Billy Connolly Movies
Multi-talented Billy Connolly is a world-famous comic, an actor on stage, screen, and television, a playwright, and a folk musician. Connolly was born on the kitchen floor of a Glasgow tenement in 1942. During the war, his father William joined the Royal Air Force and due to the stress of separation, his marriage to Connolly's mother disintegrated, leaving William in charge of raising Connolly and his little sister, Flo. He in turn sent the children to live with his two sisters, which made for a difficult home life as they resented their new responsibilities. At age 15, Connolly left school and worked as a delivery boy at a bookstore and then a bakery until he was old enough to work in the shipyards. In 1960, Connolly began a five-year welding apprenticeship. He left in the early '60s to join the Parachute regiment of the Territorial Army and during his stint completed 17 parachute jumps. After leaving the military, he finished his welding apprenticeship and took a job constructing an oil rig in Biafra, Nigeria. The work was unpleasant and eventually he returned to Glasgow.An episode of The Beverly Hillbillies inspired Connolly to buy a banjo and, following experience in other folky bands, founded the Humblebums with guitarist Tam Harvey. They were later joined by pop singer Gerry Rafferty. Their music, coupled with Connolly's joke-telling between songs, led to considerable popularity, and the Humblebums enjoyed the wild life of touring, partying, and doing everything excessively. Due to his growing tendency to dominate their concerts with comedy, he and Rafferty had a falling out and the group disbanded in 1971 while they were in London. Connolly stayed and worked on his comedy career. By 1975, he had become a roaring success and was touring like a madman. In 1977, he wrote his first play, the unsuccessful An' Me Wi' A Bad Leg, Tae. Actually, none of his subsequent plays were as successful as his irreverent and sometimes coarse standup routines.
In 1979, Connolly made his film debut in Absolution, a drama starring Richard Burton. By the 1980s, Connolly had become a superstar in the U.K. and was having trouble with privacy issues, drinking, and exhaustion. He was involved in a bitter divorce/custody battle with his first wife, and his girlfriend Pamela Stephensen was pregnant. His divorce was granted in 1985 and he received custody of his two children. In the late '80s, Stephenson was working on Saturday Night Live in New York; Connolly periodically guested on the show and on David Letterman. He also did an HBO special with Whoopie Goldberg. In 1989, Connolly starred opposite Liam Neeson in The Big Man, married Stephenson, and replaced Howard Hesseman in the American sitcom Head of the Class. He proved successful and Warners signed a two-year contract with him. But the series was canceled and so Connolly was hired to portray the same character in a new sitcom, Billy, which was based on the film Green Card. He and his family decided to remain in the U.S.; shortly after settling in, the series was canceled. He made a cameo appearance in Indecent Proposal in 1992 and the following year returned to Glasgow to appear in Down Among the Big Boys. Since then he has become more involved with BBC television, notably in a fascinating tour of Scotland that resulted in his winning a Scottish BAFTA award. He also won a Best Arts Programme award for the BBC production The Bigger Picture and a Best Drama award for Down Among the Big Boys. Connolly continued his U.S. film career and even occasionally made guest appearances on U.S. television as he did in the short-lived 1996-1997 sitcom Pearl.
