whatleym Reviews

Operation Julie (1985 TV Movie)

True LSD drugs bust dramatised for TV

[8/10 · 11 November 2008]

This was originally shown as a 3-part series on UK TV back in 1985. I can just about remember watching it then and have recently acquired it on DVD. There are no reviews yet for this title so here are my views.

This is based on a real drugs bust which took place in the UK in the late 1970s. The criminals were producing LSD on an industrial scale, much of it being produced in the unlikely setting of rural Wales, including the small town of Llanddewi Breffi – a place name which would also receive widespread publicity years later when the 'Little Britain' comedy series featured it. The investigation took several years before the police were in a position to make arrests, and the cops were led by the maverick D.I. Dick Lee (played here by Colin Blakely). Indeed it his book of that operation on which this series is based. Viewers in the UK will no doubt note, as I did, the similarities between this real-life cop and the fictional D.I. Frost in 'A Touch of Frost' drama series (superbly played of course by David Jason).

The programs stay quite close to the truth though this is a drama rather than a documentary. There are also some amusing 'comedy' scenes – e.g. at the start of program one where all the cops are watching film taken of a previous 'undercover' operation at a pop festival to glean information. All the female cops are topless to blend in with the hippies around them! The cast list is extensive and features a number of names who were to become more famous in later years. Lesley Nightingale plays Sgt. Julie Thompson after whom the operation was named. Belinda Lang plays D.C. Joy Brookes, several years before she became widely known in the UK on the 'Two Point Four Children' comedy series. The scenes switch almost continuously between outside locations when they are staking out the criminals and the police station where they discuss their plans.

This is worth seeing if you can get hold of a now-rare DVD. I'm not expecting it to ever be shown again on TV. The action is sometimes a little disjointed but the tension of the investigation's build up leading the final arrests is good. Overall – recommended.

I Start Counting (1970)

Thriller movie - and a little gem

[9/10 · 10 November 2008]

I remember seeing this movie on UK TV many years ago but, to my knowledge, it has never been shown again since. So I was happy to obtain it on DVD recently and watching it again has reminded me of just what a little gem of a thriller this film is.

It stars of course the lovely Jenny Agutter. Her fans will be delighted to hear that this is the other film (apart from 'Walkabout') in which she can be seen in a schoolgirl's outfit! She plays the part of an adopted Catholic 15 year old girl who lives with her adoptive family with two blood brothers. She develops a crush on the elder 'brother' George (Bryan Marshall) who is about 20 years older than her. But then she becomes convinced that he is responsible for the murders of a number a young girls around the area where the family used to live. She regularly catches the bus back to their old house in the countryside to search for clues, despite being warned to stay away from that area. Her best friend at school is Corinne (Clare Sutcliffe) who herself also develops feelings for George.

The story builds from there, and no spoilers here! If you get a chance to see this movie, take it. The plot is fairly simple and starts off a little slowly but tension really develops once the movie gets into its stride. It also captures the essence of late 60s UK life beautifully, and features a number of classic vehicles such as Austin A35.

Man at the Top (1973)

Early 70s cult movie which just fails to make the top grade

[7/10 · 22 October 2008]

I recently purchased a VHS of the 1973 movie 'Man at the Top' and I see that there are no reviews yet so here is my offering.

In this film Kenneth Haigh reprises the role of Joe Lampton which he made famous a few years earlier in the TV series with the same title. I have not seen those TV programs so can't make any comparison between the film and TV versions. Joe is a gritty and straight-talking Northerner (in UK) who had travelled down to London to make a success of himself in business. In this movie he is selected for a top position within an international pharmaceuticals company headed by Lord Ackerman (played by Harry Andrews) after the previous occupant of that position mysteriously committed suicide in a London park. As the story progresses Joe becomes increasingly angry at the corruption and double-dealing he finds within the company and resolves to find out why his predecessor killed himself. Along the way the now-divorced Joe finds time for an affair with the Lord's wife Alex (played by the lovely Nanette Newman). No spoilers here so I won't reveal any more of the plot. Suffice to say that there are some cameo roles played by the boxer John Conteh and the comedian Charlie Williams. There is also of course some nudity though sadly that of Ms Newman is provided by a body-double!

This was considered quite a cult film when it was released. And it is indeed a good movie, well worth watching if you can obtain a copy (as it is now pretty rare). But for me it just fails to capture the atmosphere of the early 70s in the same way that (for example) 'Shaft' did (in US) or 'Get Carter' did (in UK). Both of these films were released around the same time as this movie. So to that extent it failed to rock my boat. But others must make their own minds up and may draw a different conclusion.

