denry's - Rented List
-
Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, an ageing silent film queen, and William Holden as the struggling writer who is held in thrall by her madness, created two of the screen's most memorable characters in Sunset Boulevard. Winner of three Academy Awards, director Billy Wilder's orchestration of the bizarre tale is a true cinematic classic. From the unforgettable opening sequence through the inevitable unfolding of tragic destiny, the film is the definitive statement on the dark and desperate side of Hollywood. Erich von Stroheim as Desmond's discoverer, ex-husband and butler, and Nancy Olson as the bright spot in unrelenting ominousness, are equally celebrated for their masterful performances. - Director:
- Billy Wilder
- Cast:
- William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim
- Formats:
-
-
The Best of Classic British TV Crime Series (1962)Saber of London / Man from Interpol / Tales of Edgar Wallace / Scotland Yard
Saber of London
Strong Man Out (1958)In an audacious daylight robbery an £8000 payroll is stolen from the Diamond Manufacturing Company. When notes taken from the heist begin to appear in circulation and two of the alleged robbers turn up dead Saber must act quickly before anyone else is murdered.
The Penny Black (1959)
An argument over a priceless stamp turns to murder when a stamp dealer is found dead in his office. A rival collector is accused of the crime and the theft of the rare stamp but when he arrives at Saber's office asking for help to clear his name, Saber must determine if he is helping an innocent man or being played for a fool.
Man From Interpol
The Big Racket (1960)
When a false passport bearing the name of a missing down-and-out is confiscated at an international airport, Interpol agent Anthony Smith is called in to solve the mystery. Smith soon discovers that this is not the first jet-setting homeless man to have gone missing, and there has in fact been a spate of men disappearing from a local halfway house. In order the infiltrate the gang of counterfeiters, Smith disguises himself and takes up residence at the home but he is playing a dangerous game by using himself as bait.
Escape Route (1960)
Henry Roper is a well respected banker with an impeccable employment record, or at least he was until he decided to steal £100,000 and flee the country for a new life on a tropical island in the South Seas. Hot on his trail is agent Anthony Smith who must bring both the money and Roper back to London.
Tales of Edgar Wallace
Death Trap (1962)
Following the mysterious death of her sister, Carol Halston decides to do some detective work on her own and her investigation leads her to the offices of financial advisor Paul Heindrick. According to a letter from her sister, Heindrick had invested £7,000 of Ms Halston's money just before her apparent suicide, yet he claims she never delivered the money and he knows nothing about it. A disgruntled ex-employee, an ambitious and greedy step-son and a nosey secretary are all determined to discover the whereabouts of the missing money - if they can live to enjoy it!
Scotland Yard
The Missing Man (1960)
Upon their arrival in London a retired vicar and his wife are disturbed to find that their son Gerald Neil, who they had planned to visit, has without notice sold up all his belongings and gone to live in Paris. Eager for news and an explanation the two send word to Paris and when no reply is received for several weeks Reverend Neil decides to travel to Paris and find his son. The search proves fruitless and when Scotland Yard exhaust every avenue of enquiry Mr Gerald Neil is filed away under "Missing Person" seemingly having vanished into thin air. A few days later the reverend's wife is woken in the middle of the night by a vision of her son's murder - can the grisly dream provide the key to finding her son?
The Blazing Caravan (960)
A perfect murder requires the culprit to escape detection and capture, a complicated task when the full force of Scotland Yard is determined to bring you to justice. Arthur Cox has just won £30,000 on the football pools but his luck comes to a very sudden and sinister end when George Buxton decides to murder him and steal his identity and winnings. Buxton is no fool, planning the murder and his escape down to the very last detail but to accomplish the perfect murder requires nerves of steal and a little bit of luck.- Director:
- Max Varnel
- Cast:
- Donald Gray, Colin Tapley, Ron Randell
- Formats:
-
-
Gritty drama highlighting the challenges faced by the 'Windrush' generation of West Indians who made their home in England in the 1950's. Young Londoner Danny Willard (David Hemmings) calls into the 'Caribbean Centre' on his paper round. He meets Victor (Earl Cameron) a recent arrival to England who has found work as a crane operator at the London Docks. All is not what it seems at the Centre and ruthless criminals frame Victor for a crime he did not commit. On the run, Victor must evade both the Police and the criminals and has to rely on the help of Danny and his Grandad (James Hayter) to clear his name! The soundtrack of the film was provided by 'The Kings of the Caribbean' Steel band. - Director:
- David Eady
- Cast:
- James Hayter, Clifford Evans, David Hemmings
- Formats:
-
-
The Vise (1959)Detective's Diary / Saber of London
Before he took the title role in 'Saber of London', Donald Gray portrayed his famous one-armed detective Mark Saber in several episodes of 'The Vise'. First aired on American television in 1954, 'The Vise' was the creation of Edward and Harry Lee Danziger, prolific producers of films and TV shows in the 1950s and 60s. This collector's edition features 5 episodes of 'The Vise' all starring Donald Gray as the charming super sleuth who told viewers after every episode 'see you again to tell you another story of those who were caught in the jaws of a vise'.
