My Top Ten Patrick McGoohan Movies
After compiling my UK TV Dramas list I had a crisis of conscience when I realised that I had omitted 'Danger Man' and 'The Prisoner' amongst others which are available on DVD. Patrick McGoohan featured so much in my formulative years that I decided to dedicate a complete list to him. Of course he has a great body of TV and stage work, but when I went for my Friday night fix at the Classic Cinema I also saw him on the big screen.
He played good or bad equally well; psychotic lorry driver or crusading doctor, he was totally believable in the role. Some of his movies appear occasionally on TV today, but there are still enough performances on DVD to give you a flavour of his work. I have regretfully left out 'Ice Station Zebra' and others because they are well known and repeat his spy/ nasty personalities, in favour of some lesser known gems.
Born in the USA on 19 March 1928, brought up in Ireland and England he had a true mid-Atlantic persona. Patrick passed in Santa Monica, California on 13 January 2009 following a brief illness. The list is chronological as life is too short to try and grade his excellent body of work.
He played good or bad equally well; psychotic lorry driver or crusading doctor, he was totally believable in the role. Some of his movies appear occasionally on TV today, but there are still enough performances on DVD to give you a flavour of his work. I have regretfully left out 'Ice Station Zebra' and others because they are well known and repeat his spy/ nasty personalities, in favour of some lesser known gems.
Born in the USA on 19 March 1928, brought up in Ireland and England he had a true mid-Atlantic persona. Patrick passed in Santa Monica, California on 13 January 2009 following a brief illness. The list is chronological as life is too short to try and grade his excellent body of work.
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- DirectorCy EndfieldStarsStanley BakerHerbert LomPeggy CumminsA rookie trucker tries to expose his boss' rackets.Starring Stanley Baker and directed by Cy Endfield, who were both to collaborate on Zulu in 1964, this is a story about a battle closer to home. McGoohan plays the bullying foreman and top performer of a company of truck drivers including Sid James, Alfie Bass, Sean Connery and David McCullum amongst them. Imagine 'Wages of Fear' without the sub titles and Patrick as the nitroglycerine waiting to explode and you are half-way there. "I don't like yer' attitude. You've got a chip on your shoulder." - 'C. 'Red' Redman'.
- DirectorAnthony AsquithStarsVirginia McKennaBill TraversPatrick McGoohanIn Sweden, a post-office employee who survives a deadly armed robbery is accused of cowardice by society and is torn by conflicting feelings.Filmed just before Patrick achieved fame as super agent John Drake in TV's 'Danger Man' and directed by the great Anthony Asquith, this is a classic story that starts with an armed raid on a Swedish Post Office. McGoohan's character realises that resistance is futile and watches one of his colleagues gunned down, only to be damned as coward later on. I have not seen this film for over forty years and yet there are still scenes that stay with me. A great cast (especially John Moulder-Brown who played McGoohan's son) and a moving plot that took great characters to perform the resultant drama. - 'Erik Berger'.
- DirectorBasil DeardenStarsPatrick McGoohanKeith MichellBetsy BlairThis movie, based on William Shakespeare's Othello, is neatly positioned as a vehicle to showcase some of the best jazz musicians of the period, including Dave Brubeck and Charles Mingus.After seeing the nasty side of McGoohan and the sensitive side, in this 90 minute feature directed by Basil Dearden we see the shifty side. Patrick is a 'Del Boy' Drummer trying to set up his own band and whilst the acting was not Shakepearean, the contemporary music was Cooool man! It was years later that I discovered that the plot was a jazz version of 'Othello' with Patrick's cunning character in the role of Iago. McGoohan is "Machiavellian" in every move and considering that 50% of the cast are professional musicians this story was entertaining and noteworthy at the same time. "Me? Oh, I belong to that new minority group: white American jazz musicians. They're going to hold a mass meeting in a phone booth." - 'Johnny Cousin'.
- DirectorBasil DeardenStarsMichael CraigPatrick McGoohanJanet MunroWhen John Harris's daughter is badly injured in an boating accident, the hospital tells him that she will need an urgent blood transfusion. Due to his religious beliefs Harris refuses permission, and the child dies. When the inquest clears Harris of all blame, the doctor in charge of the case tries to get the police to press manslaughter charges against Harris.A busy time for both Mr Dearden and Mr McGoohan as this movie caused quite stir at the time; it dealt with a parent (Michael Craig) whose religious beliefs interfered with the treatment of his injured daughter. Patrick plays the avenging Doctor who is is determined to make the father pay for the death of the unfortunate girl. This is a relentless display on his part, which is countered by a plot that examines all the facts so that the audience can make their own judgement. It does not end well for Ruth's father as he realises what his decision cost him. - 'Doctor Brown'.
