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Walter Matthau is in peak form in Hopscotch, a featherweight spy-game comedy in which he plays a CIA agent who's way smarter than his dimwitted superiors. That's the fantasy part--this amusing cat-and-mouse game is so lopsided that you can't take it seriously. The movie's charm is derived from the sardonic pleasure with which Matthau makes his pursuers look like idiots, after they've targeted him for "termination" for publishing a tell-all memoir about his tenure in "the Company." He's no stool pigeon, however; it's his boss (played with blustery thick-headedness by the great Ned Beatty) who's abusing his power, so Matthau recruits an old lover (Glenda Jackson) to join him in a globetrotting game of clandestine cleverness. Under Ronald Neame's too-casual direction, this is a not-so-wild goose chase, but Matthau and Jackson (reuniting after they had fun making the 1978 comedy House Calls) have an easygoing chemistry that's nicely balanced with Matthau's cantankerous shenanigans. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (116)

I love this movie!
Miles Kendig (played Walter Matthau) is a CIA agent who is used to doing things his way. When his new chief, the abusive and bombastic G.P. Myerson (Ned Beatty), decides to retire him behind a desk, Kendig decides that the CIA needs a house cleaning--and that his memoirs would make the perfect broom. Now Kendig is on the run from the Agency: sending out new chapters, playing hide-and-seek with old associates. It's all a game, a game of hopscotch, and Kendig needs to keep one step ahead. Will he succeed? [Color, released in 1980, with a running time of 1 hour, 44 minutes.]

I have loved this movie since it came out in 1980! It is just the perfect mix of adventure and humor. Humorous, but not a comedy movie--it's an adventure story with a sense of humor. And now for the bad news: to make his character more dislikable, Ned Beatty swears incessantly in this movie, which makes it a little much to watch in front of small children (I have two). That said, though, I do not know why this movie deserved its R rating. There is no nudity, and practically no violence. And I must add, the swearing is not too much for adult viewers; I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't break into uproarious laughter when Myerson angrily gives his opinion of what FBI stands for!

Smart, Stylish Comedy
We saw this movie back in the early 1980's and loved it, but by the time we tried to get a copy, it had gone out of print. Many thanks to Criterion for releasing it on DVD! This film is superb, well-written and directed, with a cast of very gifted performers. The actors play their roles to the hilt and have a terrific chemistry onscreen.

The plot is basic revenge, perpetrated on the CIA by one of its top operatives. Walter Matthau plays the amiable Kendig, a man who's served in the field for decades and is an excellent agent. He's smart yet still down-to-earth; his reputation among the underworld of spydom is the stuff of legends. Kendig is respected even by his enemies for his savvy decisions and sense of fair play, and his reluctance to resort to dirty tricks. His new boss, Meyerson (Ned Beatty) resents his underling's popularity and decides to neutralize Kendig's effectiveness by yanking him from the field and assigning him to a desk job as a file clerk.

To say that Kendig despises his new boss would be a gross understatement. A switched file is shredded and Kendig vanishes, fleeing to Austria and his lover Isobel (Glenda Jackson). From there, he nurses his wounds and launches on his vengeance against Meyerson and the CIA by writing a book that reveals the agency's dirty tricks and botched missions. Meyerson is livid and assigns Joe Cutter (Sam Waterston) to put a stop to Kendig by any means necessary, especially assassination. Cutter admires Kendig and is torn by his personal feelings for the man and his desire to serve his country.

The story then twists and turns as Kendig leads his former employers on a huge wild goose chase. He calls them from a phone booth right near the CIA headquarters, hides out in Meyerson's southern house---which is later demolished by the feds themselves---, and feeds chapters of the book to Meyerson to whip him into a frenzy of ineffectual rage. He plans on getting the entire book to a publisher, and his means for doing so and ensuring his own protection from future assassination attempts are ingenious.

We are very happy that this movie was released to the public once again. Matthau is superb as a real man working in an unreal world of espionage. Herbert Lom is great for the role of his KGB counterpart, and Glenda Jackson is both tart and elegant as the enigmatic Isobel, who frankly adores Kendig. Ned Beatty plays the part of the oafish Meyerson to perfection, making the viewer hate him thoroughly. Waterston is in excellent form as the good-hearted and conflicted Cutter, and shows hints of his mildly acerbic wit that would come to fruition in his later role of McCoy. The supporting players are fine, too, and the plot is well-crafted and believable.

The DVD is nicely done. There aren't many extras, but it's beautifully produced and does have a nice feature: an alternate soundtrack that deletes the foul language, so even kids can watch it with their parents. We are pleased with our investment, and highly recommend "Hopscotch" to anyone who enjoys a well-done and stylish comedy. It's also perfect for fans of Walter Matthau!

He's about to expose the CIA, the FBI, the KGB...and himself
Off the top of your head, how many funny spy films can you think of? The James Colburn 'Flint' films of the 60's? The Austin Powers movies perhaps? Or that incredibly lame Leslie Nielsen film...Spy Hard (1996)? Over-the-top silliness seems to be a common theme in these films, but Hopscotch (1980), based on a book written by Brian Garfield, also a comedy involving spies, manages to rise above, avoiding the slapsticky and crude humor, rather providing a charming and intelligent story that entertains throughout. Directed by Ronald Neame (Prudence and the Pill, The Poseidon Adventure, The Odessa File), the film stars a wonderful and accomplished cast of actors including Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Sam Waterston, Herbert Lom, and Ned Beatty.

