Nigel Hawthorne Movies
A staple of the British stage for nearly a quarter of a century before he gained his first significant measure of international notice, Nigel Hawthorne has had one of the acting profession's more slow-burning careers. However, it has been an undeniably distinguished career marked with any number of critical peaks, perhaps most notably his brilliant, Oscar-nominated title performance in Nicholas Hytner's 1994 adaptation of Alan Bennett's The Madness of King George.Born in Coventry on April 5, 1929, Hawthorne grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, where he moved with his family at the age of four. After attending the University of Cape Town, where he started acting, he returned to England in 1951. Determined to pursue an acting career, Hawthorne slogged away for years in relative obscurity, oftentimes hovering precipitously close to complete bankruptcy. His early career proved to be so disappointing that the actor returned to Cape Town for a time, but he ultimately returned to England to try his luck all over again. His second attempt was thankfully more successful than his first, and although it would be years before he would be duly appreciated, he did enjoy some measure of success in London's West End.
Hawthorne's first helping of international acclaim came with his portrayal of Sir Humphrey Appleby on the popular British television series Yes, Minister during the '80s. His work on the political satire earned him a number of BAFTA awards and such fame in his native country that he was on occasion mistaken for being an actual politician, even, reportedly, by Queen Elizabeth herself. The actor went on to establish himself as one of Britain's great performers, winning a 1991 Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway production of Shadowlands and a 1992 Olivier Award (as well as an Evening Standard Award and a host of other honors) for his title role in the Royal National Theatre's production of The Madness of George the Third. His work in the latter play was adapted to the screen in 1994 with Nicholas Hytner's widely acclaimed The Madness of King George. Again, Hawthorne enjoyed great critical praise for his portrayal of the mentally unbalanced king, earning an Oscar nomination and a BAFTA award for his rich, manic, and ultimately dignified performance.
Hawthorne, who had been appearing onscreen since 1972's Young Winston, subsequently did starring and supporting work in a number of high profile films, including Richard Loncraine's Richard III (1996), Steven Spielberg's Amistad (1997), The Object of My Affection (1998), and David Mamet's acclaimed adaptation of Terence Rattigan's The Winslow Boy (1999), which cast Hawthorne as the father of the title character.
The actor, who offscreen has enjoyed a long relationship with writer Trevor Bentham, earned additional recognition for his contributions to film, television, and the theatre when he was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1987. In 1999, he was further recognized in the Queen's 1999 New Year's Honours List when he received a much-deserved knighthood. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi
As a child, Lucy Cullins asked Santa Claus to bring her father home from Vietnam. But when her dad returned in a pine box, the embittered Lucy decided that Christmas -- and every other holiday for that matter -- was a humbug. Now all grown-up (and played by Whoopi Goldberg), Lucy is the hard-as-nails producer for the Shop-A-Lot Channel, a home-shopping cable service. While auditioning actors to play Santa Claus for a hokey Yuletide informercial series, Lucy hires a twinkly eyed old gentleman named Nick (Nigel Hawthorne), who, unbeknownst to everyone but the audience, is the genuine, bonafide "Ho Ho Ho" man himself. Facing mandatory retirement at age 200, Nick must find someone to take his place as Santa Claus for the next two centuries. The person he chooses in none other than Lucy Cullins -- and if she doesn't accept the job, the North Pole will melt, wreaking havoc upon everyone in the world, whether they're "naughty" or "nice." Originally conceived as a vehicle for a black man, Call Me Claus was reshaped as a showcase for Whoopi Goldberg when the actress signed on as co-executive producer. Also in the production lineup was country & western singer Garth Brooks, who penned a handful of new songs for the occasion. Call Me Claus debuted over the TNT cable network on December 2, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Whoopi Goldberg, Nigel Hawthorne, (more)
While 18-year-old Victoria (Victoria Hamilton) struggles to escape the rule of her domineering mother (Penelope Wilton), King William IV dies and the teenager assumes the throne as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and empress of India. With the help of sympathetic advisers and her lady-in-waiting, Baroness Lehzen (Diana Rigg), Victoria asserts herself, relocating her mother's living quarters and dismissing her mother's overbearing supporter, Sir John Conroy (Patrick Malahide). She then reluctantly agrees to invite her first cousin, Albert (Jonathan Firth), prince-consort of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Germany, to the royal household as a possible match for her. Remembering him from childhood, she thinks him a bore. But when grown-up Albert arrives, Victoria falls madly in love with him. After they marry, Victoria must counter troublemaking political schemers on the one hand