Connolly received the best reviews for any of his dramatic work playing opposite Judi Dench in the engaging drama Mrs. Brown. He continued to balance a respected career as a stand-up comic with work in small films such as Beverly Hills Ninja, The Boondock Saints, Who Is Cletus Trout, and An Everlasting Piece. He scored a dramatic role in a big American film with his appearance in The Last Samurai opposite Tom Cruise, and was one of the many funny people who contributed to The Aristocrats. In 2006 Connolly kept the laughs coming opposite Jim Carrey in the highly stylized Brad Siberling comedy Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, and an appearance as a vile lord with lofty designs for the future in Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties. A vocal performance as a rogue squirrel in the computer animated adventure Open Season marked the first time Connolly had returned to the world of animation since the 1995 Disney musical Pocohontas. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1979
- R
Some of the biggest and brightest stars in British comedy appear in this performance film, which documents a revue staged by John Cleese of Monty Python as a benefit for the human rights group Amnesty International. In addition to Cleese and fellow Python members Michael Palin and Terry Jones (who reprise skits from the Python show as well as its lesser-known predecessor At Last The 1948 Show), The Secret Policeman's Ball includes sketches featuring Rowan Atkinson (shortly before his breakthrough success on the UK television series Not The Nine O'Clock News), Peter Cook (who performs classic material from the show Beyond The Fringe), Eleanor Bron, Clive James and The Kevin Campbell Road Show. The show also includes acoustic musical performances from Pete Townshend of the Who, classical guitarist John Williams (who joins Townshend for a version of "Won't Get Fooled Again") and activist singer/songwriter Tom Robinson. The Secret Policeman's Ball was the third in a series of benefits shows organized by Cleese for Amnesty International, and the name was recycled for several filmed stage shows that followed. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Cleese, Peter Cook, (more)
Two Catholic boarding school students (Dominic Guard and Dai Bradley) embark upon a carefully calculated campaign to drive their hated headmaster (Richard Burton) insane. The boys launch their scheme by cooking up the most bizarre and depraved of imaginary sins, then recite these infractions in the Confessional. This sadistic little game gets wildly out of hand, resulting in murder. It's a toss-up as to who is the most repulsive character; the headmaster or his two charges. One of a long line of 1970s stinkers barely redeemed by the presence of Richard Burton, Absolution was not released until 1988, long after Burton's death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Burton, Dominic Guard, (more)
- 1980
This British Christmas special starring the old time radio and movie character Worzel Gummidge finds the lovable, smart-mouthed cad bringing his trademark sense of fun and craziness to a swanky Christmas ball. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Pertwee, Geoffrey Bayldon, (more)
- 1982
- R
The highlights of two benefit concerts staged in support of Amnesty International are collected in this British performance film, which features ample helpings of both music and comedy. The members of the Monty Python comedy troupe serve as headliners, performing live variations on some of their most famous sketches. Additional humor is provided by such luminaries as Peter Cook, while the musical segments include performances by Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, and Sting, amongst others. While all of the performers deliver the goods, the film's overall effectiveness is unfortunately limited by the purely functional direction and often poor image quality. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pete Townshend, Rowan Atkinson, (more)
- 1983
- PG
Plot is a secondary consideration in this partially successful, partially failed take-off on the Bulldog Drummond series of the 1930s. "Bullshot" Crummond (Alan Shearman) is a square-jawed hero of World War I who longs to face off against his German arch-nemesis Count Otto von Bruno (Ron House) one more time. He gets his chance when he must save Rosemary Fenton (Diz White), a damsel in distress -- her father made a top-secret discovery before he died and Count von Bruno wants that secret for himself, no matter what happens to the good Rosemary. As the hijinks unfold inside the requisite Sinister Mansion (Bullshot fights a giant octopus and leaps onto a plane in mid-air as the action reaches a crescendo), caricature, and zany anarchy provide the humor. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Shearman, Diz White, (more)
- 1984