Matthau plays Miles Kendig, one of the CIA's top field agents who suddenly finds himself relegated to a desk job after control of the department he works for is taken over by a petty, vindictive, and less than capable man named Myerson (Beatty) who seems to harbor a personal grudge against Kendig. Unable to deal with riding his career out behind a desk, Kendig leaves the agency, and, after much thought, decides to write his memoirs, detailing all kinds of juicy, sensitive stuff about not only his own agency, but also intelligence agencies throughout the world. After being in the biz for thirty years, he certainly has the inside scoop on all kinds of things, causing his former boss to put out the order for his termination, elimination, liquidation, extermination, what have you...with the aid of a wealthy widow and love interest named Isobel who was also once in the game, played by Jackson, Kendig begins leading his former colleagues on a chase that spans halfway around the globe, always managing to stay one or two steps ahead. Will he be able to finish his book before his old agency or that of a foreign power catches up to him? Even if he does, will he live to see his work published?

Hopscotch is a wonderfully witty, light comedy with a dash of sophistication that nearly everyone can enjoy. Matthau plays his role so perfectly that after seeing the film, you could imagine no one else in the part. He's certainly got that whole irascible charm thing down, and it fits with the character very well here. I loved how his character never seemed to lose his calm composure, constantly outwitting and outsmarting his former co-workers in leisure like fashion, given that he probably wrote the book and trained half the men now chasing him. The element of Kendig using the notion of a book for revenge at first, but then once removed from the work he participated in for so long and seeing just how nasty it is from an outside perspective decides to follow through with his initial threat of finishing the book and getting it published. Jackson plays so very well off Matthau, and they create a level of chemistry that's pretty rare, in my opinion, between on screen couples. They just seem to fit so naturally together, creating a level of believability to counteract the somewhat unrealistic element that the CIA are a mostly a bunch of bumbling buffoons. Did anyone else think her hair was a bit too short, giving her the appearance of a young boy? Maybe it was just me... I really enjoyed a young looking Waterston (Law and Order) as Cutter, Kendig's competent and intelligent protégé now responsible for finding and eliminating his former mentor. I read that he'd actually come into shooting late due to the film he was working on prior, Heaven's Gate (1980) ran past its' shooting schedule, and is the reason why Waterston looks so very tired in some of the scenes in Hopscotch. Herbert Lom is also very good as a Soviet agent named Yaskov, one "who's seen Casablanca one too many times", although I felt he deserved a bit more screen time. Ned (Squeal like a pig for me, boy) Beatty is a riot as Myerson, constantly exasperated by his group's futile attempts to put a lid on the loose cannon he himself let loose due to his own petty dislikes for Kendig. Imagine someone you work with that no one likes, and then that person finally getting a little bit of power, lording over certain individuals, power tripping here and there, but mostly tripping over his own feet, and you basically have Myerson. The direction by Neame was most excellent, keeping the viewer (me) engaged throughout, with a smooth, steady pace as the story unfolded, which is a bit light in some parts, but did nothing to reduce my enjoyment of this charming, funny film.

Criterion provides a superior high-definition digital transfer here in wide screen format and a cleaned up soundtrack. The quality of the picture is really fabulous, especially when compared to my old VHS copy. As far as special features are concerned, there's not as much as I would have thought from a Criterion release, but what's here is very worthy. There's liner notes on the insert inside the DVD case by Bruce Eder, a video introduction by writer Brian Garfield and director Roland Neame along with interviews, a separate audio track, a clean version created for television broadcast along with the original version (there's very little profanity in the film, but what this is comes from Ned Beatty's character Myerson) and an original theatrical trailer along with a teaser trailer for the film. If you're looking for a smartly funny engaging comedy that only gets better after repeated viewings, then Hopscotch is for you.

Cookieman108

Ughhh! What a Waste of Major Talents!
Rarely have such major talents (Matthau, Jackson and Beatty) been wasted in a film.

Matthau plays a CIA station chief who is called back to Washington when - against CIA instructions - he allows the KGB's top agent to go free after catching him dead to rights in an espionage sting.

How does Kendig (Matthau's character) deal with being "taken out of the game"? Against CIA policy, he proceeds to sell out U.S. national security interests by writing a best-selling expose of CIA covert operations. Ha, Ha! Real funny! What a laugh riot! The entire movie is standard liberal Hollywood fare - the CIA is stupid, the FBI is stupid, the iconoclast is irrascible and superior (he must be, he loves opera), yada, yada, yada.

And what, do you ask, is Kendig's stated motive in disclosing U.S. secrets in a best-selling book? To expose CIA wrong-doing? Uh, no. Is it to expose a rogue agent in the upper reaches of the CIA? No, not that either. To quote the film, it's payback because his boss "emasculated" him. I do not kid. That's what he says. Wow! What a riot! Get back at your boss by selling out your country!

