J. Lee Thompson
Encyclopedia
John Lee Thompson better known as J. Lee Thompson, was an English
film director
, active in England and Hollywood.
, he briefly appeared on the stage and wrote crime plays in his spare time. Thompson first drew critical notice when his play Double Error was staged on the West End
of London
in 1935, upon which he was hired as a scriptwriter for British International Pictures, acquirer of the play's film rights. During this initial BIP stint, Thompson made his only film appearance in the Carol Reed-directed Midshipman Easy (1935
) and worked as a dialogue coach for Alfred Hitchcock
's production of Jamaica Inn
(1939).
The small-framed Englishman was occupied during World War II
as a tailgunner and wireless operator for the Royal Air Force
. He eventually returned to his scriptwriting duties at the Associated British Picture Corporation
, a successor of BIP, in 1950. That year, Thompson was given his first film direction opportunity, Murder Without Crime
.
(1953
), the story of a child who is blackmailed into helping a criminal after accidentally causing his friend's death. The Weak and the Wicked
(1954
), portrays the lives of women in prison and is based on memoirs by Joan Henry
, who became Thompson's second wife.
Thompson earned a reputation in Britain for gritty social dramas besides occasional comedies and musicals. He was also known for collaborating with top British actors. After the comedies For Better, For Worse
(1954) starring Dirk Bogarde
, As Long as They're Happy
(1955
), and An Alligator Named Daisy
(1955) starring Donald Sinden
, he returned to the theme of female prisoners in Yield to the Night
(1956
), a powerful anti-capital punishment tale with Diana Dors
.
The late 1950s continued Thompson's 'kitchen sink' dramas, focusing on plights of the average Briton. Woman in a Dressing Gown
(1957
), with Yvonne Mitchell
, Anthony Quayle
, and Sylvia Syms
, deals with the collapse of a 20-year marriage. The Good Companions (1957) gives a dour, semi-musical view of the theatrical world.
Thompson's strongest period of British films was undoubtedly 1958-60, during which he made Ice-Cold in Alex
(1958
), North West Frontier (1959
), No Trees in the Street (1959), Tiger Bay
(1959), and I Aim at the Stars
AKA Wernher von Braun (1960
). Ice-Cold in Alex, the story of a British army unit trecking across North Africa
in World War II, was a major success featuring John Mills
, Sylvia Syms, Anthony Quayle, and Harry Andrews
; it won three BAFTA
Awards, including Best British Film. Hayley Mills
also earned a BAFTA for Most Promising Newcomer in Tiger Bay, portraying a 12-year-old girl who refuses to betray a sailor accused of murder.
Thompson vaulted to international fame with The Guns of Navarone
(1961
) as a last-minute replacement for director Alexander Mackendrick
. His take-charge attitude during its production earned him the nickname 'Mighty Mouse' from lead actor Gregory Peck
. The Guns of Navarone, a World War II
epic filmed on location in Rhodes
, Greece
, was nominated for seven Academy Awards
including Thompson for Best Director.
The success of that film won him entry into Hollywood, where he directed Cape Fear
(1962
), a psychological thriller with Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum
, Polly Bergen
, and Lori Martin
. Based on a novel called The Executioners
by John D. MacDonald
, Cape Fear boldly shows how a sex offender can manipulate the justice system and terrorize an entire family. Highly controversial for its time, the film was cut heavily in both the United States
and Britain.
Thompson would never reach the artistic heights of The Guns of Navarone or Cape Fear again, but he maintained a steady career in Hollywood through the 1960s, 70s, and 80s that is rarely seen. He retained his knack for working with dynamic actors, joining Yul Brynner
in the Cossack epic Taras Bulba
(1962) and the Mayan Indian epic Kings of the Sun (1963
); Shirley MacLaine
in What a Way to Go!
(1964
) and John Goldfarb, Please Come Home (1965
); and Deborah Kerr
in the occultist Eye of the Devil
(1967
). Thompson also proved capable of working in different genres, including Western
(Mackenna's Gold
, 1969
), espionage (The Chairman, 1969
) and science fiction (Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
, Battle for the Planet of the Apes
). While in the U.S., he continued to dabble with British productions such as Return from the Ashes (1965) and Country Dance
AKA Brotherly Love (1970
).
In the late 1970s and 80s, Thompson's reputation declined but he was still known as an energetic presence on Hollywood sets. The remaining years of his career were spent mostly in low-budget exploitation films. One musical film
foray (not his best genre) was Huckleberry Finn
(1974
) starring Jeff East
and Paul Winfield
. He became a favorite of action star Charles Bronson
, pairing up in the Warner Bros.
crime story St. Ives (1976
), an unconventional western called The White Buffalo
(1977
), and a Casablanca
spinoff, Caboblanco (1980
). Their work at Cannon Films lasted throughout the 1980s with such pulp action titles as 10 to Midnight
(1983
), Murphy's Law
(1986), Death Wish 4: The Crackdown
(1987
), and Thompson's last film as a director, Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects
(1989
). Other titles included The Evil That Men Do
(1984
, through ITC Entertainment
and Tri-Star Pictures), The Ambassador
(1984), King Solomon's Mines
(1985
), and the Chuck Norris vehicle Firewalker
(1986
). Several of these films were edited by Thompson's son Peter.
After Kinjite
, Thompson retired from direction but stayed active as a producer and occasional set technician. He died of congestive heart failure on August 30, 2002, at his vacation home in Sooke, British Columbia
, Canada
, aged 88.