An excellent vehicle to showcase the talents of Tim Curry, this comedy by Colin Bucksey casts Curry as Larry Gormley, an actor who has never really had the break he so desperately wants -- though whether or not his talent is up to the task is another question. Larry drives a cab in-between auditions, which essentially makes him a cab driver with acting aspirations. When one shot at stardom falls through because his producer promptly drops dead, Larry has a bit of apparent good fortune drop into his lap. A fare of dubious business affiliation accidentally leaves a stash of cash in his suitcase in the back of Larry's hack. Recognizing the brass ring when he sees it, Larry grabs the ill-gotten dough and takes off, quickly and disastrously followed by the Mob and the IRA. Chased to Dublin, Larry passes himself off as a nun or worse, all in order to evade his murderous pursuers. Fast-paced and funny, viewers should also enjoy Curry's interpretations of Mick Jagger and Elvis. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Debby Bishop, (more)
Meant to be a parody of the recent invasions of Grenada and the Falkland Islands, this comedy about the laid-back governor (Michael Caine) of "Cascara," a fictional British island somewhere in the Caribbean, and the international parade of characters who come through his territory is a pastiche without a clear center. Among these multinational characters are an American industrialist out to exploit the island's rich source of mineral water -- also the source of all the subsequent trouble on the island -- some inexplicable French-German visitors, a singing revolutionary with ties to Fidel Castro, and various parodies of Brit diplomats and politicians, Margaret Thatcher included. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Caine, Valerie Perrine, (more)
- 1989
- PG
Richard Lester returned to his double-barreled successes of the 1970s, The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, with Return of the Musketeers, a film that was inexplicably shelved for several years, making its belated premiere on cable television. Based on Alexandre Dumas's novel Twenty Years Later, the film takes place (appropriately enough) two decades after the death of Milady de Winter. Though Milady may have died, her nefarious schemes have been taken up by her daughter Justine (Kim Cattrall), who maneuvers with the conspiring Cardinal Mazarin (Philippe Noiret) to gain control of the crown through Queen Anne (Geraldine Chaplin). D'Artagnan (Michael York) calls for his old compatriots Porthos (Frank Finlay), Athos (Oliver Reed), and Aramis (Richard Chamberlain) to once again go "one for all and all for one." But complications set in when Athos and Aramis take sides with the crown and Athos' adopted son Raoul (C. Thomas Howell) falls in love in Justine. The film is dedicated to character actor Roy Kinnear who plays Planchet, who died in an equestrian accident during the production. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael York, Oliver Reed, (more)
- 1990
In this gentle, meandering film, a seventeen-year old Scottish lad wanders the streets of Kilmarnock daydreaming about this and that and wondering if he and his girlfriend will make out that evening. One highlight of the film is a daydream sequence in which the boy and his girlfriend are watching a French romantic movie with Scottish (not English) subtitles. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ewen Bremner, Mary McCusker, (more)
Filmmaker David Leland handled the directing chores on this British drama that stars Liam Neeson as an unemployed Scotsman whose inability to find a job threatens his family's wellbeing. Against his better judgement, Neeson is coerced into a bare-knuckle boxing match. Crossing the Line's supporting cast includes Hugh Grant, Joanne Whaley-Kilmer, Cameron Mitchell, and Billy Connolly. Adapted from a novel by William McIvanney, the film has also been released under the title The Big Man. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Liam Neeson, Joanne Whalley, (more)
- 1990
By rights, Head of the Class should have ended its run at the end of its fourth season, with the departure of series star Howard Hesseman. However, ABC decided to film a fifth and final season as a back-up, in case any of their new programs of the 1990-1991 season should be prematurely canceled. As it turned out, the network's new sitcom Baby Talk was not quite ready for prime time in September, thus Head of the Class was hastily inserted into the schedule until the production problems on the other series could be ironed out. In the season opener, it was explained that Hesseman's character, Fillmore High School substitute teacher Charlie Moore, had quit his job to pursue a full-time acting career. Thus, the genius-level students in Moore's Individual Honors Program now had a new teacher, a flamboyant Scotsman named Billy McGregor (played by Hibernian comedian Billy Connolly). Like Moore, Mr. McGregor was dedicated to instilling in his brilliant charges the emotional maturity and social skills that they would need when finally released into the real world. Unlike Moore, McGregor conducted his classes as though he were performing a monologue at the local comedy club. He also tended to become more involved than your average teacher in the students' off-campus lives, notably in the episode "Viki's Torn Genes," in which he helps student Viki Amory (Lara Piper) locate her birth mother -- with surprising results. Occasionally, his unorthodox methods backfired disastrously, notably in the two-part episode in which, after McGregor lectures the kids on the proper way to protect themselves from being mugged, nerdish Arvid (Dan Frischman) is inspired to purchase a gun! Head of the Class was canceled mid-season on January 15, 1991, only to return on May 28 with five new episodes, all of them leading up to the series finale when the IHP class finally graduates -- not so much because it is high time that they did so (which of course it is), but because Fillmore High is about to be demolished. In the last episode, the two-part "It Couldn't Last Forever," the IHP kids try to figure out who among a classroom full of geniuses will be chosen to deliver the valedictory speech. This terminal episode marks the brief return of former regular Tannins Valelly in the role of child prodigy Janice Lazarotto. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Connolly, William G. Schilling, (more)
