49th Parallel 1941 N/R, 122 min. Genre: Drama aka: The Invaders Forty-Ninth Parallel
Director: Michael Powell Cast: Laurence Olivier, Leslie Howard, Glynis Johns, Anton Walbrook, Eric Portman, Raymond Massey, Niall MacGinnis, Finlay Currie, Raymond Lovell, John Chandos, Charles Victor, Frederick Piper
When a German U-Boat is sunk off the coast of Canada, six crewmembers reach shore and start on a terrifying journey to neutral territory in America. This propaganda film depicts Nazis in the worst possible light and was a tool to aid the war effort.
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Alexander the Great 1956 N/R, 143 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Robert Rossen Cast: Richard Burton, Fredric March, Claire Bloom, Danielle Darrieux, Barry Jones, Harry Andrews, Stanley Baker, Niall MacGinnis, Peter Cushing, Michael Hordern
Alexander (Richard Burton) ascends to the throne of Macedonia after his mother (Danielle Darrieux) has the king assassinated. Thus begins the wars that put Alexander at the head of most of the known world and ends with his death in 323 BC at the age of 32. The film concentrates on his battles, and CinemaScope photography aids in the realism. Good cast with so-so results.
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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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Becket 1964 N/R, 148 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Peter Glenville Cast: Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, Donald Wolfit, John Gielgud, Pamela Brown, Martita Hunt, Sian Phillips, Paolo Stoppa, Gino Cervi, Felix Aylmer, David Weston, Percy Herbert, Christopher Rhodes, Inigo Jackson, Niall MacGinnis
Twelfth-century England is the setting for this insightful story. It involves the long friendship between King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) and Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Richard Burton). Their friendship reaches a crisis when Becket must choose between his duties to God as Archbishop and his loyalties to the King. Among the several Academy Award nominations were Best Picture, Director, Actor (both Burton and O'Toole), and Supporting Actor (John Gielgud for his role as King Louis VII of France).
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Betrayed 1954 N/R, 107 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Gottfried Reinhardt Cast: Clark Gable, Lana Turner, Victor Mature, Louis Calhern, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Ian Carmichael, O.E. Hasse, Niall MacGinnis, Nora Swinburne, Roland Culver, Leslie Weston, Christopher Rhodes
Dutch intelligence officer Colonel Pieter Deventer (Clark Gable) has his work cut out for him in uncovering a Nazi traitor during World War II.
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Billy Budd 1962 N/R, 119 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Peter Ustinov Cast: Robert Ryan, Peter Ustinov, Melvyn Douglas, Terence Stamp, Paul Rogers, John Neville, Lee Montague, Niall MacGinnis, John Meillon, David McCallum
Herman Melville's allegory is brought to the screen with Terence Stamp as Billy Budd, the young seaman who kills a cruel officer and then must pay the consequences.
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Darling Lili 1970 G, 139 min. Genre: Musical / Drama
Director: Blake Edwards Cast: Julie Andrews, Rock Hudson, Jeremy Kemp, Michael Witney, Lance Percival, Jacques Marin, Andre Maranne, Niall MacGinnis, Vernon Dobtcheff, Gloria Paul, Bernard Kay, Doreen Keogh, Carl Duering, Laurie Main, Louis Mercier
This story about World War I espionage features Julie Andrews in the role of Lili. Posing as a British music hall singer, Lili is really a German spy whose assignment is to uncover enemy plans. Her mission is jeopardized when she falls in love with handsome American pilot, Major William Larrabee (Rock Hudson), and, as a result, she puts both of their lives in danger when William realizes her secret but does not tell the authorities.
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The Edge of the World 1937 N/R, 80 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Michael Powell Cast: John Laurie, Belle Chrystall, Eric Berry, Kitty Kirwan, Finlay Currie, Niall MacGinnis, Grant Sutherland, Campbell Robson, George Summers, Michael Powell
Fishing is no longer successful, and, as its economy dies, citizens leave a Shetland island fishing port and move to the mainland. Three friends are among the remaining population; this is their story.