- DirectorArthur DreifussStarsPatrick McGoohanSylvia SymsWalter MackenIn Ireland, a newly hired prison guard has to deal with the realities of prison work and to face the grim issue of death-row executions.This prison movie, directed by German born Arthur Dreifuss is a little gem where we see another facet of Patrick McGoohan as he plays a naive and keen warder performing his duties like Mr Mackay on valium. He starts to change when he meets Kathleen (Sylvia Syms) the wife of a condemned prisoner. The plot twists and turns with some excellent performances by Sylvia and Patrick as it proceeds towards the finale. Adapted from the play by Brendan Behan it deviates from the original but still contains arguments against capital punishment. The title refers to the condemned prisoner, although there is some reference to other strange behaviour amongst the inmates. - 'Thomas Crimmin'.
- DirectorJames NeilsonStarsPatrick McGoohanGeorge ColeTony BrittonIn eighteenth century England, the mysterious masked rider known as the Scarecrow (Patrick McGoohan) leads a rebel band to save the town of Romney Marsh from King George III's (Eric Pohlmann's) oppression and Naval press gangs.I did not realise on my Sixties Friday night at the Flicks that this movie had originated as a Disney TV mini-series for the USA. It was a popular swashbuckler where Patrick could be a dual personality and duel at the same time. Living as a simple, upright pillar of the country community he is secretly the 'Mr. Big' of the local smuggling operation. Hence the two titles as he cannot let the revenue men guess that the two personalities are one (two hundred years later some of the themes are still fresh). I last saw this on TV some fifteen years ago and it was still fun to watch, good period pieces rarely lose their charm. - 'Doctor Christopher Syn/ The Scarecrow'.
- DirectorDon ChaffeyStarsPatrick McGoohanSusan HampshireLaurence NaismithThomasina the cat brings a family together, through her mysterious death and reappearance.Patrick defies the warning of performing with children or animals by appearing with both and coming out of the experience covered in clover. Karen Dotrice plays his daughter Mary whose pet pussy passes on, only to return voiced by Elspeth March. Yes it's tissue time down at the Disney lot as the beautiful Lori MacGregor (Susan Hampshire) works her magic like Mary Poppins' Scots country cousin.
Patrick continues to be perfectly believable as the loving father in this classic confection for children, that I would be happy to watch again today, (with tissues) if it were available.
"Put it down. You're mad!"
"Aye, so I hear." - 'Andrew McDui'. - DirectorArthur HillerStarsGene WilderRichard PryorJill ClayburghOn a long-distance train trip, a man finds romance but also finds himself in danger of being killed, or at least pushed off the train.'Abbott and Costello do Narrow Margin' in this "comedy" train experience where Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor collaborate to save the beautiful Hilly (Jill Clayburgh) from the villains of the piece. But Patrick and his accomplice Mr. Whiney (Ray Walston) play their roles as deadly assassins, straight and in earnest which makes the film believable and more enjoyable. Indeed they put Arthur Hiller's masterpiece into the Alfred Hitchcock category of thriller movie, which is not bad for a comedy. "We'll take care of Mr. Caldwell when the time comes, but in the meantime, we're going to take EXTREMELY good care of you." - 'Roger Devereau'.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJennifer O'NeillStephen LackPatrick McGoohanA scientist trains a man with an advanced telepathic ability called "scanning" to stop a dangerous Scanner with extraordinary psychic powers from waging war against non scanners.The salvation of civilisation as we know it depends upon Patrick in this clever horror/ thriller directed by the Baron of blood, David Cronenberg. Mr. McGoohan is a scientist who is aware of a group of mutants with the power to destroy by thought. He recruits a couple of them to battle the bad guys led by Darryl Revok (Michael Ironside) and save humanity. I am not Mr Cronenberg's most dedicated disciple but when he makes a good film it is excellent and this scary story ticks all the boxes. "You're a scanner, which you don't realize. And that has been the source of all your agony. But I will show you now that it can be a source of great power." - 'Dr. Paul Ruth'.
- DirectorMel GibsonStarsMel GibsonSophie MarceauPatrick McGoohanScottish warrior William Wallace leads his countrymen in a rebellion to free his homeland from the tyranny of King Edward I of England.Love or loathe Mel Gibson's tale of the Scots patriot William Wallace the character of England's ambitious, hard nosed English King portrayed by McGoohan steals every scene he is in. Patrick had other qualifications for the role, he was 6' 2" and aged 66 years as was Longshanks at the time of Wallace's execution. Patrick had some great lines, delivered with suitable menace in this tale of medieval manouvering for the crown of Scotland. "The trouble with Scotland is that it's full of Scots." - 'Longshanks - King Edward I'.