ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS (1958)

 

“The Inn Of Sixth Happiness” is based on the novel by Alan Burgess and directed by Mark Robson, and is a film essentially about faith, but more importantly it’s about having faith and putting that faith to a practical use that will help others.

All her life Englishwoman Gladys Aylward (Ingrid Bergman) knew that China was the place where she belonged, and that God wanted her to be there.

Gladys was a domestic servant and was bluntly told that she was not qualified to be sent there as a missionary, so she worked hard to earn the money to send herself to a poor, remote village where elderly Missionary Jeannie Lawson (Athene Seyler) was turning the Mission  into an Inn.

Gladys slowly adapts to life at the Mission but when Lawson dies after a fall, Gladys finds herself in charge with only the Missions’ servant, Yang (Peter Chong), to support her.

Over time she makes a success of the Inn and even gains the confidence of the Mandarin of Yang Cheng (Robert Donat), the common people and even a representative of the Government, Capt. Lin Nan (Curt Jurgens), but when the Japanese invade China, she and local man Li  (Burt Kwouk) set off to escort 100 orphaned children to safety.

Richard Wattis, Ronald Squire and Moultrie Kelsall also feature in this thoroughly enjoyable film which everyone can enjoy.

 

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – BEN-HUR (1959)

 

Directed by William Wyler, Ben-Hur is an epic tale of injustice, betrayal and revenge.

Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) is a rich Jewish Prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 1st century and is reunited with his boyhood friend Messala (Stephen Boyd) when he returns to Judea as commanding officer of the Roman Legions.

It is a happy reunion, at first, but their different political views separate them.

During the welcome parade a roof tile falls down from Judah's house and injures the new Governor and Messala sends Judah to the galleys and throws his mother (Martha Scott) and sister (Cathy O'Donnell) into prison, but Judah swears to come back and take revenge on Messala.

He is imprisoned on board the flag ship of Quintus Arrius (Jack Hawkins) and after years chained to an oar, a great battle is fought and Judah finds himself saving the life of his master, who in time adopts him as his own and takes him back to Rome.

 

Having won his freedom, he eventually returns to Judea to find his family, but finds his home in ruins and he servant Simonides (Sam Jaffe) blinded, and his daughter Esther (Haya Harareet) tells him his mother and sister are dead, but later finds they are living in a Leper colony.

After confronting Messala he decides the best way to exact revenge would be to humiliate him at the Hippodrome racing the horses of Balthasar (Finlay Currie) and Sheik Ilderim (Hugh Griffith) in the epic Chariot race.

 

The whole tale of Ben-Hur is set during the time of Jesus Christ and his life is threaded through the story so therefore it has a miraculous ending, which was enough of a reason for Chairman Mao to ban the film in China.

 

It won a record eleven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (William Wyler), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Charlton Heston), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Hugh Griffith), and Best Cinematography – Colour (Robert Surtees)

It’s a truly great movie which everyone should watch if for no other reason than the Chariot Race.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (1965)

The Greatest Story Ever Told, directed by George Stevens and David Lean, although for some reason the latter was uncredited.

It is an often under-rated movie with an all-star cast, and is a large scale epic movie that chronicles the life and ministry of Jesus Christ (Max von Sydow).

There are so many stars in this biblical epic that it is impossible to mention them all but among the notable performers were Dorothy McGuire (The Virgin Mary) Charlton Heston (John the Baptist) Martin Landau (Caiaphas) Sal Mineo (Uriah) Sidney Poitier (Simon of Cyrene) David McCallum (Judas Iscariot) Donald Pleasence (The Dark Hermit – Satan) Claude Rains (King Herod) and John Wayne (Centurion at Crucifixion).

I can highly recommend the modestly titled epic, which was long, beautifully photographed and was notable as it was the first english-language film for Max von Sydow.

A great, if not the greatest, movie, watch and enjoy.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE ROBE (1953)

 

The Robe, Directed by Henry Koster, is set in the Roman province of Judea during the 1st century, where Roman tribune Marcellus Gallio (Richard Burton) is ordered to crucify Jesus of Nazareth, but is tormented by his guilty conscience in the aftermath.