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Hamlet 1948 N/R, 153 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Laurence Olivier Cast: Laurence Olivier, Basil Sydney, Eileen Herlie, Jean Simmons, Felix Aylmer, Norman Wooland, Terence Morgan, Peter Cushing, Stanley Holloway, John Laurie, Esmond Knight, Anthony Quayle, Niall MacGinnis, Harcourt Williams, Christopher Lee
This film represents Laurence Olivier at his best starring as the melancholy Dane, Prince Hamlet. Soon after his father's death, Hamlet's mother, Queen Gertrude (Eileen Herlie), marries her brother-in-law Claudius (Basil Sydney). Now his father's ghost returns to speak to Hamlet and tells him that his own brother Claudius murdered him. He wants Hamlet to be kind to Gertrude but to kill Claudius. Hamlet vows to avenge his death and fakes madness to accomplish that goal. His acts lead to the end of several lives–including Claudius, Gertrude, Hamlet's chief counselor Polonius (Felix Almer) and Polonius' daughter Ophelia (Jean Simmons) who loves Hamlet, and, finally, Hamlet. There was a well-deserved Best Actor Oscar presented to Olivier. The film also won Oscars for Best Picture, Art Direction/Set Decoration, and Costume Design. Olivier also received a nomination for Best Director, and Simmons was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.
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Helen of Troy 1956 N/R, 118 min. Genre: Adventure
Director: Robert Wise Cast: Rossana Podesta, Jacques Sernas, Cedric Hardwicke, Stanley Baker, Niall MacGinnis, Nora Swinburne, Robert Douglas, Torin Thatcher, Harry Andrews, Janette Scott, Brigitte Bardot, Marc Lawrence
The Trojan Prince, Paris (Jacques Sernas), abducts the willing Queen Helena (Rossana Podesta) from Sparta and sails away with her; thus, begins the Trojan War. 1 User Review
| User Review |
| | an underrated classic | gene43 04/25/2007 | | I first saw HELEN OF TROY as a 13 year old and was enthralled. After viewing it recently on DVD I find it has lost none of it's magical powers. It was the only 'ancient spectacle' of the '50s that possesed not only spectacle and charm but also a highly romantisized atmosphere of this ancient world. And without Max Steiners PERFECT score, this couldn't have been achieved. |
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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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Kidnapped 1960 N/R, 97 min. Genre: Family / Drama / Adventure
Director: Robert Stevenson Cast: Peter Finch, James MacArthur, Bernard Lee, Niall MacGinnis, John Laurie, Finlay Currie, Peter O'Toole, Miles Malleson, Oliver Johnston, Andrew Cruickshank
This Disney film is based on the Robert Louis Stevenson tale of David Balfour (James MacArthur) who inherits a fortune and is kidnapped by his evil uncle. David teams up with Alan Breck Stewart (Peter Finch) and the duo travels across Scotland in an attempt to regain what is rightfully his.
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Knights of the Round Table 1953 N/R, 115 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Richard Thorpe Cast: Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Mel Ferrer, Anne Crawford, Stanley Baker, Felix Aylmer, Maureen Swanson, Gabriel Woolf, Niall MacGinnis, Robert Urquhart
This early CinemaScope film takes advantage of that format in its attractive photography and costuming. Robert Taylor plays Sir Lancelot, King Arthur's (Mel Ferrer) trusted knight. Ava Gardner is Queen Guineviere, who falls in love with Lancelot. This romance causes major problems in Camelot.
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Krakatoa, East of Java 1969 G, 130 min. Genre: Action aka: Volcano
Director: Bernard L. Kowalski Cast: Maximilian Schell, Diane Baker, Brian Keith, Barbara Werle, John Leyton, Sal Mineo, J.D. Cannon, Rossano Brazzi, Marc Lawrence, Jacqui Chan, Geoffrey Holder, Niall MacGinnis
In 1883, the volcanic island of Krakatoa exploded, sending shock waves several times around the Earth and causing thousands of deaths from fires and tidal waves. This action film uses the explosion as a background for its story of a ship that heads to the island in search of sunken treasure with an assorted collection of people on board, including criminals being taken to prison. Excellent special effects help make this watchable. Rereleased with a new name, perhaps due to the fact that Krakatoa is west of Java rather than east.
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Lust for Life 1956 N/R, 122 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Vincente Minnelli Cast: Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, Everett Sloane, Niall MacGinnis, Jill Bennett, Eric Pohlmann, James Donald, Pamela Brown, Henry Daniell, Lionel Jeffries, Noel Purcell, Madge Kennedy, Laurence Naismith, Jeannette Sterke, Toni Gerry
Vincent Van Gogh (Kirk Douglas) led an artistically creative life marked by periods of insanity. This is the story of his genius, which ended in suicide. Anthony Quinn won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Paul Gauguin, and Kirk Douglas was nominated for Best Actor.
