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.

A Quiet Street (1922)

One of the Our Gang series of comedy shorts made by Hal Roach featuring a group of children called The Rascals who get up to various slap stick fun and naughty antics. In this edition the kids (including Jackie Condon, Mickey Daniels and Ernest Morrison) think they are in trouble with the police after beating up a policeman's son who had been bullying Jackie. However, the police really want to warn them about a real criminal called Red Mike...

A fairly charming film (the amount of charm will depend on how much you like children or not!) The film is at it's best early on when the kids don't have much to do and fill their time with innocent(-ish) kids stuff. This gives the film a bit of a nostalgic air.

History of the World: Part I (1981)

Perhaps the best Mel Brooks movie and one of the funniest films ever made. Mel takes us on a very individual spoof tour through history from cavemen through to the Roman Empire and the French Revolution. Each segment has a plot of sorts though the film is more a series of comedy shorts held together by the same actors. Mel (who plays characters as varied as Moses, Torquemada, King Louis XVI and the Piss Boy!) is joined by the likes of Gregory Hines, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Khan and Spike Milligan plus many more.

Highlights, well there are many. The Roman Empire and French Revolution segments are the longest and have the most gags including the Count de Monet who is always furious at people saying his name wrong, Nero at Caesar's Palace (actually the real Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas), Judas at the Last Supper and Moses dropping one of his stone tablets (so that's why there were ten rather than fifteen commandments)...

Although the film is listed as Part 1 there was no sequel. We do have a pseudo trailer for that film though to close things out, including Hitler on ice and Jews in space! A very silly film full of obvious visual gags and weirdness. A complete and utter laugh riot.

Black Sunday (1977)

Terrorists are seeking to hit the US hard, as their plan is turning the Superbowl into a bloodbath it doesn't get much harder than that!

Dahlia (Marthe Keller) has concocted a plan with embittered ex-US POW in Vietnam, Lander (Bruce Dern) to explode a bomb full of metal darts from a Goodyear blimp above the crowded stadium...

Mossad in the tough form of Kabakov (Robert Shaw) are already on Dahlia's case though and seeking to discover her plan and stop her before it's too late with the help of Corley (Fritz Weaver) from the FBI. Kabakov also has to try to avoid being killed by the ruthless and deadly Dahlia beforehand...

A tense film. The film is quite long but this helps to show the intricate planning which needs to take place to carry out an atrocity of this scale as well as the dark psychology of terrorists who regard their own lives as expendable for the cause. A brutal and violent film, it's only let down slightly by some of the effects in the finale but the action overall is very well done indeed.