The Battle of the River Plate 1956  N/R, 119 min.
Genre: Adventure / Action / Drama
aka: Pursuit of the Graf Spee
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast: John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, Peter Finch, Ian Hunter, Jack Gwillim, Bernard Lee, Lionel Murton, Anthony Bushell, Peter Illing, Michael Goodliffe, Christopher Lee, Peter Scott, Patrick Macnee, John Chandos, Douglas Wilmer
The Graf Spee, the Bismarck, the Scharnhorst, and the Gneissau were heavily armed German battleships that wreaked havoc on Atlantic shipping in the early stages of World War II. This is the story of outmanned British ships dealing with this threat, and the story is shown through both the German and the British perspectives. Good documentary-style film.
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Circus of Horrors 1960  N/R, 88 min.
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Sidney Hayers
Cast: Anton Diffring, Erika Remberg, Yvonne Monlaur, Donald Pleasence, Jane Hylton, Kenneth Griffith, Conrad Phillips, Jack Gwillim, Vanda Hudson, Yvonne Romain
A plastic surgeon (Anton Diffring) flees England after having terrible results with a socialite patient. He lands in France, changes his name, and obtains a traveling circus. He then seeks out disfigured women and makes them beautiful–if they will take various jobs in the circus and satisfy his perverse sexual needs. But, VERY bad things happen if one decides to leave the circus.
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 Clash of the Titans 1981  PG, 118 min.
Genre: Adventure / Fantasy
Director: Desmond Davis
Cast: Laurence Olivier, Harry Hamlin, Judi Bowker, Burgess Meredith, Claire Bloom, Maggie Smith, Ursula Andress, Jack Gwillim, Susan Fleetwood, Sian Phillips
This fantasy film is based on Greek mythology. Perseus (Harry Hamlin) is the mortal son of Zeus who is cast off when his mother angers his father. Once he reaches manhood, he learns that his destiny is to rescue the fair Andromeda by passing several tests, such as taming Pegasus and bringing back the head of Medusa. For now, the gods allowed human courage and daring, but they would be ever alert of the danger of humans' rising above the power of the gods. Great special effects.
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In Search of the Castaways 1962 G, 100 min.
Genre: Family / Adventure
Director: Robert Stevenson
Cast: Maurice Chevalier, Hayley Mills, George Sanders, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Michael Anderson Jr., Antonio Cifariello, Wilfrid Brambell, Jack Gwillim, Ronald Fraser, Norman Bird, Keith Hamshere, Inia Te Wiata, George Murcell, Mark Dignam, Michael Wynne
Based on Jules Verne's novel, this Disney film is about French scientist Jacques Paganel (Maurice Chevalier) who finds a note in a bottle that tells the location of long-missing Captain Grant (Jack Gwillim). Paganel and Grant's children, Mary and Robert (Hayley Mills and Keith Hamshere), set out on an adventure to South America in search of the missing sea captain. They encounter an avalanche, floods, wild animals, and a volcano while searching South America–only to find that they should be in Australia instead of South America. With help from former crew member Bill Gaye (Wilfrid Brambell), the children and Paganel finally accomplish their goal and find the missing captain.
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 Jason and the Argonauts 1963  G, 104 min.
Genre: Animation / Family / Adventure / Fantasy
aka: Jason and the Golden Fleece
Director: Don Chaffey
Cast: Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond, Laurence Naismith, Niall MacGinnis, Michael Gwynn, Douglas Wilmer, Jack Gwillim, Honor Blackman, John Cairney, Patrick Troughton, Andrew Faulds, Nigel Green
Master stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen really makes this a fantasy to watch. Based on Greek mythology, Jason (Todd Armstrong) is heir to the throne of Thessaly, but it is ordained that he must first return the magical Golden Fleece. Thus, under the protection of the goddess Hera, he and his crew set sail, encountering many obstacles along the way–including a seven-headed reptile, a 100-foot tall live statue, and an army of skeletons.
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A Man for All Seasons 1966  N/R, 120 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Cast: Paul Scofield, Wendy Hiller, Robert Shaw, Leo McKern, Orson Welles, Susannah York, Vanessa Redgrave, Nigel Davenport, John Hurt, Corin Redgrave, Colin Blakely, Cyril Luckham, Jack Gwillim, Thomas Heathcote
This historical epic of a turning point in English history centers on Catholic Cardinal Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield), who disputes Henry VIII's (Robert Shaw) desire to divorce Anne Boleyn. Once Henry sets himself up as head of his new Church of England, More stands up for his principles and resigns. This film won six Academy Awards; among them were Best Picture, Director, and Actor (Scofield). Wendy Hiller and Robert Shaw were also nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Actor.
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 A Midsummer Night's Dream 1959 N/R, 76 min.
Genre: Animation / Comedy
Director: Jiri Trnka
Cast: Richard Burton, Tom Criddle, Ann Bell, Michael Meacham, John Warner, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Hugh Manning, Josh Ackland, Alec McCowen, Stephen Moore, Barbara Jefford, Jack Gwillim, Roger Shepherd, Laura Graham
Shakespeare's play about star-crossed lovers is presented through Czechoslovakian Trnka's fascinating puppeteering. The English-language version is narrated by Richard Burton.
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Solomon and Sheba 1959 N/R, 139 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: King Vidor
Cast: Yul Brynner, Gina Lollobrigida, George Sanders, Marisa Pavan, David Farrar, John Crawford, Finlay Currie, Harry Andrews, Laurence Naismith, Jose Nieto, Alejandro Rey, Maruchi Fresno, William Devlin, Jack Gwillim, Julio Pena
Tyrone Power was working on this film in the role of Solomon when he died; Yul Brynner replaced him. The story is based on the Biblical epic of Sheba's (Gina Lollobrigida) seductive attempt to bring down Solomon's rule of Israel.
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Sword of Sherwood Forest 1960 N/R, 80 min.
Genre: Adventure
Director: Terence Fisher
Cast: Richard Greene, Peter Cushing, Niall MacGinnis, Richard Pasco, Nigel Green, Sarah Branch, Jack Gwillim, Desmond Llewelyn, Oliver Reed, Vanda Godsell
This sequel to the Robin Hood stories features Richard Greene as Robin Hood, who leads his "merry men" in the fight to protect the fair maid, Marian (Sarah Branch), from the clutches of the evil Earl of Newark (Richard Pasco).
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| 1. The Battle of the River Plate (1956)
aka: Pursuit of the Graf Spee
2. Circus of Horrors (1960)
3. Clash of the Titans (1981)
4. In Search of the Castaways (1962)
5. Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
aka: Jason and the Golden Fleece
6. A Man for All Seasons (1966)
7. A Midsummer Night's Dream (1959)
8. Solomon and Sheba (1959)
9. Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)
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