Christopher Baines Movies
In this made-for-television drama, a wife idealizes her husband until she discovers the awful truth of his terrible deceptions. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nigel Havers, Gina McKee, (more)
Willem Dafoe stars as groundbreaking early 20th century American poet T.S. Eliot in this biopic focusing on Eliot's disastrous marriage. Young Tom Eliot meets the flamboyant Vivienne Haigh-Wood (Miranda Richardson) while they are both students at Oxford University in England in 1914. Eliot is studying under the famous writer and philosopher Bertrand Russell (Nickolas Grace). Tom and Viv elope after a very brief courtship, without the consent of her parents and against the advice of Viv's brother Maurice (Tim Dutton). On the honeymoon, Tom learns that Viv suffers from a severe hormonal imbalance which causes frequent menstruation. She is under the care of a doctor who calls her problems emotional and prescribes medications which worsen her condition. Viv is moody, often despondent, and frequently drunk. While Tom works as a bank clerk and tries to establish himself as a writer, Viv serves as his secretary and sometimes his muse, but more and more often she embarrasses them in public with her behavior. Yet her influence prevents Tom, who wants to become thoroughly British and a member of the Church of England, from becoming too staid. Eventually, Tom reluctantly commits his wife to a mental asylum and their troubled marriage continues to plague his life and color his work. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Willem Dafoe, Miranda Richardson, (more)
British playwright David Hare both wrote and directed the complicated political melodrama Paris By Night. Charlotte Rampling plays a Tory member of the European parliament, who lets absolutely nothing get in way of her ambitions. At present, Rampling is convinced that she is being blackmailed by her ex-business partner Andrew Ray. Upon accidentally meeting Ray, Rampling impulsively murders the man. In a deliciously ironic turn of events, she is approached by Ray's daughter Sinead Cusack, who hopes that Rampling will help her locate her missing dad. Rampling eventually finds out Ray had been innocent all along-but a greater shock awaits her at home, at the hands of her long-neglected husband Michael Gambon. Paris By Night contains far too many cute coincidences to be credible, but this fact doesn't immediately sink in as the audience revels in the film's superlative performances and David Hare's adroit manipulation of people, places and events. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlotte Rampling, Michael Gambon, (more)
- 1982
The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana was one of two 1982 TV movies inspired by the 1981 wedding of the Prince of Wales--and, like the competing Charles and Diana: A Royal Love Story was all glitter and no substance. Christopher Baines plays Prince Charles like a Monty Python imitation, while Catherine Oxenberg, a cousin of the real Charles, is decorative as Lady Diana Spencer. This leaves the real acting in the hands of Dana Wynter as Queen Elizabeth, Olivia De Havilland as the Queen Mother, and Stewart Granger as Prince Philip (if you must know, the ever-popular John Hadden portrays Prince Andrew). The fact that Catherine Oxenberg was a blood relative of the Prince of Wales did not prevent her from starring in the 1992 "sequel," Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After (We need not go into the shabby history of the Royals in this essay. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
