 El Cid 1961  N/R, 185 min.
Genre: Adventure / Drama / Romance
Director: Anthony Mann
Cast: Charlton Heston, Sophia Loren, Raf Vallone, John Fraser, Genevieve Page, Gary Raymond, Herbert Lom, Massimo Serato, Douglas Wilmer, Frank Thring, Hurd Hatfield, Michael Hordern, Andrew Cruickshank, Ralph Truman, Tullio Carminati
This is the story of the 11th-century Spanish hero, El Cid (Charlton Heston), and his fight to force the Moors out of his homeland. El Cid is estranged from his wife Chimene (Sophia Loren) after he kills her father Count Gormaz (Andrew Cruickshank) in a duel, and she enters a convent. King Ferdinand (Ralph Truman) dies, and Spain is divided between the Moors and the Christians. King Alphonso (John Fraser) exiles El Cid, and, now, Chimene reconciles with him. El Cid becomes an honored warrior fighting to drive the Moors from Spain–which, ultimately, will be a fight to the death.
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The Golden Coach 1952  N/R, 105 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Jean Renoir
Cast: Anna Magnani, Odoardo Spadaro, Nada Fiorelli, Dante, Duncan Lamont, George Higgins, Ralph Truman, Gisella Mathews, Riccardo Rioli, Paul Campbell
Set in 18th-century Peru, this story revolves around an actress, Camilla (Anna Magnani), and her contemplated decision about three suitors who have offered her very different lifestyles. A young officer, Filipe (Paul Campbell), will give her the chance to live among the Indians; proud bullfighter Ramon (Riccardo Rioli) will share his glory; and the Viceroy Ferdinand (Duncan Lamont) will make a present of his beautiful golden coach. An excellent film.
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Henry V 1944  N/R, 153 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Laurence Olivier
Cast: Laurence Olivier, Robert Newton, Leslie Banks, Renee Asherson, Esmond Knight, Leo Genn, Felix Aylmer, Ernest Thesiger, Robert Helpmann, Ralph Truman, Griffith Jones, Morland Graham, Nicholas Hannen, Roy Emerton, Freda Jackson
No one can beat Sir Laurence Olivier when it comes to directing and acting in Shakespearean plays. In this film, he does both and scores a brilliant production hit. This version of "Henry V" centers on the 1415 battle of Agincourt where the English defeated the French. The film was nominated for several Oscars, including Best Picture and Actor. Olivier received an honorary Oscar for his achievement as actor, producer, and director for the film.
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The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby 1982 TV, 510 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: John Caird, Jim Goddard, Trevor Nunn
Cast: Roger Rees, Emily Richard, David Threlfall, John Woodvine, Jane Downs, Alun Armstrong, Ian McNeice, Lucy Gutteridge, Griffith Jones, John McEnery, Patrick Godfrey, Suzanne Bertish, Griffith Jones, Morland Graham, Ralph Truman
In this made-for-TV miniseries based on Charles Dickens' classic tale, Roger Rees takes on the role of Nicholas Nickleby who, along with his mother (Jane Downs) and sister (Emily Richard), must rely on help from his Uncle Ralph (John Woodvine) until Nicholas can find the means to rescue them from their lot in life. The film won an Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series and received nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor (Roger Rees) and Outstanding Supporting Actor (David Threlfall) in a Limited Series
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The Long Arm 1956  N/R, 96 min.
Genre: Drama / Mystery
aka: The Third Key
Director: Charles Frend
Cast: Jack Hawkins, Dorothy Alison, Michael Brooke, John Stratton, Geoffrey Keen, Sam Kydd, Glyn Houston, Richard Leech, Newton Blick, Sydney Tafler, Ralph Truman, Ian Bannen, Peter Burton, George Rose
Dedicated Scotland Yard Superintendent Tom Halliday (Jack Hawkins), along with his young assistant Sergeant Ward (John Stratton), works to solve a string of robberies involving safes, all of which were made by the same manufacturer. The investigation leads to a night watchman (Richard Leech), and Halliday sets the trap that will ensnare the elusive crook and bring an end to the safe crackings.