I was in the last PATH train to be diverted from the World Trade Center PATH stop and watched the buildings go down - not on TV. I have subscriptions to the Metropolitan Opera and the City Opera. I DID NOT FIND THE PREMISE OF THIS FILM THE LEAST BIT FUNNY.

"Hopscotch"..."Good Title"
was suprised to see criterion release hopscotch, but glad they did. here matthau is repremanded for allowing a wanted KGB agent to walk. matthau's integrity is too precious to take guff from even the CIA. subsequently, he does not take the news of being reassigned to the job of file clerk very well so he begins to write his memoires, leaking secret information to the opposition. the ensuing chase is slapstick, a spy vs. spy comedy with great international locations. frankly, using the cold war as a catalyst for comedy was long overdue by 1980. ... Read more

Reviews (220)

from Bond 6 to Bond 20
This is the 6nd Bond film in the Series starring George Lazenby.

Here is some info on Bond 20 starring Pierce Brosnan

Latest news on Bond 20, no name yet, but here is the cast list

JAMES BOND - Pierce Brosnan
Gala Brand - Rosamund Pike
Jinx - Halle Berry
Jack Wade - Joe Don Baker
Miss Moneypenny - Samantha Bond
M - Dame Judi Dench
Q - John Cleese
Tanner - Michael Kitchen
Nurse Warmflash - Serena Scott Thomas
Robinson - Colin Salmon
Admiral Roebuck - Geoffrey Palmer

Some of the cast does not have confirmed roles

Produced by Michael G Wilson & Barbara Broccoli
Music by David Arnold
Production Designer Peter Lamont
SFX supervisor Chris Corbould
Action Unit Director Vic Armstrong
Executive Producer Anthony Waye
Costumes By Lindy Hemming
Directed By Lee Tamahori

Currently being made by EON productions, at Pinewood Studios in London
Will be released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer & United Artists
Christmas 2002

It was ok
From the other reviews that I have been reading, I disagre. Sure, I admit the movie had a good plot and good characters, but Lazenbe was definatly the wrong choice. If they had chosen someone else, anyone else, this Bond film would have been consitered a great Bond as Dr. No, or Gold Finger. Good ol' George was so bad, and unbilevible as Bond, they would not let him to do another one.(A disision in which I agree!!) The producers also made a bad choice with Timithy Dalton, but that is another review.

ON HER MAGESTYS SECRET SERVICE
THE BEST BOND MOVIE
THE BEST BOND STORY
THE BEST BOND ACTION
THE BEST BOND (GEORGE LAZENBY)
THE BEST BOND GIRL (DIANA RIGG)
THE BEST BOND VILLAN (TELLY SAVALAS)
THE BEST BOND DIRECTOR (PETER HUNT)

THE best Bond flick!
Best Bond leading girl (Diana Rigg); Best Bond Villain (Telly Salvales as Blofeld); Best Bond cars; Best Bond women (at the ski resort, including a pre-Space 1999 Maya); Best Bond locales (Portugal and Switzerland); Best Bond chase sequences (through the snow); the longest Bond movie (2hrs.22mins.); and the Best Bond action and entertainment in one flick. So what if George Lazenby isn't the best Bond, the above mentioned reasons speak for themselves. No other Bond movie does it better.

An always underestimated Bond film!
With the departure of Sean Connery as James Bond, the
producer found an interesting replacement for him:
Australian model George Lazenby snuck into the
office of Harry Saltzman, to apply for the part
James Bond. And after a while he got it!
To understand that this film received 5 stars and
still is not as good as Goldfinger, is not easy to explain.
First George Lazenby, who tried as hard as he could,
wasn't bad as James Bond, in fact director Peter Hunt
earns most of the thanks for that. As a matter a fact
this time the director is really the star of the picture.
In addition, the cast and crew surrounding Lazenby was
just unique. First of all, the spendid Diana Rigg who brought
the Tracy character to life, second, Telly (later Kojak) Savalas
as the evil main villain Ernest Stavro Blofeld, the best Blofeld
ever. Third the crew, the cinematography of Michael Reed and
the stunning ski chase sequences from top-notch Ski pro, Willy
Bogner (he returned for 3 more Bond films). Supplemental the
aerial photography from Johnny Jordan (he lost a leg during
filming "You only live twice" the prior Bond).
Fourth the editing by John Glen (who later would direct five
blockbuster Bond films) and of course fifth, the score by
John Barry, actually equal with the Goldfinger score.
And last but not least sixth, the amazing twist in a Bond
film, Bond fells in love and marries!! Only low point for
any Bondfan, the very sad ending...
Otherwise due to cast and crew (who really gave their best
of the best) a highly entertaining, action packed and exciting motion picture...
Outstanding and "different" 007 picture! ... Read more

Reviews (139)

