Golden Age of Hollywood Book Club discussion

Limey film discussion



Been recently asked by a mate for some recommendations. I told him that my personal favourite British flicker is

'A Matter of Life and Death'

That i say, its my favorite movie made by Brits about Brits, revealing how they see the world.

This Archers classic, splits the arrow with me.

But at the same time, I'm convinced that --objectively --the best all-around English movie ever made is arguably:

'Brief Encounter'

Finally, I hastened to remind him that my favorite film from all world cinema --the pinnacle of all motion pictures, as far as I'm concerned --just so happens to be a Sir David Lean production ('Kwai').

Inspired by the topic, I'm creating this thread to give more attention to British achievements in world cinema. We Yanks always dwell overmuch on our John Wayne and our Humphrey Bogart.

But after all, what do we have that Brits don't ...except wide open spaces, straight teeth, and sunny weather....

Yank and Toff

I am such a fan of British film, especially The Archers (Powell and Pressburger) and the Ealing comedies.

I am probably the only one here who likes Peeping Tom (1960) which sadly ruined the career of Michael Powell of The Archers. They made some great films, such as ......Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes . They were a dynamic team.

And don't get me started on the Ealing comedies!

Yeah! I'm surprised not much chatter so far in this thread.

The Brits really did exhibit a knack for visual storytelling when cinema arrived.

[That is to say, when we Yanks finally invented it for them, they took to it immediately.]

Yours truly must confess there's still some as-yet-unseen Archers titles which belong on my TBD list. Like the one about the Glue Man putting glue in girls' hair.

Although --even more shocking -- there's some in this group who swore they were going to view 'Corridor of Mirrors' but have yet to report in.

My next Brit film will be Station Six Sahara. I'm determined to locate it.

We might get some more comments on this thread if you move it up and call it "British film" or something similar.

I put Corridor of Mirrors on the to be watched list but haven't gotten to it yet. BTW, I looked for Station Six Sahara when you first mentioned it and I couldn't find it either.

Very well, maybe ought to tweak thread name ...

I only suggested that because some might think that the films had to be BAFTA winners.

For anyone keen on the Terence Young flick, this is the Youtube link which worked for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndV9x...

No foreign languages version. Free, full length.

It simply has an introduction / host segment in the beginning, perhaps 8-9 mins long. No need to worry about that.

Probably some contemporary mystery authoress. I don't recognize her.

'Never Let Go' (1960) is free full-length available on Youtube.

Immediately gripping; a Brit-crime romp with one of those striking situations where the protagonist can't seem to extricate himself no matter what he does.

Young Richard Todd is a salesman desperate to make the grade in his highly-competitive firm --he needs his new car to keep up with his colleagues. They're out-performing him. He has a wife and child to support.

But then suddenly one night, his wheels are heisted.

It's either hard-boiled brit-crime or icy brit-noir, I can't determine which just yet.

And I confess I don't know much about Richard Todd --I've never seen him as a young man; I believe he's usually cast as a general officer in UK war films. Seen him in plenty of those.

But he and other English stars like Richard Greene all tend to blur together in my recollection. Similar builds, similar coloring, similar features.

He does well in this taut nail-biter. In over his head!

I have never heard of that film but it sounds interesting. Richard Todd had the lead role in The Dam Busters and was also the creepy guy in, what I would call one of Hitchcock's lesser films, Stage Fright. Other than that, I don't remember any of his other films.

I'm barreling through the rest of this nifty little noir right now. It's phenomenal. Those Brits can really do a brawny, bruising dogfight. What a find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKcEC...

I see that it is on YouTube. I might give it a try in the near future.

'The October Man'. Chalked it off today, a sleepy Saturday here in NYC. Nothing else to do until the weather warms up a bit.

It's rather a mild-noir; Eric Ambler's usual finesse but only a couple pulse-pounding moments. Nothing freaky-panicky like 'Never Let Go'

Something funny about, 'October Man' is early on in the story when the hero unwittingly makes some enemies.

