Bob Swaim Movies
American-born director Bob Swaim first made a name for himself in France. He made his film debut in 1977 with La Nuit de Saint-Germain des Pres. In 1982, Swaim earned critical acclaim and had his first hit with the crime thriller La Balance. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 2005
A group of students are eager to get an education while on a class trip in this comedy from Italy. Salvatore (Vincenzo Salemme) and Archimede (Massimo Boldi) are two teachers at a private high school for boys who have arranged for their students to travel to Spain for a learning holiday. While Salvatore and Archimede have academics in mind, their charges are more interested in meeting girls and having fun, and when they discover Maggie (Daryl Hannah), an American teacher, is leading a group of female students from a school in California through the same part of Spain, the goal becomes ditching their teachers and having a party with the girls. Meanwhile, Salvatore and Archimede keep getting into hot water of their own, especially after they become romantic rivals, each hoping to win the hand of lovely Maggie. Ole! was released in Italy in time for the Christmas season, an annual tradition for Massimo Boldi comedies (though this project found him paired with Vincenzo Salemme rather than his usual sidekick, Christian De Sica). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gérard Depardieu, Gad Elmaleh, (more)
- 1997
- PG13
Directed by Bob Swaim, The Climb chronicles the efforts of a father and son trying to prove their bravery. Set in the 1950's and shot in New Zealand, 12-year-old Danny (Gregory Smith) is determined to reach the highest point of the town, which, in this case, is a 203-foot radio tower. The tower in question, however, is scheduled to be demolished due to the accidents created by kids who had already attempted the climb. Despite the danger, Danny (Smith) feels that climbing the tower would prove once and for all that his father is not the cowardly war-dodger he's reputed to be, and that Danny himself is not one to be bullied. Though Danny had expected to plan and execute the climb in full, he finds an unlikely ally in Mr. Langer (John Hurt), his ill-tempered, hard-drinking neighbor. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
High-concept director Robert Zemeckis applies his usual polish -- helped by an equally adept cast -- for this surprisingly gruesome and extremely funny black comedy. The film begins with narcissistic actress Madeline (Meryl Streep) stealing the latest in a series of potential fiancées, wimpy plastic surgeon Ernest (Bruce Willis), from her ex-best friend Helen (Goldie Hawn). Depressed and infuriated, Helen suffers a breakdown that lands her in a mental hospital -- in addition to a junk-food bender that seems to triple her weight. When Madeline crosses paths with Helen again many years later, she is horrified to discover her once-chunky rival looking younger, slimmer and more glamorous than ever before. Fearing that Helen will try to steal Ernest back -- and dreading the thought of not having a plastic surgeon at her beck and call -- Madeline solicits the supernatural services of an exotic New Age mystic (Isabella Rossellini), who sells her a potent youth elixir with the stipulation that she follow the dosage instructions to the letter... yeah, right. It appears that Helen owes her sexy comeback to the same magic formula, and the inevitable violent clash between the two well-dressed banshees leads to the realization that both women have become nearly impervious zombies, clawing at each other's throats long after the blood has run cold in their veins. Best remembered for Dick Smith's Oscar-winning makeup effects, which allow the rapidly-rotting undead femmes to toss off witty one-liners with ragged holes blasted through their bodies or spin their heads Exorcist-style. Not all the sight gags work, and Zemeckis' lighthearted treatment of such grotesque material tends to dull the satirical edge, but there are some truly inspired moments of dementia -- particularly a hilarious cameo from Sydney Pollack as a doctor who comes unglued while examining Streep (who has yet to realize she's dead). ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, (more)
- 1990
In this made-for-cable adaptation of Roderick Thorp's crime thriller, Peter Weller stars as a Hollywood cop whose murder investigation runs into a wall of police corruption. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Weller, Sela Ward, (more)
- 1990
There have been quite a few spoofs of Hollywood, and a similar number of spoofs about filmmaking in general. This is one of the few spoofs which is about film festivals and, in particular, the Taormina festival in Italy. It was shot during the 1988 festival using many of the actual participants in the festival as actors and leading characters. When word of the film went round, many more wanted to participate than was originally planned, and further scenes were shot during the next year's festival. It was finally shown at the 1990 festival. Those who are not playing themselves are portraying characters who are easily recognized by those attending the festival, though these references are probably impossible for non-participants to understand. Nonetheless, the scenes showing the chaos and energetic self-promotion behind the scenes serve to leaven the heavy seriousness with which festivals promote themselves. The frequently leaden, self-important themes of many festival films are not exempt from barbs in this comedy, any more than the are the windbag philosophical utterances of the unhappy critics who must watch them. Reviewers of this film expressed considerable pleasure in observing the gusto with which the participants made fun of themselves in this unusual festival offering. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jessica Forde, Patrick Bauchau, (more)
