Classics

Filmmaker Sacha Guitry’s only cinematic contribution for 1939 was Ils Etaient Neuf Celibataires, released stateside as There Were Nine Bachelors. Set sometime in the past, the story gets under way when a new law calls for the expulsion of certain foreigners from Paris. Among those slated for deportation is Polish stage star Elvire Popesco. Guitry plays an opportunist who offers to help Popesco remain in France in exchange for her help in a highly suspicious “lonely hearts” scam. Our so-called hero intends to marry off nine elderly bachelors with an equal number of female foreign aliens, so that the latter will be able to declare themselves as French citizens. Naturally, most of the financial proceeds of this venture are to remain in Guitry’s possession — not to mention any female “fringe benefits” picked up along the way.Read More »

England’s prime minister (Norman Wisdom) pulls some strings to get his hapless grandson Norman (also played by Wisdom), a newspaper vendor in London, a job as a reporter in the sleepy seaside town of Tinmouth. Once there, the lad doesn’t take long to find trouble on the job — and his habit of making up the news isn’t helping — in this breezy comic vehicle for Wisdom, who also plays Norman’s suffragette mother in flashbacks.Read More »

Synopsis:
Surprised by a burglar (Michel Serrault), the doleful Philippe (Jean Poiret) regains his composure, then asks the thief for his assistance. It seems that Philippe wants to commit suicide but hasn’t the nerve to pull off the deed himself. In flashback, Philippe recounts the events that led up to this critical and anxious moment. As it turns out, our “hero” is a bigger criminal, both actual and moral, than the nonplused burglar could ever be.Read More »

Movie in 4 episodes, taken from as many short stories by Luigi Pirandello.

1) “La giara”: in order to repair the jar of quarrelsome Don Lolò, zi ‘Dima remains locked inside it;

2) “Il ventaglino”: an unwed mother spends the first money received in charity to buy a fan;

3) “La patente”: a jinx requires that he be officially recognized, with a licence, his ability to bring bad luck;

4) “Marsina stretta”: the anger for a too tight tailcoat induces a best man to make celebrate a wedding that the groom’s rich parents were trying to avoid.Read More »

Quote:
Four teenage teddy boys are tried in the Old Bailey, charged with the “murder in the course of theft” of a garage night watchman, a conviction for which carries an automatic death penalty. Although initial evidence from the prosecuting counsel seems damning of the youthful gang, their unorthodox defence lawyer’s skilful arguments soon throw the jury into confusion and disarray.Read More »

Synopsis:
A young girl, rich and orphaned (Emmy LYNN), harrassed by a deprived adventurer (Jean TOULOUT) and by his sister, kills the latter. The adventurer blackmails her. A year later, the girl marries a famous composer, an admiror of Beethoven (Séverin MARS). The adventurer starts courting, secretly, the composer’s daughter (Elizabeth NIZAN) – daughter by a previous marriage. The composer, on finding out that a sordid relationship had existed, in the past, between his wife and the adventurer wrote, on the occasion of his daughter’s engagement, a symphony describing his unhappiness. The composer hereby defines the theme of the 10th symphony: “At the feet of his master Beethoven , a musician distraught by the treason of women, tries to forget and express his sadness”.Read More »

”A strange movie that remains in the memory years after you’ve seen it. It’s silly, sentimental and has a ridiculous premise, but also lasting power. Stockwell is a 12-year-old sent to live in the country with his singing-waiter grandfather O’Brien after his parents are killed in the Blitz. The shock of this turns Stockwell’s hair green, leading the townsfolk to vilify him and forcing the child to understand that a different appearance can be hard, but can make you strong. It’s a fable on racism and the horror of war for children.” – Channel4 comRead More »

Synopsis:
Norman is the assistant helping to run a small, old fashioned dairy which is threatened by a larger, modern organisation. Norman does his best to save the dairy (and his horse) and the usual chaos ensues.Read More »

Synopsis:
Norman is working in the stockroom of a large London department store, but he has ambition, he wants to be a window dresser making up the public displays. Whilst trying to fulfill his ambition, he falls in love, with one of the shopgirls. Together they discover a plot to rob the store and, somehow, manage to foil the robbers.Read More »