The 39 Steps 1935 N/R, 87 min. Genre: Mystery / Thriller aka: The Thirty-Nine Steps
Director: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: Madeleine Carroll, Robert Donat, Lucie Mannheim, Godfrey Tearle, Peggy Ashcroft, John Laurie, Peggy Simpson, Helen Haye, Frank Cellier, Wylie Watson, Gus McNaughton, Jerry Verno, Miles Malleson, John Turnbull, Frederick Piper
Canadian citizen Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) is visiting England when he goes to the Palladium where he sees an act starring "Mr. Memory" (Wylie Watson). In the middle of the show, a shot rings out, and Richard is approached by terrified Miss Annabelle Smith (Lucie Mannheim) who begs him to help her. She tells him that she is a British spy being targeted by international agents out to kill her. The next morning, Annabelle appears at Richard's door–dying from a knife wound, muttering "39 steps," and giving Richard a map. Richard uses the map that leads him to Scotland. He meets Pamela (Madeleine Carroll) on the trip to Scotland, and she ends up serving as his assistant when the two of them become involved in a world of espionage and murder.
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Action of the Tiger 1957 N/R, 94 min. Genre: Action
Director: Terence Young Cast: Van Johnson, Martine Carol, Herbert Lom, Anna Gerber, Sean Connery, Gustavo Rojo, Anthony Dawson, Yvonne Romain, Helen Haye, Jose Nieto
Albanian refugees are rescued by an American (Van Johnson) who will not be deterred in his mission of saving innocent lives.
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Anna Karenina 1948 N/R, 123 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Julien Duvivier Cast: Vivien Leigh, Ralph Richardson, Kieron Moore, Hugh Dempster, Mary Kerridge, Niall MacGinnis, Michael Gough, Martita Hunt, Sally Ann Howes, Helen Haye
Vivien Leigh plays the title role as the wife of a Russian nobleman (Ralph Richardson) who forsakes everything in hopes of finding happiness with Count Vronsky (Kieron Moore) in this version of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel.
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The Case of the Frightened Lady 1940 N/R, 80 min. Genre: Drama / Mystery
Director: George King Cast: Marius Goring, Helen Haye, Penelope Dudley-Ward, Patrick Barr, John Warwick, Felix Aylmer, Ronald Shiner, George Merritt, Torin Thatcher, Elizabeth Scott, Roy Emerton, George Hayes
Lord William Lebanon (Marius Goring) and his mother, Dowager Lady Lebanon (Helen Haye), share homicidal tendencies that run in their family. When the murdered body of chauffeur Studd (John Warwick) is found, Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Tanner (George Merritt) and Deputy Sergeant Totty (Ronald Shiner) step in and try to solve a very difficult case. Based on a stage play by Edgar Wallace.
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Conspirator 1949 N/R, 87 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Victor Saville Cast: Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, Robert Flemyng, Harold Warrender, Honor Blackman, Helen Haye, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Marjorie Fielding, Thora Hird, Karel Stepanek
This early Cold War story is about Major Michael Currah (Robert Taylor) who is caught selling information to Communists. His American wife, Melinda (Elizabeth Taylor), must deal with events as they close in around her.
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Fanny by Gaslight 1944 N/R, 102 min. Genre: Drama aka: Man of Evil
Director: Anthony Asquith Cast: Phyllis Calvert, James Mason, Wilfrid Lawson, Stewart Granger, Jean Kent, Helen Haye, Margaretta Scott, Nora Swinburne, Cathleen Nesbitt, John Laurie
Hard-drinking Lord Manderstoke (James Mason) falls for Fanny (Phyllis Calvert), and the influence he exerts threatens her chance for a happy life.
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Hobson's Choice 1954 N/R, 107 min. Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance
Director: David Lean Cast: Charles Laughton, John Mills, Brenda De Banzie, Prunella Scales, Daphne Anderson, Richard Wattis, Helen Haye, Joseph Tomelty, Raymond Huntley, John Laurie, Derek Blomfield, Julien Mitchell, Gibb McLaughlin, Philip Stainton, Dorothy Gordon
Henry Horatio Hobson (Charles Laughton) is a shoemaker with three independently thinking daughters–Maggie, Alice, and Vicky (Brenda De Banzie, Daphne Anderson, and Prunella Scales). Maggie proves a match for her stubborn father when she decides to marry Willie Mossop (John Mills) who is one of his employees. Next, Maggie encourages Alice and Vicky to choose their own husbands and ignore the directives of their father to not marry.