In the hotel where he's staying --a little bridge group ask him to "sit in for a round" --as they're one player short of a foursome.

But it's as if some Britons (maybe only back in that period?) were so afraid of even telling a little fib that they clamp up; button their lip.

These women beg him to sit in for one hand and he repeatedly says only 'no thank you; no thank you'.

He's so laconic about it that they immediately infer that "he thinks he's too good to sit with them".

So they take a disliking to him. And a great deal of trouble ensues.

If he had just told a tiny white lie "no thanks I'm not feeling well" or "no thanks I'm quite tired from my trip" or "no thanks perhaps tomorrow evening" they probably wouldn't have taken any offense.

Wacky Brits!

Almost finished 'Brighton Rock' which has long been on my list. But it's a strange movie. Feels incorrectly assembled.

Too many coincidences; too much happenstance; too many motivations not made clear. Multiple chains of events which stem from nothing more than minor slip-ups by "Pinky" or his thugs.

The 'gang code' presented is a jumble. First, we're informed that a 'slashed face' is the 'mark of a squealer'. Yet at least 3 hoods are given the shalsh without having committed any such misdeed.

When we first meet Pinky, he has no trademark weapon as his fetish; the straight razor emerges later in the pic. He's not preoccupied with squealers. They don't prey on his mind.

In fact he more often is playing "cat's cradle" with some string. Inventive and cute, but he never uses it to strangle anyone. He never explains why he plays with string either. He never explains anything.

I'm almost at the end of the movie and haven't yet heard the reason for all his quirks. Haven't heard the driving force behind his ambition. He hasn't explained himself to anybody.

He's supposed to be shrewd but he gets easily outwitted by rivals. He spends most of his time quarreling with his incompetent underlings. And then he himself sets up his own downfall.

This jumble is not scoring any points with me so far. It's a shame.

I'm surprised that you are not enjoying this film. I understand some of your issues but was not necessarily put off by them. My opinion of Pinky was just that he was rather stupid and his quirks were part of his personality. I didn't expect that they would be explained as I was more interested in Attenborough's talents at that young age. I guess we all look at film characters differently.

Yes of course, Attenborough is the appeal --but I would have expected Graham Greene to organize his plot better.

So much that doesn't make sense. Like in Act 1, Pinky and his gang callously and methodically bump off an old enemy. They run into him by chance; and pounce. We see them going about it with gangland efficiency. Only, it all goes wrong.

The rest of the film is spent with the gang trying to cover up their mistake. Don't they have anything better to do? Aren't they planning any kind of heist? What is the goal of the gang, why are they together? Haven't they got a "big job" planned?

It only slowly dawned on me that its nothing more than a cheap 'protection racket'. Ugh. All they do is go around beating people up.

Okay but then the next big puzzle is the 'brassy' bottle-blond from the dancehall who "takes it on herself" to do some sleuthing. Far-fetched enough in itself, but then alright ...if her dogged pursuit becomes such a nuisance ...why doesn't the gang immediately take care of her?

Overall, a frustrating experience. I'll be glad to get it in the tank. I'm switching my itinerary a-s-a-p to The Archers.

The young waitress is sweet and besides Attenborough, I am enjoying seeing me old chum William Hartnell, who was so superb in "Appointment with Crime". One of the earliest Brit tough guys. That face alone, makes it worth polishing off.

FD

p.s. one of the other supporting cast was in our Photo Challenge.

latest adventures: Hammer Studios, 'The Snorkel' (1958) starring the always-chilling Peter Van Eyck and fetching young starlet Bette St. John. A locked-room murder mystery set on the Italian seacoast. That scenery was a treat, recalling my art school trips.
The film is treacly-slow and suffers from an annoying Nancy Drew-type sleuth, but kicks off grittily (tho preposterously Rube Goldberg murder method) in an extended no-dialogue sequence. But Bette St. John certainly was an extraordinary beauty.

