Steve Reeves is back in action here with the type of film we associate with him – and in which he is always good

The film  La Battaglia di Maratona, was released in the US and the Uk as The Giant of Marathon.

The film starts in Olympia in 490 BCE, where the games are being held and Phillippides ( Steve Reeves ) wins everything.

Upon returning to Athens, the city-state he was representing, he is named Captain of the Sacred Guard, which is the elite guard of the city.

However behind the scenes there is some political intrigue, Hippias who once ruled Athens has plans to return and seize control of the city. He had in the recent past fled Persia and managed to influence the ruler there.

This film was a French/Italian co-production and, when it began was being directed by the very experienced Jacques Tourneur.

Tourneur didn’t like the film and didn’t want to do it, but he was under contract. However midway through the filming, his contract ran out and he just left.

The Producers then turned , Mario Bava.

So effectively this film was directed by two people who are quite well known for their visual style and yet the finished film is quite ordinary to look at.

MGM took up the distribution of the film in the USA and I must say did a very good job with a saturation style release and bags of publicity – and they ended up making a sizeable profit. Steve Reeves had become pretty much Box Office gold during this period but his star was not going to shine for long – he was really limited to the ‘epic’ film and this eventually faded

Starring: Steve Reeves, Mylène Demongeot, Sergio Fantoni, Alberto Lupo, Daniele Vargas, Gianni Loti, Miranda Campa, Philippe Hersent, Anita Todesco, Ivo Garrani, Daniela Rocca, Sergio Ciani, Franco Fantasia, Carlo Lombardi, Ignazio Balsamo, Gian Paolo Rosmino, Walter Grant, Maria Grazia Sandri, Gérard Herter, Rinaldo Zamperla Directors: Jacques Tourneur, Mario Bava
Titanus, Galatea Film, Lux Compagnie Cinématographique de France, Societé Cinématographique Lyre, Italy, France, 1959. 

Terence Rattigan is my favourite playwright, his dialogue is so intelligent, and the storytelling so beautifully constructed.

Along with ‘The Winslow Boy’ and particularly ‘The Browning Version’, ‘Separate Tables’ is a perfect example of Terence Rattigan at his best,

The film version had David Niven giving one of his best performances as the disgraced Major at the Hotel, and it is a film packed with stars.

I always think that Burt Lancaster was not the right actor for his role in this film, but he was responsible for financing the film. So we have to give him some credit

The story is centred around long stay guests in a small seaside hotel – all different types put together but not necessarily with any perceived warmth for one another. Really a study in loneliness.

Gladys Cooper with Deborah Kerr ABOVE

ABOVE David Niven – as The Major – enters the dining room – in disgrace and fears the reaction of his fellow residents.

ABOVE Deborah Kerr hears the news that The Major will be leaving

BELOW – An awkward breakfast with The Major very uncomfortable as the other residents look on

On ‘The Terence Rattigan Collection’ DVD issue there is available many of his best works as done by the BBC over a period of years. There is ‘The Winslow Boy’ with Eric Porter and Alan Badel, and the 1985 adaptation of ‘The Browning Version with Ian Holm and Judi Dench

This is nowhere near as good as the Michael Redgrave film of 1951 ( one of the finest adaptations of any of Rattigan’s plays )

In this 1954 film, Attila was played by Jack Palance but at the same time a French Italian version ‘Attila the Hun’ had been made with Anthony Quinn in the title role – these were released more or less together although the Anthony Quinn version came in November 1954 and Sign of the Pagan on 11 February 1955

Sign of the Pagan was made in Hollywood

Jeff Chandler was probably at his most popular in 1954

1954 Universal International film titled Sign of the Pagan. It is an epic adventure tale set in the 15th-Century about the chieftain Attila the Hun who was a leader of the Hunnic Empire in central Europe .

Jess Chandler plays a Roman centurion called Marcian – the real Emperor

There takes place a battle of wits and wills between Attila/Jack Palance and Marcian/Jeff Chandler . Jack Palance dominates in this historical adventure with acting in the ‘over the top’ variety – very effective – much as he did a decade later in Barabbas – one of my favourite epic films

Marcian gains the favour of Pulcheria (Ludmilla Tchérina ) , lovely sister of Theodosius , who wants a united Empire and is plotting against Attila .

As Attila marches across Empire to Rome, things look bleak for the weakened imperial forces .

This spectacular film contains plenty of action , battles , thrills , romance , historical events – even if they are more fiction than fact, and large impressive crowd scenes that fill the giant Cinemascope screen

The film has big production values , lavishly produced , brilliant photography and rousing soundtrack – all from Universal International at the time .

The film was directed by Douglas Sirk who did a very good job

Attila the Hun 1954

After starring in La Strada Anthony Quinn went on to do two more films while in Italy, Ulysses where he supported Kirk Douglas and Attila where he starred as the bloodthirsty Hun chief who nearly conquered Rome.

This clip / trailer above does not make the film look particularly good and there is one brief shot where a rear projection scene is amateurish. I think that this was made very much on the cheap.