After the Crucifixion he gets drunk and wins Jesus' homespun robe and suffers nightmares and delusions after the event.

After a period of time in Rome he hopes to find a way to live with what he has done, and although still not believing in Jesus as a Messiah, he returns to Palestine to try and learn what he can of the man he killed. 

It’s a poignant script powerfully acted by Burton, while the lovely Jean Simmons is incredible as the young woman he loves, Diana. Michael Rennie is a quiet but forceful Peter, but Jay Robinson steals the picture as the depraved Emperor Caligula, and as he normally did Victor Mature played himself as Demetrius and there were a host of competent performances in the minor roles.

The cinematography is quiet magnificent filmed in Cinemascope, while the film is graced by Alfred Newman beautifully and eerily haunting musical score.

A very watchable movie that stands the test of time but is not given the exposure it so richly deserves, perhaps because programmers are of a more secular bent.

 

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1973)

 

Jesus Christ Superstar is based on the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice Rock Opera of the same name, directed by Norman Jewison.

It tells the story of the final 6 days in the life of Jesus Christ (Ted Neeley) seen primarily through the troubled eyes of Judas Iscariot (Carl Anderson)

Being filmed entirely on location in Israel lends the film an authenticity and the anachronistic manner of the sets, with contemporary weapons on display, such as at the Temple Market work like a bridge spanning two thousand years.

The songs are memorable and well performed in particular by Ted Neeley (Jesus) Carl Anderson (Judas) Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene) Barry Dennen (Pontius Pilate) and Josh Mostel (King Herod)

It’s a must watch movie whether spiritually inclined or not.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE ROBE (1953)

 

The Robe, Directed by Henry Koster, is set in the Roman province of Judea during the 1st century, where Roman tribune Marcellus Gallio (Richard Burton) is ordered to crucify Jesus of Nazareth, but is tormented by his guilty conscience in the aftermath.

After the Crucifixion he gets drunk and wins Jesus' homespun robe and suffers nightmares and delusions after the event.

After a period of time in Rome he hopes to find a way to live with what he has done, and although still not believing in Jesus as a Messiah, he returns to Palestine to try and learn what he can of the man he killed. 

It’s a poignant script powerfully acted by Burton, while the lovely Jean Simmons is incredible as the young woman he loves, Diana. Michael Rennie is a quiet but forceful Peter, but Jay Robinson steals the picture as the depraved Emperor Caligula, and as he normally did Victor Mature played himself as Demetrius and there were a host of competent performances in the minor roles.

The cinematography is quite magnificent filmed in Cinemascope, while the film is graced by Alfred Newman beautifully and eerily haunting musical score.

A very watchable movie that stands the test of time but is not given the exposure it so richly deserves, perhaps because programmers are of a more secular bent.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS (1958)

 

“The Inn Of Sixth Happiness” is based on the novel by Alan Burgess and directed by Mark Robson, and is a film essentially about faith, but more importantly it’s about having faith and putting that faith to a practical use that will help others.

All her life Englishwoman Gladys Aylward (Ingrid Bergman) knew that China was the place where she belonged, and that God wanted her to be there.

Gladys was a domestic servant and was bluntly told that she was not qualified to be sent there as a missionary, so she worked hard to earn the money to send herself to a poor, remote village where elderly Missionary Jeannie Lawson (Athene Seyler) was turning the Mission  into an Inn.

Gladys slowly adapts to life at the Mission but when Lawson dies after a fall, Gladys finds herself in charge with only the Missions’ servant, Yang (Peter Chong), to support her.

Over time she makes a success of the Inn and even gains the confidence of the Mandarin of Yang Cheng (Robert Donat), the common people and even a representative of the Government, Capt. Lin Nan (Curt Jurgens), but when the Japanese invade China, she and local man Li  (Burt Kwouk) set off to escort 100 orphaned children to safety.

Richard Wattis, Ronald Squire and Moultrie Kelsall also feature in this thoroughly enjoyable film which everyone can enjoy.