Anthony Newley

Richard Attenborough

Tony Wager

Joan Hickson

The Outsider

The Outsider (1948)

Angela Thorne

Frank Williams

Fiona Fullerton

Arthur Davis, with British intelligence African section, takes a file with him, to meet his girlfriend Cynthia, the brass fears he may be the leak to Moscow, and plan to stop the damage permanently. But the damage isn't stopped, and agent Daintry's brothy in to investigate—KGF Vissers

The Human Factor

The Human Factor (1979)

John Cleese

Shirley MacLaine

Patricia Routledge

Harriet Blossom, the lonely wife of a workaholic brassiere manufacturer, breaks her sewing machine and ends up in bed with the repairman, a mechanic from one of her husband's factories. The man, Ambrose, is supposed to leave during the night, but Harriet finds him the next day still hiding in the attic. Harriet lets her new lover stay in the attic for years, managing to keep it all secret from her husband and from the detectives investigating the sudden disappearance of a certain Mr. Ambrose Tuttle.—Markku Kuoppamäki

The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom

The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968)

Joan Collins

Maria Friedman

Alex Jennings

In this filmed adaption of the long-running musical, we see the story of Joseph (Donny Osmond), son of Jacob (Sir Richard Attenborough). The favored son, he is betrayed by his jealous brothers and sold into slavery and driven to Egypt. Though beset with adversity, Joseph perseveres through wit and faith and becomes the Governor of Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh (Robert Torti). This all the sets the scene for when he meets his brothers who have come to Egypt to purchase food.—Kenneth Chisholm

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1999)

Lee Remick

Hywel Bennett

Milo O'Shea

Based on the play by Joe Orton, this film follows the adventures of two pals who have pulled off a bank robbery and have to hide the loot. Fortunately one of them works in a funeral parlor and they have a coffin to spare. Then there's the gold-digger nurse and the gonad-grabber detective and a host of other wonderful characters.—Steve Crook

Loot

Loot (1970)

Amitabh Bachchan

Shabana Azmi

Amjad Khan

"The Chess Players" (Shatranj Ke Khilari) is a 1977 Indian film directed by Satyajit Ray. It is based on a short story by Munshi Premchand, set during the British colonial era in India. The plot revolves around two wealthy and aristocratic friends, Mirza Sajjad Ali and Mir Roshan Ali, who are obsessed with playing chess. They spend most of their time engrossed in the game, neglecting their responsibilities and oblivious to the political turmoil brewing around them. Meanwhile, the British East India Company, led by General James Outram, is planning to annex the kingdom of Awadh, ruled by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. The British perceive the Nawab as a weak and ineffective ruler, making him an easy target for their expansionist ambitions. As the British forces advance towards Awadh, the Nawab remains indifferent, preoccupied with his lavish lifestyle, poetry, and music. He fails to grasp the gravity of the situation, much to the dismay of his loyal subjects. Amidst the political upheaval, Mirza and Mir Roshan continue to indulge in their obsession with chess, oblivious to the chaos unfolding around them. However, their decadent lifestyle and indifference to the plight of their countrymen eventually catch up with them. The film serves as a critique of the decadence and complacency of the Indian aristocracy during the colonial era, juxtaposed with the ruthless ambition and exploitation of the British Empire. It also explores themes of power, privilege, and the consequences of apathy in the face of oppression. In the end, "The Chess Players" serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities of history and the importance of remaining vigilant and engaged in the face of political turmoil and injustice.—SunMaximusOne

The Chess Players

The Chess Players (1977)

John Hurt

Robert Hardy

Judy Geeson

London, 1949. John Christie is an unassuming, middle-aged man who, along with his wife Ethel, lives in the ground-floor flat at 10 Rillington Place. His demeanor masks the fact of being a serial killer. His modus operandi is to act as a person with a medical background, lure unsuspecting women to his apartment on the pretense of curing them of some ailment, knock them unconscious with carbon monoxide gas, gain his sexual release through contact with the unconscious body, then strangle the victim dead before disposing of the body somewhere in the house or outside area. His next intended target is Beryl Evans, a young woman who has just moved into the top flat in the house. Beryl's husband, Tim Evans, is an illiterate man who likes to put on airs. Already with an infant daughter named Geraldine, the Evanses learn they are going to have another baby, which they cannot afford to have, nor can they afford to abort the pregnancy. This problem, on top of the constant issue of lack of money in all aspects of their lives, places a strain on the marriage, of which all their neighbors are aware through the constant fighting they overhear. Christie will offer to perform the abortion for free. The difference with this intended murder is that Tim will be aware that his wife will have died, but Christie plans either to goad Tim into keeping silent since the abortion would have been illegal, an act to which Tim would have provided his consent, or pin the murder on Tim who would have motive. Will this change in modus operandi affect Christie's ability to kill Beryl, or kill her without detection?—Huggo

