Robert Newton plays James Brodie, a hatter who is consumed by the desire for power and importance. He has built himself a large grand house (the Hatter's Castle of the title) He bullies his wife and children, tyrannises over his employees, and is horrible to everyone who he encounters. His daughter ( Deborah Kerr) is loved by the handsome young local doctor James Mason, who (of course) Newton hates. Newton has a mistress, the lovely Enid Stamp-Taylor, who persuades him to give a job to her 'step brother' (actually former lover) played by the splendidly slimes Emlyn Williams. This of course leads to trouble and not just for Newton. The character of James Brodie is so unrelentingly horrible that I was unable to take him seriously. Especially absurd is the idea that he won't have servants and expects his wife to do all the housework - nobody with social pretensions in the Victorian era would have thought of not having servants, they were simply essential.
Reviews
5 Reviews
Separate Tables
(1958)
Never a dull moment in this quiet hotel
27 January 2023
Drama set in a hotel in the sedate English seaside resort of Bournemouth, hotel proprietor Wendy Hiller is engaged to long term resident, writer Burt Lancaster. But alas for Miss Hiller, Lancaster's ex wife Rita Hayworth turns up, and she wants him back. Among the other residents, David Niven is outstanding as a rather dodgy major who has formed a tentative friendship with shy, repressed Deborah Kerr. Kerr is oppressed by her overbearing mother, Gladys Cooper (who seems to have cornered the market in oppressive mothers). An interesting story with good characters and excellent acting all round. I couldn't help finding the presence of Burt Lancaster and Rita Hayworth in Bournemouth somewhat unlikely though.
Gone to Seed
(1992)
Gone stranger
6 March 2022
Mag(Sheila Hancock) owns a garden centre on the bank of the Thames downriver from Tower Bridge. Two of her three children, Hilda (Alison Steadman) and Monty (Jim Broadbent) work in the centre,the other one, Winston (Warren Clarke) is a wrestler. Wily businessman Wesley (Peter Cook) has his eye on the garden centre as a prime building site, and schemes to get control of it with the help of his handsome stepson Billy.
This series stars many of the same cast member as the previous year's Gone To The Dogs, but it is a much more fanciful story with supernatural elements. Like Gone To The Dogs though, I started out finding it very amusing, but was getting a bit tired of it by the time we got to episode 5. As with the previous series, Ithink it would have been better in four parts.
This series stars many of the same cast member as the previous year's Gone To The Dogs, but it is a much more fanciful story with supernatural elements. Like Gone To The Dogs though, I started out finding it very amusing, but was getting a bit tired of it by the time we got to episode 5. As with the previous series, Ithink it would have been better in four parts.
Gone to the Dogs
(1991– )
starts well, goes on too long
6 March 2022
Lauren Patterson (Alison Steadman) is the bored wife of bombastic self made millionaire Larry Patterson (Warren Clarke). She hates their new posh home in the country and wishes they could have stayed in Ilford (why she didn't have this out with Larry before they moved is never explained). Lorry's only interest outside of work is greyhound racing and his dream of producing a champion. Jim Morley (Jim Broadbent) just out of prison, was at school with Larry, but hasn't done as well for himself. Now his wife has thrown him out and he is living with his son (Harry Enfield) who happens to work for Larry. Jim has a scheme in mind to make some money and get his own back on Larry, which involves a devious plot to do with greyhounds. And he needs Lauren's help for it to succeed.
This started out quite amusing, with some good characters, but I found it went on too long and after a while all the double crosses and deviousness started to wear thin. I think it would have been better as a four parter myself.
This started out quite amusing, with some good characters, but I found it went on too long and after a while all the double crosses and deviousness started to wear thin. I think it would have been better as a four parter myself.
Spy
(2011–2012)
Deeply unfunny
6 January 2022
Tim is a gormless computer expert who accidentally gets a job as a spy. Meanwhile he is in a custody battle with his ex wife over their son Marcus. Marcus is so obnoxious that it is simply impossible to believe that anyone would want custody of him, not even an idiot like Tim. I endured the first season of this series in the hope that it might improve, but it doesn't. The only bright spot is Robert Lindsay as Tim's eccentric boss, but unfortunately there isn't enough of him. I will not watch the second season unless someon bribes me with a vast sum of money to watch it, which seems unlikely.
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