You did it! We figured this one out! It is a truth universally acknowledged (by me for certain) that the Bitchery pretty much knows everything, and really, it's true. Scroll down to see the solution for this HaBO - and many thanks!
Bitchery reader Kat asks for help with this foggy roadstop on her memory lane – only instead of a book, it’s a romance movie from TNT in the 80’s. Normally I wouldn’t be too keen on featuring a movie or tv show, since ostensibly this site is about romances, but damn. This movie sounds just plain bizarre.
Long ago, in the early 1980s, back when Turner Broadcasting meant UHF
channel 17 in Atlanta, I was on my Thanksgiving holiday watching a
movie on TBS. I was 14 at the time, and this was indeed in Atlanta.
This movie has been haunting me for decades! I can’t remember very
much about it, but it was an historical romance, which is why I bring
it up to the Bitchery. Maybe someone can ID the movie for me. I’m
thinking it was made for TV, but who knows. Anyway, here is all I
recall of it…It was about a smuggler. It seemed to be set in the 1700s either
England or possibly Revolutionary America, but I’m shying away from
the setting as American for some reason. The hero had long dark hair
with bangs. (My 14 year old self thought he was so handsome; I might
think differently now.) Anyway, there was a blonde heroine who may
have been an orphan with a little brother. I remember a little kid in
it. She owned farm land that had smuggling caves on it. It was
located near water. There was a romance between the two, but his
smuggling kinda got in the way of a happy ending I think. It could
have been that he was a folk hero type, like the Swamp Fox, but it
wasn’t the Swamp Fox. It was definitely a movie, not a television
series.There is at least one scene in a cave where the contraband is hidden with the hero. I don’t recall if he was with the boy or other smuggling friends or the girl. Maybe it was with the girl telling him to give up the smuggling. And of course this is something that he has to do for some reason he isn’t telling her. I’m thinking his little hidey hole was found by British soldiers (which makes me think it could be Revolutionary America, though that still doesn’t feel right to me).
I also remember this big panoramic scene of the girl’s farm with her running, but maybe I’m on crack and confusing this with Heidi or the Sound of Music! It was so long ago. I just remember being totally enamored of the movie. I was such a romantic back then.
I don’t recall anything other than this. I’m guessing it was made in
the late 70’s or early 80’s. I really don’t think it was the film
April Morning. The theme seemed to be smuggling more than revolution,
but I could be remembering this wrong. Any help you could throw my
way would be much appreciated!
So – a rare HaBO: the oddly romance-drenched smuggling television movie. Anyone?
Okay, I know of a smuggling series from 1975, but it was Poldark, which was a glorious Masterpiece Theater series. Set in Cornwall. I can hardly find any info on it now, even on imdb. But man oh man was in lurrvvee with the manly dark and brooding Ross Poldark. Sigh, sigh.
Sounds like it could have been based on an older Jane Feather novel 🙂
The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, maybe? That was Disney, but I think there were other movies based on the same character (Christopher Syn, of Dymchurch).
Yes! I immediately thought of the old Masterpiece Theatre series “Poldark”. And it was “glorious” in every way. I didn’t read romance novels way back then but it was like the perfect romance book come to life on screen. In a good sized series, too. It must be on DVD, no? But I fear it will be visually washed out as most TV shows from that era are. I must look for it in the PBS catalogue and at my library.
Hmm. Possibly Romney Marsh, but somehow reminds me of “Frenchman’s Creek” by Daphne DuMaurier. Masterpiece Theatre remade that one a few years back with hottie Alain Delon, worth checking out even if it’s not the one.
could it possibly be Jamaica Inn, by Daphne Du Maurier?
I am most familiar with the classic Hitchcock version, but a quick check of IMDB shows that there was a 1985 TV version too.
For the uninitiated, Du Maurier is a fabulous author who also wrote the book Rebecca and the short story The Birds, also made into Hitchcock films.
Coming out of lurkdom to say I remember this series, which I believe was simply called “The Smuggler.” The male lead was named Oliver Tobias, and he was handsome in a saturnine way. His only other starring role that I remember is in a movie based on a Jackie Collins novel called “The Stud.” The smuggler character had been an officer in the British Navy and had either resigned or been kicked out. I don’t remember a little brother, but I do recall a kid that he saved from an impressment gang who acted as his sidekick. It was a pretty good series; I’ve tried to find it on DVD but no luck. I guess it’s too obscure.
