David Wheatley Movies

The ninth feature-length episode in the British mystery series Dalziel and Pascoe, "Child's Play" is set, as usual, in Yorkshire, the home and workplace of weary, aging police detective Andy Dalziel (Warren Clarke) and his young, eager-beaver partner, Peter Pascoe (Colin Buchanan). The case at hand involves a middle-aged man who shows up uninvited at the funeral of a much-hated local dowager, claiming to be the dead woman's long-lost son (lost for fifty years, in fact) -- and the sole heir to her fortune. Meanwhile, Dalziel and Pascoe's colleague Sgt. Wield (David Royle),a closeted homosexual who keeps his preferences secret for fear of being dismissed, is plagued by a blackmailer. These two plot streams converge into one when murder rears its ugly head. Originally telecast as single, two-hour special in the U.K., Dalziel and Pascoe: Child's Play made its American debut as a two-part miniseres, shown on November 6 and 13, 1998, by the A&E cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Rag Nymph is a 1997 UK television miniseries directed by David Wheatley and adapted from the popular novel by Catherine Cookson. In 19th century urban England, young orphan Millie Forester (played by Perdita Weeks) lives on the streets by herself. Her prostitute mother commited suicide and a pimp wants to recruit her for a job at a brothel. Luckily she is saved by Aggie Winkovski (Val McLane), a bag lady who makes a living by selling junk and rags. Aggie has also taken in teenaged Ben (Alec Newman), who develops a special friendship with the young adult Millie (played by Honeysuckle Weeks). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Ann-Margret stars in the made-for-cable movie Nobody's Children, filmed on-location in Bucharest, Romania, and based on a true story. Ann-Margret and Jay O. Sanders star as the real-life Carol and Joe Stevens, a married couple from Detroit who are unable to conceive a child of their own. They travel to Bucharest in 1990, just following the end of Ceausescu's regime, where a secret police controls the populace and state institutions are filled with abandoned children. The Stevenses bear witness to the deplorable conditions under which the unwanted babies must live as well as the extreme poverty and illness of the other Romanian children. French doctor Stephanie Vaugier (Dominique Sanda) helps Carol wade through the bureaucracy so she is able to adopt two children and return to the States. Originally aired on the USA television network in March of 1994. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

This documentary tells the story of District Attorney Jim Garrison, who -- after the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy -- looked closely into evidence available to him and came forward with an interpretation that went beyond the Warren Commission's authorized report. The film examines occurrences before and after the assassination and considers theoretical connections with the FBI, the CIA, the Mafia, the Cuban situation, the war in Vietnam, and other national and international concerns. An interview with Garrison is included in the film. Footage of the tragedy and interviews with witnesses offer further information and ideas. ~ Alice Duncan, All Movie Guide

The story of a poor man who falls in love with a well-to-do woman is told in this British made-for-television movie. Owen Teale stars as John O'Brien, a turn-of-the-century working-class stiff who falls in love with Mary Llewellyn (Clare Holman), the educated daughter of a wealthy family. Despite the differences in class and upbringing, Mary steadfastly refuses to let their love be hampered by social pressures. This drama is based on the novel of the same name by Catherine Cookson. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide

A sheriff struggles vainly to keep the annual Cannonball Run cross-country race from taking place in this comedy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this slightly racy comedy, wealthy young students at a posh Swiss finishing school learn, from their elegant and very experienced teacher (Eva Gabor), the fine art of nabbing a wealthy spouse. Meanwhile, the girls compare notes on their own experiences. Much of the story centers on the misadventures of a poor orphan girl who is at the school on a scholarship. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Not a film for children, this downbeat, violent drama is about three orphans who come to live with their sadistic uncle and his family in a London toyshop. The uncle makes life-size mannequins and then forces the family to watch as he portrays them in violent, sexual scenes. The sex and violence of the mannequins and the behavior of the family members as they eventually rebel against their uncle and his stage props blend into a dream-like world of disputed reality. Themes of incest, abandonment, and murder take over the film as fantasy and reality mix together. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Arguably the greatest writer ever to come out of Latin America, Jorge Luis Borges was a master at making postmodern literary theory accessible -- even thrilling -- by dramatizing it in compact, mind-bending stories. Although his unusual upbringing and his many controversial political sympathies once overshadowed his literary legacy -- a wide-ranging body of work that includes criticism and poetry as well as his trademark ficciones -- Borges has indisputably taken his place in history as one of the most important writers of the 20th century. Now the ambitious "Profile of a Writer" series examines Borges's extraordinary life and work, using dramatizations of his most memorable stories and rare interview footage with the author at his Buenos Aires home. Filmed just three years before his death in 1986, this program makes a bold attempt to relate Borges' private life to his public persona, and the real man to his fictitious world -- a glimpse inside the mind and heart of a genius.

~ Sarah Welsh, All Movie Guide