British Cinema Classic B Film Collection, Vol. 1

SIEGE OF SIDNEY: The dramatization of true events sets the stage for this drama. The date is 1911 and a standoff is sparked between Russian anarchists and police officers. The young woman trapped in the middle thinks back to the events that led up to the siege with unpleasant memories. Violence and flashbacks to the events provide the tension to sustain the viewer to stay till the end! THE FRIGHTENED MAN: Charles Victor, the owner of a small furniture & antique shop uses extra cash from handling stolen good to put his son through Oxford. However, the son gets himself kicked out and comes home to sponge off the old man. When Victor s savings are depleted, the son wants more and gets himself involved with some heavy duty bad guys. Tragedy is the name of the game in this one. CRIMES AT THE DARK HOUSE: When lady luck smiles sometimes, it doesn t last! The inheritance of a large estate leads to murder, when a madman kills the recepient only to gain entrance to the estate so that he can murder his enemies. HOODED TERROR: Made on a low budget, this drama thriller is both classy & suspenseful. The house of horrors has plenty for the horror fan to enjoy. This restoration is a must for horror fans! GIRL IN THE NEWS: The perfect plot! An unsuspecting nurse, once acquitted of murder, is hired as a nurse for the wheelchair-bound Mr. Bentley. This falls into the plans of Mrs. Bentley and the butler lovers plotting to set Ms. Graham up when Mr. Bentley is found dead. TREAD SOFTLY STRANGER: Diana Dors plays Calico, the sexy vamp (or tramp?) and Terence Morgan, the staid little office worker and love interest of Calico. Things heat up when the shady but handsome brother arrives from London. Instant attraction strikes between Calico & the brother making her plan of theft take off. Product Specs: 3-DVD9s; Dolby Digital; 465 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA NR; Year 1938, 1940, 1952, 1960; SRP - $29.99 Product Description

Glad I took a chance on this.

This would have been a 5 star item if not for the inclusion of "The Hooded Terror", which is not in the same class by the other films. The remainder are unique in that they're based on literate story telling and their focus is on their capable acting. A valued addition to my collection at an excellent price. October 7, 2008

"British Cinema Classics ... B Film Collection Vol. 1 ... VCI Ent. (2008)"

VCI Entertainment presents "BRITISH CINEMA CLASSIC B FILM COLLECTION VOL.1" --- (1938-1960) (465 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- The titles included in the set are: The Siege of Sidney Street (1960), The Frightened Man (1952), Crimes at the Dark House (1940), The Hooded Terror (1938), Girl in the News (1940) and Tread Softly Stranger (1958) ------- A standout is "Crimes at the Dark House" (1940) is a British film starring Tod Slaughter, Sylvia Marriott and Hilary Eaves and was directed by George King. It is loosely based on the novel The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins --- In this lurid melodrama Tod Slaughter plays a villain who murders the wealthy Sir Percival Glyde in the gold fields of Australia and assumes his identity in order to inherit his estate in England --- On arriving in England he schemes to marry an heiress for her money and, with the connivance of the enigmatic Count Fosco, embarks on a killing spree of all who suspect him to be an impostor and get in the way of his plans to be the Lord the Manor --- Outstanding performance by the legendary Tod Slaughter, who always gave us his best in every film.

My fellow reviewer Annie Van Auken has given the synopses on each film on this page --- Listed below are some of the cast and release dates from the six British Cinema Classics from VCI.

Films with Titles, Date Released, Time, Directors & Some of the Cast members:

First up we have - "SIEGE OF SIDNEY STREET" (11 October 1960) (93 mins/B&W) - Robert S. Baker & Monty Berman (Directors)

Cast includes:
Donald Sinden ... Mannering
Nicole Berger ... Sara
Kieron Moore ... Toska
Peter Wyngarde ... Peter
Godfrey Quigley ... Blakey
Tutte Lemkow ... Dmitrieff
Bart Bastable ... Sgt. Tucker
George Pastell ... Brodsky
Angela Newman ... Nina

Second we have - "THE FRIGHTENED MAN" (March 1952) (69 mins/B&W) - John Gilling (Director)

Cast includes:
Dermot Walsh ... Julius Roselli
Barbara Murray ... Amanda
Charles Victor ... Mr. Roselli
John Blythe ... Maxie
Michael Ward ... Cornelius
Thora Hird ... Vera
John Horsley ... Harry
Annette D. Simmonds ... Marcella

Third we have - "CRIMES AT THE DARK HOUSE" (March 1940) (69 mins/B&W) - George King (Director)
.
Cast includes:
Tod Slaughter ... The False Percival Glyde
Sylvia Marriott ... Laurie Fairlie / Anne Catherick
Hilary Eaves ... Marion Fairlie
Geoffrey Wardwell ... Paul Hartwright
Hay Petrie ... Dr. Isidor Fosco
Margaret Yarde ... Mrs. Bullen
Rita Grant ... Jessica, the Maid
David Horne ... Frederick Fairlie
Elsie Wagstaff ... Mrs. Catherick
David Keir ... Lawyer Merriman