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Lilacs in the Spring 1954 N/R, 94 min. Genre: Family / Comedy / Romance / Fantasy aka: Let's Make Up
Director: Herbert Wilcox Cast: Anna Neagle, Errol Flynn, David Farrar, Kathleen Harrison, Peter Graves, Helen Haye, Alan Gifford, George Margo, Scott Sanders, Jennifer Mitchell, Sam Kydd, Stephen Boyd, Sean Connery
Following a head injury during a London air raid, Carole Beaumont (Anna Neagle) is knocked unconscious. She suffers identity problems while unconscious, and she seems to be King Charles' (David Farrar) courtesan Nell Gwyn (also played by Neagle). Later, while recovering at a country home, Carole loses consciousness again and appears to be Queen Victoria (also played by Neagle). Finally, Carole reprises her mother Lillian Grey's (also played by Neagle) life and is married to John Beaumont (Errol Flynn) who helps her find love and success on the stage.
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The Man in Grey 1943 N/R, 116 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Leslie Arliss Cast: Margaret Lockwood, Phyllis Calvert, James Mason, Stewart Granger, Helen Haye, Martita Hunt, Raymond Lovell, Nora Swinburne, Beatrice Varley, Amy Veness
Girlhood friends, Clarissa (Phyllis Calvert) and Hester (Margaret Lockwood) find tragedy awaits following the scheming of Hester for the affections of Clarissa's husband, the Marquis of Rohan (James Mason). This film did much to propel Mason to stardom.
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A Place of One's Own 1945 N/R, 92 min. Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Bernard Knowles Cast: Margaret Lockwood, James Mason, Barbara Mullen, Dennis Price, Helen Haye, Ernest Thesiger, Michael Shepley, Dulcie Gray, Moore Marriott, Gus McNaughton
Annette (Margaret Lockwood) works for the Smedhursts (James Mason and Barbara Mullen) at their haunted home and becomes possessed by the spirit of a former owner who was murdered.
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Richard III 1955 N/R, 158 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Laurence Olivier Cast: Laurence Olivier, Claire Bloom, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Cedric Hardwicke, Clive Morton, Mary Kerridge, Pamela Brown, Stanley Baker, Michael Gough, Nicholas Hannen, Helen Haye, Laurence Naismith, Norman Wooland, John Laurie
You cannot go wrong with this Shakespearean effort directed by and starring Laurence Olivier. This is the dark tale of ruthless Richard III (Olivier), murdering his way to his brother Edward's (Cedric Hardwicke) throne of England. Richard does become king but then must deal with Henry Tudor (Stanley Baker) and defend his realm at the Battle of Bosworth. At the battle field, Richard cries out, "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!" just before he is struck down. Olivier was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award.
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Sidewalks of London 1938 N/R, 85 min. Genre: Drama aka: St. Martin's Lane
Director: Tim Whelan Cast: Charles Laughton, Vivien Leigh, Rex Harrison, Larry Adler, Tyrone Guthrie, Gus McNaughton, Maire O'Neill, Bartlett Cormack, Edward Lexy, Basil Gill, Helen Haye, David Burns
Charles (Charles Laughton), a steet entertainer in the theater district of London, takes a street urchin, Libby (Vivien Leigh), under his wing and into his act as a dancer after learning that she was a petty thief. Harley (Rex Harrison) spots the talented Libby and eventually makes her into a star. Libby tries to repay Charles for his help, but Charles is happy where he is.
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The Skin Game 1931 N/R, 86 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: Edmund Gwenn, Jill Esmond, John Longden, C.V. France, Helen Haye, Phyllis Konstam, Frank Lawton, George Bancroft, Dora Gregory, Edward Chapman
Based on John Galworthy's play, this is the story of neighbors who cannot seem to get along. This was not one of Hitchcock's favorite films.
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Wings of the Morning 1937 N/R, 89 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Harold D. Schuster Cast: Annabella, Henry Fonda, John McCormack, Irene Vanbrugh, Philip Frost, Leslie Banks, Sam Livesey, Helen Haye, Evelyn Ankers
This is the first British attempt at filming in the process of Technicolor. Gypsies, horseracing, and a romance between Henry Fonda and Annabella don't add up to much, but the color is good.
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| 1. The 39 Steps (1935) aka: The Thirty-Nine Steps
2. Action of the Tiger (1957)
3. Anna Karenina (1948)
4. The Case of the Frightened Lady (1940)
5. Conspirator (1949)
6. Fanny by Gaslight (1944) aka: Man of Evil
7. Hobson's Choice (1954)
8. Lilacs in the Spring (1954) aka: Let's Make Up
9. The Man in Grey (1943)
10. A Place of One's Own (1945)
11. Richard III (1955)
12. Sidewalks of London (1938) aka: St. Martin's Lane
13. The Skin Game (1931)
14. Wings of the Morning (1937)
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