me Tonight was given its American TV premiere on the ABC network in November of 1956, at which time its original title was restored. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1951
Night Without Stars was adapted by Winston Graham from his own novel. David Farrar stars as Giles Gordon, a blind, disillusioned Briton who whiles away his time on the French Riviera. Gordon falls in love with Alix Delaisse (Nadia Gray), the widow of a legendary French resistance leader. The romance encounters turbulence when it appears that Alix is involved with criminal activities. Regaining his sight in an operation, Gordon pretends that he's still blind, the better to find out whether or not Alix has been lying to him. When he's satisfied that she's been truthful all along, he begins gathering evidence to entrap the genuine culprits. American musical comedy star June Clyde makes an amusing appearance as a pixillated party girl. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Farrar, Nadia Gray, (more)
- 1951
The producers of Quartet and Trio concluded their cycle with this omnibus film, which features three stories based, as in the previous film, on tales by W. Somerset Maugham. "The Ant and the Grasshopper" concerns Tom Ramsey (Nigel Patrick), a fiscally unstable young man who is constantly borrowing money from his brother George (Roland Culver). Eventually, George falls on hard times and is forced to sell the family estate, just as Tom marries a wealthy woman and is in a position to purchase it. In "Winter Cruise," Miss Reid (Kay Walsh) is an aging spinster taking a voyage aboard a cargo ship. She has little to do but engage the others on board in conversation, which the passengers find so annoying that they arrange a ship-board romance for her with Pierre (Jacques Francois), a porter, in the hopes that it will keep her quiet. And "Gigolo and Gigolette" features Glynis Johns as Stella Cotman, whose husband Syd (Terence Morgan) earns his living as a performer in a high-wire act. Stella is terribly worried that Syd's risky profession will lead to his death, so she takes their life's savings to a casino in hopes of winning enough that he can retire. However, her plan hardly goes as she hoped. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nigel Patrick, Roland Culver, (more)
H. G. Wells' non-fantasy efforts have, with the exception of Kipps, proven traditionally difficult to transfer to film. History of Mr. Polly occasionally suffers from too-close fidelity to its Wellsian source; one wishes that adaptor/director Anthony Pelissier could have "opened up" the story a bit more. Still, the film is impeccably cast: particularly good is John Mills as Alfred Polly, whose efforts to make a go in the business world continually come acropper. A humble draper's clerk, Polly is profoundly affected by a variety of personal relationships, most notably with colorful Uncle Jim (Finlay Currie) and his nagging wife Miriam (Betty Ann Davies). Ultimately, he finds happiness in an even humbler pursuit than the drapery business. Star John Mills' daughter Juliet shows up in a very minor role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Mills, Sally Ann Howes, (more)
D.H. Lawrence's tragic fable The Rocking Horse Winner is faithfully transferred to the screen in this 1950 gem. John Howard Davies, the young star of Oliver Twist (and the future chief film editor at the BBC) plays sensitive lad Paul Grahame, whose selfish, grasping mother (Valerie Hobson) warps his values. When his mom once more whines over her lack of wealth, the boy retreats to his new Christmas present, a hobby horse. Having been taught to ride like a real jockey by kindly handyman Bassett (John Mills), Paul furiously bobs up and down on his horse, hoping to drive his mother's words out of his brain. Instead, Paul suddenly acquires the ability to pick the names of winning race horses. Capitalizing on her son's "gift," Paul's mother becomes fabulously wealthy, only to spend the money as quickly as it comes in. Thinking only of his mother's happiness, Paul continues to ride his magical horse, which results in more lucrative racetrack predictions. Before his mother can come to her senses, the boy takes one "ride" too many, dropping dead from the exhaustion. Though essentially a dark fantasy, The Rocking Horse Winner is rendered with utter credibility by writer/director Anthony Pelissier. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Valerie Hobson, John Howard Davies, (more)
- 1945
A couple's wartime separation provides an unexpected tonic for their romance in this drama. Robert and Catherine Wilson (Robert Donat and Deborah Kerr) are a married couple whose relationship has hit a dry patch; neither of them have much enthusiasm for each other, and when Robert is drafted into the Royal Navy during the war, they almost welcome the separation. Life in the Navy gives Robert a more easygoing outlook on life, especially after he has a brief fling with Elena (Anne Todd), a nurse who recently lost her husband. On the home front, Catherine makes friends with Dizzy (Glynis Johns), a free spirit who encourages her to smoke, wear makeup, and enjoy a dalliance of her own with a man named Richard (Roland Culver). After the end of the war, Robert and Catherine both dread their reunion, but each find that they're pleasantly surprised with the changes that time has brought to their mate. Perfect Strangers was also released under the highly appropriate title Vacation from Marriage. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Donat, Deborah Kerr, (more)
- 1938
In this romantic comedy, a humble country girl lives her life in the ramshackle mansion of her aged uncle. Feeling sorry for her "poor" relation and selflessly keeping him company until he dies, she is later shocked to learn that he has left her an enormous fortune. One might think such a windfall a dream come true, but not for the girl. Things immediagely go wrong when her fiance, the town doctor, wanting to focus on his career, refuses to abandon his patients and go galavanting across Europe. Angrily, she goes anyway and finds herself surrounded by gigolos more interested in her assets than in her perosonality. This causes her to reasses her new values and return to the man who loves her for herself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Merle Oberon, Rex Harrison, (more)
