An almost classic Science Fiction film

A flying saucer lands in Washington D.C. From it emerges a giant robot and Michael Rennie. He wishes to speak with the leaders of the earth, all of them, but that is impossible, So he escapes and makes his way to a boarding house, where he can learn about humans.

It’s a great cast, including Patricia Neal and Sam Jaffe as the smartest man in the world Like all serious science fiction films, it has an Important Message. Unlike many of them, it never disguises that this film is about the need to learn to live together in peace.

Robert Wise, that great director, does his usual impeccable job.

I am talking now of Two films that have nothing much in common except from a personal angle because I happened to have watched them quite close together – within a couple of days of one another.

The first a great favourite of mine ‘Mr Perrin and Mr Traill’ released in 1948 and the other a so-called cinema classic ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ which came out over a decade later but one which seems to gather lavish praise.

I find Mr Perrin and Mr Traill a fascinating story set at a private boarding school in the West Country between the Wars with a quick moving plot and quick moving scenes that hold the audience.

In contrast ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is long and drawn out with a slow moving plot and even slower moving scenes. There are too many long silences with us waiting for Gregory Peck to speak leaving us just wanting to wind things up like clockwork and get them moving.

I have to admit that I am not a great fan of Gregory Peck even though he had such a long and successful career in films. He just appears so down-beat and in need of a rev up in many scenes – particularly in this one.

ABOVE – With Mr Perrin and Mr Traill, we have sharp and punchy dialogue and well cast characters – all capable of turning in a good performance – and in this film they do just that

I can’t think that ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ had a very big budget. The home and village where most of the cation took place was quite confined – and the final courtroom drama looked to be filmed on quite a small set.

Nevertheless the filmmakers extracted the maximum from the quite limited surroundings.

Back to ‘Mr Perrin and Mr Traill’ which I far prefer, pne of he stars – in fact the female lead – was Greta Gynt. She certainly looked very lovely and captured the heart of Mr Perrin whose inability to admit his feelings and his failure to act led him to be devastated when she turned elsewhere.

I remember Grta Gynt a few years late in another favourite – the widescreen, Colour film ‘The Blue Peter’

Greta Gynt

The Blue Peter 1955 Film

The Film title comes from the flag of England’s Outward Bound Sea School at Aberdovey, Wales.

The Story concerns Mike Merriworth, a Merchant Navy hero of the Korean War returns to England after three years of captivity in Communist hands, his mind confused by brain-washing and indoctrination at the hands of his captors, and accepts a post as an instructor at the Outward Bound Sea School

Stars: Kieron Moore, Sarah Lawson, Greta Gynt, Harry Fowler, Mervyn Johns, Anthony Newley

This film was released on 1 January 1951 and looking down the cast list I see some names that became- or were – very familiar. Patrick McNee, Terence Alexander, Archie Duncan, Peter Colpey, Arthur Wontner ( a famous film Sherlock Holmes ) and Eugene Deckers to name just a few.

In this costume adventure set in France during the Reign of Terror, a mysterious man known only as the Scarlet Pimpernel rescues noblemen from the guillotine and leads them to safety across the English Channel.

Chauvelin played by Cyril Cusack – is determined to unmask the Pimpernel and bring him to justice. When evidence begins to suggest that the hero is actually foppish Sir Percy Blakeney, Chauvelin blackmails Percy’s wife, Marguerite, into cooperating on the threat that he’ll expose the criminal activities of her brother Armand.

However, Marguerite doesn’t much care for her husband, hardly believes he could be the heroic Pimpernel, and is startled when she finds out that he truly is the hero.

The film was conceived as a co-production deal between Alexander Korda’s London Films and Samuel Goldwyn, in which it was agreed that Goldwyn would fund half the film’s production costs in exchange for US distribution rights. 

Korda had produced a versionof ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ in 1935 with Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon, and Goldwyn anticipated a colour remake that would repeat that film’s international success.

The Elusive Pimpernel was eventually released in America in a further truncated form (and in black and white) as The Fighting Pimpernel.
Although both Powell and Pressburger were dissatisfied with it, The film itself is highly enjoyable.

It features stunning location work in Bath, the Loire Valley and on Mont St. Michel

There are some lavish costumes to see – David Niven and Jack Hawkins’ humbug-striped tailcoats and frilly lace cuffs commanding as much visual attention as Margaret Leighton’s elegant ball

There is one action sequence in the film that has stayed with me since I saw this with my Mother and Father at the time of release and that was when Sir Percy in his horse and carriage race against the Jack Hawkins character. As they speed neck and neck, in the distance is a narrow bridge that only one can get through. It is quite exciting as they hurtle towards this obstacle. In the end Sir Percy wins leaving the other carriage to veer away and come to a crashing halt.