I hope that David Raynor a regular contributor, knows more about these two ‘epics’ – I hope so and hope that he comments and adds a bit more

I had not heard of Gilbert Gunn until, maybe six or so years ago, when I saw advertised a stack of his papers including letters that he had written and these were for sale. A woman in the lovely Lincolnshire village of Woodhall Spa had these items and I purchased them and went to collect. My interest of course was his strong connection with the film industry – the British Film Industry specifically – which I am obviously interested in.

There are probably 40 or so papers in the folder – letters from 1949 up to 1958

Gilbert Gunn

ABOVE from 1958 – it seems a Theatrical

It seems that a Theatrical Agent was attempting to get some of his actors into a Gilbert Gunn film – and there are some famous names Actors not yet in the public eye such as Maggie Smith, Patricia Marmont, Ian Hendry and Peter Hammond

ABOVE and BELOW – Letters or Memos that Gilbert Gunn wrote to various people in -or connected with – the film world. There are quite a lot of them

Gilbert Gunn

Remembering Gilbert Gunn, screenwriter & director, born on this day in 1905

Screenwriter & director Gilbert Gunn was born in Scotland.

Not much is known about Gilbert Gunn, despite him directing some very popular films which are still regularly shown on channels such as Talking Pictures. It could be said that Gunn helped launch many a career in film, from directing Rachel Roberts and Kenneth Williams in their first credited film appearances, to Adam Faith in his first leading film role.

Gilbert Gunn started as a screenwriter, contributing scenes to several of the films he worked on as well as writing the screenplays of “Chamber of Horrors”, “Landfall”, and “Me & My Pal”.

After directing wartime recruitment shorts for the Ministry of Information, Gunn was enlisted by Elstree, then called ABPC, to create & compile a documentary to mark 25 years of the studios.

Over the course of three months, Gunn watched hundreds of hours of film, sometimes twice, to devise and produce “Elstree Story”, hosted by actor Richard Todd.

After “Elstree Story”, Gunn was entrusted to direct “Valley of Song“, the film adaptation of Cliff Gordon’s radio play “Choir Practice“. Gilbert wanting to use the original play title ‘Choir Practice’ but the film chiefs didn’t want that

Filmed at Elstree Studios and on location in Wales, the film marks the first credited film appearances of Rachel Roberts and Kenneth Williams. Coincidentally, Roberts & Williams both worked together in 1950 at Swansea repertory theatre under the directorship of Clifford Evans, who also stars in “Valley of Song“.

Gilbert Gunn must have been a pleasant director to work with as Kenneth Williams, who was never one to hold back, wrote the following in his diary when he visited Elstree on the 24th of October 1952:

“To Elstree for my one line in Choir Practice directed by Gilbert Gunn. It was all over for me by 12 o’c. Very nice. My father was played by Kenneth Evans. Two Kenneths. Terribly funny really.”

After “Valley of Song“, Gunn was reunited with John Fraser to direct him in “The Good Beginning”, after which he directed Zena Marshall in “My Wife’s Family”. This was followed by the sci-fi B-movie “The Strange World of Planet X” (released as “Cosmic Monsters” in the USA) and then “Girls at Sea” which Gunn also produced.
1959 saw the release of the army comedy “Operation Bullshine” directed by Gunn and featuring Barbara Murray, Carole Lesley, Naunton Wayne, Dora Bryan, & Amanda Barrie.

Gunn also directed “What a Whopper” with Adam Faith in his first starring film role. Adam had appeared in films previously, including “Beat Girl”, but “What a Whopper” put him front and centre alongside Carole Lesley and a cast including Sid James, Charles Hawtrey, and Wilfrid Brambell (plus an uncredited brief appearance by Amanda Barrie).

Gunn only made one appearance on film, in the 1941 production of “The Farmer’s Wife” as a pianist, presumably drafted in when the shout went up for a for a piano-player at ABPC studios.

Gilbert Gunn died at the age of 62 on the 6th of December 1967. Whilst the body of work he left behind may not be critically-acclaimed, it certainly provided an important showcase for up-and-coming stars and his films are still very enjoyed to this day, thanks to regular repeats on television and through re-issues of the titles on DVD.

BELOW

A film that Gilbert Gunn directed and he also wrote it

OPERATION BULLSHINE 1959

One of the actors in this was the lovely actress Joan Rice

In many ways this seemed to be a copy of The Prisoner of Zenda’ – a similar storyline.

In 1951 Anthony Dexter made his film debut in “VALENTINO”. The resemblance to the original silent screen idol was uncanny.

Columbia Pictures thought they would build him as a swashbuckler like his predecessor.

So this is the film that they cast him in – it was an adventure story supposedly based on a novel by Alexandre Dumas but with more similarities to Anthony Hope’s The Prisoner of Zenda in that he plays a dual role – a wounded king and an adventurer who is persuaded to double for him.

Anothony.Dexter handles his role(s)well including exciting sword duels and several dance routines .The film is in Technicolor – always a selling point for me – and direction by Phil Karlson.