Low-key and with a typically British sense of humour, Thompson was highly regarded by many actors and film personnel. He was known for having a clear directorial vision and for working collaboratively rather than tyrannically. Thomson also had a reputation for coming to the set prepared and knowing exactly what was needed to make an effective sequence. This resulted in generally shorter work days for his staff and the quick completion of his films.
Thompson was in many ways an 'actor's director' who respected the views of his cast members while maintaining his own vision. It was often remarked that actors were 'spoiled' on Thompson's set due to his more egalitarian methods of directing and the easier working conditions. It is for these reasons that Thompson worked multiple times with certain actors, including Gregory Peck
, David Niven
, Anthony Quinn
, Charles Bronson
, Diana Dors
, and Jacqueline Bisset
. He also had great talent for working with child actors, notably Hayley Mills
and Lori Martin
.
Thompson arguably did his best work in black and white, favouring depthy compositions which offered sharp contrasts between the actors and the background framing. In colour, his hues are heavily saturated, and he favours darker colours in his dramatic films, creating a filmic vision that is at once personal and disturbing. During the black-and-white era of filmmaking, Thompson styled his dramas after Hitchcock with an emphasis on light and shadow. In his best films, Thompson makes solid use of pacing to build dramatic tension. Two superior examples are The Guns of Navarone and Cape Fear, which rely largely on physical action. Thompson's later films with Charles Bronson also show this competence, helping to give these B-level movies a high degree of watchability.
Perhaps the most notable aspect of Thompson's films are the subject matters and how he shamelessly portrays them. In their time, movies such as The Yellow Balloon (blackmail), Yield to the Night (female imprisonment), and Cape Fear
(sexual deviance) were highly controversial and still hold dramatic resonance today. Thompson's legacy may rest in his dealing with social topics years before other filmmakers considered them. He was also unafraid to portray violence in realistic fashion, even visiting the horror
genre in 1981
with Happy Birthday to Me. Indeed, the violence of some of Thompson's later projects is, for many, their most problematic aspect.
By the mid-1980s, Thompson was respected for his earlier projects, but inevitably tagged as a filmmaker in decline. While the films he directed in the 1970s and 80s are of considerable entertainment value, almost none of them have social significance and are little more than a footnote in cinema history. Thompson later admitted in a biography by Steve Chibnall that he 'sold out' to Hollywood convention, through which he made a large salary at the expense of his art. Although Thompson's output never decreased, it became greatly limited in scope.
Thompson's personal life was irregular at best. He was a three-time husband and a visible figure on the Hollywood party scene. He was also a confirmed heavy drinker, although he seemed to overcome the problem in later years. His habits may have compromised his talent, but Thompson remains an admirable figure of longevity in a business known for its temporary nature.
In the current age of DVD, Thompson's films still hold a large viewership. While best known for The Guns of Navarone, Cape Fear, Tiger Bay, and perhaps Ice-Cold in Alex, many of his other films have a sizeable following. In all likelihood, The Guns of Navarone will maintain his place as a notable filmmaker. It is also probable that Thompson will be most remembered by people within the industry for his skilled craftsmanship.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, active in England and Hollywood.
Early years
Thompson was born in Bristol, England to a theatrical family. After studying at Dover CollegeDover College
Dover College is a co-educational independent school in Dover in southeast England. It was founded in 1871, and takes both day pupils and boarders....
, he briefly appeared on the stage and wrote crime plays in his spare time. Thompson first drew critical notice when his play Double Error was staged on the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1935, upon which he was hired as a scriptwriter for British International Pictures, acquirer of the play's film rights. During this initial BIP stint, Thompson made his only film appearance in the Carol Reed-directed Midshipman Easy (1935
1935 in film
-Events:*Judy Garland signs a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .*Seven year old Shirley Temple wins a special Academy Award.*The Bantu Educational Kinema Experiment started in order to educate the Bantu peoples.-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:...
) and worked as a dialogue coach for Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's production of Jamaica Inn
Jamaica Inn (film)
Jamaica Inn is a 1939 film made by Alfred Hitchcock adapted from Daphne du Maurier's 1936 novel of the same name, the first of three of du Maurier's works that Hitchcock adapted ....
(1939).
The small-framed Englishman was occupied during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a tailgunner and wireless operator for the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. He eventually returned to his scriptwriting duties at the Associated British Picture Corporation
Associated British Picture Corporation
Associated British Picture Corporation , originally British International Pictures , was a British film production, distribution and exhibition company active from 1927 until 1970...
, a successor of BIP, in 1950. That year, Thompson was given his first film direction opportunity, Murder Without Crime
Murder Without Crime
Murder Without Crime is a 1950 British crime film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Dennis Price, Derek Farr and Patricia Plunkett....
.
British films
Murder Without Crime was mostly ignored upon release. Thompson's first movie success was one he directed and co-wrote, The Yellow BalloonThe Yellow Balloon (film)
The Yellow Balloon is a 1953 British drama film starring Kenneth More, Bernard Lee, Andrew Ray, Kathleen Ryan and Sid James.-Plot:Playing around the ruins of a devastated bombed-out neighbourhood of London, 12 year old Frankie accidentally leads a boy into his death when he falls from a second...
(1953
1953 in film
The year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
), the story of a child who is blackmailed into helping a criminal after accidentally causing his friend's death. The Weak and the Wicked
The Weak and the Wicked
The Weak and the Wicked is a 1954 British drama film directed by J. Lee Thompson based on the book by his wife, Joan Henry, starring Glynis Johns and Diana Dors....