Fourth feature - "HOODED TERROR" (1938) (70 mins/B&W) - George King (Director)

Cast includes:
George Curzon ... Sexton Blake
Tod Slaughter ... Michael Larron
Greta Gynt ... Madamoiselle Julie
Tony Sympson ... Tinker
Charles Oliver ... Max Fleming
Marie Wright ... Mrs. Bardell
David Farrar ... Granite Grant
Norman Pierce ... Inspector Bramley
H.B. Hallam ... Monsieur Bertrand
Bradley Watts ... Paul Duvall

Fifth feature - "GIRL IN THE NEWS" (31 January 1941) (78 mins/B&W) - Carol Reed (Director)

Cast includes:
Margaret Lockwood ... Anne Graham
Barry K. Barnes ... Stephen Farringdon
Emlyn Williams ... Tracy
Roger Livesey ... Bill Mather
Margaretta Scott ... Judith Bentley
Wyndham Goldie ... Edward Bentley
Basil Radford ... Doctor Threadgrove
Irene Handl ... Gertrude Mary Blaker
Mervyn Johns ... James Fetherwood
Betty Jardine ... Elsie
Kathleen Harrison ... Cook
Felix Aylmer ... Prosecuting Counsel

Sixth feature - "TREAD SOFTLY STRANGER" (August 1958) (90 mins/B&W) Gordon Parry (Director)

Cast includes:
Diana Dors ... Calico
George Baker ... Johnny Mansell
Terence Morgan ... Dave Mansell
Patrick Allen ... Paddy Ryan
Jane Griffiths ... Sylvia
Maureen Delaney ... Mrs. Finnegan
Betty Warren ... Flo
Thomas Heathcote ... Sgt. Lamb
Russell Napier ... Potter
Norman Macowan ... Danny
Wilfrid Lawson ... Holroyd
William Kerwin ... Michael

Hats off and thanks to Robert Blair and his staff at VCI Entertainment --- VCI was named in Variety and Hollywood Reporter as the first company to produce and release motion pictures directly to the home marketplace --- order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- VCI are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector -- looking forward to more Nostalgic Collections.

Total Time: 465 mins on DVD ~ VCI Home Video 8535 ~ (9/16/2008) August 29, 2008

'B' (for Brit) crime dramas

The half-dozen films in VCI's British 'B' collection #1 include two by the legendary Tod Slaughter, plus a story of cornered anarchists, a convalescent nurse implicated in murder for the second time, an honest man and son who foolishly break the law, and an industrial safe heist.

SYNOPSES--

CRIMES AT THE DARK HOUSE-- Tod Slaughter portrays a murderer who assumes the identity of his wealthy Australian victim and then travels to England to claim the man's inherited estate.

FRIGHTENED MAN-- A struggling antique shop owner fences some stolen goods to raise money for his son's university education. The boy comes home looking for some fast cash; he gets involved in a gang-style robbery that goes terribly wrong.

GIRL IN THE NEWS-- A nurse acqutted in the death of an elderly patient changes her name and takes a job as assistant to a wheelchair-bound man whose wife and butler want to kill him and frame the girl for the crime. Directed by Carol Reed ("The Third Man").

HOODED TERROR-- Master sleuth Sexton Blake pursues the "Snake," and his gang of masked thugs, the "Hooded Terror." A fine opportunity to watch Tod Slaughter (as our bad guy) devour the scenery with his usual gusto.

SIEGE OF SIDNEY ST.-- Anarchists trying to raise money in aid of Latvia's freedom fight are involved in a deadly robbery. The building they take shelter in is surrounded by 100 policemen. Story of the failed robbery is told in flashback as the seige unfolds. Based on a true event from 1911.

TREAD SOFTLY STRANGER-- Calculating woman plays upon the affections of two brothers, convincing them to rob a safe at the steel mill where one of them works. During the heist, a night watchman is killed, and his son sets out to find those responsible.


CLASSIC BRITISH THRILLERS features two 1930s movies, plus one film noir from the '40s that stars James and Pamela Mason.


Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website.

(7.0) Crimes At The Dark House (UK-1940) - Tod Slaughter/Sylvia Marriott/Hilary Eaves/Geoffrey Wardwell/Hay Petrie
(5.7) The Frightened Man (UK-1952) - Dermot Walsh/Barbara Murray/Charles Victor/John Blythe/Michael Ward
(6.5) Girl in the News (UK-1940) - Margaret Lockwood/Barry K. Barnes/Emlyn Williams/Roger Livesay/Margaretta Scott
(4.1) The Hooded Terror ("Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror") (UK-1938) - George Curzon/Tod Slaughter/Greta Gynt
(6.0) The Siege of Sidney Street (UK-1960) - Donald Sinden/Nicole Berger/Kieron Moore/Peter Wyngarde
(6.8) Tread Softly Stranger (UK-1958) - Diana Dors/George Baker/Terence Morgan/Patrick Allen/Jane Griffiths August 15, 2008

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