"Remember - The Spy Who Loved Me"
On July 7,1977 (7-7-77), The Spy Who Loved Me roared into theaters across the country to become one of the most financially successful Bond films of all time. The tenth in the series, TSWLM marks the begining of the big Bond films, a trend that would continue (with the exception of For Your Eyes Only) throughout the rest of the series. In this film, James Bond (Roger Moore) must join forces with Soviet secret agent XXX (Barbara Bach) as they track down two missing nuclear submarines. Their search takes them to Egypt, Sardinia, and Atlantis, a giant underwater city owned by the shipping mogal Stromberg. Stromberg wishes to use the two submarine to start World War III by launching nuclear missles at New York City and Moscow. If successful, he wishes to start a new civilization under the sea. This is a grand movie. The action, gadgetry and the sets themslves are absolutly wonderful. Two more reasons to see TSWLM: the villanous Jaws (7-foot 2-inch actor Richard Keil) and "Nobdy Does It Better" the title song is arguably one of the best Bond songs of all - it's my personal favorite. So anyway, see this movie. It's the biggest. It's the Best. It's Bond. And B-E-Y-O-N-D.

Moore's best
The Spy who Loved Me was awesome.This film had the best settings,Roger Moore performance,and musical score.Atlantis was SWEET.Stromberg gets 3 out of five stars as a villain,while Jaws gets 4 and a half.Barbara Bach was great as agent Triple X.I love the car chase on land and the part were the Lotus Espirit turns into a submarine is awesome. The trapdoor in the elevator that led into the shark room was really cool.A good pre-title sequence with the ski chase.This movie takes place in Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.I liked the part when Jaws and Bond fought in the shark room. Kind of gruesome when he kills the shark though.

Great Bond Adventure
This is the 10th film in the long-running "James Bond" series and the third to star Roger Moore as Bond. This entry is also my favorite in the series (well, so far it is as I have only seen five Bond films).

007 is on another mission to the save the world (what else?) in "The Spy Who Loved Me." A pair of nuclear submarines from England and Russia have strangely disappeared and Bond...James Bond, is assigned to retrieve a microfilm that has recorded the movements of the British sub. The Russians send their own spy, the beautiful Anya Amasova, to find the film as well. At first, Amasova and Bond attempt to outwit each other to get the film but eventually the pair are ordered to team up to get to the heart of the problem. The trail they follow leads them to billionaire Karl Stromberg who has a dastardly plan to destroy the Earth...

This Bond episode works well thanks primarily to some good direction from Lewis Gilbert. Though the film is not well paced, Gilbert makes up for that with some excellent set pieces. I thought the fighting sequences on Stromberg's boat were particularly well done. There are some other good moments too, including the chase in the Lotus Espirit (which can transform into a submersible), the opening ski-chase, and Bond's dueling with steel-toothed bad guy Jaws. The acting here was serviceable, though I felt it left something to be desired. This happens to be the first Bond film I've seen in which Roger Moore is carrying the 007 moniker. Moore gets the job done but he seems to lack the edge of the two other Bond's I've seen: Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan. Meanwhile, Barbara Bach has the looks for a typical Bond-girl but is a bit stiff in her role. Still, she gives an effective performance. One more thing worth noting is the theme song by Carly Simon, "Nobody Does It Better." I really liked it and it seems to complement the James Bond character well.

This is a great entry in the 007 series. If you're a Bond fan (or even a non-fan) and haven't yet seen this episode, then be sure you do so. This movie will be a fresh reminder that indeed "Nobody Does It Better" than James Bond.

moores franchised bond
roger moore gets knocked around a lot for the way he played bond.
now, come on, lets be frank, bond is the stuff of pulp fiction and moore knew this.
by the time live and let die was being filmed the bond movies had become a franchise (only the first three stand out as non franchise movies). connery could not co-exist in a franchise.
he was too stubborn an actor to merely be 'one of the special affects'.
when roger moore came around he decided not to take any of it seriously and he was right to do so.
it is moores little boy sense of humour that makes these movies work.
spy who loved me and for your eyes only are the best of the moores, with this one having the slight edge.it has the necessary balance to make it a mmeorable entry. classic scene:
when moore is in a van being attacked by jaws he smiles, and charms his way through a series of puns that only he, in his all too cool superficiality, could pull off.
makes for a fun night.

the underrated moore in the best of his bonds
roger moore gets picked on a bit too much as of late for making bond too cartoonish.
puleazee!
we are talking about a pulp character here.
there is no doubt that he did not have connery's edge, but. hell, connery no longer even had his edge.
the lame, bored connery of diamonds are forever is not the gritty connery of dr.no or from russia with love.
we wouldn't see that type of grit again until dalton's brief stint, which DID work, but was flawed by two films with a miami vice feel.
moore refused to take any of it seriousely and by doing so, at least for a while, he gave a new vigor to the franchise.
unfortunately, moonraker followed this, but then moore did one have one last hurrah with a more subtle performance in 'for your eyes only '(and he did prove to the producers in that film that he could take it seriousely).
but here, is moore at his best. this is His interpetation and all the elements come together to support moore in his styling of the character.
a potent remionder that moore kept this franchise alive and going and did it well for some time. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A Woman of Substance
A Woman of Substance is an excellent story about the trials and triumphs of Emma Harte. I would highly recommend to anyone seeing this video and read the novels. I also enjoyed the sequel to the Woman of Substance saga ( Hold the Dream)in which the saga of Emma Harte continues through the live of her grandaughter Paula. I've seen this movie and I am going to purchase this video as soon as it becomes available.

