My Top Ten Samantha Eggar Movies

Not the greatest film in the list but it reads like a Who's Who of the English film industry. Director Ralph Thomas was known for his comedies and this tale of student pranks had a keen, young cast. Ian McShane, John Hurt, Johnny Briggs and Jeremy Brett all featured in this pastiche of juvenile japes. Samantha was very easy on the eye and showed promise as the one that all the boys would like on their arm. 'Josie Stevens'.

After starring with Dirk Bogarde in 'Doctor in Distress', Samantha joined Donald Pleasence in his portrayal of Dr. Crippen. Cast as the young mistress who accompanied him on the fateful passage to America, their escape was foiled by the miracle of radio. Whilst the story was not totally faithful to history, Samantha's performance certainly gave a motive for Crippen's actions. 'Ethel Le Neve'.

Directed by William Wyler this story of a disturbed young man won three Oscar nominations and Samantha won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama. Terence Stamp played Freddie Clegg, a Bank Clerk and Butterfly Collector who started upping his game. With a very small ensemble cast Wyler proved very capable in psychological drama, although Hitchcock might have done it better. 'Miranda Grey'.

Now Samantha was playing in the Big League, starring opposite Cary Grant in his final role as Sir William Rutland, a British businessman visiting Tokyo during the 1964 Olympiad. The film was beautifully shot in glorious Technicolor and is a tribute to Cary Grant and the Olympics. Samantha has some good lines but Cary has the best ones. Keep a wary eye out for George Takei as a policeman in this sweet little piece of nonsense. 'Christine Easton'.

This was the original Richard Fleischer movie about the man who could speak to animals, based upon the books for children by Hugh Lofting. Now Samantha was cast with Rex Harrison, Anthony Newley and Richard Attenborough and rose to the occasion. A lovely performance for a lovely and lyrical film about everyday folks in fantasy land. 'Emma Fairfax'.

Staying in the 19th Century, Samantha now had Richard Harris as her leading man in the dramatic story about militant miners in Pennsylvania. Again her performance was fine, but despite the magnificent photography, a terse script and Sean Connery in the lead role, the two hour film became a box office disaster. Thus began Miss Eggar's darker period in movies. 'Miss Mary Raines'.

Recognised mainly for his TV work, Director Eric Till made a beautiful and dramatic thriller out of a story about a polio victim who is wooed, in order to provide information essential to a robbery. David Hemmings plays Leigh Hartley, the rogue who steals Samantha's affections in order to pump her for information. Miss Eggar gave a magnificent performance in this little known British tear jerker of a drama. 'Deborah Dainton'.

Based upon the novel by Jules Verne, Kirk Douglas and Yul Brynner were the two protagonists in this fight between a lighthouse keeper and a pirate captain. Samantha plays a lady's maid who pretends to be her mistress when the pirates wreck their ship. It does not end well, but Mr. Brynner must have been impressed, as Miss Eggar got the role as Anna Owens in his 1972 TV series 'Anna and the King'. 'Arabella'.

After being in many TV shows Samantha came back to the silver screen with the great Jack Palance and Keir Dullea in this sci fi thriller made in Canada. The plot is interesting and the acting is quite good, but it is definitely Mr Palance's movie, like City Slickers but with the funny anecdotes removed. You will either like it or loathe it but Samantha does her party piece as the maid in distress. 'Katherine'.

I must start by stating that David Cronenberg is NOT near the top of my list of favourite directors, but this was a mind blowing experience for me. Starring Oliver Reed as Dr. Hal Raglan who treats the beautiful Samantha, this is both a fascinating and frightening film. It is not so much gory as Gothic in the way that the patients minds release their passion through physical manifestations. It brings a whole new meaning to "You won't like me if I'm angry!" 'Nola Carveth'.