THE LADY VANISHES (1938 A b/w)

The Lady Vanishes (1938)

directed by Alfred Hitchcock

In Bandrika, a fictional country in an "uncivilised" region of immediately pre-World War II Central Europe, a motley group of travellers eager to return to England is delayed by an avalanche that has blocked the railway tracks. At night, a folk singer plays a tune al fresco that catches the attention of Miss Froy (May Whitty), an elderly lady who has worked some years abroad as a governess. The folk singer is suddenly silenced--apparently murdered.

Among the train's passengers are Gilbert (Michael Redgrave), a young musicologist who has been studying the folk songs of the region, Iris (Margaret Lockwood), a young woman of independent means who has spent a holiday with some friends, but is now returning home to get married, and Miss Froy.

When the train resumes its journey, Iris and Miss Froy become acquainted, while the remaining passengers in the compartment appear not to understand a word of English. Iris lapses into unconsciousness, the result of an earlier encounter with a falling flowerpot meant for Miss Froy. When Iris reawakens, the governess has vanished, and she is shocked to learn that the other passengers claim Miss Froy never existed. The other English travelers deny ever seeing her, for their own reasons.

Fellow passenger Doctor Egon Hartz (Paul Lukas) convinces everyone that Iris must have hallucinated the scene with the old lady because of the blow to her head. Undaunted, Iris starts to investigate, joined only by a skeptical Gilbert, with whom she eventually falls in love. They discover that Miss Froy is being held prisoner in a sealed-off compartment supposedly occupied by a seriously ill patient being transported to an operation. They manage to free her, but the train is diverted to a side track, where a shootout ensues. Miss Froy intimates to Gilbert and Iris that she is in fact a British spy assigned to deliver some vital information (the famous Hitchcock MacGuffin) to the Foreign Office in London; after entrusting her message, encoded in a folk song—sung earlier by a balladeer, who is strangled in the first violence of the film[7] – to Gilbert, she flees under cover of the shootout.

cast

Iris Henderson LOCKWOOD, Margaret

Gilbert Redman REDGRAVE, Michael

Dr Egon Hartz LUKAS, Paul

Miss Froy WHITTY, Dame May

Boris, hotel manager BOREO, Emile

Baroness CLARE, Mary

Eric Todhunter PARKER, Cecil

Margaret, 'Mrs Todhunter' TRAVERS, Linden

Caldicott WAYNE, Naunton

Charters RADFORD, Basil

Blanche WITHERS, Googie

Julie STEWART, Sally

Signor Doppo LEAVER, Philip

Signora Doppo VAZ DIAS, Selma

the nun LACEY, Catherine

Madame Kummer WILSON, Josephine

the officer OLIVER, Charles

Anna, the hotel maid TREMAINE, Kathleen

man at Victoria railway station (uncredited) HITCHCOCK, Alfred

production

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Produced by Edward Black (uncredited)

Written by Sidney Gilliat, Frank Launder

Story by Ethel Lina White, Alma Reville

Music by Louis Levy, Charles Williams, Cecil Milner (all uncredited)

Cinematography Jack E. Cox

Editing by R. E. Dearing

Studio Gainsborough Pictures, Gaumont British

Distributed by United Artists

Release date 1 November 1938

PENNY PARADISE (1938 U b/w)

Penny Paradise (1938)

directed by Carol Reed

A 1938 British comedy film, produced by Ealing Studios. It was an early directorial assignment for Carol Reed, and along with many other British productions of the era such as the same year's better-known Reed-directed Bank Holiday, is described as: "...belonging to a wider studio tradition of modest representation of ordinary British life.

