Call Me Madam 1953 N/R, 114 min. Genre: Musical / Romance
Director: Walter Lang Cast: Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor, Vera-Ellen, George Sanders, Billy De Wolfe, Helmut Dantine, Walter Slezak, Steven Geray, Ludwig Stossel, Lilia Skala, Percy Helton, Charles Dingle, Emory Parnell, John Wengraf, Frank Gerstle
In this film adaptation of Irving Berlin's Broadway musical, Sally Adams (Ethel Merman)–"the hostess with the mostess"–is the U.S. Ambassador to Lichtenburg. While serving as ambassador, Sally falls in love with Foreign Minister Cosmo Constantine (George Sanders). Meanwhile, Sally's press attache, Kenneth Gibson (Donald O'Connor), attracts Princess Maria (Vera-Ellen). Songs of note in this celebrated film include "You're Just in Love" and "It's a Lovely Day Today." An Oscar was received for Best Musical Score.
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Edge of Darkness 1943 N/R, 120 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Lewis Milestone Cast: Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, Walter Huston, Nancy Coleman, Judith Anderson, Helmut Dantine, Ruth Gordon, Charles Dingle, John Beal, Monte Blue
Norwegian resistance fighters try to save their nation from Nazi invaders during World War II.
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Mrs. Miniver 1942 N/R, 135 min. Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: William Wyler Cast: Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Teresa Wright, Dame May Whitty, Henry Travers, Richard Ney, Reginald Owen, Miles Mander, Henry Wilcoxon, Rhys Williams, Mary Field, Brenda Forbes, Helmut Dantine, Tom Conway
Kay Miniver (Greer Garson) is the matriarch of a British family who holds things together as World War II closes in around them. While she tends to the children and her garden, her husband Clem (Walter Pigeon) takes part in the evacuation of Dunkirk. Meanwhile, German bombs are dropping on their peaceful village, and the eldest son Vin (Richard Ney) falls in love with upper-crust Carol (Teresa Wright). The family seems able to face the tragedies of the war, but will the war take its toll on their young love? This film was awarded the Oscar for Best Picture, Director (William Wyler), Actress (Garson), and Supporting Actress (Wright). It also won two more Oscars and was nominated for six others, including Best Actor (Pidgeon), Supporting Actor (Henry Travers), and Supporting Actress (Dame May Whitty).
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Northern Pursuit 1943 N/R, 93 min. Genre: Action
Director: Raoul Walsh Cast: Errol Flynn, Julie Bishop, Helmut Dantine, John Ridgely, Gene Lockhart, Tom Tully, Monte Blue, Bernard Nedell, Warren Douglas, Alec Craig
Canadian Mountie Steve Wagner (Errol Flynn) tracks down a Nazi pilot and breaks up an espionage ring operating in Canada.
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Operation Crossbow 1965 N/R, 116 min. Genre: Action / Drama aka: Code Name: Operation Crossbow The Great Spy Mission
Director: Michael Anderson Cast: Sophia Loren, George Peppard, Trevor Howard, John Mills, Richard Johnson, Tom Courtenay, Jeremy Kemp, Anthony Quayle, Lilli Palmer, Paul Henreid, Helmut Dantine, Richard Todd
British commandos set out on a mission to destroy Nazi missiles during World War II.
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The Stranger from Venus 1954 N/R, 75 min. Genre: Sci-Fi aka: Immediate Disaster The Venusian
Director: Burt Balaban Cast: Patricia Neal, Helmut Dantine, Derek Bond, Cyril Luckham, Willoughby Gray, Marigold Russell, Arthur Young, Stanley Van Beers, Kenneth Edwards, David Garth, Nigel Green, Graham Stuart
This semi-remake of the highly successful "The Day the Earth Stood Still" even has the same female lead: Patricia Neal. A representative from Venus (Helmut Dantine) comes to Earth to warn of the dangers to mankind inherent in nuclear weapons. He befriends Susan (Patricia Neal) who helps get his message out to a population that is not interested in hearing his warnings.
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War and Peace 1956 N/R, 208 min. Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: King Vidor Cast: Henry Fonda, Audrey Hepburn, Mel Ferrer, Herbert Lom, John Mills, Barry Jones, Vittorio Gassman, Anita Ekberg, Oskar Homolka, May Britt, Wilfrid Lawson, Helmut Dantine, Tullio Carminati, Milly Vitale, Anna-Maria Ferrero
Napoleon's invasion of Russia is the backdrop for this epic tale in which the Russian aristocracy, with its reverence for the church, is clearly brought out amidst the glamorous lifestyle. While Napoleon plans to invade Russia, Russian intellectual Pierre Bezukhov (Henry Fonda) falls in love with Natasha (Audrey Hepburn). But, after his father dies and he gains a large inheritance, Pierre marries Helene (Anita Ekberg). This proves to be a loveless marriage that ends quickly. Meanwhile, Napoleon has invaded Russia, and Pierre's friend Andrei (Mel Ferrer) is fighting in the war. Andrei returns home and falls in love with Natasha but returns to the battlefield and is critically wounded. Pierre witnesses the carnage and vows to kill Napoleon. The French are finally beaten, and, by story's end, Pierre is reunited with Natasha. King Vidor received an Oscar nomination for his directing.
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Watch on the Rhine 1943 N/R, 114 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Herman Schumlin Cast: Paul Lukas, Bette Davis, Lucile Watson, Donald Woods, George Coulouris, Henry Daniell, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Beulah Bondi, Helmut Dantine, Mary Young, Anthony Caruso, Clyde Fillmore, Erwin Kalser, Kurt Katch, Clarence Muse
This powerful film, made during the height of Hitler's terror, is about an anti-Nazi, underground worker (Paul Lukas) and his wife (Bette Davis) who, while visiting in America, find that their lives are in danger. This is a good film adaptation of Lillian Hellman's play. Lukas won the Best Actor Oscar and nominations were received for Best Picture, Supporting Actress (Lucile Watson), and Writing-Screenplay (Dashiell Hammett).
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The Wilby Conspiracy 1975 PG, 101 min. Genre: Action / Thriller
Director: Ralph Nelson Cast: Sidney Poitier, Michael Caine, Nicol Williamson, Prunella Gee, Persis Khambatta, Saeed Jaffrey, Rutger Hauer, Rijk de Gooyer, Patrick Allen, Joe De Graft, Archie Duncan, Helmut Dantine
Political agitator Shack Twala (Sidney Poitier) joins forces with Jim Keogh (Michael Caine) to escape South Africa's apartheid government and the police.
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| 1. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
2. Call Me Madam (1953)
3. Edge of Darkness (1943)
4. Mrs. Miniver (1942)
5. Northern Pursuit (1943)
6. Operation Crossbow (1965) aka: Code Name: Operation Crossbow aka: The Great Spy Mission
7. The Stranger from Venus (1954) aka: Immediate Disaster aka: The Venusian
8. War and Peace (1956)
9. Watch on the Rhine (1943)
10. The Wilby Conspiracy (1975)
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