while attempting to assuage a disenchanted Albert on the other. The problem is that he has nothing to do. He is merely an ornament, albeit a cherished one. He cannot even command a servant to clean a fireplace. However, when the administration of the queen's friend and adviser Prime Minister Melbourne (Nigel Hawthorne) collapses, Albert becomes Victoria's partner in government as well as in marriage. In time, she realizes that her husband is really a co-ruler: "A king," she says, "in everything but name." Together, they reign over their empire -- and their brood of nine children. It is Albert's task to supervise the country's Great Exhibition of 1851 to promote British pride, commerce, and industry. But his untiring efforts to make the exhibit a success take their toll on him, and he falls ill. However, he tenaciously clings to life -- and Victoria -- and lives another decade before typhoid fever claims him in 1862, leaving behind a distraught Victoria and a monarchy he helped rescue. ~ Mike Cummings, Rovi
- 2000
This animated film from director Alan Simpson tells the story of a seafaring grandfather's travels to the North Pole to find the last polar bears. Based on the book by Harry Horse, the story is told to his grandchild through letters narrated by Nigel Hawthorne. Recommended for ages four to nine. ~ Heather M. Fierst, Rovi
An unproduced screenplay written by the late Orson Welles (penned in collaboration with actress Oja Kodar, Welles' significant other in his later years) forms the basis of this drama of political gamesmanship and blackmail. Blake Pellarin (William Hurt) is running for governor of Missouri in a close race going into its final week when a figure from his past reappears. Kim Mennaker (Nigel Hawthorne) was Pellarin's one-time mentor and father figure (after Blake's dad died in the Korean war) who left the United States when public disclosure of his homosexuality ended his political career. This visit from an old friend soon proves less then welcome; when Pellarin was a teenager, he participated in a photo session organized by Mennaker in which he was snapped in sexually compromising positions with both a woman and a man. These photos could put a stake through the heart of Pellarin's life in politics, and Mennaker soon makes clear this is hardly the only dirt he has on Blake. Mennaker also has a ready audience for his stories -- Cela Brandini (Irene Jacob), a European reporter looking for scandal, even though she's having an affair with Pellarin. When Pellarin's wife (Miranda Richardson) and bodyguard (Ewan Stewart) get wind of Blake's indiscretions, his candidacy becomes a disaster waiting to happen. Director George Hickenlooper adapted Welles and Kodar's screenplay with critic F.X. Feeney; among his previous credits, Hickenlooper directed the short film Some Folks Call It A Sling Blade, a short film later expanded by Billy Bob Thornton into his award-winning feature Sling Blade. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- William Hurt, Nigel Hawthorne, (more)
- 1999
In this drama, a man dealing with the ghosts of his past defends a child whose cultural dictates differ with the law. Sean Raine (Gavin Hood) was born and raised in South Africa, but during his time as a soldier in that nation's army, he killed a young black man by mistake while fighting in Angola and has been plagued with guilt ever since. He left South Africa soon after; in time, he studied law and became a successful corporate attorney. While visiting South Africa for the first time in nine years, Sean and his wife Jennifer (Janine Eser) meet a herd boy named Sipho (Loyiso Gxwala) during a canoe trip. As they're returning to camp, Sean and Jennifer meet Sipho again, but this time he's in shock, standing motionless with a bloody axe in his hand as his mother carries the body of a baby with a fatal head injury. When questioned, Sipho asserts that what he killed was not a human infant but a tikoloshe, a creature cursed with evil spirits. Sean offers to defend Sipho, and as he stands before the court, he tries to explain to the judge (Nigel Hawthorne) and jury that Sipho was acting sincerely, in accordance with his faith, and therefore did not truly commit a crime. Actor Gavin Hood made his debut as a writer and director with this film, as well as playing the leading role. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gavin Hood, Nigel Hawthorne, (more)
- 1999
Learn the fascinating history of one of Europe's finest cathedrals, Canterbury Cathedral. The first part of the documentary focuses on the early history of the cathedral and the journey of Archbishop Canterbury. The second part of the documentary discusses the actual construction of the cathedral in 1067. Today millions of people a year visit this fine cathedral as tourists. Learn about some of the darker times in the cathedral's history and how and why it has inspired writers and artists for centuries. ~ Laura Mahnken, Rovi