I know this wasn’t what you thinking of but the smugglers made me think of the movie based on Barbara Cartland’s book Hazard of Hearts. Helen Bonham Carter is in it but good luck finding it on any of her filmnographies! It’s on You Tube in ten minute slices.
It makes me cringe but it does have smugglers and costumes and (oddly enough) Diana Riggs and Stewart Granger. 1987.
I wonder when someone will put up the film version of Heyer’s The Reluctant Widow. I’ve heard it is cringe worthy too but I’ve always been curious about it
spamword foot29 (in honor of the ferrets?)
Yes! I immediately thought of the old Masterpiece Theatre series “Poldarkâ€. And it was “glorious†in every way.
Your best bet is your PBS catalog. I loved it. It was SO good. Another masterpiece theater production well worth watching? Reckless with Robson Green. Man, oh man. HOT, HOT, HAWT!
That sounds like a Barbara Cartland plot, and I know that back around then there was a series of made-for-TV movies based on Cartland books. You might look them up.
My post was eaten.
I don’t think you are thinking of Hazard of Hearts, a British made for TV Movie based on a Barbara Cartland book and capable of dispelling forever the rumor of British superiority in that field. Helen Bonham Carter plays Serena and Diana Riggs and Stewart Granger also appear in it.
It’s custom drama with smugglers and it is on Youtube in 10 minute slices if you just have to look.
You guys are so great! I’m thinking that I like Carolann’s answer or Robinjn’s answers. I know it wasn’t that Disney flick. I will have to do some looking into everyone’s ideas and get back with you. A great big thanks to SB Sarah for allowing this movie HaBO on the site! You rock!
This reminds me so much as Frenchman’s Creek that Kate mentioned, but it’s an estate and not a farm, and I don’t remember anyone with bangs (I watched it once, but didn’t like it much). There was a young girl, though, the heroine’s daughter who is one of the reasons the smuggler and the woman couldn’t get together.
No idea what the movie is…but glad to know someone else remembers Poldark. I loved that series and read the books it was based on. By Winston Graham, I think. Not sure, it’s been a few years, and I’m in accounting. We finished year end close on Monday and I’ve been dragging this week.
My vote goes w/Carolann. I think it was broadcast in the U.S. as Tales of The Smuggler and the actor’s name is Oliver Tobias. I also saw him in an episode of Jeremy Brett’s Sherlock Holmes series.
I really enjoyed this series and always hoped it would be repeated someday. I must check for it on DVD. I would really like to see it again
IMDB led me to the series SMUGGLER: “Appeared twice on “Superstation” WTBS in the mid 1980’s” http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081932/
Episode guide is at http://www.memorabletv.com/episodeguides/smuggler.htm – you might want to see whether it rings any bells, especially episodes 4/5.
After lurking for some time, I thought I might have better luck helping with a HaBO movie. Sorry to say I didn’t recognize it from the description, but I did a search on the info posted by Carolann, SusanL and JaniceG and your comment about the “long dark hair with bangs” and I found a site with a picture that seems to match up.
http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-13417
Interestingly enough, Poldark is currently playing on WPBS. Local stations will probably vary.
Like I said, you guys ROCK! That was it! “Tales of the Smuggler” on the Superstation! Once I googled images of Oliver Tobias, I was certain. That has been bugging me for 26 years! Sigh. 😀 Great big smooches to all, especially Carolann (for nailing it first) – also SusanL and JaniceG (for finding the links). Thanks to everyone who commented!
I was thinking Scarecrow of Romney Marsh as well…except it was a young boy, not girl who was involved. I do, however, remember Patrick McGoohan as being VERY sexy to this 12 year old girl at the time, however. It IS Disney, but alas, not on DVD or video…
…and I don’t think it’s the movie she’s looking for anyway, but it was fun to remember!
Diana
Oh, my glory…ya think I coulda used “however” one more time? That’ll larn me to hit the submit button without re-reading!
