Martin Fisher Movies
My Brilliant Career and Oscar and Lucinda director Gillian Armstrong explores the final feat of the greatest illusionist ever to deceive a live audience in this docudrama concerning Harry Houdini's obsessive quest to find proof of an afterlife. The year is 1926, and Houdini (Guy Pearce) is an international superstar. Not only does the illusionist's otherworldly ability to bend reality hold audiences completely enthralled, but his easy charm finds him winning the hearts of his growing legion of fans as well. Yet behind Houdini's winning smile resides the restless heart of a tortured soul. Isolated by fame and drowning in regret over having not been present to hear his mother's last words, Houdini sets out in tour of Scotland and announces that he will pay 10,000 dollars to anyone who can prove spiritual contact with his deceased mother. But in his determination to prove that there is life after death, Houdini also becomes the target of countless charlatans, scam artists, and self-proclaimed spiritualists. Of course, stunning psychic Mary McGregor (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and her daughter/sidekick, Benji (Saoirse Ronan), seem remarkably sincere in their supernatural talents, yet that doesn't mean that the pair doesn't have their own ulterior motives for making a connection with the world-famous magic man. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Guy Pearce, Catherine Zeta-Jones, (more)
- 1992
The British sitcom Side By Side was set in a close-knit neighborhood in Kingston-Upon-Thames. The focus was on a pair of contentious next-door neighbors: married family man Vince Tulley (Gareth Hunt) and widowed mother Gilly Bell (Louisa Rix). Gilly disliked the fact that Vince was always "improving" his property with gaudy additions, while Vince disliked Gilly because she constantly nagged him. Meanwhile, Katie (Mia Fothergill) and Terry (Alex Walkinshaw), the teenaged kids of the two combatants, managed to get along famously. Also seen was Julia Deakin as Vince's wife Stella. The 13 half-hour episodes of Side By Side were shown by BBC1 in two clusters, from April 27 to June 1, 1992 and from February 18 to April 1, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Writer-director Chris Columbus mines Paddy Chaveysky's Marty for this bittersweet comedy about a lonely 38-year old Chicago cop dominated by his harridan mother. Danny Muldoon (John Candy), in spite of being well known and well liked in his neighborhood, still lives at home with his mother Rose (Maureen O'Hara, returning to the screen after a twenty year absence) and spends most of his time worrying about her. One night at the local Irish bar, he meets the shy Theresa Luna (Ally Sheedy), whose father is the local funeral director, and both Danny and Theresa immediately fall in love. The only obstacle to their happiness is the jaded opinions of Danny's friends. Rose, in particular, launches into a bigoted Italian salvo that intimidates Danny, making it difficult for him to continue the relationship. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Candy, Maureen O'Hara, (more)