Author Edgar Rice Burroughs once suggested that animation would be the ideal medium to bring his Tarzan to the screen, and 81 years after the first film about the famous ape-man, Disney brings us the first full-length animated film starring the King of the Jungle. After a disaster at sea causes their ship to sink off the coast of Africa, a British couple finds their way to shore with their infant son in tow. However, the parents are killed by a leopard, leaving the baby to fend for himself. The child is discovered by a gorilla named Kala (voice of Glenn Close), mate of Kerchak (voice of Lance Henriksen), the leader of the tribe of apes. While Kerchak is taken aback by the foundling and would just as soon leave him in the jungle, Kala's maternal nature is stirred. Kala and Kerchak take the baby with them, naming him Tarzan and raising him among their own. Although Tarzan (voice of Tony Goldwyn) grows up painfully aware that he's different from the apes, he comes to love and respect the gorillas and learns their ways, while they accept him into their tribe as he grows to adulthood. However, Tarzan's idyllic life in the jungle is changed forever by the arrival of Professor Porter (voice of Nigel Hawthorne), his daughter Jane (voice of Minnie Driver), and their guide, a hunter named Clayton (voice of Brian Blessed). The Professor and Jane have arrived in Africa to study the wildlife in its natural habitat, although Clayton would prefer to bag as many trophies as he can. When the explorers encounter Tarzan, they at first think they've discovered the missing link, although soon realize that he's as human as they are. Tarzan finds himself torn between his desire to be with his own kind (and the new, unfamiliar emotions that he feels for Jane) and his loyalties to the gorilla family that raised him -- especially since Clayton sees the apes not as friends but as prey. Dominated by fast-paced jungle action sequences, Tarzan also features voices by Rosie O'Donnell and Wayne Knight, as well as new songs by Phil Collins. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brian Blessed, Glenn Close, (more)
Playwright and filmmaker David Mamet, best known for gritty, emotionally powerful dramas such as American Buffalo, Glengarry Glen Ross and Oleanna, approaches something different with this project, a screen adaptation of Terrence Rattigan's play The Winslow Boy, which was previously filmed in 1948. Set in England in 1912 (and based on an actual court case), the story begins with the Winslow family at a tense and trying moment. Arthur Winslow (Nigel Hawthorne) is making final preparations for a dinner to seal the engagement between his daughter Catherine (Rebecca Pidgeon) and John Watherstone (Aden Gillett). Catherine herself has been a subject of no small tension in the family, given her outspoken support of the controversial cause of women's suffrage. However, the meeting between Arthur and John goes well, and the family and guests are toasting the upcoming marriage when Arthur discovers that his youngest son Ronnie (Guy Edwards) is unexpectedly home from the Naval College at Osbourne. It seems Ronnie was accused of stealing a five shilling postal note from one of his classmates and was expelled as a result. Ronnie proclaims his innocence and his father believes him -- enough so that he demands an apology from the College. When the college refuses to reinstate Ronnie, Arthur decides to take the matter to court. His councilor, Sir Robert Morton (Jeremy Northam), informs him that the Naval College is a representative of the Admiralty and the Crown, and as such British law presumes they are infallible and above question; their judgement can be legally questioned only with the permission of the Attorney General. Arthur insists on taking the matter before Parliament to decide if his suit can be brought forward, and the case begins to split the family's foundations. Catherine is upset with her father for hiring a lawyer who opposes a woman's right to vote, John's father threatens to stop the engagement if Arthur does not drop the matter, and Arthur's wife Grace (Gemma Jones) begins to wonder if the real issue is justice or a father's stubborn and foolish pride. The Winslow Boy was filmed in England with a primarily British cast (the most notable exception being Rebecca Pidgeon, who happens to be Mamet's wife); Neil North, who plays the First Lord of the Admiralty, played Ronnie in the first film version of the story. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nigel Hawthorne, Gemma Jones, (more)
Daisy von Sherler Mayer directed this family film, an adaptation of the famed book series that Austrian-born writer-illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans (1898-1962) launched in 1939 with the opening lines, "In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines. In two straight lines they broke their bread and brushed their teeth and went to bed. They smiled at the good and frowned at the bad and sometimes they were very sad. They left the house at half past nine in two straight lines in rain or shine -- the smallest one was Madeline." This live-action film interpretation, set during the mid-1950s, expands on plot elements found throughout several books in the series. Lord Covington (Nigel Hawthorne) plans to sell the small French boarding school where the young orphan Madeline (nine-year-old British actress Hatty Jones) lives with other girls under the supervision of sympathetic schoolmistress Miss Clavel (Frances McDormand). Hospitalized after an appendectomy, Madeline wanders down the hospital hallway and meets Covington's dying wife, Lady Covington (Stephane Audran), an encounter which becomes an asset in Madeline's efforts to save the school. Moving into the house adjacent to the school is the family of the Spanish Ambassador (Arturo Venegas), including his young son Pepito (Kristian de la Osa), who spends a good deal of time wheeling about on his Vespa, so noisy it serves to irritate possible buyers of the school.