Because of the contractual troubles around the production and release, this film was not that well promoted – not at all in the USE until a few years later – so it is not well remembered and not often shown on TV.

Nevertheless it is a very colourful production

Another Victor Mature film but this time one that did not fare well with the public. I don’t Think that this was at all well promoted at the time of it’s release or I would certainly have noticed it more – I do remember it though.

Again a film shot in Technicolor and Cinemascope with much of the action in the Caribbean

ABOVE – Victor Mature and Karen Steele in a publicity still for the film

Based on actual events in the development of a shark repellent by the U.S. Navy in World War 2. First used in 1943, it was granted a patent in 1949 and was used by the Navy until 1973.

However its effectiveness is now judged dubious nowadays. The actual scientific work consisted of observations of shark behaviour in 1942 off Mayport, Florida; Woods Hole, Massachusetts; and the harbour of Guayaquil, Ecuador by civilian scientists of the Marine Studios Oceanarium.

Filming took place in the middle of the Cuban revolution, which started on July 26, 1953 and culminated when Cuban president Fulgencio Batista fled the country on January 1, 1959. Around the time of filming in March 1955, unrest was growing and student demonstrations against Batista were becoming more commonplace.

ABOVE – The Press Book from the Film

‘The Sharkfighters’ was filmed – filming finished in March 1955 a shoot of maybe little more than a month

We saw this famous Charles Dickeens Story done as a stage play a few months ago at the Lincoln Theatre Royal. Brilliantly done with special sound effects and smoke to add to the atmosphere as we sat in the stalls and could almost see the train speeding towards us – all illusion of course but how good it was.

This adaptation on Talking picture starred Denholm Elliott in the main role as the Signalman evertually telling his story to the stranger – and what a story it was. I think that it was originally a BBC Production.

BELOW: The Signalman does his job – day in and day out.

BELOW: The Stranger arrives

This was a perfect adaptation of a ghost story. The location is right – actually at Bewdley on the Severn Valley Railway and the performances beautifully measured – and the atmosphere engulfs the viewer

The adaptation stays loyal to the story.

Denholm Elliott standing at the mouth of the tunnel as smoke billows out behind him after the collision and the night shot of the stranger returning to the inn are quite remarkable.

An extremely good version of a great and ghostly story leaving us shivering just a little.

For some reason I had it in my head that this was a Francis Durbridge story adapted from a TV serial – they usually ran over six weeks – but I was wrong and it was not one of his at all. I must admit the title s like one of hios and watching the film, it seemed to move along in that style.

I was wrong though.

Nevertheless it was an absorbing and intriguing storyline where we never know quite what was going on as we were transported scene to scene in and around London and the Home Counties

A plane crash sets the story in motion, where a man is killed – or is he ?

ABOVE – Joan Scott ( Betty McDouwall) hears that her husband has been killed in the plane crash and here is comforted by her friend Pam Jennings ( Clare Owen)

ABOVE and BELOW: Bill Vernon ( Vincent Ball ) chats with Pam and Joan

Joan is devastated and just cannot believe that her husband has gone – and strange things then start to happen

ABOVE : Col Justin ( Geoffrey Toone) is now involved and a crashed car leads to more developments. Bill Vernon assists him.

Bill Vernon chats with Pam/

All in all a very entertaining film

Betty McDowell was a n Australian actress who cam to England and had quite a success in films like this one, and on the West End Stage but I was intrigued to see that she also played Laura Archer on Radio in ‘The Archers’

Vincent Ball was another Australian who came here and was in quite a number of films and Television dramas. He did go back to Australia and is still alive at the age of 100. He did play a part in Australia as recently as 2014 when he was a mere 91

I liked this film which was shown a few days ago on one of the many TV Film Channels.

Well, it starred Victor Mature who, as readers of this Blog will have come to realise is a favourite of mine – as he was of my father – and he gives another good performance

Victor Mature’s diverse career included starring in a number of historical epics – Samson and Delilah (1949), The Robe (1953), Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954), and The Egyptian (1954).

These big-budget films were interspersed with lighter fare such as Wabash Avenue (1950) with Betty Grable and Million Dollar Mermaid (1952) with Esther Williams.

