Fay Compton

A Woman of No Importance

A widow's son refuses to be adopted by a Lord when he learns the Lord is her father.

The Haunting

Dr. John Markway invites three distinct individuals to the eerie and isolated Hill House to be subjects for a sleep disorder study. The unfortunate guests discover that Markway is far more interested in the sinister mansion itself — and they soon see the true nature of its horror.

Odd Man Out

Belfast police conduct a door-to-door manhunt for an IRA gunman wounded in a daring robbery.

Othello

When a secret marriage is planned between Othello, a Moorish general, and Desdemona, the daughter of Senator Brabantio, her old suitor Roderigo takes it hard. He allies himself with Iago, who has his own grudge against Othello, and the two conspire to bring Othello down. When their first plan, to have him accused of witchcraft, fails, they plant evidence intended to make him believe Desdemona is unfaithful.

Laughter in Paradise

When an eccentric practical joker dies, he divides his fortune among four heirs. But before they can collect the cash they must each do something which goes completely against their nature. NB: This is the film which introduced Audrey Hepburn.

The Happy Ending

A wastrel returns to blackmail his wife who has told her children that he died a hero.

The Vanquished

Three tales of privileged youth entangled in murder: French students kill for money, an Italian student smuggles cigarettes, and an English poet exploits a grim discovery.

Town on Trial

When an attractive young girl is murdered, suspicion falls on several members of the local tennis club. It falls to Police Inspector Halloran to sort out all the red herrings, and finally after a confrontation at the top of the local church spire, arrest the culprit. Another fascinating look at what life was like in Britain during the 50's.

London Belongs to Me

Classic British drama about the residents of a large terrace house in London between Christmas 1938 and September 1939. Percy Boon lives with his mother in a shared rented house with an assortment of characters in central London. Although well intentioned, he becomes mixed up with gangsters and murder. The story focuses on the effects this has on Percy and the other residents.

The Forbidden Street

In Victorian London, young Adelaide is born into luxury, but marries starving artist Henry. His alcoholism and their lack of money lead to many quarrels. During one such fight, Henry slips down a flight of stairs and dies. A neighbor, Mrs. Mounsey, is the only witness, and she blackmails the young widow by threatening to tell the cops that Adelaide killed her husband. Luckily, lawyer Gilbert swoops in to help Adelaide.

Esther Waters

Esther goes into service in Victorian England, only to be seduced by the sweet talking groom William, who then takes off with his employer's daughter. Left alone to bring up the child, Esther manages and after 7 years has a chance at happiness. Then William turns up again...

Blackmailed

A blackmailer is murdered, and those who witnessed the scene agree to keep quiet; the complication is that the scene is also witnessed by a young artist, a victim of blackmail as well. (BFI Website)

The Story of Esther Costello

Eighteen-year-old Esther has been deaf and blind since the accident that killed her mother. Wealthy Margaret Landi, a native of Esther's village in Ireland, is persuaded to help educate and possibly heal Esther. Margaret grows to love Esther as a daughter, but finds Esther's innocence threatened by sleazy promoters and her own sleazy ex-husband.

Autumn Crocus

A teacher falls in love with the married owner of the guest house in which she is staying during a holiday to Austria.

The Old Wives' Tale

A woman leaves her husband to run a Paris boarding house, and reunites with her sister after the war.

Lady Possessed

A pianist takes his ailing wife out of a London hospital at the same time that another female patient there has suffered a miscarriage. Afterwards, the second woman feels empty and withdrawn, and, thinking that getting her away from London will help, her husband takes her to live at a country estate, which turns out to be the former residence of the pianist who left after his wife died. The woman begins to get visions of the wife and her final days; is she becoming possessed by the dead wife of the pianist?

Doublecross

A Cornish fisherman becomes involved with Iron Curtain spies.

Waltzes from Vienna

In Vienna, aspiring composer Johann Strauss Jr. clashes with his domineering father, who wants him to abandon music for a steady job in a bakery. Torn between his love for the baker’s daughter, Resi, and the encouragement of a wealthy countess, Strauss finds inspiration that leads to the creation of "The Blue Danube."

Cape Forlorn

William Kell, the keeper of a lighthouse on a lonely stretch of coastline, marries cabaret dancer Eileen. His young wife, however, goes on to have an affair with Henry Cass, the handsome assistant later taken on by her husband; when she then begins to flirt with a stranger who is rescued from the wreck of a motor-launch, a chain of shocking events is set in motion...

The Prime Minister

A biopic of the legendary Benjamin Disraeli, his rise from a foppish young novelist to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and confidante of Queen Victoria.

The Mill on the Floss

Romeo and Juliet in 1930s England. The owner of the mill and the local lord are in conflict over water rights. The lord wins threatening the mill owner with financial ruin.

Tell England

In England, two young friends, confronted with the outbreak of World War I, enlist together to serve in the same company on the battle-field.

Aunt Clara

A wealthy old man dies and leaves his holdings--including a brothel and a gambling den, racing greyhounds and a sleazy bar--to his eccentric Aunt Clara. Clara vows to "clean up" her new establishments, but complications ensue when she visits the crooked gambling den--just as it's being raided by the police.

The Eleventh Commandment

An actress thwarts a blackmailer by taking the blame for her sister's compromise. Based on the play The Pillory by Brandon Fleming.

So This Is London

American (Churchill) in London dislikes England until his daughter (Lehmann) falls for the son (Granger) of the Lord (Drayton) with whom he wants to conclude a business deal.

The Virgin and the Gypsy

Film adaptation from the novel by D.H. Lawrence, discovered after the celebrated author's death in 1930, a romantic love story tells of a prim young English girl who is sexually attracted to a seductively virile gypsy. The climatic dam burst is linked with the consummation of her desire.

A Bill of Divorcement

Meg Fairfield secures a divorce from her husband Hilary, and is about to marry Gray Meredith when Hilary returns cured. Sydney, daughter of Hilary and Meg, is engaged to Kit Pumphrey, son of the parish rector who refuses to permit his son to marry Sydney when he learns her mother is divorced....

Diana of the Crossways

A sensuous woman trapped in a loveless relationship has an affair with a leading politician which threatens to bring down the government.

Settled Out of Court

A husband's attempts to escape from a loveless marriage ends in tragedy.

I Start Counting

An English schoolgirl suspects the foster brother she worships is a serial killer.

Uneasy Virtue

A comedy film directed by Norman Walker

Uncle Vanya

Adaptation of Chekhov's play from the Chichester Festival.

The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots

The Dauphin's widow weds a lord and is executed for plotting against the queen.

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

A fatherless boy tries to make his fortune despite interference from his rich uncle.

London Love

A rich man's chauffeur kills his mistress and frames his daughter's fiancé.

Claude Duval

A Frenchman turns highwayman after a duchess's cousin frames him for killing a title blackmailer.