(1954
1954 in film
The year 1954 in film involved some significant events and memorable ones.-Events:*May 12 - The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces wife Marion Benda...
), portrays the lives of women in prison and is based on memoirs by Joan Henry
Joan Henry
Joan Constance Anne Henry was an English novelist, playwright and screenwriter. A former débutante from an illustrious family, she was jailed for passing a fraudulent cheque in 1951 and her best-known works were based on her experiences in prison...
, who became Thompson's second wife.
Thompson earned a reputation in Britain for gritty social dramas besides occasional comedies and musicals. He was also known for collaborating with top British actors. After the comedies For Better, For Worse
For Better, for Worse (1954 film)
For Better, for Worse is a 1954 British comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson.-Cast:* Dirk Bogarde as Tony Howard* Susan Stephen as Anne Purves* Cecil Parker as Anne's Father* Eileen Herlie as Anne's Mother* Athene Seyler as Miss Mainbrace...
(1954) starring Dirk Bogarde
Dirk Bogarde
Sir Dirk Bogarde was an English actor and novelist. Initially a matinee idol in such films as Doctor in the House and other Rank Organisation pictures, Bogarde later acted in art-house films such as Death in Venice...
, As Long as They're Happy
As Long as They're Happy
As Long as They're Happy is a 1955 British musical comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson.-Cast:* Jack Buchanan as John Bentley* Janette Scott as Gwen Bentley* Jeannie Carson as Pat Bentley* Brenda De Banzie as Stella Bentley...
(1955
1955 in film
The year 1955 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* November 3 - The musical Guys and Dolls, starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, debuts.* June 27 - The last ever Republic serial, King of the Carnival, is released....
), and An Alligator Named Daisy
An Alligator Named Daisy
An Alligator Named Daisy is a 1955 British comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Donald Sinden, Jeannie Carson, James Robertson Justice, Diana Dors, Roland Culver and Stanley Holloway.-Plot:...
(1955) starring Donald Sinden
Donald Sinden
Sir Donald Alfred Sinden CBE is an English actor of theatre, film and television.-Personal life:Sinden was born in Plymouth, Devon, England, on 9 October 1923. The son of Alfred Edward Sinden and his wife Mabel Agnes , he grew up in the Sussex village of Ditchling, where their home doubled as the...
, he returned to the theme of female prisoners in Yield to the Night
Yield to the Night
Yield to the Night is a 1956 British crime drama film starring Diana Dors as a murderess sentenced to hang and spending her last days in the condemned cell in a British women's prison...
(1956
1956 in film
The year 1956 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 5 - The Ten Commandments opens in cinemas and becomes one of the most successful and popular movies of all time, currently ranking 5th on the list of all time moneymakers * February 5 - First showing of documentary films by...
), a powerful anti-capital punishment tale with Diana Dors
Diana Dors
Diana Dors was an English actress, born Diana Mary Fluck in Swindon, Wiltshire. Considered the English equivalent of the blonde bombshells of Hollywood, Dors described herself as: "The only sex symbol Britain has produced since Lady Godiva."-Early life:Diana Mary Fluck was born in Swindon,...
.
The late 1950s continued Thompson's 'kitchen sink' dramas, focusing on plights of the average Briton. Woman in a Dressing Gown
Woman in a Dressing Gown
Woman in a Dressing Gown is a 1957 British film directed by J. Lee Thompson. Yvonne Mitchell won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival....
(1957
1957 in film
The year 1957 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 21 - The movie Jailhouse Rock, starring Elvis Presley, opens.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue-Awards:...
), with Yvonne Mitchell
Yvonne Mitchell
Yvonne Mitchell was an English stage, television and film actor. She was born Yvonne Frances Joseph, but in 1946 changed her name by deed poll to Yvonne Mitchell . Her mother's maiden name was Mitchell. After beginning her acting career in theatre, Mitchell progressed to films in the late 1940s...
, Anthony Quayle
Anthony Quayle
Sir John Anthony Quayle, CBE was an English actor and director.-Early life:Quayle was born in Ainsdale, Southport, in Lancashire to a Manx family....
, and Sylvia Syms
Sylvia Syms
Sylvia M. L. Syms OBE is a British actress. She is probably best known for her roles in the films Woman in a Dressing Gown , Ice-Cold in Alex , No Trees in the Street , Victim and The Tamarind Seed...
, deals with the collapse of a 20-year marriage. The Good Companions (1957) gives a dour, semi-musical view of the theatrical world.
Thompson's strongest period of British films was undoubtedly 1958-60, during which he made Ice-Cold in Alex
Ice-Cold in Alex
Ice-Cold in Alex is a British film based on the novel of the same name by British author Christopher Landon. Directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring John Mills, the film was a prizewinner at the 8th Berlin International Film Festival...
(1958
1958 in film
The year 1958 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 16- "In the Money" by William Beaudine is released on this date. It would be the last installment of The Bowery Boys series which began back in 1946....
), North West Frontier (1959
1959 in film
The year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....
), No Trees in the Street (1959), Tiger Bay
Tiger Bay (film)
Tiger Bay is a 1959 British crime drama film directed by J. Lee Thompson and produced and co-written by John Hawkesworth. It stars John Mills as a police superintendent who investigates a murder, his daughter Hayley Mills, in her first major film role, as a girl who witnesses the murder, and Horst...