Love this miniseries- cheesy, but engaging
Everybody has some miniseries they have to watch every now and then. "The Thornbirds" maybe? Or perhaps it's "The Manions of America". For me and my sister, it's Barbara Taylor Bradford's "A Woman of Substance". Emma Harte (the older version played by "The King and I"'s Deborah Kerr)is a multimillionare and head of her own corporation. Four of her 5 children are greedy little buggers, and Emma becomes aware of a plot they've hatched to render her incompitent and declare themselves the legal heirs of her massive fortune. As Emma contemplates this, she falls asleep in her armchair, and through her dreams, we're transported back in time when young Emma (Jenny Seagrove) is a scullery maid for the Fairley family in their posh mansion. Emma meets Blackie O'Neal (played by the yummy Liam Neeson, who alone is worth watching this)and strikes up a lifelong friendship with him. Blackie is the first person to help Emma see that she, too, can be the head of her own fortune with careful planning and saving. Meanwhile, Emma falls in love with Edwin, the youngest Fairely son, and he loves her as well. When Emma becomes pregnant with Edwin's child, however, he withdraws and offers no support. So, Emma packs her bags and, with Blackie's help, finds a woman to stay with until her baby is born. This is just the first in a series of difficult events that begin to shape the woman Emma is to become. Her hatred for the Fairley family evolves into a lifelong goal to ruin them. She eventually marries a man named Joe and opens her first store (in which she is confronted by Adam Fairley, Edwins bully older brother, who, unsuccessfully, attempts to rape her. It is here that we first hear Emma's designs: "Here this now", she says to Adam, "I mean to ruin you...the whole Fairley family."). When Joe is killed in the war, Emma plunges herself in her stores, now a successful chain, but tends to neglect her children. Through it all, Emma survives- from losing her parents, to watching her brother have his leg amputated after a war injury, to meeting and losing the love of her life, Paul McGill (played by a very tan Barry Bostwick of "Spin City", who is meant to be Australian, but could have used some help w/ that poor on again/off again accent). Through it all, Emma conquers her enemies and her demons, sometimes at the expense of others. But, as she says, the secret of life is "to endure", and she does. It's a bit cheesy, but I fall for it every time. The book is wonderful, too, but VERY LONG. This miniseries is a decent adaptation from novel to screenplay. Also check out the sequel "Hold the Dream".

great !!
A very good and entertaining story. Great acting by Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr.

I must however, remain skeptical of how such things could actually place in conservative Victorian Britain, before WWI.

After all, in more liberal U.S., the women's lib movement didn't take place until 1960s and 1970s

Think You Can't Make It
The protrayal of Emma Harte in the movie A Woman of Substance, shows the viewer the struggle of a young teenage girl and the trials of growing up, the events of struggling to make a stand as a young business woman and mother and the endurance over the years to the become the pinnacle of greatness. This was an excellent movie. It helped me regain inner strength that my trials and struggles can be conquered. The only thing I wish was brought out more, was the different ages Emma was throughout the movie. It would help the viewer know at what age Emma was at during different segments of her life.

A Woman of Substance In The Best Sense
I thought that this was probably one of the most incredible stories of a very charismatic woman that I have seen in a movie. I loved the fact that the movie stuck so close to the book. This is an excellent "chick flick" - Emma Harte is probably someone that most of us would love to be like. Watch and enjoy! ... Read more

Description

Intimate Games oozes England in the seventies and centers on the experiences of a group of psychology students researching sexual fantasies, only by doing so they are, in fact, fulfilling their own and their professor's fantasies. A great example of British sex cinema, "Intimate Games" features performances by George Baker of TV's "Ruth Rendell Mysteries" fame and an early, uncredited performance by British sex star to-be, Mary Millington (Come Play With Me), as a sexy choir girl. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Denzel Washington adopts a British accent for the grim if compelling, 1989 social drama, For Queen and Country. Akin in mood and story to several American films (notably Rolling Thunder) about Vietnam veterans who return home to face indifference or hostility, For Queen and Country stars Washington as paratrooper Reuben James, a decorated veteran of the Falklands war and Britain's occupation of Northern Ireland. Returning to civilian life in the early '80s, Reuben discovers Thatcher's England (specifically London's East End) to be an intensely racist, violent ground for class warfare, crime, and drugs. Unable to find work, hassled by white cops, pressured by old mates to run afoul of the law, and rejected by a woman (Amanda Redman) who sees him as another product of a cruel and bloody era, Reuben's hope diminishes despite efforts to do the right thing. The downbeat, predictable drama is elevated by Washington's charismatic performance. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Amazon.com

A particularly gritty and tough episode from Ruth Rendell's Inspector Reg Wexford series, Simisola begins with the bearish Scots detective receiving some good medical news from his Nigerian physician. Unfortunately, Wexford can't do the same when the doctor and his wife report the disappearance of their daughter. Seemingly related murders of two women, and the severe beating of a third, in Wexford's Sussex country town of Kingsmarkham do nothing to clarify what happened to the missing girl and, much to Wexford's dismay, exacerbate racist tensions rumbling beneath the investigation. Actor George Baker, who has been playing the civilized and often unflappable Wexford in television dramas since 1988, is wonderful here, counterpointing the detective's natural politesse with droll asides and clipped impatience with self-important witnesses. Rendell's attack on a loophole in British immigration laws (essentially sanctioning modern slavery) is startling but does not overwhelm Simisola's entertaining police procedural. --Tom Keogh