He also starred in numerous Westerns, including Fury at Furnace Creek (1948), Chief Crazy Horse (1955), and this one – The Last Frontier (1955).

This is an enjoyable Western. The scenery Is fantastic. The soundtrack Is in stereo- which is quite something for a Western In 1955

Most of the scenes are Inside a military fort or shot on location.

Victor Mature plays a trapper turned military scout trying to prevent a glory-mad Colonel from attacking the Indians as It would mean a massacre of the whole fort.

Robert Preston plays the colonel who Is constantly at loggerheads with Victor Mature.

The final battle with the Indians is very well staged and goes on for quite a while – the action taking place in a forest – beautifully filmed

The film fared pretty well at the Box Office – as most Victor Mature films did

The biggest hit of the year ‘White Christmas’ swelled Paramount’s Bank balance by 12 million dollars from the American release alone – and pretty much the same again from the rest of the World

Such stars – and talents – as Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye along with Irving Berlin certainly did the trick – ably assisted by Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. The story was nothing special but was about a couple of entertainers assisted by their girl friends who put on a show at a Winter Resort Hotel to make it a success for their old Army Officer.

The production was in Technicolor and VistaVision – the first film to be released using this process which was Paramount’s answer to Cinemascope.

The film boasted 15 Irving Berlin songs including ‘Count Your Blessing’ , ‘The Best Things Happen when you’re Dancing’ ‘Sisters’ and old ones like ‘Blue Skies’ and ‘Heatwave’

The script and story, makes this almost a remake of Holiday Inn.

Then we have the performances, with Bing Crosby his usual charming self as Bob, and Danny Kaye is superb as Phil. His dance routine with Vera Ellen, who looked gorgeous here, was a knockout.

Rosemary Clooney is terrific as Betty, with a calm and subdued performance. The choreography was excellent – clever, fast-paced and energetic.

All in all – a perfect film for Christmas

This was a short film but in full Colour shot at Waddington in Lincolnshire about the Vulcan Bomber and really about the legendary aircraft and it’s crew a film narrated by Peter Dimmock

The introduction of the Vulcans at Scampton – where they were based – in the fifties called for the main A15 road to be re-routed and instead of the normal straight Roman Road as it was, the runway extension meant that just North of Lincoln the road has quite a curve around the runway end

We see shots of the Officer’s mess with beer being consumed

I am surprised that this film is being billed as at Waddington as I do know the Vulcans were stationed at nearby Scampton – former home of the Dam Busters Squadron

Quite a few years ago in the Seventies, I had business with someone living and with a business in the charming village of Aisthorpe Nr Lincoln very close to Scampton. On a number of occasions, I was with him in his office when two or three of the Vulcans took off low over the village which although not visible is not too far from the Western end of the runway, and as they were at very low level and climbing the noise was just incredible and this person started to curse at them as it was impossible to hear anything on the phone.

On another occasion my wife and I were motoring towards Lincoln not too far from the village of Aisthorpe when suddenly a Vulcan appeared above us very low, very noisy climbing and the sight of it was so impressive = I wish they were there now at

This is such an impressive shot of the Twelve Vulcans on the Runway at Scampton.

I sometimes would stop as close to the runway as was possible and watch as probably six of the aircraft practiced take off, circling and landing on a regular basis. It certainly was a thrilling sight as they hurtled past – the ground seemed to shake below where you were standing

Raising the Standard

Just over a year ago.as s I watched and listened to the coverage of The Death of the Queen, I was filled, as I have been with great sadness and was listening to a discussion about the Royal Standard being raised at Buckingham Palace and other palaces in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

I try to relate items from such events to this Blog and to the film world of the relevant era.

The Still from the Film ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ 1948 shows the Prince played by David Niven raising the Standard at Glenfinnan.

What a beautiful place it is and what a wonderful and iconic scene

Alexander Korda put a lot of effort and money into this, but it did not fare too well at the Box Office. It does look an expensive film when you are watching it and it is spectacular in Technicolor with wonderful shots of the Scottish Highlands.

In my view David Niven just did not look the part and my own view is that he was mis-cast in this. I have always liked Margaret Leighton – she was with David Niven again in The Elusive Pimpernel in 1951 but again that was not successful although again it have a quite lavish budget and again was in Technicolor.

Mind you, sandwiched between these two films, David Niven was back in Hollywood and made ‘Enchantment’ for Sam Goldwyn which I enjoyed

Margaert Leighton had a leading role a year later in ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ – a film I love – very English in it’s style but a great story from a stage play