(1959), and I Aim at the Stars
I Aim at the Stars
I Aim at the Stars is a 1960 biographical film which tells the story of the life of Wernher von Braun. The film covers his life from his early days in Germany, through Peenemünde, up until his work with the U.S...
AKA Wernher von Braun (1960
1960 in film
The year 1960 in film involved some significant events, with Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho the top-grossing release in the U.S.-Events:* April 20 - for the first time since coming home from military service in Germany, Elvis Presley returns to Hollywood, California to film G.I...
). Ice-Cold in Alex, the story of a British army unit trecking across North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
in World War II, was a major success featuring John Mills
John Mills
Sir John Mills CBE , born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills, was an English actor who made more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades.-Life and career:...
, Sylvia Syms, Anthony Quayle, and Harry Andrews
Harry Andrews
Harry Fleetwood Andrews, CBE was an English film actor known for his frequent portrayals of tough military officers. His performance as Sergeant Major Wilson in The Hill alongside Sean Connery earned Andrews the 1965 National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor and a nomination for the...
; it won three BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
Awards, including Best British Film. Hayley Mills
Hayley Mills
Hayley Mills is an English actress. The daughter of John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell, and sister of actress Juliet Mills, Mills began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promising newcomer, winning the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for Tiger Bay , the Academy Juvenile Award...
also earned a BAFTA for Most Promising Newcomer in Tiger Bay, portraying a 12-year-old girl who refuses to betray a sailor accused of murder.
Thompson vaulted to international fame with The Guns of Navarone
The Guns of Navarone (film)
The Guns of Navarone is a 1961 British-American Action/Adventure war film based on the 1957 novel of the same name about the Dodecanese Campaign of World War II by Scottish thriller writer Alistair MacLean. It stars Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn, along with Anthony Quayle and Stanley...
(1961
1961 in film
The year 1961 in film involved some significant events, with West Side Story winning 10 Academy Awards.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:* Atlantis, the Lost ContinentB...
) as a last-minute replacement for director Alexander Mackendrick
Alexander Mackendrick
Alexander Mackendrick was a Scottish American director and teacher. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts and later moved to Scotland...
. His take-charge attitude during its production earned him the nickname 'Mighty Mouse' from lead actor Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
. The Guns of Navarone, a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
epic filmed on location in Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, was nominated for seven Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
including Thompson for Best Director.
The success of that film won him entry into Hollywood, where he directed Cape Fear
Cape Fear (1962 film)
Cape Fear is a 1962 film starring Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum and Polly Bergen. It was adapted by James R. Webb from the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald. It was directed by J. Lee Thompson, and released on April 12, 1962...
(1962
1962 in film
The year 1962 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May - The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards are officially founded by the Taiwanese government....
), a psychological thriller with Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, author, composer and singer and is #23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time...
, Polly Bergen
Polly Bergen
Polly Bergen is an American actress, singer, and entrepreneur.-Career:Bergen appeared in many film roles, most notably in the original Cape Fear opposite Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum...
, and Lori Martin
Lori Martin
Lori Martin was an American actress, born as Dawn Catherine Menzer.-Early career:...
. Based on a novel called The Executioners
The Executioners
The Executioners is a classic thriller novel written by John D. MacDonald, published in 1957. It was filmed twice under the title Cape Fear, once in 1962 and again in 1991....
by John D. MacDonald
John D. MacDonald
John Dann MacDonald was an American crime and suspense novelist and short story writer.MacDonald was a prolific author of crime and suspense novels, many of them set in his adopted home of Florida...
, Cape Fear boldly shows how a sex offender can manipulate the justice system and terrorize an entire family. Highly controversial for its time, the film was cut heavily in both the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Britain.
Hollywood films
Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner was a Russian-born actor of stage and film. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times on...
in the Cossack epic Taras Bulba
Taras Bulba (film)
Taras Bulba is a 1962 film loosely based on Nikolai Gogol's short novel, Taras Bulba, starring Yul Brynner in the title role, and Tony Curtis as his son, Andrei, leaders of a Cossack clan on the Ukrainian steppes. The film was directed by J. Lee Thompson...
(1962) and the Mayan Indian epic Kings of the Sun (1963
1963 in film
The year 1963 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* June 12 - Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison and Richard Burton premieres at the Rivoli Theatre in New York City....
); Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine is an American film and theater actress, singer, dancer, activist and author, well-known for her beliefs in new age spirituality and reincarnation. She has written a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her spiritual beliefs as well as her Hollywood career...
in What a Way to Go!
What a Way to Go!
What a Way to Go! is a 1964 American comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Shirley MacLaine, Paul Newman, Robert Mitchum, Dean Martin, Gene Kelly, Margaret Dumont, Bob Cummings and Dick Van Dyke.-Plot:...
(1964
1964 in film
The year 1964 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 29 - The film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is released....
) and John Goldfarb, Please Come Home (1965
1965 in film
The year 1965 in film involved some significant events, with The Sound of Music topping the U.S. box office.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
); and Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr, CBE was a Scottish film and television actress from Glasgow. She won the Sarah Siddons Award for her Chicago performance as Laura Reynolds in Tea and Sympathy, a role which she originated on Broadway, a Golden Globe Award for the motion picture The King and I, and was a three-time...
in the occultist Eye of the Devil
Eye of the Devil
Eye of the Devil is a 1966 British film with occult and supernatural themes directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Deborah Kerr and David Niven. The film was set in rural France and filmed in England.-Plot:...