Penelope Pulls It Off (1975)

Better-than-average 1970s soft-core sex comedy

[7/10 · 27 March 2008]

This movie is a mid-70s soft-core sex comedy, reviewed here as I've recently obtained it on DVD. It is a joint Anglo/German production, the scenes are set in Germany but the dialogue is entirely English and one of the lead actors drives an archetypal British sports car - a Triumph Spitfire. The movie marks the first appearance for the Swedish starlet Anna Bergman who many of us in the U.K. know best from the Mind Your Language TV series. She plays Penelope Charterley, daughter of the widowed aristocrat Lady Charterley (played by the versatile Linda 'Harriet Zapper' Marlowe). She inherited a large house and a collection of paintings from her late husband but is now running short of money to keep her in the style to which she and her daughter have become accustomed. So she assigns some artists to produce forgeries for her - which she then needs to get verified as genuine by art experts before selling them at auction. The story line centres around how the 2 Charterleys seduce the art experts into signing the verification forms. Two artists are assigned to produce the fakes: a Welshman - the temperamental Owen (George Murcell); and a German - Benno (Quentin Roberts) who invariably paints surrounded by a bevy of naked women! One of the art-expert verifiers Jeremiah (Nicholas Day) falls for Penelope and a relationship begins between them.

This movie is, in my opinion, lifted above the standard of many of its contemporaries of the time for two reasons. The larger-than-normal film budget - which stretches to the hiring of speedboats, mansions with several swimming pools and superb sets/scenery/costumes. And the acting abilities of newbie Anna Bergman and especially Linda Marlowe. I'm not quite sure what persuaded Linda to star in a sex comedy but she gives it her all. She only fails to convince on one scene - where she mimes terribly whilst allegedly 'playing' a saxophone. In particular, the scene mid-film where she introduces a selection of exotic foods at a mock Roman banquet around an indoor swimming pool is superb. And she does of course have several topless/nude scenes in this film. She was aged 35 when she made this film but even acting right next to the often-naked but much younger Anna Bergman she still looks good!

So in summary: if you get a chance to view or obtain this movie - take it. It won't be nominated for any Oscars and the acting of many of the German supporting cast is wooden but it's a decent 90 minutes of entertainment. And of course it includes numerous nude scenes from many actresses, many of them unknown, but Anna and Linda naked are a treat for the eyes!

The Secret World of Michael Fry (2000)

Interesting and unusual 2-part TV mini-series

[8/10 · 26 March 2008]

This was first shown on U.K. TV in 2000 as a mini-series, 2 X 1 hour programs. I missed it then but recently acquired it on a DVD so here is my review. Michael Fry (played by Ewen Bremner) is a rather nerdy planning official working for the local council in a run-down Welsh seaside resort called Llangrych. His parents are Polish but they now live in Llangrych. He is separated from his wife but looks after his 1 year-old son (also called Michael). At the start of the movie his estranged wife is still in Poland but later moves back to U.K. to stay with them. Michael has led an anonymous existence until he is required to attend with police to close down a local hotel, allegedly due to planning permission breaches. It turns out that the building is being used as a brothel! It is here he meets up with Donna, who is one of the prostitutes working there (played by the stunning Rosie Marcel) and a relationship develops between the oddly-matched couple. The pimp in the brothel is Herbie played by the versatile Michael Kitchen. Michael Fry goes on to discover that corrupt council officers plan to use E.U. money to regenerate their tatty town, lining their own pockets in the process. The council leader is Hugh Wentworth-Davies, played as a truly bombastic figure by Robert Pugh. So the story line is quite a simple one but this is a very watchable 2 hours - the superb acting of Marcel and Bremner, forming the odd couple, complement the dreary scenery of the (un-named) Welsh coastal town which was actually used for filming (masquerading as the fictional Llangrych). And as an added bonus we get to see the beautiful Rosie Marcel in several topless and one nude scene, something we never got to see in her appearances in The Bill or The Vice!

Private Road (1971)

A good film - but for me not a great film.

[7/10 · 11 February 2008]

I recently purchased this movie on DVD, hence my review. For those of you looking for it the DVD is available direct from the writer/director Barney Platts-Mills website www.platts-mills.com, price £13.

I was expecting great things from this film judging by the reviews already on IMDb and the critical reviews by professionals quoted from newspapers and magazines. And it is certainly a good film, but sadly not a great film in my opinion. Platts-Mills has an unusual style of script-writing/direction, perhaps comparable only to Mike Leigh (Abigail's Party, Nuts in May). This movie has a simple enough story, and stars the lovely Susan Penhaligon as Ann Halpern. She is the rather spoilt daughter of a wealthy stockbroker. She meets struggling author Peter Morrissey (Bruce Robinson) and their relationship develops. They go away to live together, initially in a remote cottage in Scotland, then subsequently in a London flat. He takes a job in London in an advertising agency as he can't get his books published. This movie centres around Ann and Peter's own relationship, their relationship with Ann's parents, and the relationships with their rather close circle of friends, one of whom is junkie.