Adrian Lyne buffs the premise of Honeymoon in Vegas to a fine gloss in this yuppie melodrama that poses the conundrum of whether the loving husband of an equally loving wife will accept $1 million to allow his wife to spend one night with a billionaire who looks like Robert Redford. All the cynics please take a number and form a line at the right. Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson play Diana and David Murphy, high-school sweethearts who marry and who are doing very well -- Diana is a successful real-estate agent, and David is an idealistic architect who has built a dream house by the ocean -- until the recession hits. Suddenly, David loses his job, and they can't make the mortgage payments. Dead broke, they borrow $5000 from David's father and head to Las Vegas to try to win money to pay the mortgage on their house. At first, they get $25,000 ahead -- but inevitably the house always wins, and they end up losing it all. While Diana is in the fancy casino boutique trying to lift some candy, she is spotted by billionaire John Gage (Robert Redford), who is immediately attracted to her. John invites Diana and David to an opulent party, and it is there that John offers David $1 million for a night with his wife. David is wracked by this moral dilemma, but Diana finally makes the decision on her own, with ensuing consequences for their ideal marriage and their bank account. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Redford, Demi Moore, (more)
History gets the Disney kiddie treatment and a politically correct interpretation in the studio's 33rd feature-length animated movie, the first to be based on actual events and people. Pocahontas (Irene Bedard) is the daughter of Algonquin chief Powhatan (Russell Means), who promises her in marriage to Kocoum, a brave whom she doesn't love. Pocahontas would rather be paddling in her canoe or wandering in the forest, communing with nature and her animal pals, Meeko, a raccoon, and the hummingbird Flit. When European settlers arrive, she becomes enamored of handsome John Smith (Mel Gibson). Their attraction is encouraged by Grandmother Willow (Linda Hunt), a talking tree. The situation between their peoples is tense, however, as the settlers, led by Governor Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers) desperately want the gold that they're sure the natives are concealing. When a dutiful sentry, Thomas (Christian Bale) follows Smith into the woods on one of his secret meetings with Pocahontas, a tragic mistake leads both groups to the brink of war. Only the love of Pocahontas and Smith can prevent bloodshed. Pocahontas (1995) was awarded two Oscars, for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score and Best Original Song for "Colors of the Wind." ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Irene Bedard, Mel Gibson, (more)
Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of a young orphan who becomes involved with pirate Long John Silver is given the Muppet treatment in this vibrant children's musical. As in The Muppet Christmas Carol, the film stays loyal to the original storyline but casts the well-known puppets in many of the supporting roles. Young Jim Hawkins remains human, as does Long John Silver, played by an amusingly exaggerated Tim Curry. However, Captain Smollet is played by the evergreen Kermit the Frog; Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and Rizzo the Rat serve as roving narrators; and numerous other Muppets assume smaller roles. The familiar adventure plot is enlivened by the Muppets' good-natured, winking sense of humor, and a number of anarchic musical numbers are reminiscent of the original Muppet Show. Long-time followers of the Muppets may find the film less fresh than Jim Henson's original creations, but the combination of old-fashioned storytelling, intriguing design, and clever humor will undoubtedly amuse younger audiences. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Jennifer Saunders, (more)