Modernity's classic conflict with the primitive wild is ablaze in Road Rage, anenthralling story of bloodshed in the battle between trees and pavement. Based on a Ruth Rendell novel, the story concerns a protracted fight by pro-environment extremists to stop a road from being built through a forest near Kingsmarkham. Detective Chief Inspector Wexford (George Baker) looks on in dismay as eco-terrorists and local bailiffs beat and maim one another, but he becomes directly involved when a weird series of daytime kidnappings--including the disappearance of his wife, Dora--are linked to a militant group.As police procedurals go, Road Rage is a model of tea-sipping restraint: neither Wexford nor his close colleague, Mike Burden (Christopher Ravenscroft), ever loses his professional demeanor despite personal involvement in the case. Adapted for the screen by Baker, Road Rage is most interesting for its startling counterpoint between criminal monstrosity and heroic decency. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Description

Starring: Nigel Havers, Bernard Hepton, Rosemary Leach, Fiona Fullerton, David McKail.Based on the novel ‘Mr. Stimpson & Mr. Gorse’ by Patrick Hamilton.On the surface Ralph Gorse is a charmer in every sense of the word: handsome, suave and stylish, sparkling company and the possessor of a sexual magnetism that attracts most women h e encounters. But the charm is a veneer. Gorse is a con man and sexual adventurer, whose conquests are merely a way of obtaining his heart’s desires: money and power. VOLUME ONE Episode One – The Tempter Ralph Gorse, down to his last pennies, meets Joan Plumleigh-Bruce in a roadhouse. She is attracted to Gorse, despite the difference in their ages. But Plumleigh-Bruce has another suitor, the stolid Donald Stimpson, who is attracted by her regular income, her pleasant house and the promise – yet unfulfilled – of sex. Gorse lures the jealous Stimpson into a sordid night at a pleasure house in a scheme of subtle blackmail.Episode Two – The Investor Gorse allies himself with Clarice Mannor’s fast socialite crowd and continues to fortify his relationship with the romantically-swayed Plumleigh-Bruce with whom he opens a joint bank account for depositing the promised fruits of their future investments. Stimpson casts a jealous and suspicious eye over their financial and romantic liaisons.VOLUME TWOEpisode Three – The DeceiverGorse flees to Brighton where he finds employment as a car salesman and begins romancing the innocent and lovely daughter, Pamela, of his boss, Harold Bennett. Stimpson’s dogged inquiries have uncovered Gorse’s whereabouts; and with the swindled Plumleigh-Bruce in tow, he proceeds to Brighton to confront Gorse with the evidence.Episode Four – Gorse in the Middle Gorse marries the pregnant Pamela and settles uncomfortably into married life. Bennett, father of the bride, still suspicious of Gorse’s motives, buys the newlyweds a house. The deed is solely in the bride’s name, but Gorse has a scheme to turn the tables – and collectthe insurance.VOLUME THREEEpisode Five – The ImposterGorse is drafted for military service, but army life is not his cup of tea. He decides not to return from a brief furlough and checks into a fashionable Brighton seaside hotel where he exchanges identities with a drunken R.A.F. officer. Shortly afterward, a corpse is found on the beach bearing Gorse’s identity papers. Episode Six – Gorse at the EndPlumleigh-Bruce and Stimpson are summoned to Brighton to verify the identity of the body bearing Gorse’s papers. Plumleigh-Bruce can’t face the gruesome prospect and flees to their hotel where she bumps into Alison Warren, Gorse’s latest conquest. Plumleigh-Bruce’s story confirms Warren’s mounting suspicions. She confronts Gorse with the truth and threatens to expose him. Cornered, he takes desperate measures to escape his pursuers. ... Read more

Description

3 Great Movies on 1 DVD.Star Power, Exciting Genre with Extras on each DVD. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Modernity's classic conflict with the primitive wild is ablaze in this enthralling story of bloodshed in the battle between trees and pavement. Based on a Ruth Rendell novel, the story concerns a protracted fight by pro-environment extremists to stop a road from being built through a forest near Kingsmarkham. Detective Chief Inspector Wexford (George Baker) looks on in dismay as eco-terrorists and local bailiffs beat and maim one another, but he becomes directly involved when a weird series of daytime kidnappings--including the disappearance of his wife, Dora--are linked to a militant group.