(1967
1967 in film
The year 1967 in film involved some significant events. It is widely considered as one of the most ground-breaking years in film.-Events:* December 26 - The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour airs on British television....
). Thompson also proved capable of working in different genres, including Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
(Mackenna's Gold
Mackenna's Gold
Mackenna's Gold is a 1969 western film directed by J. Lee Thompson, starring Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Telly Savalas, Camilla Sparv, and Julie Newmar...
, 1969
1969 in film
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
), espionage (The Chairman, 1969
1969 in film
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
) and science fiction (Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is a 1972 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fourth of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs. It explores how the apes rebelled from mankind's ill treatment following Escape from the Planet of...
, Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Battle for the Planet of the Apes is a 1973 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fifth and last entry in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P...
). While in the U.S., he continued to dabble with British productions such as Return from the Ashes (1965) and Country Dance
Country Dance (film)
Country Dance Country Dance Country Dance (also known as Brotherly Love (USA) and The Same Skin (UK) is a 1970 British drama film based on the novel Household Ghosts (1961) by James Kennaway which became a three-act stage play 1967...
AKA Brotherly Love (1970
1970 in film
The year 1970 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 9 - Larry Fine, the second member of The Three Stooges, suffers a massive stroke, therefore ending his career....
).
In the late 1970s and 80s, Thompson's reputation declined but he was still known as an energetic presence on Hollywood sets. The remaining years of his career were spent mostly in low-budget exploitation films. One musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
foray (not his best genre) was Huckleberry Finn
Huckleberry Finn (1974 film)
Huckleberry Finn is the 1974 musical film version of Mark Twain's American classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.The movie was produced by Reader's Digest and Arthur P. Jacobs and starred Jeff East as Huckleberry Finn and Paul Winfield as Jim...
(1974
1974 in film
The year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J...
) starring Jeff East
Jeff East
Jeff East is an American actor. His best-known role is in the 1978 hit film Superman as the teenage Clark Kent.-Film and television credits:...
and Paul Winfield
Paul Winfield
Paul Edward Winfield was an American television, film, and stage actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark film Sounder which earned him an Academy Award nomination. Winfield also portrayed Dr....
. He became a favorite of action star Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson , born Charles Dennis Buchinsky was an American actor, best-known for such films as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Rider on the Rain, The Mechanic, and the popular Death Wish series...
, pairing up in the Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
crime story St. Ives (1976
1976 in film
The year 1976 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*March 22 - Filming begins on George Lucas' Star Wars science fiction film...
), an unconventional western called The White Buffalo
The White Buffalo
The White Buffalo is a 1977 western film starring Charles Bronson, Kim Novak, Jack Warden, Slim Pickens, and Will Sampson. The movie is rated PG in the USA. The film is directed by J. Lee Thompson, who frequently teamed with Bronson. It was also the final film Bronson made for United...
(1977
1977 in film
The year 1977 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*In the Academy Awards, Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight win Best Actor and Actress and Supporting Actress awards for Network....
), and a Casablanca
Casablanca (film)
Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Dooley Wilson. Set during World War II, it focuses on a man torn between, in...
spinoff, Caboblanco (1980
1980 in film
- Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year ....
). Their work at Cannon Films lasted throughout the 1980s with such pulp action titles as 10 to Midnight
10 to Midnight
10 to Midnight is an action-crime-thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson from a screenplay originally written by William Roberts. The film stars Charles Bronson in the lead role with a supporting cast that includes Lisa Eilbacher, Andrew Stevens, Gene Davis, Geoffrey Lewis, and Wilford Brimley...
(1983
1983 in film
-Events:*February 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film Let's Spend the Night Together opens in New York*May 25 - Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the final film in the original Star Wars trilogy, is released. Like the previous films, it goes on to become the top grossing picture of...
), Murphy's Law
Murphy's Law (film)
Murphy's Law is a thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson from a screenplay by Gail Morgan Hickman. It was released by Cannon Films to the United States on April 18, 1986. The film stars Charles Bronson and Kathleen Wilhoite in lead roles with a supporting cast that includes Carrie Snodgress,...
(1986), Death Wish 4: The Crackdown
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown is a 1987 action thriller, and the third sequel to the 1974 film, Death Wish, once again starring Charles Bronson....
(1987
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
), and Thompson's last film as a director, Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects
Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects
Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects is an action/drama film starring Charles Bronson and directed by J. Lee Thompson. Being Thompson's final film, it was the last project he and Bronson did together.-Premise:...
(1989
1989 in film
-Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...
). Other titles included The Evil That Men Do
The Evil That Men Do (film)
The Evil That Men Do is an action thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson that stars Charles Bronson.The film was adapted by David Lee Henry and John Crowther from a novel by R. Lance Hill...
(1984
1984 in film
-Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film....
, through ITC Entertainment
ITC Entertainment
The Incorporated Television Company was a British television company largely involved in production and distribution. It was founded by Lew Grade.-History:...
and Tri-Star Pictures), The Ambassador
The Ambassador (film)
The Ambassador is a 1984 American thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson and stars Robert Mitchum, Ellen Burstyn and Rock Hudson. The political thriller was based on the 1974 crime novel 52 Pick Up by Elmore Leonard...
(1984), King Solomon's Mines
King Solomon's Mines (1985 film)
King Solomon's Mines is a 1985 action and adventure film loosely based on the novel King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard. It stars Richard Chamberlain, Sharon Stone, Herbert Lom and John Rhys-Davies. It was adapted by Gene Quintano and James R. Silke and directed by J. Lee Thompson...