A Coffin for Johnny (1958)
A gas pipe explosion beside a cemetery has unearthed a strange case for Mark Saber (Donald Gray). When rescuing some coffins in danger of sinking into an underground river, the graveyard's curator discovers one coffin is missing its occupant and is instead full of sand. The missing remains are those of John Dillon (Patrick Holt), a young mining engineer who died from disease in West Africa and whose brothers insisted on flying his body back to England. An intriguing story of deceit and the search for a disappearing corpse.
Death Needs No Cane (1958)
When London is flooded with counterfeit £5 notes, Mark Saber (Donald Gray) is called upon to discover the mastermind behind the forgeries. Guilty of at least three murders, the criminal behind the fake fivers is seemingly a man of many faces and varied descriptions but with one common feature - he walks with a cane. Saber is put to the ultimate test to catch a master of disguise.
Hear No Evil (1959)
Mrs. Miriam Booth (Iris Vandeleur) is a suspicious woman. The strict stipulations of her will has forced her four relatives to live with her, much to their displeasure. A budding amateur detective, Mrs. Booth has convinced herself that one of her relations plans to murder her to ensure quick access to their inheritance. She enlists the help of Mark Saber (Donald Gray) to uncover the supposed plot but is she a neurotic old woman or a super sleuth in the making?
Walk Softly for Murder (1959)
Mark Saber (Donald Gray) is hired by a frightened woman to investigate the murder of Ernest Lomack, an ex-German underground leader who fought against the Nazis during World War Two. The woman claims her life is in danger, threatened by the same man responsible for Lomack's death. To solve the crime, Saber must unravel a political tangle involving a millionaire exporter and a mysterious American with a dark past.
Murder for Gain (1959)
The apparent suicide of a wealthy woman raises suspicion when her personal attorney contacts Mark Saber (Donald Gray) with conflicting evidence. The woman, Mrs. Pricilla Wright, was recovering well in hospital and looking forward to her release when she allegedly chose to take a fatal dose of cyanide. Her three cousins, her only surviving relatives and the last to see her alive, stand to inherit a large sum of money. Could they be guilty of murder for gain?- Director:
- Ernest Morris
- Cast:
- Donald Gray, Michael Balfour, Colin Tapley
- Formats:
-
-
No Exit (1936)No Escape
Convinced that it is possible to commit a murder and avoid detection, a crime writer wagers a young friend that he can conceal him for a month - he is confident that even if the disappearance is noticed he will be able to hoodwink Scotland Yard. When the 'victim' accidentally comes to grief, however, the harmless prank goes disastrously wrong... - Director:
- Norman Lee
- Cast:
- Valerie Hobson, Billy Milton, Robert Cochran
- Formats:
-
-
The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel: Series (1956)The Scarlet Pimpernel
Marius Goring, one of British cinema's most gifted and versatile actors, brings his remarkable talents to the role of the enigmatic adventurer risking his life to save innocent French aristocrats from the guillotine during Robespierre's revolutionary Terror. Switching between the flamboyant Pimpernel and his foppish, outwardly simple alter ego Sir Percy Blakeney with consummate ease, Goring is ably supported by Patrick Troughton in another of ITC's mid '50's swashbuckler series which, though not seen in sixty years, easily holds its own alongside stablemates 'The Adventures of Robin Hood', 'William Tell' and 'The Buccaneers'. This classic adventure series also features a guest cast that includes Robert Shaw, Christopher Lee, Conrad Phillips, Ivor Dean, William Franklyn, Alfie Bass and John Laurie. - Director:
- David MacDonald
- Cast:
- Marius Goring, Stanley Van Beers, Anthony Newlands
- Formats:
-
-
The Maltese Falcon (1941)The Gent from Frisco / The Knight of Malta
A gallery of high-living lowlifes will stop at nothing to get their sweaty hands on a jewel-encrusted falcon. Detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) wants to find out why - and who'll take the fall for his partner's murder. An all-star cast (including Sydney Greenstreet, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre and Elisha Cook Jr.) joins Bogart in this cracking mystery masterwork written for the screen (from Dashiell Hammett's novel) and directed by John Huston. - Director:
- John Huston
- Cast:
- Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George
- Formats:
-
-
Novelist Peter Darwin (Robert Urquhart) is engaged to heiress Kay March (Noelle Middleton). When he accidentally kills Claire (Elizabeth Kentish), his former mistress, during a quarrel, he persuades a reluctant Kay to help him bury the body in a wood. When the body is found and with the truth close to being uncovered, Darwin resorts to desperate actions to cover his crime... - Director:
- Wilfred Eades
- Cast:
- Noelle Middleton, Guy Rolfe, Robert Urquhart
- Formats:
-
-