Chris Farley stars as an unusual ninja fighter in this over-the-top comedy. An elite society of Japanese warriors have prophesied that one day a blonde-haired, fair-skinned child will come to their village and lead them as a fighter of remarkable skill and bravery. So when an American child who fell overboard on an ocean liner washes up on their shores, they adopt him as one of their own and patiently instruct him in the ways of a ninja. Trouble is, the child, whom they name Haru (Chris Farley), grows up to be fat, clumsy, not especially bright, and startlingly inept as a warrior. Undaunted, Haru struggles on with his ninja training, and when Alison (Nicolette Sheridan), a beautiful woman from America, requests a ninja fighter to return with her to the States and protect her from her criminal-minded boyfriend and his Yakuza associates, Haru eagerly accepts the assignment. Haru's minders see trouble brewing, so they secretly send along a fellow ninja, Gobei (Robin Shou), to watch his back, although this hardly prevents Haru from posing a deadly menace to inanimate objects everywhere. Jackie Chan was at one time announced to co-star in this film, which would prove to be the last Chris Farley vehicle released before his death in late 1997, though two other films he completed before his passing were released in 1998. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Farley, Nicollette Sheridan, (more)
- 1997
PC is a super smart Jack Russell Terrier (Forrest) who knows how to use a computer thanks to his brilliant owner Alex (Norman Kaye), who has just learned the secret whereabouts of $1million and stored it on a computer disk which he gives to PC for safekeeping. The evil Anja (Sandy Gore) learns about the treasure and takes care of Alex, but not before the hacker instructs PC to find his pal Susie. PC is nearly to Susie's house when he is almost run over by a car. Stephen (Joe Petruzzi), the driver, and Amy (Rachael Blake), his wife and his kids Zac (Nathan Cavaleri) and Binby (Freyja Meere) see that the dog is okay and take him home. Luckily, the family lives next door to Susan and her adolescent daughter Samantha (Emilie Francois). Zac and Sam become friends while PC figures out how to talk via Zac's computer, which can interpret the dog's barks and whines. His vocal ability comes in handy when Anja shows up to get the missing disk. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Connolly, Nathan Cavaleri, (more)
The ruler of England discovers the value of common friendship in this historical drama. After the death of her husband Prince Albert, Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) is despondent, and she remains in mourning for two years after Albert's passing. When one of her servants suggests that a daily ride on horseback might be a tonic for the Queen's health and spirits, a Scotsman named John Brown (Billy Connolly) is hired as her guide and groom. At first, the Queen shows no interest in riding, though Brown readies a horse for her each day; finally, after several days, Mr. Brown speaks frankly to the Queen, announcing, "Honest to God, I never thought I'd see you in such a state!" While her court is shocked, the Queen is refreshed that someone would speak to her so directly. Soon the Queen is riding with Mr. Brown every morning, and she discovers him to be a friend and confidante who will speak to her as a person and not as a potentate. However, many are shocked by their relationship, believing that the commoner Mr. Brown is using his friendship for political advantage -- or worse, that he's become her lover. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judi Dench, Billy Connolly, (more)
- 1997
It took seven years and $2.5 million to film this British modernization of The Changeling (c. 1623) by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley. With period costumes by Elizabeth Emanuel (designer of Princess Di's wedding dress) and scenes of modern-day Spain, the film mixes past and present. Alsemero (Colm O Maonlai) from Valencia loves Alicante's Beatrice (Amanda Ray-King), who's due to marry Alonso (Guy Williams). De Flores (Ian Dury) wants to deflower Beatrice, so when she asks him to kill Alonso, he asks for a payment in sex. The situation gets steamier and riskier when Beatrice has her virginal maid (Julia Tarnoky) slip between the sheets with Alsemero as a wedding-night substitute. Some interior sets were constructed in a parking lot at England's Pinewood Studios. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ian Dury, Amanda Ray-King, (more)
A man raised in a prominent family turns out to have a few vices not everyone knows about in this historical drama tinged with dark humor. William Deacon Brodie (Billy Connolly) was a respected town councilor and a hard-working carpenter in Scotland in the late 18th century, but his friends and neighbors discovered Brodie was leading a double life when he was caught trying to rob Edinburgh's Customs and Excise office of a large sum of money. As Brodie stood trial for theft, it became clear that this was hardly the first step in Brodie's life of crime; he was a gambler, had a powerful thirst for alcohol, consorted with prostitutes, and often robbed to cover his debts. Soon Brodie found himself on trial for his life, facing execution on the town's gallows which he helped to build. Deacon Brodie also stars Patrick Malahide, Catherine McCormack, and Ewan Bremner. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Connolly
