Adventures of Tartu 1943  N/R, 103 min.
Genre: Drama / Thriller
aka: Tartu
Sabotage Agent
Director: Harold S. Bucquet
Cast: Robert Donat, Valerie Hobson, Walter Rilla, Glynis Johns, Phyllis Morris, Martin Miller, Anthony Eustrel, Percy Walsh, Frederich Richter, John Penrose, Mabel Terry-Lewis, David Ward, Hubert Leslie
In this World War II saga, British officer Capt. Terence Stevenson (Robert Donat) is assigned the spy mission of sabotaging a Nazi-run poison gas factory in Czechoslovakia. He uses the alias "Tartu" and gets a job in the factory as an assembly line foreman where dangers await. Based on a true story.
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August Weekend 1936  N/R, 70 min.
Genre: Comedy / Romance
aka: Weekend Madness
Director: Charles Lamont
Cast: Valerie Hobson, G.P. Huntley, Paul Harvey, Betty Compson, Claire McDowell, Frank Melton, Dorothea Kent, Maynard Holmes, Gigi Parrish, Howard C. Hickman, Edgar Norton, Paul Irving
Despite his wealthy lifestyle, George Washburne (Paul Harvey) is restless and bored, so he leaves his family behind to go off on a weekend party with beautiful and sexy Claire (Valerie Hobson). But, it doesn't take long before George learns the value of his love for family–especially when he gets mixed up in a tax scandal and the IRS investigates his records. Director Charles Lamont made over 225 movies throughout his career and directed feature comedies such as Ma and Pa Kettle and Abbott & Costello.
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The Bride of Frankenstein 1935  N/R, 75 min.
Genre: Horror / Sci-Fi / Horror / Romance
Director: James Whale
Cast: Colin Clive, Boris Karloff, Ernest Thesiger, Elsa Lanchester, Valerie Hobson, O.P. Heggie, Una O'Connor, E.E. Clive, Walter Brennan, John Carradine, Gavin Gordon, Douglas Walton, Lucien Prival, Dwight Frye
In Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," Dr. Frankenstein considers making a bride for his monster and then realizes the folly of his idea. But in this sequel, Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) is coerced into creating a female companion (Elsa Lanchester) for his monster (Boris Karloff).
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The Card 1952  N/R, 91 min.
Genre: Comedy
aka: The Promoter
Director: Ronald Neame
Cast: Alec Guinness, Glynis Johns, Valerie Hobson, Petula Clark, Edward Chapman, Gibb McLaughlin, Frank Pettingell, Veronica Turleigh, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Michael Hordern
Edward Henry Machin (Alec Guinness) rises from poverty through shady dealings and more than a little social climbing until he reaches his goal at the "top of the heap."
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Contraband 1940 N/R, 92 min.
Genre: Adventure / Drama / Romance
Director: Michael Powell
Cast: Conrad Veidt, Valerie Hobson, Hay Petrie, Joss Ambler, Raymond Lovell, Esmond Knight, Charles Victor, Phoebe Kershaw, Harold Warrender, John Longden, Eric Maturin, Leo Genn, Peter Bull
During the World War II blackout in London, Capt. Andersen's (Conrad Veidt) Danish freighter is delayed in port by British customs agents. Two passengers–Mrs. Sorensen (Valerie Hobson) and Mr. Pidgeon (Esmond Knight)–manage to sneak off the ship, and Andersen rows to shore in search of them. He roams through London's dark streets, finally finds them, and learns that they are both secret agents. Pidgeon escapes, but Andersen stays with Mrs. Sorensen and figures out that she is trying to uncover a Nazi spy ring operating out of a Soho nightclub basement. They are captured by the spies, but Andersen escapes–determined to recruit help and to return and perform a rescue while capturing the spies.
