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[struth]

The Sea Wolves, 1980..




The film, which is based on the 1978 book Boarding Party by James Leasor, is the true story of Operation Creek during the Second World War. In the covert mission, the Calcutta Light Horse, part of the Cavalry Reserve in the British Indian Army, successfully sank a German merchant ship in Mormugão Harbour in neutral Portugal's territory of Goa, India on 9 March 1943. The ship had a secret radio which was transmitting information about Allied shipping to U-boats operating in the Indian Ocean.

[Macca]

The Sea Wolves, 1980..




The film, which is based on the 1978 book Boarding Party by James Leasor, is the true story of Operation Creek during the Second World War. In the covert mission, the Calcutta Light Horse, part of the Cavalry Reserve in the British Indian Army, successfully sank a German merchant ship in Mormugão Harbour in neutral Portugal's territory of Goa, India on 9 March 1943. The ship had a secret radio which was transmitting information about Allied shipping to U-boats operating in the Indian Ocean.

Typical shabby Nazi trick.

[struth]

Typical shabby Nazi trick.

indeed, and our reply was even shabbier before raid they were sinking 12 boats in first 11 days of month. after they sunkit, it was 1 in 20 days... we also bluffed we would invade goa so gerry sank 2 more of their potential spy boats in case we got them.

[Macca]

UFO - 'The Dalotek Affair' (Ep. 21)

The UFOs plant a communications disruptor on the Moon - typical shabby Alien trick - but Straker and Foster blame civilian contractors for the problems it causes.

Proper telly.

[struth]

Goin' South, 1978...




When Henry (Jack Nicholson) is riding on horseback to catch the stagecoach carrying Julia (Mary Steenburgen), the horse loses its footing and plows into a ditch throwing Henry several feet in the air. The scene was not planned that way, and that was director Jack Nicholson flying head first into the ditch. Fortunately, neither the horse nor Nicholson was injured, except for some bruises. Later, upon viewing the footage in dailies, Nicholson exclaimed, "That's a keeper!"

During a 2016 Back to the Future convention, Christopher Lloyd was asked what's his favorite film out of the movies he'd done. He named this movie as the movie he had the most fun making, and wished that more people knew about it, calling it "one fun little movie".

Jack Nicholson once said of Mary Steenburgen that she was "the actress of her generation. She's a blend of Barbara Stanwyck, Jean Arthur, Jennifer Jones, and Bambi."

In a Rolling Stone Magazine interview with Lawrence Eisenberg in 1982, Mary Steenburgen once said of her casting in this film: "By the time something like that happens, you've had so many years of elation and disappointment, that you begin to treat your heart very carefully. Earlier in the week, a job I'd been told I had in a television pilot was yanked out from under me and given to a blonde with big boobs." The next day, Steenburgen got to do a ten-minute read with Jack Nicholson that in the end, ran for around two hours. Steenburgen added: "When I left, I was so excited, I screamed for thirty floors in the elevator of the Gulf and Western Building. Nobody could imagine what was happening in my mind, not just in terms of work, but life wise. I had no perspective. I didn't know if I was going to be an overnight international film star, or back at the Magic Pan" (where Steenburgen had worked as a waitress).

[struth]

Murphy's War, 1971.. The part of the U-Boat was played by a Venezuelan submarine, the former USS Tilefish (SS-307). The floating crane was, itself, a former WW2 tank landing craft.

[struth]

The Legend of Tarzan, 2016...




Making Africa seem authentic was especially important to the filmmakers, since the film was shot in England, except for six weeks in Gabon, filming background by helicopter without the cast. A working waterfall and a 100-foot-long collapsible pier were assembled at Warner Bros.' Leavesden studios. Seven versions of the African jungle were constructed to show different scenery throughout the filming. Plants from Holland were mixed with trees sculpted by the art department. Kedleston Hall stood in for the Greystoke Manor, and a cedar tree on the grounds of Highclere Castle served as the setting for an early pivotal scene between Tarzan and Jane. Budget was 180m.... it took in twice that.

[struth]

Ice Cold in Alex, 1958...





Filmed in Libya, as Egypt was ruled out due to the recent Suez Crisis. Filming began 10 September 1957.

The flies were so bad on-location, that most of the cast had to be sprayed with DDT, a chemical which is now banned.


The cast earned considerably more than they were paid for this movie when footage from the bar was used in the British commercial for Carlsberg Lager.

[Barry]

Excellent film - one with a very simple story, but so well filmed you feel you have been there with them crossing the desert

The only other time I have a similar experience was leaving the cinema after seeing "Das Boot", almost gasping for air!

[struth]

John Mills again in
Waterloo Road, 1945...



The film was originally known as Blue for Waterloo.

Stewart Granger later said the film was one of his favourites as his role "was a heel, but a real character". He says the film was made in ten days while he was also making Love Story. He was particularly proud of the fight scene with John Mills.

Sidney Gilliat said he was taken off the film before it was finished. Production was stopped and there were still some exteriors to be shot. Ted Black had gone and the Ostrers put the film at the end of the dubbing schedule. However, Earl St John who was in charge of Odeon cinemas liked the film and got the dubbing done.