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Martin Luther 1953 N/R, 105 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Irving Pichel Cast: Niall MacGinnis, John Ruddock, Pierre Lefevre, Guy Verney, Alastair Hunter, David Horne, Fred Johnson, Philip Leaver, Egon Strohm, Irving Pichel, Heinz Piper, Leonard White, Annette Carell, Alexander Gauge, Henry Oscar
In this well-made biography that was filmed in West Germany, Niall MacGinnis takes on the role of the 16th-century priest Martin Luther who left the Catholic Church and started a new religious movement: the Reformation. As a priest, Luther is not impressed with holy relics and believes that truth can be found in faith, "The just shall live by faith alone." Luther publishes his ideas on freedom, and, in 1520, Pope Leo excommunicates him. During his period in exile, Luther translates "The New Testament." A highlight of the film is Luther's "Here I Stand" speech.
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Night of the Demon 1957 N/R, 82 min. Genre: Horror / Thriller aka: Curse of the Demon
Director: Jacques Tourneur Cast: Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis, Maurice Denham, Athene Seyler, Liam Redmond, Reginald Beckwith, Ewan Roberts, Peter Elliott, Rosamund Greenwood
American psychologist Dr. John Holden (Dana Andrews) heads to London to attend a symposium aimed at exposing a witchcraft/devil-worshipping cult as a fraud. Upon arrival, he is advised that the symposium leader has died unexpectedly. The cult leader (Niall MacGinnis) is now out to get the good doctor who has his hands full since, indeed, a demon can be summoned.
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No Highway in the Sky 1951 N/R, 99 min. Genre: Drama aka: No Highway
Director: Henry Koster Cast: James Stewart, Marlene Dietrich, Glynis Johns, Janette Scott, Jack Hawkins, Ronald Squire, Niall MacGinnis, Elizabeth Allan, Kenneth More, David Hutcheson
While on a flight, an engineer (James Stewart) becomes concerned that the tail of the aircraft is about to fall off due to metal fatigue. Now, he must convince those in control of the impending disaster.
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The Nun's Story 1959 N/R, 149 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Fred Zinnemann Cast: Audrey Hepburn, Peter Finch, Edith Evans, Dean Jagger, Peggy Ashcroft, Mildred Dunnock, Beatrice Straight, Lionel Jeffries, Colleen Dewhurst, Niall MacGinnis
Sister Luke (Audrey Hepburn) discovers that she is not prepared to serve the church after the Nazis murder her father. She simply cannot forgive them. The film received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Actress, and Director.
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Sinful Davey 1969 PG, 95 min. Genre: Drama
Director: John Huston Cast: John Hurt, Pamela Franklin, Nigel Davenport, Ronald Fraser, Robert Morley, Maxine Audley, Donal McCann, Allan Cuthbertson, Anjelica Huston, Niall MacGinnis
This offbeat comedy/drama is set in 19th-century Scotland and is a love story about a highwayman (John Hurt) who is reformed by a young, innocent girl (Pamela Franklin). Look fast for Angelica Huston in her screen debut.
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The Spy Who Came in from the Cold 1965 N/R, 112 min. Genre: Drama / Thriller
Director: Martin Ritt Cast: Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Oskar Werner, Peter van Eyck, Sam Wanamaker, George Voskovec, Rupert Davies, Cyril Cusack, Michael Hordern, Bernard Lee, Robert Handy, Esmond Knight, Niall MacGinnis, Beatrix Lehmann, Tom Stern
Alec Leamas (Richard Burton) is a disillusioned British spy in Berlin and tries to ruin the career of a dangerous spy, Hans-Dieter Mundt (Peter van Eyck), who serves the Secret Service of East Germany. Leamas' method is to infiltrate the East German organization. This is a good account of John Le Carre's book, and Burton received an Oscar nomination.
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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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A Terrible Beauty 1960 N/R, 90 min. Genre: Drama aka: Night Fighters
Director: Tay Garnett Cast: Robert Mitchum, Anne Heywood, Dan O'Herlihy, Cyril Cusack, Richard Harris, Marianne Benet, Niall MacGinnis, Harry Brogan, T.P. McKenna, Christopher Rhodes
This film involves a behind-the-scenes look at recruiting and sabotage efforts of the Irish Republican Army.
