The Hostage (1956)

A very uneven, and often quite amateurish, film though ultimately worthwhile. In London a group of terrorists kidnap Rosa (Mary Parker), the daughter of the President (Carl Jaffe) of a South American country. The terrorists led by Main (John Bailey) want to try and stop the execution of one of their faction, they warn the President that unless the execution is stopped his own daughter will also die...

Meanwhile an American pilot called Trailer (Ron Randall), who seems to dislike opening his mouth that wide when he speaks, is used by the terrorists to gain some publicity (and enters the suspicion of the police). They also kidnap him to try and persuade Rosa to talk to her father. As time runs out Special Branch try and discover where Rosa is by sending radio detection vans around London...

The film starts off rather slow though the last act is action packed. The police seem rather clueless, they know the terrorists plan to hang Rosa publicly in London somewhere and yet just put a single PC outside the embassy (after all, publicity hungry terrorists would never choose there!) The action scenes are rather cheap, the film suffers from a low budget throughout and the acting often rather stiff and strange. Despite all of that (or maybe because of it), the film is enjoyable and, once it picks up the pace, resembles a movie serial at times.

Odd Man Out (1947)

An epic Noir. Johnny (James Mason) is a separatist (a.k.a. in the IRA) who is planning a wages snatch on a mill. Everyone is going fine until his gang make their getaway when Johnny is dazzled by bright light and he ends up both killing a guard and being shot himself. As his gang make their escape Johnny is left in the streets of Belfast. Now wounded, the police (Denis O'Dea) after him, and Kathleen (Kathleen Ryan), the woman who loves him, also hunting for him...

But others are also after him, for their own selfish ends. Lukey (Robert Newton) the painter wants Johnny so he can capture his face. Shell (F.J. McCormick) just wants some reward. Fencie (William Hartnell) just wants Johnny out of his pub as soon as possible! Johnny moves from hiding place to hiding place while the Belfast police conduct a huge citywide manhunt. Kathleen has a plan to get Johnny out of Belfast, but as the snow falls on the city and then police close in, their plans and dreams are doomed to fail...

An incredibly tense and atmospheric film. Despite the fact Johnny is in the IRA this isn't really a political film, it is a film about the struggle for life in all it's many facets. A film about characters (the supporting characters nearly overshadow the lead but that doesn't matter in this film, its a strength). A film of magnificent performances, direction and photography. One of the finest films of the period.

Carry on Regardless (1961)

An early Carry On film centred around the Helping Hands agency who provide manpower for any possible task from beauty salon demonstrations to translations. Bert (Sid James) runs the agency with the help of the Carry On crew including Joan Sims, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey.

Things never run smoothly though, most jobs the agency take on end in disaster. For example a request for a fourth at Bridge sends someone to the Forth Bridge instead! The landlord (Stanley Unwin - speaking Unwinese gobbledegook) wants to put up their rent to a level beyond their ability to pay. However, they come to agreement: if they can clean the landlord's newest property they can stay, unfortunately its the dirtiest house in London!

There really isn't much plot to this, it is more a series of funny comedy situations vaguely held together by the thin glue of the employment office. It is very funny and silly with many comedy highlights, not the best Carry On but certainly very worthwhile.

The Terrorists (1974)

An engaging tale of terrorism and hijacking... and political intrigue. The head of security in a Scandinavian country (Norway basically but this is not mentioned for some reason) Tahlvik (Sean Connery) is called in to deal with the kidnap of the British ambassador. The kidnappers, linked to a terrorist cell in the UK led by wanted man Shepherd (John Quentin), have an ace up their sleeves though. At that moment a Boeing 737 is landing at the nearby airport (Oslo) and is hijacked on landing by Petrie (Ian McShane)...

Tahlvik's attempts to defeat the hijackers are foiled at every attempt, they must have some inside information. As the exchange of the ambassador for the aircraft passengers takes place Tahlvik suddenly realises that there is far more to this than meets the eye...

Although not the fastest paced film, this is an enjoyable enough thriller. Everything is a bit too low-key but the Norwegian scenery looks superb, if rather chilly. The twist, when it comes, doesn't make complete sense but does give the film a suitably exciting action finish.

Red Line 7000 (1965)

A hot tale of racing drivers in the 1960s NASCAR scene and not short of cliche. Jim (Anthony Rogers) and Mike (James Caan) drive for Pat Cassarian (Norman Alden). Jim is expecting his fiancé Holly (Gail Hire) but dies in a race when he pushes the red line too hard and blows his engine at speed. Holly stays on and forms a link with Mike. New hotshot Ned (James Robert Crawford) is Jim's replacement and hooks up with Pat's sister Julie (Laura Devon). Meanwhile, Dan (James Ward) arrives with his latest flame Gabrielle (Marianna Hill)...

So, a tale of three racing drivers and their girlfriends and various antics. This film is quite melodramatic and sometimes resembles a soap opera with racing cars. The acting is a bit patchy but the cars look great, footage from real races is well used. 

Not a great film but an enjoyable one for the 1960s nostalgia and the sport. George Takai appears as a race engineer.