'A Canterbury Tale (1944). Tender, gentle homage to England from Powell & Pressburger. I wonder what it would have looked like in color. Gorgeous English countryside which probably doesn't much exist anymore. But what a sweet story. Three strangers disappointed in the modern world and not knowing how to find happiness until a history-buff shows them how.

That's a Powell/Pressburger film I haven't see but thanks for the tip.

Hammer Films!! They reintroduced the world to horror films and made stars out of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Some of their earlier films were fascinating but then they seemed to run out of subjects/plots. How many times can you film a story about Dracula without it turning into something cheesy.

Doth it appear that way to you? I no canna concur. I'm always stumbling over oddball Hammer flicks. As this film demonstrates they went into any kind of plot, whether staid and pedestrian or supernatural. This one is a simple locked-room mystery. As time wore on ...didn't they even get into westerns and psychedelic rock'n'roll movies, penitentiary films, cannibals ....kung fu? Any kind of exploitation, no?

I believe one of our group's blokes is a big Hammer fan. Who is that, Bruce, or Spencer?

Anyway, the Canterbury story by the Archers is an utterly charming and child-like, "small-town fable" for adults. Some kind of village lunatic is dashing around in the dead-of-night dumping rubber cement into girls' hair as they pass down the street. A one-of-a-kind story only the Archers could dream up.

Most of the stars are unfamiliar to me except for Eric Portman, the lurid Mephistophelean madman from Corridor of Mirrors. Believe he's also in "49th Parallel" with Olivier. Certainly possesses screen presence. I could easily see him as a stiff-necked German officer.

Archive.org suddenly seems to have a TON of classic titles available freely available for viewing. Both famous flicks and obscure ones.

I went to Archive and it said that it was not a secure site so I didn't open it. Did you get that same warning, Feliks?

Archive.Org is a very safe site. It is the host of the 'Wayback Machine' which is used by everyone.

The message you got is simply telling you that your browser is probably not configured properly to do any 'financial transactions' on the site. Common enough occurrence.

Oftentimes browsers simply shriek too much about this issue --default settings are overly sensitive. But in this case, you're not going there to conduct any transactions, so there's nought to worry about.

The site itself is secure--I can see it with my own two eyes. 'https' is the site prefix, which means the site has its certificates and all such protocols, setup right.

Recent films from my TBD list which I have seen, listed per site:

Archive.org
'Champion'
'A Canterbury Tale'
The Ship that Died of Shame' (currently watching, Dickie Attenborough)
'Brighton Rock'
'Make Mine Mink'
'The October Man'
'Where Eagles Dare'
'The Killers'

Youtube:
The Snorkel
Never Let Go
Corridor of Mirrors
L'eclisse
La Notte
White Tie & Tails

Roku:
High and Low
Jules et Jim
Station Six Sahara
Letter from an Unknown Woman

Thanks for the information,Feliks. I have never gotten that type of warning before so I was concerned. Now I'm not!

Right on. Anyone in our group should feel free to air such concerns. I'm notoriously suspicious of security myself and I can advise.

Overall, the easiest rule to observe is just to glance first at what is the first section in any website's address. If it is just 'http' then don't ever make any purchases or provide any sensitive info.

If it is 'https' then it is (relatively speaking) safe to proceed --at least --with casual browsing. There's 'other factors' which bear on whether I ever actually buy anything (thus exposing my billing info).

The safest browser lately is Brave browser. It is both easy to setup and easy to use, when one wants to pay more attention to these issues. Very clear (in Brave) when something is genuinely 'not right'.

I also use 'MalwareBytes' as my AV protection; though there are other good ones too.

VPN: I swear by 'ExpressVPN'.

Peaceful evenings lately --waiting for warm temps. Staying on a roll with Powell & Pressburger. The Plex website has (free) "I Know Where I'm Going" which Scorcese labels another Archers masterpiece.

Not sure I would gush to the same degree as he does, but it is certainly a masterful romance film. A cheerful one for a change. Very comparable to 'Random Harvest' but longer and richer. I'm marking it down now, as one of my top faves in the romance genre.