(1985
1985 in film
-Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie...
), and the Chuck Norris vehicle Firewalker
Firewalker (film)
Firewalker is a 1986 action/adventure B-movie starring Chuck Norris, Louis Gossett, Jr., Will Sampson and Melody Anderson. It was directed by J. Lee Thompson and written by Norman Aladjem, Robert Gosnell and Jeffrey M. Rosenbaum...
(1986
1986 in film
-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
). Several of these films were edited by Thompson's son Peter.
After Kinjite
Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects
Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects is an action/drama film starring Charles Bronson and directed by J. Lee Thompson. Being Thompson's final film, it was the last project he and Bronson did together.-Premise:...
, Thompson retired from direction but stayed active as a producer and occasional set technician. He died of congestive heart failure on August 30, 2002, at his vacation home in Sooke, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, aged 88.
Personality and style of directing
Thompson was in many ways an 'actor's director' who respected the views of his cast members while maintaining his own vision. It was often remarked that actors were 'spoiled' on Thompson's set due to his more egalitarian methods of directing and the easier working conditions. It is for these reasons that Thompson worked multiple times with certain actors, including Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
, David Niven
David Niven
James David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther...
, Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
, Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson , born Charles Dennis Buchinsky was an American actor, best-known for such films as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Rider on the Rain, The Mechanic, and the popular Death Wish series...
, Diana Dors
Diana Dors
Diana Dors was an English actress, born Diana Mary Fluck in Swindon, Wiltshire. Considered the English equivalent of the blonde bombshells of Hollywood, Dors described herself as: "The only sex symbol Britain has produced since Lady Godiva."-Early life:Diana Mary Fluck was born in Swindon,...
, and Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline Bisset is an English actress. She has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award. She is known for her roles in the films Bullitt , Airport , The Deep , Class , and the TV series Nip/Tuck in 2006...
. He also had great talent for working with child actors, notably Hayley Mills
Hayley Mills
Hayley Mills is an English actress. The daughter of John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell, and sister of actress Juliet Mills, Mills began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promising newcomer, winning the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for Tiger Bay , the Academy Juvenile Award...
and Lori Martin
Lori Martin
Lori Martin was an American actress, born as Dawn Catherine Menzer.-Early career:...
.
Thompson arguably did his best work in black and white, favouring depthy compositions which offered sharp contrasts between the actors and the background framing. In colour, his hues are heavily saturated, and he favours darker colours in his dramatic films, creating a filmic vision that is at once personal and disturbing. During the black-and-white era of filmmaking, Thompson styled his dramas after Hitchcock with an emphasis on light and shadow. In his best films, Thompson makes solid use of pacing to build dramatic tension. Two superior examples are The Guns of Navarone and Cape Fear, which rely largely on physical action. Thompson's later films with Charles Bronson also show this competence, helping to give these B-level movies a high degree of watchability.
Perhaps the most notable aspect of Thompson's films are the subject matters and how he shamelessly portrays them. In their time, movies such as The Yellow Balloon (blackmail), Yield to the Night (female imprisonment), and Cape Fear
Cape Fear (1962 film)
Cape Fear is a 1962 film starring Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum and Polly Bergen. It was adapted by James R. Webb from the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald. It was directed by J. Lee Thompson, and released on April 12, 1962...
(sexual deviance) were highly controversial and still hold dramatic resonance today. Thompson's legacy may rest in his dealing with social topics years before other filmmakers considered them. He was also unafraid to portray violence in realistic fashion, even visiting the horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
genre in 1981
1981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
with Happy Birthday to Me. Indeed, the violence of some of Thompson's later projects is, for many, their most problematic aspect.
By the mid-1980s, Thompson was respected for his earlier projects, but inevitably tagged as a filmmaker in decline. While the films he directed in the 1970s and 80s are of considerable entertainment value, almost none of them have social significance and are little more than a footnote in cinema history. Thompson later admitted in a biography by Steve Chibnall that he 'sold out' to Hollywood convention, through which he made a large salary at the expense of his art. Although Thompson's output never decreased, it became greatly limited in scope.
Thompson's personal life was irregular at best. He was a three-time husband and a visible figure on the Hollywood party scene. He was also a confirmed heavy drinker, although he seemed to overcome the problem in later years. His habits may have compromised his talent, but Thompson remains an admirable figure of longevity in a business known for its temporary nature.
In the current age of DVD, Thompson's films still hold a large viewership. While best known for The Guns of Navarone, Cape Fear, Tiger Bay, and perhaps Ice-Cold in Alex, many of his other films have a sizeable following. In all likelihood, The Guns of Navarone will maintain his place as a notable filmmaker. It is also probable that Thompson will be most remembered by people within the industry for his skilled craftsmanship.
Filmography
- Murder Without CrimeMurder Without CrimeMurder Without Crime is a 1950 British crime film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Dennis Price, Derek Farr and Patricia Plunkett....
(1950) - The Yellow BalloonThe Yellow Balloon (film)The Yellow Balloon is a 1953 British drama film starring Kenneth More, Bernard Lee, Andrew Ray, Kathleen Ryan and Sid James.-Plot:Playing around the ruins of a devastated bombed-out neighbourhood of London, 12 year old Frankie accidentally leads a boy into his death when he falls from a second...
(1953) - For Better, for WorseFor Better, for Worse (1954 film)For Better, for Worse is a 1954 British comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson.-Cast:* Dirk Bogarde as Tony Howard* Susan Stephen as Anne Purves* Cecil Parker as Anne's Father* Eileen Herlie as Anne's Mother* Athene Seyler as Miss Mainbrace...