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 Great Expectations 1946 N/R, 118 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: David Lean
Cast: John Mills, Bernard Miles, Finlay Currie, Martita Hunt, Valerie Hobson, Alec Guinness, Jean Simmons, Francis L. Sullivan, Freda Jackson, Torin Thatcher, Tony Wager, Ivor Barnard, George Hayes, Hay Petrie, John Forrest
Charles Dickens' classic–in the hands of Director David Lean–is a "must see." The story is about poor orphan boy Pip (Tony Wager as young Pip and John Mills as older Pip) who is raised by blacksmith Joe Gargery (Bernard Miles) and his wife (Freda Jackson). As a young lad, Pip rescues and becomes a friend of escaped prisoner Magwitch (Finlay Currie). Pip falls in love with his playmate Estelle (Jean Simmons) who is being raised by bitter Miss Haversham (Martita Hunt) to have higher expectations in life than those of Pip. Later, Pip gains wealth through the help of a mysterious benefactor who, it turns out, is Magwitch repaying Pip for his friendship. Now, Pip can attain "gentleman" status and do well in the Victorian world of the social elite.
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Kind Hearts and Coronets 1949 N/R, 106 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Robert Hamer
Cast: Alec Guinness, Dennis Price, Joan Greenwood, Valerie Hobson, Miles Malleson, Clive Morton, Hugh Griffith, Jeremy Spenser, Arthur Lowe, Audrey Fildes, John Penrose, Cecil Ramage, John Salew, Lyn Evans, Laurence Naismith
Alec Guinness plays all nine family members of the d'Ascoyne family in this satire on the aristocratic lifestyle. One of them is out to get the other eight. Great Guinness!
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Q Planes 1939 N/R, 82 min.
Genre: Adventure / Thriller
aka: Clouds Over Europe
Director: Tim Whelan, Arthur B. Woods
Cast: Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Valerie Hobson, George Curzon, George Merritt, David Tree, Gus McNaughton, Hay Petrie, John Laurie, John Longden
This is a fine suspense film about espionage after Britain's entry into the war involving Scotland Yard's attempt to recover secret military plans stolen by the Nazis. Clever.
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The Rocking Horse Winner 1950 N/R, 91 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Anthony Pelissier
Cast: Valerie Hobson, John Howard Davies, Ronald Squire, John Mills, Hugh Sinclair, Charles Goldner, Susan Richards, Cyril Smith, Anthony Holles, Melanie McKenzie
Young Paul (John Howard Davies) lives with his spendthrift mother (Valerie Hobson) and gambling father (Hugh Sinclair), who is in debt. Paul receives a strange-looking rocking horse for Christmas and is taught to ride it like a jockey by the handyman (John Mills). When Paul rides the horse very fast, he is able to predict the outcome of real horse races, and the family becomes wealthy. But wealth is fleeting for the family that likes to spend money, and Paul is egged on to faster and faster riding to predict more and more winners until tragedy strikes and lessons are learned. Based on a short story by D.H. Lawrence, the film is well directed and acted.
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Werewolf of London 1935 N/R, 75 min.
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Stuart Walker
Cast: Henry Hull, Warner Oland, Valerie Hobson, Lester Matthews, Lawrence Grant, Spring Byington, J.M. Kerrigan, Ethel Griffies, Zeffie Tilbury
Botanist Glendon (Henry Hull) is on a Tibetan expedition when he is bitten by a strange half-man, half-beast (werewolf). Back in London, he transforms into a werewolf during the full moon and terrorizes the city. During the day, he works on a cure (flowering of a Tibetan plant). This is the original werewolf film, predating Lon Chaney's by six years. Though dated, it is still good, and Warner Oland–as the werewolf who bit Glendon and is also after the cure–is particularly good.
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| 1. Adventures of Tartu (1943)
aka: Tartu
aka: Sabotage Agent
2. August Weekend (1936)
aka: Weekend Madness
3. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
4. The Card (1952)
aka: The Promoter
5. Contraband (1940)
6. Great Expectations (1946)
7. Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
8. Q Planes (1939)
aka: Clouds Over Europe
9. The Rocking Horse Winner (1950)
10. Werewolf of London (1935)
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