As police procedurals go, Road Rage is a model of tea-sipping restraint: neither Wexford nor his close colleague, Mike Burden (Christopher Ravenscroft), ever loses his professional demeanor despite personal involvement in the case. Adapted for the screen by Baker, Road Rage is most interesting for its startling counterpoint between criminal monstrosity and heroic decency. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

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Ruth Rendell Road Rage
This was an excellent movie. While it was long, itwas broken into 3 segments. This was the first movie of its kind that I've seen. Good story line, kept you guessing right up to the end. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

60'S HOLLYWOOD VERSION OF LANCELOT-GUENEVERE-ARTHUR
Cornel wilde was sort of the bridge wetween Errol Flynn and Kevin Costner. He started out in swashbuckling adventures, then tried his hand directing epic movies, attempting to re-interpret each genre he tackles. Here he tackles the Arthurian romance/medieval epic with a focus on the suffering of passionate love against loyalty and duty.

One can say that a parallel of passions is played out here. Both Guenevere and Mordred want something they can't have, and Lancelot's duty to King Arthur is to deny them both. These two desires wind up working for each other, though in Mordred's case it's deliberate, Gwen's passion makes her not realize the danger she is putting the kingdom in.

Hollywood movies had gotten a little less stiff in how they portrayed romance and love scenes by this time, and Wilde takes advantage of it, giving the romantic leads a little bit more steam than they had in "Knights of the Round Table." It doesn't make the romance much more convincing, however. The trouble with many Arthurian movies is the unconvincing set up for the love between Lancelot and Guenevere ("Camelot" is a significant exception to this). The slightly stilted writing and silly French accent that Wilde puts on doesn't help.

There is plenty of sword-swinging action scenes. There's a joust, two battles, a fight through the castle, and a rescue. There is some innovation in the fight scenes; heads and body parts are cleaved, rather than sanitary thrusts to the armpit. Unfortunately, there is a degree of stiffness to the fighting and battles (unlike the love scenes) that detract from the drama. In the joust Lancelot sits on his horse, standing still, and recieves a lance with nary a quiver. Perhaps the pan-and-scan ("full-frame") presentation is at fault in some bits. In several battle scenes the figure in the center is the guy standing around like he doesn't know what to do. It also seems that some of the weapons, axes and maces, are too big for the one-handed use they are given.

The production design follows 11th-12th century styles of costume, armor, and architecture (mostly). This would match the period in which was written Geoffrey of Monmouth's "History of the Kings of Britain," the foundation of much of the Arthurian legend (ironically, Lancelot is not in that version). Unfortunately there is some stiffness here also. Certain pieces of costume and armor look clumsy and awkward, and of course the chain mail is all Hollywood fake stuff.

This film does have more appeal to fans of the genre than the average movie viewer. It is interesting as a transitional piece between "Knights of the Round Table" and "First Knight" ("Excalibur" is in a different league).

A bit of trivia: In one scene, Gwen talks about a bowman named Diccon. Diccon bowman was a charater in Henry Pyle's "Men of Iron," made into the movie called "Black Shield of Fallworth."

Neither Flynn nor Havilland
Mr and Mrs Wilde (Jean Wallace) suffer a lot, but all their suffering does not touch the heart. Mr Wilde is perhaps too old for this part and uses terrible intonations. Brian Ahearne as a King is very good. Fights are good with a lot of fighters. I recommend Flynn and Taylor epics instead of this. It is not bad, but something is lacking. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A particularly gritty and tough episode from Ruth Rendell's Inspector Reg Wexford series, Simisola begins with the bearish Scots detective receiving some good medical news from his Nigerian physician. Unfortunately, Wexford can't do the same when the doctor and his wife report the disappearance of their daughter. Seemingly related murders of two women, and the severe beating of a third, in Wexford's Sussex country town of Kingsmarkham do nothing to clarify what happened to the missing girl and, much to Wexford's dismay, exacerbate racist tensions rumbling beneath the investigation. Actor George Baker, who has been playing the civilized and often unflappable Wexford in television dramas since 1988, is wonderful here, counterpointing the detective's natural politesse with droll asides and clipped impatience with self-important witnesses. Rendell's attack on a loophole in British immigration laws (essentially sanctioning modern slavery) is startling but does not overwhelm Simisola's entertaining police procedural. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

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you can't go wrong!
a fantastic programme! Wexford has to deal with political correctness and racism in this very gripping movie. He is personally brought into this when his Nigerian doctors' own daughter Melanie disappears off the face of the earth. Her disappearance un-earths a much more disturbing and horrifying custom at work than even he realised in todays modern times.
well worth watching - put the kids to bed at 7.00pm and settle down for the night with this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Robert Donat won an Oscar for his portrayal of the humble British don in the 1939 film Goodbye, Mr. Chips--and Peter O'Toole was nominatedfor his version of the role in this lackluster musical (he, along with Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight of Midnight Cowboy, lost to John Wayne in True Grit). O'Toole is affecting as the shy English schoolteacher at a private boys' school who is brought out of his shell by the love of a good woman, then goes on to become a teaching legend after her tragic death. But the idea of turning this touching tale into a musical (with totally forgettable songs by John Williams and Leslie Bricusse) was almost as wrong-headed as having O'Toole do his own singing--or as casting singer Petula Clark as his wife. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (35)

A Pageant of English History
Terence Rattigan wrote a wonderful screenplay, perhaps his best, and that's saying a lot because he was one of my all time favorite playwrights and screenwriters.He knew what lonely people are all about, you can see that everywhere in his screen work from THE BROWNING VERSION to THE WAY TO THE STARS to THE YELLOW ROLLS ROYCE, and he has written a wonderful part for Peter O'Toole, based of course on the Hilton novel and the 1939 film script which starred Robert Donat as "Chips."