(1954) - The Weak and the WickedThe Weak and the WickedThe Weak and the Wicked is a 1954 British drama film directed by J. Lee Thompson based on the book by his wife, Joan Henry, starring Glynis Johns and Diana Dors....
(1954) - As Long as They're HappyAs Long as They're HappyAs Long as They're Happy is a 1955 British musical comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson.-Cast:* Jack Buchanan as John Bentley* Janette Scott as Gwen Bentley* Jeannie Carson as Pat Bentley* Brenda De Banzie as Stella Bentley...
(1955) - An Alligator Named DaisyAn Alligator Named DaisyAn Alligator Named Daisy is a 1955 British comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Donald Sinden, Jeannie Carson, James Robertson Justice, Diana Dors, Roland Culver and Stanley Holloway.-Plot:...
(1955) - Yield to the NightYield to the NightYield to the Night is a 1956 British crime drama film starring Diana Dors as a murderess sentenced to hang and spending her last days in the condemned cell in a British women's prison...
(1956) - The Good CompanionsThe Good Companions (1957 film)The Good Companions is a 1957 British musical film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Eric Portman. It is based on the novel of the same name and is a remake of the 1933 film version.-Cast:* Eric Portman - Jess Oakroyd* Celia Johnson - Miss Trant...
(1957) - Woman in a Dressing GownWoman in a Dressing GownWoman in a Dressing Gown is a 1957 British film directed by J. Lee Thompson. Yvonne Mitchell won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival....
(1957) - Ice-Cold in AlexIce-Cold in AlexIce-Cold in Alex is a British film based on the novel of the same name by British author Christopher Landon. Directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring John Mills, the film was a prizewinner at the 8th Berlin International Film Festival...
(1958) - North West Frontier (1959)
- No Trees in the StreetNo Trees in the StreetNo Trees in the Street is a 1959 British crime thriller directed by J. Lee Thompson.-Cast:* Sylvia Syms as Hetty* Herbert Lom as Wilkie* Melvyn Hayes as Tommy* Ronald Howard as Frank* Stanley Holloway as Kipper* Joan Miller as Jess...
(1959) - Tiger BayTiger Bay (film)Tiger Bay is a 1959 British crime drama film directed by J. Lee Thompson and produced and co-written by John Hawkesworth. It stars John Mills as a police superintendent who investigates a murder, his daughter Hayley Mills, in her first major film role, as a girl who witnesses the murder, and Horst...
(1959) - I Aim at the StarsI Aim at the StarsI Aim at the Stars is a 1960 biographical film which tells the story of the life of Wernher von Braun. The film covers his life from his early days in Germany, through Peenemünde, up until his work with the U.S...
(1960) - The Guns of NavaroneThe Guns of Navarone (film)The Guns of Navarone is a 1961 British-American Action/Adventure war film based on the 1957 novel of the same name about the Dodecanese Campaign of World War II by Scottish thriller writer Alistair MacLean. It stars Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn, along with Anthony Quayle and Stanley...
(1961) - Cape FearCape Fear (1962 film)Cape Fear is a 1962 film starring Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum and Polly Bergen. It was adapted by James R. Webb from the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald. It was directed by J. Lee Thompson, and released on April 12, 1962...
(1962) - Taras BulbaTaras Bulba (film)Taras Bulba is a 1962 film loosely based on Nikolai Gogol's short novel, Taras Bulba, starring Yul Brynner in the title role, and Tony Curtis as his son, Andrei, leaders of a Cossack clan on the Ukrainian steppes. The film was directed by J. Lee Thompson...
(1962) - Kings of the SunKings of the SunKings of the Sun is a 1963 movie directed by J. Lee Thompson set in Mesoamerica at the time of the conquest of Chichen Itza by Hunac Ceel. The story is about Mayan refugees who sail to the Mississippi River Valley and lay the foundation for the Mississippian culture complex...
(1963) - What a Way to Go!What a Way to Go!What a Way to Go! is a 1964 American comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Shirley MacLaine, Paul Newman, Robert Mitchum, Dean Martin, Gene Kelly, Margaret Dumont, Bob Cummings and Dick Van Dyke.-Plot:...
(1964) - John Goldfarb, Please Come HomeJohn Goldfarb, Please Come HomeJohn Goldfarb, Please Come Home is a 1963 novel by William Peter Blatty that was adapted as a film by the same title, released in 1965.-Synopsis:...
(1965) - Return from the AshesReturn from the AshesReturn from the Ashes is a 1965 British drama film directed by J. Lee Thompson. The film stars Ingrid Thulin, Herbert Lom, Maximillian Schell, and Samantha Eggar.-Plot:...
(1965) - Eye of the DevilEye of the DevilEye of the Devil is a 1966 British film with occult and supernatural themes directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Deborah Kerr and David Niven. The film was set in rural France and filmed in England.-Plot:...
(1967) - Mackenna's GoldMackenna's GoldMackenna's Gold is a 1969 western film directed by J. Lee Thompson, starring Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Telly Savalas, Camilla Sparv, and Julie Newmar...
(1969) - Before Winter ComesBefore Winter ComesBefore Winter Comes is a 1969 British film directed by J. Lee Thompson from a screenplay by Andrew Sinclair.-Plot:Before Winter Comes takes place in the immediate aftermath of World War II. British Major Giles Burnside is assigned to an Austrian refugee camp, his mission is to send the groups of...