The supporting cast are very good – Anthony Quinn as the villain, the two female leads Jody Lawrence and Gale Robbins,and Carl Benton Reid

 The King of Mandoora (a mythical country on the Iberian peninsula near Spain,Portugal and Northern Africa and not far from France)and his look-a-like half commoner cousin Captain de Largo (Anthony Dexter)are much like the Zenda characters King Rudolf of Ruritania (a country in Western Europe bordering Germanic speaking countries)and his half English commoner cousin Rudolph Rassendyll.

Ramon the evil royal cousin (Anthony Quinn) is the equivalent of King Rudolf of Ruritania’s half-brother the ambitious Prince Michael and Prince Michael’s disloyal rogue of a friend Rupert of Hentzau. There are many similarities between the stories but that hardly matters because anyone who loves classic adventure and the works of Alexandre Dumas and Anthony Hope will be happy with this

There were dozens of these made in the late 40’s and early 50’s, all done in color and looking much more expensive than they really were. Anthony Dexter, shows a variety of traits as an irresponsible king and his lookalike cousin, brought in to impersonate him after another cousin (Anthony Quinn) attempted an assassination.

The beginning of the film shows the more heroic Dexter character working as a guard for a middle eastern king, involved in a bizarre subplot involving a jealous diplomat and his philandering wife. Colourful costumes, redesigned sets from other Columbia swashbuckling (of which there were many) and plenty action are the highlights, and Dexter and Quinn are fabulous adversaries. 

The Brigand 1952

The Brigand is an entertaining and engaging costume romp that is well filmed, and features an appealing and understated performance by that much underrated actor, Anthony Dexter, in the duo-lead roles. Able backing is provided by Anthony Quinn as the treacherous and slimy villain of the piece. So many movies of this type are throw-away and forgettable, but this one has sufficient pace, as well as a good storyline, to retain the viewers interest throughout. It’s such a fine movie that it’s difficult to understand why it’s never been released commercially, and remains to this day very much of a rarity. It’s also interesting to note that it was the follow-up feature to Valentino, for Anthony Dexter, and it’s perfectly clear that only bad luck prevented him from going on to be a top Hollywood star. Far lesser actors managed to forge long, star-studded careers for themselves, so it will always remain something of a mystery as to why Mr Dexter never reached the heights.

The Brigand 1952

The Brigand 1952 BELOW – Very Interesting that a comic such as the one below was issued. Maybe it was thought that would increase the Box Office business – certainly create interest outside of the Cinema

The Brigand 1952

I had no idea what the occasion was here but the article is headed ‘Ferguson for the Highlands’ – as I looked further into this I found quite a bit more information as below

ABOVE – Richard Todd hands over a new Ferguson Tractor for The Highland Fund to Lord Malcolm Douglas Hamilton – Lady Hamilton takes the driver’s seat and Catherine Todd Richard’s wife looks on

A blown up picture of Richard Todd from that same photograph. I at first thought that he had been up in Scotland for the filming of Rob Roy but then remembered that in all the pictures at that time. he was bearded.

Looking further this photograph was from the Arbroath Journal of July 1954

Catherine looking happy and very attractive

Lord Douglas Hamilton had married only the previous year in 1953 – It was his second marriage and her fourth.

Sadly Lord Douglas Hamilton was killed in a light plane crash in Cameroon in 1964 along with his son. Lady Hamilton actually lived to the age of 103 and died quite recently in 2013, 58 years or so after her husband’s death.

Richard Todd and his wife had been in Scotland for the premier of ‘Rob Roy, The Highland Rogue’ and whilst there met an Industrialist John Rollo who had designed a tractor to cope with the steep Highland fields. The Highland Fund was a Government body helping fund the small acre farmers / crofters and Richard Todd had been asked to do the presentation of this tractor to Lord Malcolm Douglas Hamilton

Nyoka was played by Frances Gifford way back in 1941 – iinitially a serial with cliff hanger endings that saw Nyoka swing through the treetops of the African Jungle much like Tarzan was doing at the same time

This film came from Republic and was a great success for the Studio

Jungle adventure abound with lots of thrills along the way

This was a good production with a lot of outdoor sequences

Frances Gifford stars as Nyoka

With Tom Neal

Nyoka was loosely based on a character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs having introduced an Asian Heroine Princess Fountan in ‘The Land of Hidden Men’ in a serial in 1931

Republic Pictures purchased the rights to Jungle Girl and Frances Gifford was cast as Nyoka – however Republic created their own storyline.

One of Nyoka’s colleagues runs like crazy through the jungle to try to say her

ABOVE – A real cliff hanger as Nyoka tied to a stake has projectiles aimed at her which are held back by a carefully placed rope, that is slowly being burned through from a fire made by her enemies

Jungle adventure abound with lots of thrills along the way

The rope is slowly burning away – when will it give way and release the deadly spears

On to the next and last episode of this thrilling serial

Nyoka and Jack thank their jungle friends before flying off

Jungle adventure abound with lots of thrills along the way

‘The End’ with a jungle scene. I must admit that I really enjoyed this and it is recommended