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The Malta Story 1953 N/R, 103 min.
Genre: Drama / Adventure
Director: Brian Desmond
Cast: Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Anthony Steel, Muriel Pavlow, Flora Robson, Ralph Truman, Peter Bull, Nigel Stock, Renee Asherson, Hugh Burden, Reginald Tate, Rosalie Crutchley, Thomas Heathcote, Maurice Denham, Noel Willman
During World War II, a member of the Royal Air Force, British Lieutenant Pete Ross (Alec Guinness), performs camera reconnaissance missions and hands over evidence to his senior officer (Jack Hawkins) that Italy is planning a major invasion of Malta. Now, Ross finds himself stranded on Malta. Although low on supplies, Ross is determined to defend the island fortress against the Italian army's attack and practices survival techniques. Meanwhile, he has a romance with a Maltese girl, Maria (Muriel Pavlow), but fate steps in as Ross carries out his duties that lead to the ultimate sacrifice.
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The Man Who Knew Too Much 1956 PG, 120 min.
Genre: Mystery
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda De Banzie, Bernard Miles, Ralph Truman, Daniel Gelin, Alan Mowbray, Hillary Brooke, Carolyn Jones, Richard Wattis, Christopher Olsen
A doctor (James Stewart) and his wife (Doris Day) are visiting Morocco with their young son (Christopher Olsen) when the doctor witnesses a murder and overhears an assassination plot. In order to keep the doctor quiet, the perpetrators kidnap his son. The suspense is vintage Hitchcock as the frightened parents go to any extreme to find their son. Doris Day sings "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be)," which won an Oscar. Previously made in 1934 by Hitchcock 1934.
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The Master of Ballantrae 1953 N/R, 88 min.
Genre: Adventure
Director: William Keighley
Cast: Errol Flynn, Roger Livesey, Anthony Steel, Beatrice Campbell, Yvonne Furneaux, Felix Aylmer, Mervyn Johns, Charles Goldner, Ralph Truman, Francis De Wolff
This film is based (loosely) on Robert Louis Stevenson's story of the Scottish rebellion. Errol Flynn fights against the British monarchy–and his own brother (Anthony Steel) for the woman he loves.
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Murder at the Baskervilles 1937 N/R, 66 min.
Genre: Mystery / Drama
aka: Silver Blaze
Director: Thomas Bentley
Cast: Arthur Wontner, Ian Fleming, Lyn Harding, John Turnbull, Lawrence Grossmith, Robert Horton, Arthur Macrae, Judy Gunn, Arthur Goullet, Ralph Truman, Martin Walker, Eve Gray, Gilbert Davis, Minnie Rayner, D.J. Williams
Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Wontner in his last portrayal of Holmes) is called to the Baskervilles 20 years after his first adventure there. A race horse has been stolen and the groom murdered. An elementary problem for the super sleuth.
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Oliver Twist 1948 N/R, 116 min.
Genre: Drama / Adventure
Director: David Lean
Cast: Robert Newton, Alec Guinness, Kay Walsh, Francis L. Sullivan, John Howard Davies, Anthony Newley, Henry Stephenson, Diana Dors, Mary Clare, Henry Edwards, Josephine Stuart, Ralph Truman, Kathleen Harrison, Gibb McLaughlin, Amy Veness
This is a very good version of Charles Dickens' story about the inhumane world of apprenticeship in 19th-century England. Beginning with his being left at an orphanage as a baby and enduring a hard life at the orphanage, the story then continues to Oliver's (John Howard Davies) escape to the streets. Now, Oliver, under the watchful eye of his tutor, the cruel Fagin (Alec Guinness) becomes a pickpocket on London's streets where more problems follow–until good luck finally shines on Oliver.