(1969) - The ChairmanThe ChairmanThe Chairman is a 1969 spy film starring Gregory Peck. It was directed by J. Lee Thompson. The screenplay was by Ben Maddow, based on a novel by Jay Richard Kennedy.-Plot:...
(1969) - Country DanceCountry Dance (film)Country Dance Country Dance Country Dance (also known as Brotherly Love (USA) and The Same Skin (UK) is a 1970 British drama film based on the novel Household Ghosts (1961) by James Kennaway which became a three-act stage play 1967...
(1970) - Conquest of the Planet of the ApesConquest of the Planet of the ApesConquest of the Planet of the Apes is a 1972 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fourth of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs. It explores how the apes rebelled from mankind's ill treatment following Escape from the Planet of...
(1972) - A Great American Tragedy (1972) (TV)
- Battle for the Planet of the ApesBattle for the Planet of the ApesBattle for the Planet of the Apes is a 1973 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fifth and last entry in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P...
(1973) - Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn (1974 film)Huckleberry Finn is the 1974 musical film version of Mark Twain's American classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.The movie was produced by Reader's Digest and Arthur P. Jacobs and starred Jeff East as Huckleberry Finn and Paul Winfield as Jim...
(1974) - The Reincarnation of Peter ProudThe Reincarnation of Peter ProudThe Reincarnation of Peter Proud is an American motion picture released by Bing Crosby Productions, and Cinerama Productions Corporation. In the supernatural suspense genre, the film was directed by J...
(1975) - The Blue Knight (1975) (TV)
- Widow (1976) (TV)
- St. IvesSt. Ives (1976 film)St. Ives is a 1976 American action film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Charles Bronson.- Plot summary :Abner Procane, top L.A. burglar, finds that somebody stole his plans for his next ambitious heist. He hires Raymond St. Ives, crime books writer, to negotiate the return of those...
(1976) - The White BuffaloThe White BuffaloThe White Buffalo is a 1977 western film starring Charles Bronson, Kim Novak, Jack Warden, Slim Pickens, and Will Sampson. The movie is rated PG in the USA. The film is directed by J. Lee Thompson, who frequently teamed with Bronson. It was also the final film Bronson made for United...
(1977) - The Greek TycoonThe Greek TycoonThe Greek Tycoon is a 1978 American drama film directed by J. Lee Thompson. The screenplay by Morton S. Fine is based on a story by Fine, Nico Mastorakis, and Win Wells loosely based on Aristotle Onassis and his relationship with Jacqueline Kennedy.-Plot:...
(1978) - The Passage (1979)
- CaboblancoCaboblancoCaboblanco is an American drama film directed by J. Lee Thompson, starring Charles Bronson, Dominique Sanda and Jason Robards. The film has often been described as a remake of Casablanca.-Plot:...
(1980) - Happy Birthday to Me (1981)
- Code Red (1981) (TV)
- 10 to Midnight10 to Midnight10 to Midnight is an action-crime-thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson from a screenplay originally written by William Roberts. The film stars Charles Bronson in the lead role with a supporting cast that includes Lisa Eilbacher, Andrew Stevens, Gene Davis, Geoffrey Lewis, and Wilford Brimley...
(1983) - The Evil That Men DoThe Evil That Men Do (film)The Evil That Men Do is an action thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson that stars Charles Bronson.The film was adapted by David Lee Henry and John Crowther from a novel by R. Lance Hill...
(1984) - The AmbassadorThe Ambassador (film)The Ambassador is a 1984 American thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson and stars Robert Mitchum, Ellen Burstyn and Rock Hudson. The political thriller was based on the 1974 crime novel 52 Pick Up by Elmore Leonard...
(1984) - King Solomon's MinesKing Solomon's Mines (1985 film)King Solomon's Mines is a 1985 action and adventure film loosely based on the novel King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard. It stars Richard Chamberlain, Sharon Stone, Herbert Lom and John Rhys-Davies. It was adapted by Gene Quintano and James R. Silke and directed by J. Lee Thompson...
(1985) - Murphy's LawMurphy's Law (film)Murphy's Law is a thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson from a screenplay by Gail Morgan Hickman. It was released by Cannon Films to the United States on April 18, 1986. The film stars Charles Bronson and Kathleen Wilhoite in lead roles with a supporting cast that includes Carrie Snodgress,...
(1986) - FirewalkerFirewalker (film)Firewalker is a 1986 action/adventure B-movie starring Chuck Norris, Louis Gossett, Jr., Will Sampson and Melody Anderson. It was directed by J. Lee Thompson and written by Norman Aladjem, Robert Gosnell and Jeffrey M. Rosenbaum...
(1986) - Death Wish 4: The CrackdownDeath Wish 4: The CrackdownDeath Wish 4: The Crackdown is a 1987 action thriller, and the third sequel to the 1974 film, Death Wish, once again starring Charles Bronson....
(1987) - Messenger of DeathMessenger of DeathMessenger of Death is a 1988 film starring Charles Bronson about an attempt by a water company to start a family feud among fundamentalist Mormons to take the family's land for the company.This was one of the final films in the long career of J...
(1988) - Kinjite: Forbidden SubjectsKinjite: Forbidden SubjectsKinjite: Forbidden Subjects is an action/drama film starring Charles Bronson and directed by J. Lee Thompson. Being Thompson's final film, it was the last project he and Bronson did together.-Premise:...
(1989)