When Madeline falls into the Seine, she is rescued by a dog, Genevieve, who immediately becomes the school's mascot and pet, despite the "no pets" rule and Miss Clavel's allergy to dogs. Pepito's somewhat sinister British tutor Leopold (Ben Daniels) engineers a plan that leads to the county fair kidnapping of Pepito and Madeline. First filmed by UPA in the early '50s as the Oscar-nominated animated cartoon short, Madeline (1952), decades passed before other adaptations appeared: the 23-minute Madeline's Rescue and Other Stories (1990, available from Facets Video), narrated by Louise Roberts; and the 1989-1993 series of half-hours narrated by Christopher Plummer -- Madeline, Madeline and the Bad Hat, Madeline and the Gypsies, Madeline in London, Madeline's Christmas, and Madeline's Rescue. MGM's 1945 Fred Astaire/Vincente Minnelli film Yolanda and the Thief also adapted Bemelmans. Daisy von Scherler Mayer's earlier Party Girl (1995) was the first feature film seen in its entirety on the Internet. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
When Madeline falls into the Seine, she is rescued by a dog, Genevieve, who immediately becomes the school's mascot and pet, despite the "no pets" rule and Miss Clavel's allergy to dogs. Pepito's somewhat sinister British tutor Leopold (Ben Daniels) engineers a plan that leads to the county fair kidnapping of Pepito and Madeline. First filmed by UPA in the early '50s as the Oscar-nominated animated cartoon short, Madeline (1952), decades passed before other adaptations appeared: the 23-minute Madeline's Rescue and Other Stories (1990, available from Facets Video), narrated by Louise Roberts; and the 1989-1993 series of half-hours narrated by Christopher Plummer -- Madeline, Madeline and the Bad Hat, Madeline and the Gypsies, Madeline in London, Madeline's Christmas, and Madeline's Rescue. MGM's 1945 Fred Astaire/Vincente Minnelli film Yolanda and the Thief also adapted Bemelmans. Daisy von Scherler Mayer's earlier Party Girl (1995) was the first feature film seen in its entirety on the Internet. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Frances McDormand, Nigel Hawthorne, (more)
Minnie Driver, her sister Kate Driver, and Nigel Hawthorne teamed as the executive producers of this $2.5 million romantic comedy about a mismatched couple. Writer-director John Huddles describes it as "a modern-day fable about what happens when your worldly ambition collides with the love of your life." At Satchem Farm in California's Simi Valley, an expatriate family of transplanted Brits includes maxim-mouthing Cullen (Hawthorne) and ambitious but bankrupt Ross (Rufus Sewell), a failed entrepreneur who plans to sell off his family's final remaining asset, their famed wine collection, in order to purchase an obsolete manganese mine. The manic Ross is engaged to his opposite, cool businesswoman Kendal (Minnie Driver), who succeeds where Ross fails. Kendal kindles her relationship with Ross -- while carrying the torch for someone else. Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rufus Sewell, Nigel Hawthorne, (more)
Nicholas Hytner (The Crucible) directed this Wendy Wasserstein screenplay, adapted from Stephen McCauley's novel, about the romantic mismatch of a gay man and a young pregnant woman. When literary agent Sidney Miller (Alan Alda) and his wife Constance (Allison Janney) have a dinner party, Constance's social-worker stepsister Nina Borowski (Jennifer Aniston) attends without her lawyer boyfriend Vince McBride (John Pankow). Also present are gay schoolteacher George Hanson (Paul Rudd) and his lover, Dr. Robert Joley (Tim Daly). George learns from Nina that he's being dumped by Robert, a scene ensues, and Nina then invites George to stay in the spare room of her Brooklyn apartment. Nina still has sex with boyfriend Vince, but during late-night talks, she begins to bond with her gay roommate. Nina and George take dance lessons at the local senior citizen's community center, and Gershwin's "You Were Meant for Me" sets the tone for romance as the two become soul mates. Unfortunately, shortly after their love blooms, Nina learns she's pregnant by Vince, who is no longer the object of her affections. Instead of telling the unwanted Vince right away, Nina asks George to join her in raising the child. George stays on, but in the months that follow, he also begins to see men again. Robert takes him along to a Connecticut conference where drama critic Rodney Fraser (Nigel Hawthorne) has Paul James (Amo Gulinello) in tow. George and Paul have an instant attraction, and this prompts everyone involved to reassess their emotional commitments. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, (more)
