Thanks to youtube, the following four favorites (among others) are available for viewing (at least as of now) at no cost to you and in reasonably good versions.
Well, at least you can still read my review. Sorry about the black out, but that's the chance we take with youtube.
THE SEVEN DIALS MYSTERY (1981) - faithfully based on the book by Agatha Christie. A pleasurable bit of mystery nonsense about secret societies and murder among bright young things, with a wonderful cast including: Sir John Gielgud whom I could watch forever, most especially in these sorts of roles. He is SO wonderfully funny. Also starring the almost as wonderful Cheryl Campbell, Harry Andrews and James Warwick.
Link to my review.
WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS? (1980) - faithfully based on the book by Agatha Christie. Another engagingly amusing performance by Sir John Gielgud in a mystery featuring a nasty murderer adept at disguises and an inept but stalwart young hero played by James Warwick as only he can. Also starring is the always incredibly beautiful Francesca Annis as a young, take-charge titled lady known as Frankie aka Lady Frances Derwent. (She would later go on to star, along with James Warwick, in more Christie: The Tommy and Tuppence Mysteries.)
Link to my review.
COTTAGE TO LET (1941), a sprightly WWII spy mystery directed by Anthony Asquith starring John Mills, Alastair Sims and a bunch of other delightful Brits. I wrote about it a while back and described it in full - more or less - this is one of those eccentric-inventor-insists-on-working-at-home-on-a-new-bomb-sight stories. Most of it takes place at a Scottish estate and needless to say, spies are after the invention. Unassumingly wonderful and big surprise to me since I'd never heard of it before I stumbled across it a couple of years ago.
Link to my review.
TOPPER RETURNS (1941) Sequel to the first TOPPER which starred Cary Grant and Constance Bennett and took itself just the teensiest bit more seriously than this farcical second caper featuring Roland Young as Topper, but also the inimitable Joan Blondell (she's the ghost this time out), Billie Burke, Carole Landis, Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, and two of my sinister favorites, George Zucco and H.B. Warner.
Link to my review.
Fun movies, perfect for a lazy summer afternoon or evening when you've got nothing much on your mind.
Since this is Tuesday, don't forget to check in at Todd Mason's blog, Sweet Freedom, to see what other Forgotten (or Overlooked) Films, Television and/or Audio/Visuals, other bloggers are talking about today.
Hello Yvette:
ReplyDeleteWell, you have certainly given us, for absolutely no effort on our part, much more than one evening's viewing and each film with, as you have pointed out, a mainly star cast. Thank you for taking so much time and trouble over this post and to provide us, for a single click, with some excellent entertainment.
You're welcome, Jane and Lance. Hope you can access the films from your end of the universe. :) They are a lot of fun.
DeleteTopper wow! And a WWII early spy movie, which is a new one for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these movie ideas.
I'm rewatching for the third time A New Leaf, which the library finally has, and Above Suspicion is so-o-o gory, but I'll try to hide the gore.
(Movies did not used to be this bloody; a great mystery was based on clues, questioning witnesses, evidence, a legal case, etc. I can't imagine the Great Detective Holmes swimming amid the gore. He
would have disdained it all.)
You'll love the WWII film, Kathy. And Topper Returns. You've probably already seen the two Agatha Chrisites. But I included them anyway for the rare few who haven't. I re-watch them all the time primarily because of John Gielgud.
DeleteI must say that ABOVE SUSPICION gets less gory as it goes along. :)
I have the DVD of Cottage To Let & must get to it one of these days. We have a long weekend coming up so maybe that will be the time although it's winter here rather than summer.
ReplyDeleteOh that's a perfect movie for a chilly winter night, Lyn. :)
DeleteOoh thank you, Yvette - I wish I had seen this generous post a little earlier, but - as Jane and Lance - I am really looking forward to a few night's of thrillers! Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Rom. I hope you enjoy these four films if you get a chance to watch them. As I mentioned, they are a lot of fun and the WWII one is a lost gem as far as I'm concerned.
DeleteYvette, wrong time to tempt me! I'm currently watching vintage westerns on YouTube. No connection but a couple of days ago I saw a few episodes of Noddy. It feels like entering a pastry shop and being told to eat whatever you want, free of cost.
ReplyDeletePrashant, there is never a wrong time for temptation. Ha! Youtube is a 'pastry shop' for sure. I keep thinking it can't last.
DeleteBut in the meantime...
Question: What is 'Noddy'?
Yvette, Noddy is a young boy character created by Enid Blyton and whose children's books and animated films are popular to this day. He lives in a lovely place called Toyland with a bunch of colourful characters. You will find most of the episodes on YouTube.
DeleteI watched Cottage to Let yesterday afternoon. Great little movie. John Mills in the last scene - one of the longest and, after a while, funniest bits of acting, although I don't think it was intended to be. You know what I'm talking about, but I don't want to spoil the end for others.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to watching the others soon. They're in my Netflix streaming queue.
Honestly, Joan, I can't remember the last scene. Must watch it again. (As good an excuse as any.). Yes, this film was a bit of a surprise to me. I was amazed by how much I liked it. Don't you love when that happens? :)
DeleteIt is pretty remarkable what one can ferret out on YT these days...even when in frustratingly incomplete or blurry form (and sometimes only temporarily)--I think I'm about to look at "City News", an episode of (or film presented by) AMERICAN PLAYHOUSE that I enjoyed enormously when it was new in the 1980s, but hard to find since. Thanks, as always...and I'm one of those who has been familiar with the two non-Christies, but not with the mysteries...did you ever read Thorne Smith's novels?
ReplyDeleteHi Todd, I did try reading Thorne Smith's TOPPER, but found it hard going for me. Too arch, I think. Or maybe I was just in the wrong mood at the time. That can happen with certain books.
DeleteI continue to be more and more taken aback (but in a good way) about what I'm finding on youtube lately.
You know IT CAN'T LAST! :)
Oh, then you wouldn't want to read TOPPER TAKES A TRIP or the other one (which might've been RETURNS), either...TOPPER is the best of the three novels, as I recall them.
DeleteWell, it's surprising what does hang around on YT, as much as what is yanked quickly (or Made Private). Some folks and corporate entities don't care, can't be bothered to act, or otherwise don't take action, and some realize it's a promotional tool...there are people who will buy something in a more permanent form from YT (which has its own charging service for some streaming these days...).
Loved Why Didn't They Ask Evan?! Amazing what you can find on YT! I'll try to watch Cottage to Let. Thanks Yvette!
ReplyDelete