''Fate Takes a Hand'' is a 1961 British

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by

Max Varnel Max Varnel (21 March 1925 – 15 January 1996) was a French-born Australian film director, film and television director who worked primarily in the United Kingdom and Australia. Biography Born Max Le Bozec in Paris, France, he was the son of the ...

and starring Ronald Howard and Christina Gregg. It was written by

Brian Clemens Brian Horace Clemens (30 July 1931 – 10 January 2015) was an English screenwriter and television producer. He worked on the British TV series '' The Avengers'' and created '' The New Avengers'' and '' The Professionals''. Early life Clemen ...

and produced by The Danzigers.

Plot

The recovery of a post bag stolen in a robbery fifteen years earlier has varying consequences for the lives of five of the recipients of the letters when the Post Office decides that the post should be delivered. Several lives are changed, as witnessed by a newspaper reporter and a Post Office security guard who follow up on several of the letters.

Cast

* Ronald Howard as Tony * Christina Gregg as Karon *

Basil Dignam Basil Dignam (24 October 1905 – 31 January 1979) was an English character actor. Basil Dignam was born in Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire. Before the acting, he tried many jobs, from a company clerk to a journalist. He acted on film and ...

as Wheeler *

Willoughby Goddard Willoughby Wittenham Rees Goddard (4 July 1926 – 11 April 2008) was an English actor whose trademark rotund figure was well known on television and in films for more than 40 years. Biography Goddard was born in Bicester, Oxfordshire. He ...

as Rollenshaw * Jack Watson as Bulldog * Peter Butterworth as Ronnie * Mary Laura Wood as Sandra *

Noel Trevarthen Noel Trevarthen was a New Zealand actor who worked largely in England and Australia, active from 1959 to 1999. Trevarthen was first based in England where he starred in '' Riviera Police'' and in extended run of ''Watch It, Sailor'' at the Apo ...

as Bob * Sheila Whittingham as Jenny * Michael Peake as Ross *

Laidman Browne Laidman Browne (13 September 1896 – 11 September 1961) was an English stage, radio and television actor. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1896, he was a founder member of the Newcastle Repertory Company in 1925, playing leading parts there until ...

as Maxwell *

Derek Blomfield Derek Blomfield (31 August 1920 – 23 July 1964) was a British actor who appeared in a number of stage, film and television productions between 1935 and his death in 1964. Career He trained at LAMDA and made his first stage appearance a ...

as Briggs * Valerie Gearon as Peggy * Valentine Dyall as Wilson * John Gabriel as Matt Little *

Brian Cobby Brian Cobby (12 October 192931 October 2012) was an English people, English actor and telephone exchange worker who, in 1985, became the first male voice of the British speaking clock. Early life Cobby was born in Gravesend, Kent, Gravesend, ...

as Mark * Peter Swanwick as Preeny *

Bruce Beeby Bruce Edward Beeby (21 October 1921 – 20 October 2013) was an Australian actor who worked primarily in British films and television. He was probably best known for portraying Stephen "Mitch" Mitchell in the 1950s BBC radio serials '' Journ ...

as Inspector Phillips *

Arnold Bell Arnold Bell (23 May 1901 – 12 March 1988) was a British actor. Selected filmography * '' Convict 99'' (1919) − Warder Gannawy * '' Doctor Josser K.C.'' (1931) * '' Josser in the Army'' (1932) − Becker * '' Doss House'' (1933) − Repor ...

as Finch * Michael Anthony as Fuller * Carl Duering as Mike * Liza Page as Lola * Reginald Hearne as warder * Peter Bennett as Max *

Angela Douglas Angela Douglas (born Angela McDonagh) is an English actress. Early life Douglas was born in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire circa 1940. Career Douglas started acting as a teenager, joining the Worthing, West Sussex repertory theatre, repert ...

as secretary *Robert Webber as Wayne * Eric Dodson as janitor * Gilda Emmanueli as Sally * Larry Noble as tough * Andrew Kane as young boxer * Martin Wyldeck as doctor

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote: "Extravagantly unlikely omnibus film made up of five widely assorted vignettes with twist endings. The script is pat and the production values unremarkable, but the blend of comedy, drama and sentiment is bearable in an ingenuous kind of way."

AllMovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, television series, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was ...

called it "a throwback to the British " portmanteau" films of the 1950s." ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

'' gave the film two out of four stars, and writes that "the effect of the late letters' delivery to the recipients makes for five delightful little tales. Good performances all the way around."

References

External links

* {{The Danzigers 1961 films British drama films 1961 drama films British anthology films 1960s English-language films 1960s British films