10 Rillington Place

10 Rillington Place (1971)

Trevor Howard

William Russell

Bernard Lee

In 1940, a mothballed American destroyer is commissioned in the Royal Navy. Her experienced Commanding Officer has had a checkered career and the crew are mostly lacking sea experience. A series of mishaps seem to dog the ship for some time, and the personal lives of the crew are turbulent, but at last the ship's company make good and the destruction of a U-boat marks their first success. Now they are asked to volunteer for the most dangerous mission they will encounter.—Hazel Freeman

Glory at Sea

Glory at Sea (1952)

Diana Dors

Dirk Bogarde

Bill Owen

At the end of World War II, demobilized soldiers Ted Peters (Sir Richard Attenborough) and Dave Robinson (Bill Owen) return home to Britain, where Ted becomes a taxi driver and Dave gets involved with the mob. Enjoying his lifestyle and the easy money, Dave offers to recruit his pal Ted, who works hard for his money. Ted refuses, and Dave gets in a spat with his mob boss over money. When mob henchman Paul Baker (Barry K. Barnes) shoots Dave, he runs and takes cover in Ted's taxi while Ted is having lunch. Eventually, Ted discovers his pal's lifeless body inside the cab. Scotland Yard starts an investigation, considering Dave's underworld affiliations. Mob boss Gregory (Barry Jones) believes that somehow taxi driver Ted knows the circumstances of his friend Dave's violent death, therefore Gregory decides to have Ted eliminated. For his part, Ted decides to investigate, on his own, the suspicious death of his friend Dave.—nufs68

Dancing with Crime

Dancing with Crime (1947)

Virginia McKenna

George Baker

After intense wartime naval experiences a trio buy their old ship but then have to use it for smuggling and worse, before finally having to come to their senses.—Steve Crook

PT Raiders

PT Raiders (1955)

Christopher Lee

William Hartnell

Terry-Thomas

Stanley Windrush has to interrupt his university education when he is called up towards the end of the war. He quickly proves himself not to be officer material. This leads him to meet up with wily Private Cox who knows exactly how all the scams work in the confused world of the British Army, and Stanley's uncle, a brigadier in the War Office, seems to be up to something more than a bit shady too.—Jeremy Perkins {J-26}

Private's Progress

Private's Progress (1956)

Barry Foster

Liz Fraser

Harry Landis

Two stories in one, an easygoing British Corporal in France finds himself responsible for the lives of his men when their officer is killed. He has to get them back to Britain somehow. Meanwhile, British civilians are being dragged into the war with Operation Dynamo, the scheme to get the French and British forces back from the Dunkirk beaches. Some come forward to help, others are less willing.—Paul Galpin

Dunkirk

Dunkirk (1958)

Kim Cattrall

Isabelle Huppert

Peter O'Toole

In a bold coup, a Palestinian terrorist group captures the yacht Rosebud and kidnaps the millionaire's five daughters on board. At first they demand film clips to be shown on major European television stations. Undercover Agent Martin is hired to hunt the terrorists down.—Tom Zoerner

Rosebud

Rosebud (1975)

John Leyton

Jack Hawkins

Mia Farrow

Regimental Sergeant Major Lauderdale (Sir Richard Attenborough) is a by-the-book, strict disciplinarian, who seems like an anachronism in a sleepy peacetime African outpost of the modern British commonwealth. Ridiculed behind his back by his subordinate N.C.O.s, he must play host to a liberal women M.P. making a tour of the base. However, after an ambitious African officer, who happens to be a protégé of the M.P., initiates a coup d'état against Captain Abraham (Earl Cameron), the lawful African commandant, the resourceful Sergeant Major uses all of his military training to save his men from a certain firing squad.—Gabe Taverney (duke1029@aol.com)

Guns at Batasi

Guns at Batasi (1964)