The film is set in Liverpool, where tugboat captain Joe Higgins (Edmund Gwenn), believing he has won a fortune on the football pools, resigns from his job and throws a party in a local public house where family and friends – some of whom have an eye on a share of the winnings – gather to celebrate his good luck. Higgins pays court to the widow Clegg (Maire O'Neill) who he has been wooing, while his daughter Betty (Betty Driver) is targeted by a chancer who sniffs money. The party grinds to a halt with the arrival of the hapless Pat (Jimmy O'Dea), Higgins' Irish first mate on the tugboat, who is forced to admit that he forgot to post the winning pools coupon. There now seems no reason for celebration, but Higgins is mollified when his former employer offers him the captaincy of the best tugboat on the River Mersey, a position to which he had long aspired.

The action of the film is interspersed with several musical numbers performed by Driver and one by O'Dea. While O'Dea's song is clearly provided for comic effect, those sung by Driver are presented straight.

cast

Edmund Gwenn as Joe Higgins

Betty Driver as Betty Higgins

Jimmy O'Dea as Pat

Ethel Coleridge as Aunt Agnes

Maire O'Neill as Widow Clegg

Syd Crossley as Uncle Lancelot

James Harcourt as Amos Cook

Jack Livesey as Bert

Frederick Burtwell as Policeman

production

Directed by Carol Reed

Produced by Basil Dean

Written by Thomas Browne, Walter Meade and Thomas Thompson

Music by Harry O'Donovan

Cinematography Ronald Neame and Gordon Dines

Editing by Ernest Aldridge

Studio Ealing Studios

Release date 24 September 1938

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925 unrated b/w)

Phantom Of The Opera (1925)

directed by Rupert Julian

At the Opera of Paris, a mysterious phantom threatens a famous lyric singer, Carlotta and thus forces her to give up her role (Marguerite in Faust) for unknown Christine Daae. Christine meets this phantom (a masked man) in the catacombs, where he lives. Most prints of this movie are from the 1929 reissue version. This version is from 1925. Phantom of the Opera was remade several times. In 1943, director Arthur Lubin produced a 92 minute color version. Oscar winner for Cinematography and Art Direction. In 1962, Phantom of the Opera was directed by Terence Disher, starring Herbert Lom, Heather Sears. 84 minute British production. In 1989, director Dwight H. Little produced the fourth version of Phantom of the Opera with Robert England and Jill Schoelen. Shot in Budapest, but set in London. The 1999 Italian version of The Phantom of the Opera was directed by Dario Argento

out of copyright

cast

• Lon Chaney as Erik, The Phantom
• Mary Philbin as Christine Daaé
• Norman Kerry as Vicomte Raoul de Chagny
• Arthur Edmund Carewe as Ledoux
• Gibson Gowland as Simon Buquet
• John St. Polis as Comte Philippe de Chagny
• Snitz Edwards as Florine Papillon
• Mary Fabian as Carlotta (1930 redux)
• Virginia Pearson as Carlotta/Carlotta's mother (1930 redux)

Uncredited

• Bernard Siegel as Joseph Buquet
• Edward Martindel as Comte Phillipe de Chagny (1930 redux)
• Joseph Belmont as a stage manager
• Alexander Bevani as Méphistophélès
• Edward Cecil as Faust
• Ruth Clifford as ballerina
• Roy Coulson as the Jester
• George Davis as The guard outside Christine's door
• Madame Fiorenza as Madame Giry, keeper of the box
• Cesare Gravina as a retiring manager
• Bruce Covington as Monsieur Moncharmin
• William Humphrey as Monsieur Debienne
• George B Williams as Monsieur Ricard
• Carla Laemmle as Prima Ballerina
• Grace Marvin as Martha
• John Miljan as Valéntin
• Rolfe Sedan as an undetermined role
• William Tracy as the Ratcatcher, the messenger from the shadows
• Anton Vaverka as Prompter

Deleted scenes

• Olive Ann Alcorn as La Sorelli
• Chester Conklin as Orderly
• Ward Crane as Count Ruboff
• Vola Vale as Christine's maid
• Edith Yorke as Mama Valerius

production

directed by

Rupert Julian
Uncredited:
Lon Chaney
Edward Sedgwick
Ernst Laemmle

 

produced by Carl Laemmle (uncredited)

