Main Cast: Faye Dunaway, Alan Bates, John Gielgud, Denholm Elliott, Prunella Scales
Release Year: 1983
Country: UK
Run Time: 99 minutes
Plot
Faye Dunaway stars in Michael Winner's labored re-make of the 1945 swashbuckler, which was co-scripted by Leslie Arliss, the original director of the 1945 film. Dunaway is Lady Barbara Skelton, a lady of the royal class, who becomes a highway robber, taking up with Captain Jerry Jackson (Alan Bates), a highwayman and her lover. Because of a notorious whiping scene in which Lady Barbara and Jackson's girlfriend (Marina Sirtis) take horsewhips to one another, tearing their clothing to strategically-placed ribbons, the film was held back from release because Winner refused to cut the salacious footage. After corralling author Kingsley Amis, and directors John Schlesinger, Karel Reisz, and Lindsay Anderson to attest to the redeeming social value of the scene, the scene stayed in the film. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Oliver Tobias - Kit Locksby; Glynis Barber - Caroline; Joan Hickson - Aunt Agatha; Helena McCarthy - Moll Skelton; Mollie Maureen - Doll Skelton; Marina Sirtis - Jackson's girl; Nicholas Gecks - Ned Cotterell; Hugh Millais - Uncle; Guinevere John - Landlady at Inn; Cyril Conway - Doctor; Derek Francis - Lord Kingsclere; David Gant - Clergyman at Church; Lucy Hornak; Tony Martin - Vendor at Tyburn; Fiona McArthur - Bridesmaid; Malcolm Mudie - Courtier; Catherine Neilson - Customer in Shop; Ellen Pollock - Mrs. Munce; Maggie Rennie - Coach Passenger; John Savident - Squire Thorton; Ewen Solon - Clergyman at Tyburn; Marianne Stone - Customer in Shop; George Tovey - Man at Inn; Dermot Walsh - Lord Marwood; Arthur Whybrow - Storyteller at Tyburn; Mark Burns - Charles II; Roger Brierley - Clergymen at Tyburn Prison; Celia Imrie - Servant at Inn; John Pierce Jones - Ringleader at Tyburn; Judy Maynard; Robert Putt - Man at Tyburn; Mark Sinden - Lord Dolman; Norman Mitchell - Man at Inn; Teresa Codling - Nell Gwynne; Pamela Cundell - Coach Passenger; Terence Mountain - Law Officer
Credit
John Blezard - Art Director, John Bloomfield - Costume Designer, Michael Winner - Director, Arnold Crust - Editor, Tony Banks - Composer (Music Score), John Blezard - Production Designer, Jack Cardiff - Cinematographer, Yoram Globus - Producer, Menahem Golan - Producer, Albert J. Whitlock - Special Effects, Leslie Arliss - Screenwriter, Michael Winner - Screenwriter, Magdalen King-Hall - Book Author
The actor Mark Burns appeared as King Charles II, but during the filming, Winner claimed not to have enough money to pay him even the Equity (actors union) stipulated minimum fee. Burns told him to make a donation to the Police Memorial Trust, run by Winner. Years later, when Burns appeared at a magistrates court on a charge of speeding, Winner told the bench that the actor had given "his entire fee" for a major film to the fund. Burns was discharged.[2]
Denholm Elliott was quoted in a radio interview as saying that he and Marc Sinden "are the only two British actors I am aware of who have ever worked with Winner more than once and it certainly wasn't for love. But curiously, I never, ever saw any of the same crew twice." (Elliott in You Must Be Joking! & The Wicked Lady and Sinden in The Wicked Lady & Decadence).[3]
Caroline is to be wed to Sir Ralph and invites her sister Barbara to be her bridesmaid. Barbara seduces Ralph, however and she becomes the new Lady, but despite her new wealthy situation, she gets bored and turns to highway robbery for thrills.
While on the road she meets a famous highwayman (Jerry Jackson) and they continue as a team, but some people begin suspecting her identity and she risks death if she continues her nefarious activities.