Here O'Toole is cold, icy, hateful at the beginning of the film, a Latin teacher at "Brookfield Academy," not the warmest environment anyway, but we quickly see that no one likes O'Toole for himself, and few give him a chance to show the warm personality that lies frozen underneath.Rattigan helps us understand that even the least approachable and apparently self-satisfied person may secretly be suffering agonies of self-consciousness, particularly in the class-ridden society that was England before WWII.When Chips meets Katherine, the dance hall soubrette played by Petula Clark here, it's an unlikely pairing, but Rattigan makes it work.She's curious, and she takes the time to get to know him.She manages to make him forget all about his precious boys for a little while and to fall in love with her.She's wise enough to understand that he is a teacher first and foremost and he's addicted to those boys.Perhaps they could remake this musical today and cast Michael Jackson as Chips and Lisa Marie Presley as Katherine.They would each be great in the part.I would love to hear Lisa Marie sing "You And I," Petula Clark's great signature tune from this film.

Herbert Ross made many memorable films during his career.He was a choreographer first, not an especially good one, and he soon gravitated towards direction.GOODBYE MR CHIPS remains one of his very finest projects, but for me, the distinction of the film is all to the credit of the two stars (and of Michael Redgrave, who plays the headmaster of "Brookfield" with a strange and almost desperate gallantry) and of course Terence Rattigan, who had to re-imagine the whole thing for a post war audience.

HELP
Hi anyone out there,

PLEASE ,PLEASE can anyone help. I am DESPERATELY looking for a copy of GOODBYE MR CHIPS 1969 VERSION with Peter O'Toole and Petula Clark.I believe I can get this movie from America but it will not be playable in the UK which doesn't help me at all!!!If anyone knows of a video or even better a DVD that will be suitable for the UK then PLEASE E mail me.
Thanks,

Ann

Goodbye, Mr. Chips
This is a wonderful movie!Why isn't it on DVD?(I've had the VHS tape forever!) The scene when Peter O'Toole learns of his wife's death and returns to his classroomgets me everytime.Plus, I have the soundtrack on a casssette tape--why isn't the soundtrack on CD?I can't find the 1969 version ANTWHERE!Hope it finally gets done.Thanks.

Please come to DVD
One can only presume that now that Amazon are actually listing this title it is not too far away from a release date. One of the greatdramatic movies of its day with music, it has long been under valued and not appreciated. perhaps now when the film comes on DVD it will gain some of the recognition it so deserves. "Mr Chips" arrived in Australia in the summer of 1970 and was a huge box office hit, but it didnt stop MGM from pulling all copies and slashing thirty minutes from it after it flopped so badly in the States. The Video release restored most (but not all)of the original footage and one can only hope that with Warners doing such a superb job re releasing these movies, that the lost footage will turn up, at least as an added extra. Peter O Toole desevedly was nominated for an oscar for this film and it gave Petula Clarke her best screen role and the chance to sing the song that has since become one of her biggest hits in concert=-"You and I" (albeit in a truncated version in the film).....Send big prayers to DVD heaven that this movie finally makes its way to a medium that will make the film shine in all its glory

Overlooked ignored masterpiece.
Goodbye Mr Chips (1969) always has and always will be one of my all time favourite movies. I have directed three stage versions over the years with young actors based on Terrence Rattigan's brilliant, witty, theatrical script. I am always amazed the film was not well received in its initial release. When it was released in Australia in 1970, it was a smash hit, yet its failure in the States forced distributors to pull it out of theatres and slash 30 minutes out of it. There were so many various cut versions I have seen over the years. Thankfully it was released on VHS about fifteen years ago and was restored to its original length (well almost, the song "When I Was Younger" has always been cut from the film altho on the soundtrack). I despair it has never been released on DVDand only a shortened CD exists where it is doubled up with songs from the soundtrack of "The Boy Friend:"/. I feel sure if it was released on DVD it would find a whole new audience. I watched it again recently and was amazed at how fresh and charming it is, its one of those rare movies that never date. A movie desperately needing to be re-evaluated by critics again. Also, the music is wonderful, why do people criticise Bricusse. His style is so subtle, hummable? What does that mean> These are gentle, tender love songs with a couple of theatrical showstoppers....PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE someone get a full length CD (its pefect for Rhino to release) and DVD of this movie out very soon., O Toole and Petula Clarke were never better. My one criticism of the VHS is that it is a little misty (and I dont mean in the sequences that are supposed to have that effect) and not very sharp and clear. It needs to be srestored to its original 70MM brilliance. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

you can't go wrong!
a fantastic programme! Wexford has to deal with political correctness and racism in this very gripping movie. He is personally brought into this when his Nigerian doctors' own daughter Melanie disappears off the face of the earth. Her disappearance un-earths a much more disturbing and horrifying custom at work than even he realised in todays modern times.
well worth watching - put the kids to bed at 7.00pm and settle down for the night with this one. ... Read more