In this period piece set in England in 1776, Betsy, the eldest daughter of the 'nouveau riche' Sterling family from the city, is to wed Sir John, the son of the aristocratic but poor Ogleby family from the country. However, Betsy's sister Fanny, who has secretly married her father's clerk by whom she is pregnant, quickly becomes the object of attention not only of Sir John but also of his elderly father, Lord Ogleby. Betsy's father, who is not aware that Fanny is already married, secretly agrees to exchange one daughter for the other. Soon everyone is acting at cross-purposes, the immediate concern being how to save face. The Clandestine Marriage is a comedy of errors set against the lush landscape of an English country estate in high summer. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nigel Hawthorne, Joan Collins, (more)
- 1997
- R
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At the time this made-for-TV historical drama first aired on ABC, critics praised the fact that it was more accurate than the 1939 Spencer Tracy vehicle Stanley and Livingstone; while this is generally true (unlike the earlier film, this one was lensed on location in England and Kenya), the pop-psychology sensibilities depicted in the TV movie smack more of the late 20th than the late 19th century. In 1871, young American reporter Henry Morton Stanley (Aidan Quinn) sets out to prove that Scottish-born missionary David Livingstone (Nigel Hawthorne), who years earlier had disappeared somewhere in Central Africa, was still alive, and not "cooked in a stew" as was generally believed. The film is divided into three parts: the search for Livingstone, Stanley's spiritual odyssey after finding his quarry, and Stanley's seemingly futile efforts to prove that he actually found Livingstone to the skeptical and downright hostile members of the Royal Geographic Society in London. Forbidden Territory: Stanley's Search for Livingstone debuted December 7, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Aidan Quinn, Nigel Hawthorne, (more)
This Steven Spielberg-directed exploration into a long-ago episode in African-American history recounts the trial that followed the 1839 rebellion aboard the Spanish slave ship Amistad and captures the complex political maneuverings set in motion by the event. Filmed in New England and Puerto Rico, the 152-minute drama opens with a pre-credit sequence showing Cinque (Djimon Hounsou) and the other Africans in a violent takeover of the Amistad. Captured, they are imprisoned in New England where former slave Theodore Joadson (Morgan Freeman), viewing the rebels as "freedom fighters," approaches property lawyer Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey), who attempts to prove the Africans were "stolen goods" because they were kidnapped. Running for re-election, President Martin Van Buren (Nigel Hawthorne) overturns the lower court's decision in favor of the Africans. Former President John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins) is reluctant to become involved, but when the case moves on to the Supreme Court, Adams stirs emotions with a powerful defense. The storyline occasionally cuts away to Spain where the young Queen Isabella (Anna Paquin) plays with dolls; she later debated the Amistad case with seven U.S. presidents. The character portrayed by Morgan Freeman is a fictional composite of several historical figures. For authentic speech, the Africans speak the Mende language, subtitled during some scenes but not others. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, (more)
- 1997
- R
In this made-for-television drama, a wife suspected of murdering her husband agrees to undergo hypnosis so as to discover the awful truth. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jimmy Smits, Mary-Louise Parker, (more)
The classic Shakespearean comedy about mistaken identity and gender confusion is brought to the screen once again in this British production, courtesy of screenwriter-director Trevor Nunn. Nunn has transferred the time period to the Victorian Era of the late 19th century. Two twins, Viola (Imogen Stubbs) and Sebastian (Steven MacKintosh), are separated when their ship capsizes. Each believes that the other has drowned. Viola washes ashore on the coast of Illyria. She disguises herself as a man and assumes the name Cesario so that she can take a position as an aide to the Duke, Orsinio (Toby Stephens). Orsinio desires Olivia (Helena Bonham Carter), who refuses his attentions. He also flirts with Maria (Imelda Staunton), Olivia's maid. Orsinio sends Cesario as an emissary to Olivia. The foppish Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Richard E. Grant) also seeks Olivia's love. He is a friend of her besotted uncle, Sir Toby Belch (Mel Smith). With the clownish philosopher Feste (Ben Kingsley), all these members of Olivia's household plot to embarrass the dour Malvolio (Nigel Hawthorne), a butler who has no tolerance for frivolity. They fool Malvolio into thinking that Olivia desires him, and when he confesses his love, Olivia orders him imprisoned as a madman. Sebastian then turns up and is mistaken for Cesario. A series of mishaps follows. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi
