ADAM-53

Stephen Potter's biography tells that, before this happy film version was made, Cary Grant was keen, with American producer Carl Foreman, to make a film about Potter's brilliant (now sadly out-of-print)Oneupmanship books. The problem that confronted Grand and Foreman was that they couldn't find anyway to make the humour "American". In the end they dropped it and this rather Ealing-esque film was made instead. This film is just great fun and a reminder of what British cinema at its best can offer. Thank goodness Grant and Foreman didn't give it the "American" treatment. Thank heavens also for a sterling case, in which Terry-Thomas particularly stands out. Tennis, anyone?

Often criticised for being a shot-for-shot remake of the Hitchcock original, this film is in fact a perky little thriller which benefits from Kenneth More being a more sympathetic leading man than Robert Donat (he was somewhat aloof) in the '39 version. True, the film trades heavily off the script for the Hitchcock version, and true it does not go back to the original novel for context, spirit or historical setting in the way the '78 version does; but for me, the film is the jewel among the three. As well as a pacy and fun thriller, it catches the spirit of the England and Scotland of the time. It is also interesting to note the role of the two hit-men characters; they are shadowy background figures in the '39 version, but here they are more fully flushed out (and well played by Duncan Lamont and Michael Goodlife). In the '78 version (and the unofficial remake called North By Northwest) the role of the hit-men is further developed and the suspense increased as a result.

Other things to watch out for in the '59 version are Sidney James, Brian Oulton and a host of supporting players (not to mention Tania Elg's legs in the remake of the stocking-removing scene, all the more intriguing for being in colour). Long available on VHS in the UK, this film now sadly seems to be deleted and is much missed.

This beautiful and much-loved version is now available for a short time only from the BBC on its Special Interest label. This is a limited edition (apparently) and is region 0 coded according to the box so is should play anywhere in the world.

I remember this from my childhood: I was 13 when it was first on and boy did I drool over Judi Bowker! I saw it all three times it was on the BBC.

This is still the most majestic and magnetic production. Only the Badham '79 version comes close (or may be Hammer's Brides of Dracula from '60, still the most atmospheric vampire film ever made, if not actually about Drac himself) to capturing the magic of Stoker's original. Coppola's is a poor-man's version, a wasted opportunity and a bore! How anyone can possibly rate it beats me, but there's no accounting (or Count Dracula-ing!) for taste (especially not the taste of blood! Yuck!).

No more puns! Good luck getting hold of a copy on DVD of Louis Jourdan's Count Dracula while yea may. I'm sure they'll become priceless heirlooms to be passed from sire to son before the sun has set too many more times.