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Torture Garden 1967 N/R, 92 min. Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Freddie Francis Cast: Jack Palance, Burgess Meredith, Beverly Adams, Peter Cushing, Barbara Ewing, Michael Bryant, Maurice Denham, John Standing, Robert Hutton, John Phillips, Michael Ripper, Bernard Kay, Catherine Finn, Niall MacGinnis, Ursula Howells
During his circus sideshow performance, Dr. Diablo (Burgess Meredith) proclaims, "I've promised you horror...and I intend to keep that promise!" Four separate horror episodes ensue. In "Enoch," a greedy playboy (Michael Bryant) makes sure he gets his inheritance by obeying a talking cat, Balthaza. The second story, "Terror over Hollywood," involves an actress (Beverly Adams) falling in love with a leading man (Robert Hutton) only to learn that he has been turned into a robot, and the same fate lies in store for her. In "Mr. Steinway," a journalist (Barbara Ewing) interviews a concert pianist (John Standing) whose piano is possessed. Finally, in "The Man Who Collected Poe," a collector (Jack Palance) visits a fellow collector (Peter Cushing) and learns that he has brought Edgar Allan Poe back to life, and he is writing stories in the basement.
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The Viking Queen 1967 N/R, 91 min. Genre: Adventure
Director: Don Chaffey Cast: Don Murray, Carita, Donald Houston, Andrew Keir, Adrienne Corri, Niall MacGinnis, Wilfrid Lawson, Nicola Pagett, Percy Herbert, Patrick Troughton, Sean Caffrey, Denis Shaw
In the first century, Queen Salina (Carita) rules the native Britons after the death of her father, King Priam. She honors his deathbed wish that she share her rule with Roman Governor Justinian (Don Murray) in order to maintain peace. All goes well–until Justinian and Salina fall in love, and enemies on both sides come to the fore.
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The War Lord 1965 N/R, 130 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Franklin J. Schaffner Cast: Charlton Heston, Richard Boone, Rosemary Forsyth, Maurice Evans, Guy Stockwell, James Farentino, Allen Jaffe, Henry Wilcoxon, Niall MacGinnis, Woodrow Parfrey
Chrysagon (Charlton Heston) is a powerful 11th-century warlord who fights for the Duke of Normandy to protect the coast from invaders and ends up with the beautiful Bronwyn (Rosemary Forsyth). 1 User Review
| User Review |
| | One of the Best Medieval Times Knight Movies Ever | Anonymous 03/17/2007 | | A Charlton Heston Classic that is no longer available on VHS or DvD (I guess you had to grab it fast when it was available) |
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We Dive at Dawn 1943 N/R, 98 min. Genre: Action / Adventure / Drama
Director: Anthony Asquith Cast: John Mills, Louis Bradfield, Eric Portman, Ronald Millar, Jack Watling, Reginald Purdell, Niall MacGinnis, Caven Watson, Leslie Weston, Norman Williams, Lionel Grose, David Peel, Robb Wilton, Philip Godfrey, Walter Gotell
The crew of the British submarine Sea Tiger is on leave after a lengthy war patrol when it is recalled to conduct a secret mission after the Sea Tiger captain, Lt. Freddie Taylor (John Mills), receives orders to locate and destroy a new German battleship. The adventures are many in this rousing tale–including seaman James Hobson's (Eric Portman) plot to put on a German soldier's uniform and search for a tanker from which the Sea Tiger can refuel.
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| 1. 49th Parallel (1941) aka: The Invaders aka: Forty-Ninth Parallel
2. Alexander the Great (1956)
3. Anna Karenina (1948)
4. Becket (1964)
5. Betrayed (1954)
6. Billy Budd (1962)
7. Darling Lili (1970)
8. The Edge of the World (1937)
9. Hamlet (1948)
10. Helen of Troy (1956)
11. Hell Below Zero (1954)
12. Island of Terror (1966)
13. Jason and the Argonauts (1963) aka: Jason and the Golden Fleece
14. Kidnapped (1960)
15. Knights of the Round Table (1953)
16. Krakatoa, East of Java (1969) aka: Volcano
17. Lust for Life (1956)
18. Martin Luther (1953)
19. Night of the Demon (1957) aka: Curse of the Demon
20. No Highway in the Sky (1951) aka: No Highway
21. The Nun's Story (1959)
22. Sinful Davey (1969)
23. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
24. Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)
25. Tarzan's Greatest Adventure (1959)
26. A Terrible Beauty (1960) aka: Night Fighters
27. Torture Garden (1967)
28. The Viking Queen (1967)
29. The War Lord (1965)
30. We Dive at Dawn (1943)
In The News
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