Besides the very entertaining romance --without doubt, I consider this the finest depiction I've ever seen of Scotland and the wonderful Scots people. This picture brims over with Scotland good feeling.

I don't know that I've ever had a favorite movie about Scots culture --if I ever did have one, this title replaces it. It's upbeat and informative. Chock-full of lore, dancing, singing, architecture, wardrobe, customs, and language.



Principal Cast

Roger Livesy is certainly a gallant gentleman in this yarn.

Wendy Hiller turns in a solid performance as a headstrong Londoner.-Hiller --I've seen her in 'Pygmalion', but otherwise never thought much of her (I prefer Kay Walsh).

The only problem was Hiller's character is that --at one point --she is a colossal ass who almost gets three people killed. Willful, stubborn, ignorance. Someone needed to spank her --but no one does.

What else

There is an extraordinary surrealist sequence as if from Salvador Dali. The Archers excel with these touches. One of these is also in 'The Small Back Room' --their WWII thriller.

But the pic is also justly famous for its depictions of Atlantic wind and spray, and I agree it's well-deserved. I had thought Ryan's Daughter was the best North Sea photography I'd ever seen but this is better. The storms are staggering.

Real seas shot-on-location, no special FX (except for minor matte photography for the sake of actors' safety). But its as menacing as I've ever viewed. Simply thundering storm sequences. Edge-of-seat-stuff.

Title song: did not expect to find the classic folk ditty included here but it tis and glad I was --it's one I've admired for a long time. I had always assumed it was Irish --the version know is by Barbara Dane. Don't know who sings the refrain while the credits rolled in this production. Some generic vocalist. It's still a fine melody, whoever sings it.

Supporting cast: all unknown to me, except for spunky Petula Clark.

There is one stunning beauty I'd like to see more of: Pamela Brown. What wild eyes. What a wild face. What wild hair. I'm wholly unfamiliar with her before now.

Overall: exhilarating

Love this movie. Roger Livesey is terrific as always. Wendy Hiller's character is headstrong, but I still like her. At least she learned from her mistakes, unlike many people.

It's a quite affirmative story for women; for female empowerment; even though Hiller's character is rather a 'spoiled rich kid'.

At least the tale is told from her perspective. She's sympathetic in that she is simply trying to do the right thing for herself just as any male might do.

Pamela Brown's 'rustic' Scots woman is also extraordinary. She hunts; she fishes.

Not sure what to think about Hiller's casting. Slightly on the thin side. Pale British features ...somewhat strained, stretched taut. Bony. If it were up to me, I might've cast Glynnis Johns instead.

Only a few years later we see Hiller in 'Separate Tables' still slim, but fighting to stay attractive.

Years and years later she turns up in "Murder on the Orient Express" though, and gives a good account of herself.

Anyway she gives a bravura performance here for the Archers. Surely, her career-best role.

Enjoyed 'The League of Gentlemen".

A fun opportunity to see wonderful Brit stars together in a good old-fashioned crime romp.

~Jack Hawkins (ever-reliable)
~Dickie Attenborough (impish as usual)
~Nigel Patrick (suave, almost steals the film)
~Bryan Forbes (writer, director, actor)
~Roger Livesy (gained quite a bit of weight by this time)

Overall: charming.

Most hilarious joke: "blame the Irish! That always works!"

I feel the ending was a bit of a cheat though. The 'one mistake' --the 'fatal flaw' --in the heist scheme which emerges here (as it does in every heist) seemed mighty flimsy.

They shoulda got away wit it!

Feliks wrote: "Enjoyed
'The League of Gentlemen".


A fun opportunity to see wonderful Brit stars together in a good old-fashioned crime romp.

~Jack Hawkins (ever-reliable)
~Dickie Attenborough (impish as us..."



Oh, A League of Gentleman is also on my list to watch...and I also just got a name that i was trying to remembere for the son of game HA!