 

screenplay by 

Elliott J. Clawson
Raymond L. Schrock
Bernard McConville
Jasper Spearing
Richard Wallace
Walter Anthony
Tom Reed
Frank M. McCormack (All uncredited) 

 

based on the novel Phantom of the Opera by Gaston LeRoux 

Music by Gustav Hinrichs

Editing by	Edward Curtiss Maurice Pivar Gilmore Walker
Distributed by	Universal Studios
Release date(s)	November 25, 1925

TRENT'S LAST CASE (1952 A b/w)

Trent's Last Case

directed by Herbert Wilcox

a British detective film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Michael Wilding, Margaret Lockwood, Orson Welles and John McCallum. It was based on the novel Trent's Last Case by E. C. Bentley, and had been filmed previously in the UK with Clive Brook in 1920, and in a 1929 US version.

A major international financier is found dead at his Hampshire home. The Record newspaper assigns its leading investigative reporter, Phillip Trent, to the case. In spite of the police cordon, he manages to gain entry to the house by posing as a relative. While there he manages to pick up some of the background to the case from Inspector Murch, the Irish detective leading the investiation. Despite Murch's suggestion that the death is suicide, Trent quickly becomes convinced that it was in fact murder.

At the inquest, the coroner swiftly concludes that the deceased, Sigsbee Manderson, had killed himself. Trent, however, is given permission by his editor to continue to pursue the story. His attention is drawn to Manderson's widow, Margaret.

cast

Michael Wilding - Phillip Trent

Margaret Lockwood - Margaret Manderson

Orson Welles - Sigsbee Manderson

John McCallum - John Marlowe

Miles Malleson - Burton Cupples

Hugh McDermott - Calvin C. Bunner

Jack McNaughton - Mr Martin, the butler

Sam Kydd - Inspector Murch

Henry Edwards - Coroner

Geoffrey Bayldon - Reporter in court

Robert Cawdron - PC

John Chandos - Tim O'Rielly

Ben Williams, Jimmy, the reporter

Kenneth Williams - Horace Evans, the junior gardener

production

directed by Herbert Wilcox

produced by Herbert Wilcox

written by  Pamela Bower

based on the novel by E.C. Bentley

music by Anthony Collins

cinematography by  Mutz Greenbaum

Edited by Bill Lewthwaite

Distributed by Republic Pictures

release date  29th October 1952

note:   this was Kenneth Williams first screen appearance

THE TELL TALE HEART (1960 A b/w)

The Tell Tale Heart (1960)

directed by Ernest Morris

A  1960 horror film directed by Ernest Morris. The screenplay by Brian Clemens and Eldon Howard is a loose adaptation of the 1843 short story of the same title by Edgar Allan Poe.

Edgar Marsh, a shy librarian obsessed with erotica becomes infatuated with his neighbor Betty Clare when he sees her undressing in her bedroom. He invites her to dinner, and although she clearly is uncomfortable with the attention he pays her, he showers her with jewelry and fantasizes about their future. Complications arise when he introduces her to his friend Carl Loomis, whom Betty finds far more attractive and appealing. In order to eliminate the competition, Edgar bludgeons Carl to death with a poker and buries him beneath the floorboards in his piano room. His overwhelming guilt leads him to believe a ticking metronome and the incessant dripping of a faucet actually are the sound of his victim's heart still beating

cast

Laurence Payne ..... Edgar Marsh

Adrienne Corri ..... Betty Clare

Dermot Walsh ..... Carl Loomis

production

directed by  Ernest Morris

produced by Edward J. Danziger and Harry Lee Danziger

script by Brian Clemens and Eldon Howard 

based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe

 music by Tony Crombie and Bill LeSage

Cinematography James Wilson

Editing by Derek Parsons

Distributed by Warner-Pathé Distributors

Release date  December 1960

CURSE OF THE DEMON (1957 unrated b/w)