For his first directorial project in six years, Robert Towne selected a timeworn romantic-triangle yarn, injecting the material with subtlety and conviction. Tequila Sunrise stars Mel Gibson and Kurt Russell as two lifelong friends who, in true James Cagney-Pat O'Brien fashion, grow up on the opposite sides of the law. One is a retired drug dealer (at least he says he is), the other a "celebrity" cop. Both fall in love with gorgeous restaurateur Michelle Pfeiffer. Veteran movie buffs will enjoy spotting director Budd Boetticher as a judge, and will welcome the presence in the production credits of cinematographer Conrad Hall, who earned an Oscar nomination for his richly textured color camerawork. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
American-born French film director Bob Swaim directed this sordid tale of greed, deception, machinations and murder. The darkly beautiful Meg Tilly stars as Olivia Lawrence, member of the Hamptons social elite and heiress to a vast fortune, who becomes attracted to dangerous newcomer Tim Whalen (Rob Lowe). She unwittingly falls into his web of deceit, as he and her stepfather (John Glover) plot her murder in order to gain the $3,000,000 in her trust fund. Inspired in plot by the film noir classics of the '40s, Masquerade lacks the style and originality of the originals. The film noticeably lacks suspense; there is no sustained tension, and many of the characters seem included simply for the sake of bizarreness. However, Tilly manages to carry the film all on her own with her considerable talent and natural screen presence. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi
Based on Paul Theroux's Doctor Slaughter, Half Moon Street is motivated by the moneymaking schemes of the heroine, Ph.D. researcher Laura Slaughter (Sigourney Weaver). Stuck in a low-paying government job in London, Laura decides to increase her bank account by working for what is euphemistically termed an "escort service." It is understood that her duties go above and beyond mere hand-holding, and Laura has no problem with this. Michael Caine enters the scene as Lord Bulbeck, a high-ranking British diplomat with whom Laura forms a "special" bond. Little does she know that she is being set up in a power-grabbing scheme masterminded by oil-rich sheik Karim Hatami (Nadim Sawalha). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sigourney Weaver, Michael Caine, (more)
Director John Landis helmed this Cold War farce starring Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase as Austin Millbarge and Emmett Fitz-Hume -- two loser misfits who dwell in the lower ranks of the Central Intelligence Agency. Convinced despite much evidence to the contrary that they're prime secret agent material, both men keep taking service exams in an effort to win promotion. Caught cheating on their latest round of tests, Austin and Emmett expect to be fired but are instead made full field agents and ushered into intense training. Little do they know that it's all a ruse and that they're about to be dumped in Pakistan to throw Russian spies off the scent of two real agents with an important clandestine assignment. A spoof of the "road" pictures popularized by Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, the film features a cameo by the latter as his golf-playing self. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, (more)
In the French-made film (La Balance), a couple get caught between the French underworld and the cops who pledge to destroy it. The man is a one-time mobster, now pimp named Dede (Philippe Leotard) who's forced to squeal on some mob-land biggies in exchange for his acquittal from any connection to crimes committed and to get the cops off the back of his prostitute wife Nicole (Nathalie Baye). This one's full of chase scenes, profanity (it's dubbed in English), and violence. It was awarded many Caesar awards (the French equivalent of the Oscar). ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Nathalie Baye, Philippe Léotard, (more)
- 1977
This French psychological detective drama owes much of its tone to Existentialism, even though that philosophy had its heyday at least a decade earlier. In the story, set in the 1950s, Nestor (Michel Galabru) is a small-time private detective who is doing a small-time job, searching for some missing jewels. When the activities of a serial murderer cross his path and interrupt his search, he turns his efforts to tracking him down. The killer is the son of a local policeman and feels that he is somehow above the ordinary concerns of mere mortals: his murders are his way of proving this. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michel Galabru, Mort Shuman, (more)
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