Poldark-o-rama for all those who were sighing earlier:
http://poldark.org.uk/poldark17.html
Not only does it list the books, but the actors in the show, and there is even some kind of ‘literary society’ you can join!?
Enjoy!
Not only did Winston Graham write the Poldark series of books but I believe he also wrote “Forrest Gump”.
Oops! Why can’t I learn to google before I post? Winston Graham didn’t also write ‘Forrest Gump”. Winston Groom wrote ‘Forrest Gump”.
Gah! Glad to see the mystery was solved – and thanks for the trip down memory lane… I was thinking ‘it MUST be Jamaica Inn! Else Hazard of Hearts!’ And here’s everyone already got it solved and naming those films. Must see the YouTube link now!
OHMYGODOHMYGOD!!
I thought I was the only ten year old in crazy girl love with the brooding Jack Vincent. That show was HUGE in France and French Canada. The actor who did his voice had such a gentle yet deep voice…I wonder what the dude’s real voice sounds like now. Um.
For me, it was the hair, I swear. And the way he’d cut a glance through his bangs…
*happy sigh*
Your best bet is your PBS catalog. I loved it. It was SO good. Another masterpiece theater production well worth watching? Reckless with Robson Green. Man, oh man. HOT, HOT, HAWT!
Totally off topic but I had to say it:
YUM
Winston Graham also wrote Marnie – not a big fan of the book but the film is messed-up-relationship-o-rama. Frigid kleptomaniac with mommy issues is forced into marriage by sexy domineering messed-up Sean Connery. Yeeargh. Brilliant.
Doesn’t Sean Connery sort of rape or force himself on frigid Tippie Hedron in “Marnie”?
That’s a negative appellation from the past – “frigid”. I don’t think there is an equivilant term for a male with sexual issues.
Well, the film’s a Hitchcock from the early 1960’s so frigid is the word of the era. Equivalent male word would probably be impotent. It’s all in her head – there isn’t actually a physical reason why she’s terrified and sickened by touching and intimacy. And yes, there is a rape scene – like I said, messed-up-relationship-o-rama. But they’re both terribly messed up and it’s fascinating to watch. Car crash stuff. There’s been some really interesting academic and fan discussion of the rape/not rape scenario. It’s one of the really interesting things in the film.
Marnie IS a great film. I especially love how the screen goes all red when she has her flashbacks. But the way the word “frigid” was used against Women in those days did have a particular sexist slant. A frigid woman was withholding, pinched and almost monster like. Possibly a dyke. While a male who was “impotent” wasn’t laden down with all those negative implications. He might just have a health problem. Or a psychological one. But the word wasn’t used against him in the same way.
These days wikipedia 🙂 says it’s called ISD (inhibited sexual desire) but I still think frigidity as a term is used by some doctors and psychiatrists or whatever. Marnie makes fun of Mark’s reading material on “frigidity in women” and so on in the film.
The main reason the word pops into my head whenever I think of Marnie is because when as a pre-teen film buff reading around my Halliwell’s (no, really!), it described Marnie thusly: A man marries a kleptomaniac and cures her but a nightmare in her past still makes her sexually frigid. I knew the word kleptomania thanks to MM Kaye’s Crown Prince of Kleptomania in The Ordinary Princess (you had to lock up the silver whenever the inlaws came for a visit) but had to look up frigid in the OED. And then I was absolutely AGOG to know how a film released in 1964 (which was before sex was even INVENTED in Ireland!) managed to get across that a woman was frigid. It took about ten years before I finally got to see Marnie and it’s now one of my all-time favourites.
Dominican bitches are hot!
My vote goes w/Carolann. I think it was broadcast in the U.S. as Tales of The Smuggler and the actor’s name is Oliver Tobias. I also saw him in an episode of Jeremy Brett’s Sherlock Holmes series.
I really enjoyed this series and always hoped it would be repeated someday. I must check for it on DVD. I would really like to see it again.
waao! 34 commetns. quite impressive
“Tales of the Smuggler” was part of a series originally filmed in England under the title “Boy Dominic.” It’s a 21 episode series that I’ve never been able to find on video. I’ve looked for the past 30 years.
Smuggler has recently been released on DVD in the UK. Check out the link.