- Starring:
- Helena Bonham Carter, Imogen Stubbs, (more)
A solemn look at South African apartheid, Arthur Penn's claustrophobic drama centers on a pair of political interrogations, separated by a decade. The film's first part, set in 1988, centers on the imprisonment of Marty Strydom (Eric Stoltz), an Afrikaaner university professor held as a political prisoner under suspicion of conspiring with anti-government forces. His case falls into the hands of the villainous Colonel Kruger (Nigel Hawthorne), a brilliant and evil torturer determined to break the idealistic Strydom's spirit. The conclusion takes place nearly a decade later, after apartheid's fall. Now it is Krueger who is under confinement, and subjected to unrelenting questioning from a black South African (Louis Gossett Jr.) looking to beat Kruger at his own manipulative game. While offering numerous powerful confrontations between its characters, Bima Stagg's screenplay provides few narrative surprises, and some may find the film's limited setting and bare-bones treatments monotonous. However, Penn's stark style suits the harsh subject matter and keeps the focus strongly upon the cast, who provide appropriately intense performances. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eric Stoltz, Nigel Hawthorne, (more)
Richard Loncraine takes Shakespeare's classic tale of treachery, Richard III, and transplants it to the 1930s. Ian McKellen is Richard who, as the film opens, begins plotting against his brother Edward, who has just ascended to the throne after a bloody civil war. Richard begins by seducing and wedding Lady Anne (Kristin Scott Thomas), whom he made a widow during the war. With the help of some loyal henchmen, Richard succeeds in murdering his older brother Clarence (Nigel Hawthorne), which so upsets Edward that he dies. Eventually, the crown falls to the young Prince of Wales (Marc Williamson). Richard is assigned to be the young king's protector, but instead, he has the boy and his brother jailed in the Tower of London. Richard seizes control over the country, but his ruthless quest for power eventually makes him powerful enemies, led by Henry Richman (Dominic West), who attempt to stop him. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, (more)
Based on Alan Bennett's acclaimed play The Madness of George III, The Madness of King George takes a dark-humored look at the mental decline of King George III of England. The film's story begins nearly three decades into George's reign, in 1788, as the unstable king (Nigel Hawthorne, reprising his stage role) begins to show signs of increasing dementia, from violent fits of foul language to bouts of forgetfulness. This weakness seems like the perfect chance to overthrow the unpopular George, whom many blamed for the loss of the American colonies, in favor of the Prince of Wales (Rupert Everett), but the king's prime minister William Pitt (Julian Wadham) and his wife Queen Charlotte (Helen Mirren) are determined to protect the throne. Doctors are brought in, but the archaic treatments of the time prove of little value. In desperation, they turn to Dr. Willis (Ian Holm), a harsh, unconventional specialist whose unusual methods recall modern psychiatry. Willis struggles to break through to the mad king, treating him with an anger and haughtiness George has never before experienced. Stressing the absurdity of the entire situation, Bennett's witty screenplay emphasizes dry humor over tragedy, even utilizing references to King Lear for comic effect. Hawthorne's fiery yet vulnerable performance received much critical praise, including Best Actor at the British Academy Awards and a nomination for the same at the Oscars. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nigel Hawthorne, Helen Mirren, (more)
