“The film is inspired by the story of Humbert Balsan who passed away in 2005’ ” explains director by Mia Hanzen-Love, whole latest film, The Father of my Children, opens this week, “Balsan was a risk taker and fond of young people. He was producing my first feature film when he committed suicide.”Indeed, the picture tells of forty something workaholic film producer Gregoire Canvel who, incredibly well realised by the relatively unknown, Louis –Do De Lencquesang, is the father of three young daughters, married to Sylvia (Chiara Caselli) and owns a film  company   facing bankruptcy while in the middle of three productions. A fine film that follows the man and his descent into darkness, all I am at liberty to say that is that at the screening, there not a dry eye in the house.” “His actions didn’t alter anything,” adds Love. “Of course, perhaps month later, he would have put things into perspective, things wouldn’t have felt so dramatic, but what matters is that at this particular moment, his feeling of despair overruled.”
 
News is that director Tim Burton’s, Alice in Wonderland, which will not be screened at Odeon cinemas in the UK, Irish Republic and Italy as the chain has the hump because Dis want to cut the period in which it can be shown only in cinemas to 12 weeks allowing Disney to release the film on DVD pronto. Of course Disney, scared about DVD piracy, are missing the point entirely  as the flick, without the tremendous 3D special effects is a rather banal outing that, inspired by the work of Lewis Carroll (and coupled with Narnia) sees Alice return to Wonderland for a battle with the Queen of Hearts (Helena Bonham Carter) helped by the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp). I saw it at the BFI Imax and my advice is go see it there as, just as Avatar, shown on that miraculous screen it is a true spectacle but, otherwise, it is bit of an also ran.   
 
Just released on DVD is landmark sixties TV series, Danger Man-Secret Agent Destination Danger, was a black and white sixty series that opened with the immortal words:  “When it’s a messy job they call for someone like me. Oh! and my name is Drake.. John Drake.” Of course the great Patrick McGoohan played Drake and the show from its opening jazz score is an absolute cracker 
 
And finally for those enamoured of the nineteen fifties, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes , on the big screen is a dream come true. Directed by Howard Hawks and based on  the novel by Anita Loos (which was then turned into a Broadway musical by Joseph Fields) it stars Marilyn Monroe in all her gorgeousness aided by Jane Russell and the brilliant Charles Coburn. It’s basically a vehicle for show stopping stage numbers such as the title track, written by Jule Styne and Leo Rubin, where the bombshell, wearing a bright pink dress and bundles of diamonds and surrounded by a gaggle of extremely camp looking chaps in dress suits, sings : “The French are glad to die for love. They delight in fighting duels but I prefer a man who lives and gives expensive jewels. A kiss on the hand, May be quite continental, But diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” They don’t write lyrics   like that anymore.
 
The Father of my Children is a selected cinema’s nationwide
BFI IMAX box office number is 020 7199 6000 or it’s www.bfi.org.uk/imax <http://www.bfi.org.uk/imax>
Danger Man the complete first series (39 half-hour stories in a 6-disc set) RRP £59.99.
Gentleman Prefer Blondes is at the BFI Southbank throughout March and at key cities. www.bfi.org