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Quo Vadis 1951 N/R, 171 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Cast: Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Leo Genn, Peter Ustinov, Patricia Laffan, Finlay Currie, Abraham Sofaer, Buddy Baer, Felix Aylmer, Marina Berti, Nora Swinburne, Ralph Truman, Norman Wooland, Peter Miles, Geoffrey Dunn
One of MGM's biggest productions at the time, "Quo Vadis," stars Peter Ustinov as the Roman Emperor Nero. Robert Taylor plays the Roman warrior, Marcus Vinicius, who loves the beautiful Christian, Lygia (Deborah Kerr), but, at first, she wants nothing to do with a soldier. As time passes, Marcus converts to Christianity, and Lygia falls in love with him. Meanwhile, Nero's actions against the Christians becomes more violent as he burns Rome and then throws the Christians to the lions. Nero's former aide Petronius (Leo Genn) posthumously delivers the final insult to Nero. The film received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and two for Best Supporting Actor (Leo Genn and Peter Ustinov).
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The Saint in London 1939 N/R, 72 min.
Genre: Mystery
Director: John Paddy Carstairs
Cast: George Sanders, Sally Gray, David Burns, Gordon McLeod, Henry Oscar, Ralph Truman, Charles Carson, Carl Jaffe, Athene Seyler, John Abbott
The Saint (George Sanders) is in London, where his talents are brought to bear on a counterfeiting plot. Socialite Penny Parker (Sally Gray) falls for the Saint, and, against his wishes, gets involved in the investigation. Fun.
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The Ship That Died of Shame 1955 N/R, 91 min.
Genre: Adventure / Drama
aka: PT Raiders
Director: Basil Dearden, Michael Relph
Cast: Richard Attenborough, George Baker, Bill Owen, Virginia McKenna, Roland Culver, Bernard Lee, Ralph Truman, John Chandos, Harold Goodwin, John Longden, Stratford Johns, David Langton
World War II has ended when three shipmates (Richard Attenborough, George Baker, and Bill Owen) get together looking for something to do with their empty lives. The solution: buy their old gunboat, which will enable them to set up a smuggling operation.
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Treasure Island 1950 N/R, 96 min.
Genre: Family / Adventure
Director: Byron Haskin
Cast: Bobby Driscoll, Robert Newton, Basil Sydney, Walter Fitzgerald, Denis O'Dea, Ralph Truman, Finlay Currie, John Laurie, Francis De Wolff, David Davies, Geoffrey Wilkinson, Geoffrey Keen, John Gregson, Andrew Blackett, William Devlin
Bobby Driscoll is delightful as young, cabin boy Jim Hawkins, whose treasure map is coveted by a band of pirates headed by one-legged Long John Silver (Robert Newton). Jim must contend with Long John Silver and the pirates who are also aboard the ship. A good Disney version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic.
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Under Ten Flags 1960 N/R, 92 min.
Genre: Adventure
Director: Duilio Coletti
Cast: Van Heflin, Charles Laughton, Mylene Demongeot, John Ericson, Cecil Parker, Alex Nicol, Liam Redmond, Gregoire Aslan, Gian Maria Volonte, Ralph Truman
Told from the German perspective, this World War II story involves Captain Reger's attempts to evade allied war ships as he commands his German ship in a cat and mouse game of Axis powers vs. Allies.
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| 1. El Cid (1961)
2. The Golden Coach (1952)
3. Henry V (1944)
4. The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1982)
5. The Long Arm (1956)
aka: The Third Key
6. The Malta Story (1953)
7. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
8. The Master of Ballantrae (1953)
9. Murder at the Baskervilles (1937)
aka: Silver Blaze
10. Oliver Twist (1948)
11. Quo Vadis (1951)
12. The Saint in London (1939)
13. The Ship That Died of Shame (1955)
aka: PT Raiders
14. Treasure Island (1950)
15. Under Ten Flags (1960)
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