All the characters are well-played in a semi-improvised style - it's just that, for me at least, the story doesn't really go anywhere. And some things I didn't like: far too many fluffed lines are left in the final cut in the interest of 'reality' and the sole use of the f*** word (by Ann) is dipped out from the soundtrack even though this DVD is distributed in the U.K with a 15 certificate.

We do at least get to see some classic British cars from the 1960s/70s in this film. Ann's father drives a Rover 3500 V8 and Peter drives a Triumph Herald convertible belonging to Ann (her father bought it for her but she doesn't have a full licence to drive!).

In summary: a good film but ultimately disappointing for me as I was expecting more.

Alfie Darling (1975)

Rather weak sequel to the original 'Alfie'

[6/10 · 6 February 2008]

This movie from 1975 is a sequel to the very successful original 'Alfie' which was released in 1966. That film starred Michael Caine as the Cockney wide-boy 'bedding birds' around 1960's London. In this follow-up that character Alfie Elkins is now played by Alan Price and he is now a long-distance trans-European HGV driver. The setting is now 1970's London and France. This film is nowhere near as good as the original, the real problem lies with the fact that Alan Price is a far better musician than he is an actor. His acting was passable in 'Oh Lucky Man' but here – in the lead role – his monotonous Geordie monotone begins to grate over the course of the 90-minute film. However he is still chasing the women and a number of faces crop up in this film who went on to achieve greater fame elsewhere. That's the real fun in this movie – watching out for them - I'm sure many of them regretted their appearance here in retrospect! First his cab-mate/co-driver is played by Paul Copley, seen here as a slim and long-haired 20-something. And despite the genre of this film he keeps his clothes on throughout – interesting as U.K. viewers saw him recently in an episode of the TV series 'Shameless' in an extended full-frontal scene. Paul is now of course middle-aged with considerably less hair but more lard around his stomach! Not a pretty sight. Also appearing as one of Alfie's birds is Vicki Michelle (her appearance spans the opening titles). Her topless scene here features her as an English teacher in France. She later became famous of course as Yvette in the BBC's 'Allo Allo' comedy series, playing a French waitress trying to speak English! Another of Alfie's girls is played by Joan Collins, again another topless scene several years before her Stud/Bitch 'disco' movie money-spinners. And then there is Rula Lenska in another topless scene , she is a star of many movies and TV plays shown here in U.K. And Sheila White, a couple of years before her supporting role as Rosie Noggett in the 'Confessions' movies. Also the lovely Hannah Gordon – sadly fully clothed here throughout though! Her daughter is played by Patsy Kensit making a VERY young (and dentally-challenged) appearance here. Brian Wilde crops up as a doctor, before his many years playing Foggy in the long-running BBC comedy series 'Last of the Summer Wine'. Annie Ross also appears as yet another girlfriend – again topless. However the main attention of Alfie's desires throughout this film is Abby Summers, played by Jill Townsend, who went on to play Elizabeth in the 'Poldark' TV series. Alfie pursues her in France, in her London office and eventually via a car-chase which features jumps and speeded-up film – like something out of 'Dukes of Hazzard' in fact. As she is driving a compact Triumph Spitfire and he is driving a large American V8 convertible (I believe it's a Pontiac Firebird - could any U.S reviewer please confirm) he does of course catch up with her. They begin a relationship but there is a twist at the end which I won't reveal here as no spoilers! In summary, this is an average film, quite watchable, but ultimately a sad sequel to its far superior predecessor.

Dyn Amo (1972)

Dwoskin underground classic movie

[9/10 · 25 January 2008]

This is a Stephen Dwoskin film so it's not a conventional movie – it's really an Underground film. Firstly, I'm writing this review because this 36 year-old movie has just been released on an official DVD. The supplier is re:Voir, based in Paris, price is 30 Euros. And an excellent print it is too – copied straight from the 16mm master the quality is very good. Extras include an interview with Dwoskin and the director Maggie Pinhorn. This film is based on the stage-play, I understand the same cast appears in both. The action for the movie is set in a London Soho strip-club (they used a real-life but disused club) and follows 4 strippers through their acts. Dialogue is minimal, most of the sound-track is music. The usual Dwoskin filming techniques are applied: hand-held, sometimes shaky camera shots; extreme close-ups; shots sometimes out-of-focus; extended continuous scenes without break or change of camera position. The longest such scene here is an 18 mins continuous shot of Linda Marlowe's face! Yes – Harriet Zapper herself appears in this movie – topless and then naked – as the 4th and final stripper. And by the time she appears on stage 4 leering men from the audience are joining in the action, progressively humiliating her until the finale. And the way the film is produced the viewer effectively becomes another perv. This DVD runs for 2 hours and with virtually no speech that can seem like a long time. But it you are a Dwoskin fan – then this is as good as it gets. As the previous reviewer stated, this is one for the avant-garde. But if that is you then I suggest you go out and buy the DVD now, I understand that it will be produced only in limited numbers.