Very much enjoyed 'Time Lock' (1956). It's an exemplary thriller in the most bedrock rudiments possible, as pertain to this genre.



The story takes place in Toronto. Setup of the premise happens in the very first few moments.

Young Sean Connery plays a welder who happens to be working nearby, and he is one of the crew who rush over with equipment.



Once the ordeal settles in, and the characters grapple with their emotions --all well and good --but no scene drags on. And I mean, not at all.



The pace is snappy. Blitzing. Blazing. It all moves right along. Each interaction, only a few breaths and then we switch to another pair of actors in another angle of the story.

Even when the sobby/weepy parents are front-and-center, they aren't allowed to open up their violin-cases. They behave sensibly, doing their best to avert the disaster they most wish to avoid.



Bim! Bam! Boom! Biff! Sock! Bong! Pow! Whop! It really lives up to its reputation.

"Conduct Unbecoming" (1975) is an interesting little flick with a tremendous ensemble cast of English (or Canadian) stars.

Dickie Attenborough
Michael York
Christopher Plummer
Trevor Howard
Susannah York
Persis Khambatta
Michael Culver

Just look at that list of names. It is to drool over.

Even --everyone's fave --good ole James Donald, looking extremely fit and handsome in his twilight years. Glad to see him appearing so well.

Michel York has the protagonist's part; and --well --he's just Michael York. Not great, but certainly not bad either.

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Plot: once the courtroom drama in this courtroom drama gets rolling, it is engaging. Fairly engaging, anyway.

Reason to stick with it? If not for any reason in the story itself, then simply to see how all these superb actors coordinate with one another.

You can hardly be blamed for wondering how they will get along. Lot of strapping, larger-than-life personalities involved.

As it turns out, each of these big stars receives a juicy little role to sink their teeth into.

Not one of these powerhouse talents is short-changed.

The mystery at the heart of the court case? Does lack some gravitas. Ultimately, they're trying an officer for no more than being drunk/impolite to a lady.

It is rather to guffaw.

Eventually though, a second mystery unravels from under the light weight of the one atop it.

There's quite a little while --where the viewer can't truly be sure who is the genuine culprit.



The great surprise in this vewwy British play --about an Indian outpost during the days of The Raj is --none other than the presence of --Stacy Keach.



Stacy Keach! What on earth is he doing here? But it's so. And attempting an English accent. Not really getting away with it.

What is startling is the 'meat' given to his part. It's substantial. He is a real obstacle facing young Michael York. It is really almost Keach's movie.



Surely, a must-see for any fan of his. The big, bruising, beefcake, brute!

Stuffed like a leg-of-lamb into a tight-fitting, blazing crimson, limey officer tunic with mandarin collar.

But, he comports himself finely.



The movie's main flaw, overall? Cinematography.

Flimsy, thin, & cheap-looking; terrible color scheme. As if a made-for-tv production.

Other drawbacks: sprinkled in here-and-there, are tired/trite bits of dialogue --which must be the fault of the play by Barry England, good playwright though he was.

One other tic in the speeches irked me personally. Several times, one character pulls another aside and sincerely offers his gratitude.

The reply is usually, "There's no need for you to thank me." Why do the English do this? By God, how annoying.

Over/under: I'm glad I tried this obscure flick.

I can't remember which topic we used when we were talking about 'Belles of St. Trinian's' and Magnus was researching British films, but I just saw a movie that might have fit right in. 'Green Grow the Rushes' with Roger Livesey, Richard Burton and Honor Blackman (1951). It's one of those like 'Passage to Pimlico' which spotlight British independence. Some local folk are doing some smuggling, only to come to the attention of the Ministry of Agriculture. They decide to do one last run, only to have catastrophe strike. It is rather funny, but more subtle about it.

Aye. I've seen it. Believe it was Burton's first movie. But I thought that whole story was based on Ivy Burnett-Compton's "Whiskey Galore' (??) Or some novel by her brother?

There's a huge history behind the whole thing I no canna keep track of at this late date