Curse Of The Demon (1957)

directed by Jacques Tourneur


Southern England, the late 1950s: Having threatened to expose the occultist Karswell, scientist Professor Harrington dies violently, having been pursued by a monstrous demon invoked by Karswell. As his car has been hit a power line, the authorities conclude that Harrington has been killed by electrocution.
American psychologist Dr John Holden visits the UK, to attend a convention with Harrington, where the latter had been due to discuss Karswell's 'devil cult'. Perusing Harrington's papers, Holden and some other fellow scientists find prints of fire demons from an ancient manuscript; these bear a marked resemblance to a sketch done by a member of the magician's cult, since arrested for murder and now in a state of catatonic shock. Holden receives an unexpected telephone call from Karswell, who asks him to abandon his investigation.

cast

Dr John Holden	ANDREWS, Dana
Joanna Harrington	CUMMINS, Peggy
Dr Julian Karswell	MacGINNIS, Niall
Professor Henry Harrington	DENHAM, Maurice
Mrs Karswell	SEYLER, Athene
Professor Mark O'Brien	REDMOND, Liam
Inspector Mottram	LEECH, Richard
Mr Meek	BECKWITH, Reginald
Lloyd Williamson	ROBERTS, Ewan
Kumar	ELLIOTT, Peter
Mrs Meek	GREENWOOD, Rosamund
Rand Hobart	WILDE, Brian
Detective Simmons	LAMBLE, Lloyd
superintendent	HOBBES, Peter
chemist	LLOYD-PACK, Charles
librarian	SALEW, John
Mrs Hobart	BARROW, Janet
farmer	HERBERT, Percy
air hostess	TRACY, Lynn
Bates, the butler (uncredited)	HORSBRUGH, Walter
first reporter (uncredited)	BERKELEY, Ballard
second reporter (uncredited)	PEAKE, Michael
ticket collector (uncredited)	SHARP, Leonard
urchin (uncredited)	RICHMOND, Anthony
(uncredited)	BEESLEY, Tatiana
(uncredited)	TARRANT, Kenneth
(uncredited)	JOHN, Anthony
(uncredited)	ASHER, Clare
(uncredited)	HOWELL, Robert
(uncredited)	HOSLER, Yvette
Blake Twins	(uncredited)
(uncredited)	HOMEWOOD, Penelope
(uncredited)	HOLLIS, Irene
(uncredited)	HUNTER, Christopher
(uncredited)	ROBERTS, Karen
(uncredited)	ASLANOFF, Michelle

production

Directed by	TOURNEUR, Jacques
Production Company	Sabre Film Productions
	Columbia Pictures Corporation
Executive Producer	CHESTER, Hal E.
Produced by	BEVIS, Frank
Production Manager	DAVIDSON, R.L.M.
Assistant Director	KEYS, Basil
Continuity	GAYLER, Pamela
Casting	LENNARD, Robert
Screen Play by	BENNETT, Charles
	CHESTER, Hal E.
Based on the story 'Casting the Runes' by	JAMES, Montague R.
Director of Photography	SCAIFE, Ted
Special Effects Photography	ONIONS, S.D.
Special Effects	BLACKWELL, George
	VEEVERS, Wally
Film Editor	GORDON, Michael
Production Designer	ADAM, Ken
Assistant Art Director	GLAZIER, Peter
Hair Stylist	LEE, Betty
Music Composed by	PARKER, Clifton
Music (uncredited) Conducted by	MATHIESON, Muir
Sound Recordist	BRADBURN, Arthur
Dubbing Editor	CRAFFORD, Charles
Transport Manager (uncredited)	FREWIN, Eddie
Narrator (uncredited)	GORMAN, Shay
Studio	Associated British Elstree Studio

the British poster and film title