England Made Me (1973)

Lavish production which ultimately fails to excite.

[6/10 · 14 August 2007]

This film is usually known by the title of Graham Greene's novel on which it is based – 'England Made Me'. However it also has an alternative title of 'Rape of the 3rd Reich'. And that is perhaps more indicative of what this film is about – the lives of several 'ordinary' people in Germany a few years prior to WW2, being affected by the increasing power of the Nazi party all around them.

The central character is Anthony Farrant played by archetypal Englishman Michael York. His sister Kate played by Hildegarde Neil, works for a rich but ruthless and cynical German industrialist Erich Krogh (Peter Finch) in Germany. Having left England for new challenges Anthony meets up with his sister (initially in France) and she then secures him a job in Krogh's company. Anthony later forms a relationship with an English woman he meets in Germany – Liz Davidge – played by 'English Rose' (and famously U.K D.J. Tony Blackburn's ex-wife) Tessa Wyatt. Anthony also forms a friendship with journalist 'Minty', superbly acted as a 'slob' character by Michael Hordern. Anthony sometimes tells the journo perhaps too much – at a time when the Nazis were seeking control of the press – and this forms the basis for the later scenarios in the movie. The final key character is Haller (Joss Ackland); he works as Krogh's right-hand man and plays a central role in scenes towards the end of the film.

This is clearly a lavish production, the photography and sets are superb, and the film budget must have been extensive. The movie also contains a raft of stars. But ultimately it disappoints. The plot often moves forward too slowly (and wavers) and some of the dialogue is cliché-ridden. In my view this movie represents a wasted opportunity – much more could have been made of Greene's novel than this. It's difficult to work out just why it fails to deliver – I note that it was made in Belgrade in the early 70s; perhaps the regime there would not allow the production team the freedom they wanted? It's still a viewable film but don't expect the epic that the cast, budget and BAFTA-nomination might suggest.

Danny Jones (1972)

The Fires of Youth

[9/10 · 9 August 2007]

The alternative title for this film is 'Fires of Youth', the same as Collier's novel on which it is based. And that is a more accurate description of the genre of the film – it is a coming-of-age movie.

The central character is Danny Jones (played by Len Jones). He is 17 years old and rather naïve. He works with his father (played by Frank Finlay) as jobbing builders in the Welsh valleys. Danny leads an uneventful existence until he and his father are commissioned to carry out some building work at a rather posh girl's school. Here Danny meets up with Angie (Jane Carr) and her friend Sue (Jenny Hanley). Ms. Carr is of course best remembered for her performance as the innocent Mary McGregor in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. And Ms. Hanley is probably best known (by U.K fans at least) as the presenter of the children's show Magpie. Both actresses here play characters of a totally different social class to Danny and that friction forms the backbone to this film's story line. They are also much more experienced and worldly-wise than Danny so that presents the openings for Danny's learning opportunities.

A relationship develops between Danny and Angie. No detailed spoilers here – but that relationship leads Danny to question his relationship with his father, and also uncovers some demons in the mind of Angie, especially with regards to her relationship with her more attractive friend Sue.

This is a quaint, beautifully photographed, rather dated but still very viewable film; in fact it is a little gem. If you ever get the chance to watch it on one of the rare occasions it is shown on TV – I would recommend you take it. Jane Carr is the real star of the movie, a stellar performance which requires her to act out a character who is the total opposite of her Mary McGregor portrayal. Indeed I believe this is the only film in her career in which Ms. Carr was required to perform several topless/nude scenes – a total contrast to her innocent Mary McGregor. Finally – and as an added bonus to fans of 1960s English 'classic' cars (like me) – an Austin A35 van and a (rare) Morris Minor convertible also make appearances in this movie!

Eskimo Nell (1975)

Director's revenge!

[6/10 · 25 July 2007]

The writer of this film is Michael Armstrong. He was also director/writer of a previous Tigon film 'The Haunted House of Horror'. During the making of that film he experienced some very unpleasant run-ins with an individual representing AIP (the American distributors). This resulted in Michael's script being re-written and a very different film to his original concept being produced as the end product. This film 'Eskimo Nell' parodies those experiences. Listen to Michael's voice over in the 'extras' section of the DVD of 'Haunted House of Horror' for a graphic description of his experience and learn who some of the characters in 'Eskimo Nell' actually represent!