The plot of this action film begins in 1996, with Los Angeles in a violence-crazed conflagration. One of the LAPD's most notorious cops, John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone), known as "the demolition man," is in hot pursuit of blonde-haired psychopath Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes), who is so nasty he even kills sometimes just because he feels cranky. John captures Simon, but not before Simon kills innocent hostages. John is blamed for the deaths of the hostages, and both he and Simon are cryogenically frozen to remove their brand of ultra-violence from a society that is simply just too violent. The film shifts to the future world of 2032, where Los Angeles has become a megalopolis called San Angeles. There is no poverty, Arnold Schwarzenegger was (at one time) president of the United States, and Taco Bell is the sole survivor of the Franchise Wars. Into this peaceful and bland society, Simon is summarily defrosted by reigning benevolent dictator Dr. Cocteau (Nigel Hawthorne) to have Simon murder Edgar Friendly (Denis Leary), the leader of a group of underground rebels. But Cocteau bites off more than he can chew when the melted-down Simon proceeds to go on a murder-and-looting spree. Reluctantly, Cocteau defrosts John to hunt down his old adversary. As John adjusts to self-driving cars and having sex wearing helmets, he pairs up with Lenina Huxley (Sandra Bullock), a bored cop with a nostalgic fascination for 20th-century culture. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, (more)
- 1992
- PG
A steamer trunk full of the voices of British acting greats (Ben Kingsley, Billie Whitelaw, Michael Hordern, Brian Blessed, and Jonathan Pryce) enliven this absurd pop-cartoon parody of the James Bond films. In a prologue taking place in a faraway time, a widowed magician-king (voice of Michael Hordern) and his son, Prince Freddie (voice of Ben Kingsley) live in their lonely castle. Freddie's mean aunt Messina (voice of Billie Whitelaw), dead-set against Freddie becoming king, kills his father and transforms Freddie into a frog. Freddie escapes the wrath of Messina by jumping into the sea. Several hundred years later, Freddie is now living in modern day Paris -- a six-foot-tall amphibian with the moniker Secret Agent F.R.O.7. Messina, too, is still around causing mischief, joining forces with an arch-villain named El Supremo (voice of Brian Blessed) in a scheme to shrink Big Ben. Freddie, alerted to Messina's nefarious plans, gathers his fellow agents Daffers (voice of Jenny Agutter) and Scottie (voice of John Sessions) together, planning to hide out in Big Ben and surprise the evil doers when they are set to strike at the much-loved British landmark. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Kingsley, Jenny Agutter, (more)
- 1991
This home video release features three episodes from the sequel to the popular British situation comedy Yes, Minister, following the political misadventures of James Hacker (Paul Eddington) after he rises from Minister for Administrative Affairs to Prime Minister of Parliament; of course, his old partners (and sometimes rivals) Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne) and Bernard Woolley (Derek Fowlds) are still on hand to wave comedic verbal battle with Hacker. In "The Bishop's Gambit," it falls to Hacker to choose a new bishop, but he isn't especially happy with his choices -- or Appleby's suggestions. Hacker discovers Appleby helped to pardon a Russian espionage agent years ago in "One of Us," leading to a small outburst of controversy -- and a hilarious attempt by Appleby to clear his name. And in "Man Overboard," the Minister of Employment looks to Hacker to help him scuttle a plan to move military bases from Southern England to the North; however, Appleby insists on running interference against the plan. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 1991
Politically satirical British sitcom Yes, Prime Minister is formulated around the events in political office in the U.K. This set contains three episodes originally aired in 1991: "Official Secrets," "A Diplomatic Incident," and "A Conflict of Interest." ~ Sarah Sloboda, Rovi
- 1990
- PG
This family adventure movie, based on the novel by Marguerite Henry, is about a mute Arab boy and his constant companion, a beautiful stallion, who have to overcome all manner of hazards and setbacks and later get to meet the King and Queen of England. ~ Mark Hockley, Rovi
- 1990
Tartuffe, French playwright Moliere's 16th-century satire of religious quackery, is given right and proper treatment by the Royal Shakespeare Company in this videotaped staging. Anthony Sher plays the title role, a haughty, self-righteous phony who inveigles his way into a wealthy household. Not content with robbing his host blind in the name of the Almighty, Tartuffe also sets about to seduce the lady in the house. The satire was so pointed that, when the play was originally presented, Moliere was forced to shoehorn in a scene showing Tartuffe's punishment at the hands of the authorities--the best possible way of distancing Tartuffe's fraudulent piety with the real-life power abuses then being perpetrated by the Church. Also featured in this witty adaptation of the Moliere original is Nigel Hawthorne, who would later be nominated for an Oscar for The Madness of King George. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