Orson Welles

Oliver Reed

Elke Sommer

A group is invited, under false pretenses, to an isolated hotel in the Iranian desert. After dinner, a cassette tape accuses them all of crimes that they have gotten away with. One by one they begin to die, in accordance to the Ten Little Indians nursery rhyme. After a search is made of the hotel, they realize that the murderer is one of them. A few members of the group attempt to trust each other, but the question still remains, who can one trust? And who will leave the hotel alive?—Nick Johansen

Ten Little Indians

Ten Little Indians (1974)

Michael Caine

Michael Wilding

Drama set in an Italian prisoner of war camp during World War 2, where a group of British soldiers find their plans for escape thwarted by a mysterious traitor in their midst.—Jonathan Broxton

Breakout

Breakout (1959)

Hermione Baddeley

Miles Silverton

Pinkie's a small-town hood who's trying to carve out a place for his gang in the Brighton rackets. When he murders a journalist he believes was responsible for the death of a fellow gang-member, Ida Arnold, who was with the man just before he died, sets out to find the truth.

Brighton Rock

Brighton Rock (1948)

John Charlesworth

Maureen Connell

John Wilson is troubled with pain and and an inability to sleep. He tries to light the gas-fire and seeks help from another lodger, artist Nicholas, who is spending the night with his model, and is reluctant to be disturbed. Another neighbor, Pollen, tries to be helpful, but is hit by Wilson. Frightened and angry, Pollen calls for police help. The others in the boarding house are awakened by this time, and Mrs. Harris tries to help the mentally confused Wilson, but he also refuses her help. The police clash with Dr. Sanderson, a welfare worker, who thinks he can take the gun-toting Wilson without complications, but when a Police Sergeant is injured, Police Inspector Thompson is determined to take Wilson by force if necessary.—Les Adams

The Man Upstairs

The Man Upstairs (1958)

Kim Stanley

Nanette Newman

Patrick Magee

Myra and Billy Savage are a married couple living in London. Myra works as a medium, who holds weekly meetings, séances, for a regular group of customers, while Billy supports her in these ventures, as he does not otherwise work, due to his asthma. "Arthur" is her spirit guide, who was their stillborn son. Myra is the dominant in the couple, Billy, the weak-minded follower. Myra, with Billy's support, devises a scheme to raise her public prominence as a medium: kidnap Amanda Clayton, the young daughter of a wealthy couple, and using her psychic powers provide information to the Claytons and the police of Amanda and the requested ransom money's whereabouts. Myra and Billy view this scheme as a victimless crime, if a crime at all, as they don't plan on harming Amanda, and they are returning the requested ransom. To carry out the scheme successfully, they will have to: kidnap Amanda; convince Amanda that her temporary captivity is not out of the ordinary, while having her not be able to identify them; insert Myra into the case of Amanda's kidnapping, her information which will be the key to finding Amanda and the money; and return Amanda and the money without having either traced back to them. Beyond these logistics, Myra and Billy themselves will factor into how the plan works. Myra may have either conscious or subconscious thoughts on what she wants to do, in her belief that she truly does have the power.—Huggo

Seance on a Wet Afternoon

Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)

Geoffrey Holder

Samantha Eggar

Dr. John Dolittle lives in a small English village where he specializes in caring for and verbally communicating with animals. When Dr. Dolittle is unjustly sent to an insane asylum for freeing a lovesick seal from captivity, his animals and two closest human friends, Matthew Mugg and Tommy Stubbins, liberate him. Afterward, they join Emma Fairfax and set out by boat to find a famed and elusive creature: the Great Pink Sea Snail.—Jwelch5742

Doctor Dolittle

Doctor Dolittle (1967)

6.8 / 10

Drama

6.1 / 10

Drama
Romance

5.6 / 10

Comedy

7.3 / 10

Musical

5.4 / 10

Comedy
Crime

7.5 / 10

Action
Comedy

7.5 / 10

Action
Biography

6.3 / 10

Action
Adventure

6.4 / 10

Action
Crime

6.7 / 10

Adventure
Crime

6.4 / 10

Action
Comedy

7.1 / 10

Action
Drama

5.2 / 10

Action
Adventure

7.1 / 10

Drama
History

5.7 / 10

Action
Crime

6.8 / 10

Action
Drama

7.3 / 10

Action
Crime

6.4 / 10

Action
Crime

7.6 / 10

Action
Crime

6.2 / 10

Action
Adventure