Still Crazy is a film that looks back at the "rock band" era of the 1970s. Brian Gibson, who has directed musical biographies on Josephine Baker and Tina Turner, sets his narrative on a rock group, Strange Fruit, who are attempting a comeback twenty years after a bolt of lightening literally ended their career in the late 1970's. When keyboard player Tony (Stephan Rea) runs into the son of their old festival promoter, he gets the idea he could perhaps bring the aging musicians together for a revival. He goes off to search for Karen (Juliet Aubre), the band's Girl Friday and often the butt of their various ego trips. Karen, who now lives alone with her daughter, thinks it's a great idea and they set off to locate the other members. Beano (Timothy Spall), the drummer, has barricaded himself away in a trailer in his mother's garden for fear of being caught by the taxman. Ray (Bill Nighy), the lead singer, lives in a luxurious country house (beyond his means) with his second wife; he's still in the music business and has released a solo record. Les (Jimmy Nail), a great bass guitarist, is happily married, and his only regret is that his music never found the following he would have liked. As for ex-roadie Hughie (Billy Connolly), the Fruits were always his boys, and he's ready to give up his stall at Camden market and follow the dream. He would also love to see guitarist Brian again, but Brian is nowhere to be found. Karen decides to hire a much younger musician, Luke, to replace him. The re-formed band go to Holland to play a few clubs on a warm-up tour. However, the youngest member of the band is stealing the show, particularly with the members of the opposite sex. Despite efforts to stay calm and professional, the band is falling into the old routine of bickering day by day as they get close to the big reunion concert. Still Crazy was screened as part of the Panorama during the 49th International Berlin Film Festival, 1999. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Rea, Billy Connolly, (more)
- 1998
Billy Connolly, internationally known comedian, commemorates his thirtieth anniversary in show business with this brand new concert film. The man delivers his unique stories and jokes in front of an appreciative London audience. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Actor Stanley Tucci made his directorial debut with a strong cast in this Depression Era farce focusing on two struggling two New York actors. In opening scenes, Maurice (Oliver Platt) and Arthur (Tucci) fabricate a fake fight at an outdoor cafe, do acting exercises, audition for a theater director (Woody Allen in an uncredited cameo), stage a pastry shop argument (to get food), and watch over-the-top, Barrymoresque actor Jeremy Burtom (Alfred Molina) on Broadway in Hamlet. Later, Burtom overhears himself insulted by a drunken Maurice and gives chase, forcing Arthur and Maurice to hide in a box. When they awaken, the box has been moved onto a luxury liner bound for France. To evade Burtom, they pose as stewards, meeting passengers and crew members: Staff director Meistrich (Campbell Scott) fancies head stewardess Lily (Lili Taylor), who goes for ship detective Marco (Matt McGrath). Others on board include Greek wrestling enthusiast Sparks (Billy Connelly); a former European queen (Isabella Rossellini); a suicidal lounge vocalist (Steve Buscemi); and a revolutionary (Tony Shalhoub) planning to bomb the liner. Shown in the Certain Regard section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oliver Platt, Stanley Tucci, (more)
- 1999
The first feature of Anthony Neilson, The Debt Collector is a dark contemporary thriller set in Edinburgh. The protagonist, Nick Dryden, has just been released from prison after serving 16 years for murder. In his youth, he was Edinburgh's most notorious and violent criminal, but his rehabilitation has worked wonders. Now he is a free man, married to a successful journalist and admired in the art world for his strikingly disturbing sculptures. But for Gary Keltie, the policeman who arrested him, life has been different. Depressed by the futility of his job and alone in the world except for his aging mother, he resents Dryden's new-found success and vows to sabotage it. There is one more person who is also obsessed by Dryden: the seriously disturbed adolescent gangster Flipper, although his reasons are not hatred but hero worship. The three men are on a collision course in this modern Scottish myth which exposes the extremes of human nature. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Connolly, Ken Stott, (more)
A dying man finds that horses, blondes, and the Mob may end his life faster than cancer in this dark comedy from the U.K. Joe (Billy Connolly) is a regular guy who runs a flower shop and has never had much in the way of good luck. Things seem to be grim for Joe when he's diagnosed with a brain tumor, but a bit of good fortune appears on the horizon when he wins a jackpot at the racetrack. However, Hush (Sharon Stone), an exotic dancer who has fallen deeply in debt to a gang of thugs, steals Joe's newly won fortune to pay them off. Joe gets his money back by explaining to the gangsters what happened, but only because they mistake him for a syndicate kingpin they've heard about but never met. When the gangsters discover that Joe is a florist and not a career criminal, they find the situation less than amusing. Beautiful Joe also stars Ian Holm, Gil Bellows, and Jurnee Smollett. While the film enjoyed a theatrical run in Europe, it debuted in America on the Cinemax premium cable network. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Connolly, Sharon Stone, (more)