The definitive adaptation of Alan Gamer's award-winning novel, combining mystery, adventure, history and the legend surrounding a complex set of human relationships. Alison (Gillian Hills) and her step-brother Roger (Francis Wallis) go for the Summer family holiday to a remote cottage in the Welsh Valleys. After hearing a scratching noise coming from the attic, Alison discovers some old dinner plates which have a strange floral pattern on them and, when she traces the pattern on paper, discovers that the flowers turn into owls. But what is the connection between the plates, the gardener, the angry housekeeper and the mysterious local legend? Gradually the weird power of the valley takes over and the legend begins to unfold... - Director:
- Peter Plummer
- Cast:
- Dorothy Edwards, Gillian Hills, Michael Holden
- Formats:
-
-
A security guard is murdered during a mail-van robbery and one of the van crew overhears the killer's name: Angelo (Peter Reynolds). Before he can phone his boss to confirm that the job has been successfully accomplished, the elderly Miss Crystal (Olive Sloane) mistakenly dials the same number and hears a girl ask if it is Angelo speaking. The next day, seeing the newspaper headlines, Miss Crystal realises she may have a valuable clue - but can she remember the incorrect number she dialled...? - Director:
- Vernon Sewell
- Cast:
- Peter Reynolds, Lisa Gastoni, Peter Elliott
- Formats:
-
-
Dr. Peter Brady, who has become invisible as a consequence of d scientific experiment on the reflection of light, is now dealing with murder when Barbara Crane, a celebrated actress, finds a still body on d cliff road. Her driver persuades her, in the interest of her career, to let him throw the body over the cliff. Soon afterwards, she is blackmailed over the telephone by a man who claims to have witnessed the accident, he demands that $1,000 should be left for him to collect at Paddinqton Station. Peter Brady overhears part of the conversation and uses his invisibility to trick the criminals and solve the mystery of the body on the road.
Episodes Comprise:
- Play to Kill
- Point of Destruction
- Death Cell
- The Vanishing Evidence
- The Prize
- Flight into Darkness- Director:
- Peter Maxwell
- Cast:
- Tim Turner, Debbie Watling, Lisa Daniely
- Formats:
-
-
Dr. Peter Brady, made invisible by his own experiment on the principles that govern the refraction of light, decides to make the best of his condition and fight organised crime and injustice. Brady is fascinated by the reports of a man who repeatedly tries to escape from prison having been sentenced for violent robbery at his own factory. When Dr. Brady goes to visit him in prison, Joe Green protests his innocence and reveals that he has an alibi. Brady decides to help clear the innocent man Subsequently Brady gets involved with an attempted murder, the kidnapping of his niece Sally and other adventures in which his invisibility proves an incredible advantage in fighting crime and helping people in difficulty.
Episodes Comprise:
- Jailbreak
- Blind Justice
- Bunk Raid
- Strange Partners
- Odds Against Death
- Picnic with Death- Director:
- C.M. Pennington-Richards
- Cast:
- Tim Turner, Lisa Daniely, Deborah Watling
- Formats:
-
-
Young lawyer Robert Blair (Michael Denison) is called on in desperation by two women, mother and daughter, who live in a large, isolated house known as The Franchise, and have been questioned by the police in connection with a peculiar accusation. As feelings in the local village run high, the police build up a case on a formidable amount of circumstantial evidence - against which Blair can put only the improbability of the charge, and some unsuccessful amateur detection... - Director:
- Lawrence Huntington
- Cast:
- Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, Anthony Nicholls
- Formats:
-
-
Dr. Peter Brady (Tim Turner) is a brilliant English scientist who, working with the principles that govern the reflection of light, has developed a theory that every form of matter can be reduced to invisibility, just as a jellyfish becomes invisible in water. During an accident in the laboratory, Brady himself becomes invisible, but his experiments have not yet gone far enough for him to reverse the process and regain visibility! Taken to the hospital as a high security risk, Brady is kept under surveillance, but his invisibility makes it easy for him to escape. Meanwhile, a fellow scientist, Dr, Compton, attempts to steal Brady's technical notes. In trying to outwit his dishonest colleague, Brady realises the true value of his discovery.
Episodes Comprise:
- Secret Experiment
- Crisis in the Desert
- Behind the Mask
- Shadow on the Screen
- The Mink Coat
- The Locked Room- Director:
- C.M. Pennington-Richards
- Cast:
- Lee Patterson, Lisa Daniely, Paul Carpenter
- Formats:
-
-
This British thriller, thought lost for decades, stars Donald Houston, Alan Wheatley and Susan Shaw in a gripping story of love and deception in the world of British association football. 'Small Town Story' includes appearances from sporting legend Denis Compton along with players from Millwall, Arsenal and Hayes football clubs. Though there is noticeable film damage in the first reel, this is the only copy known to exist. Canadian ex-serviceman Bob Regan (Kent Walton) returns to the English town where he was posted during the war. He discovers that the local football club stand to inherit £25,000 from recently deceased supporter Wallace Hammond if they make the Third Division - a situation that Hammond's devious nephew finds intolerable... - Director:
- Montgomery Tully
- Cast:
- Donald Houston, Susan Shaw, Alan Wheatley
- Formats:
-