Keith Stevenson Movies
The rousing, true-life story of a single dad who went from living on the streets to owning his own brokerage firm is brought to the big screen by superstar Will Smith, appearing for the first time opposite his real-life son Jaden Smith. Set in early-'80s San Francisco, the film charts the hard times and eventual comeback of Chris Gardner, a suddenly single salesman who has custody of his son, but finds that providing for the two of them is a challenge in the increasingly unstable economic climate. He struggles to work his way from unpaid intern at Dean Witter to something more substantial, even as life continues to offer him setbacks. Making his Hollywood debut, Italian director Gabriele Muccino was championed by Will Smith for the project. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
- Starring:
- Will Smith, Jaden Smith, (more)
- 2005
Merrick (Jeffrey Jones) complains to Al (Ian McShane) about the vandalism at his office, which scared off the new schoolteacher. Al smacks him. "You got more punishment in store," he says. "Stand it like a man, and give some back." Al goes to Alma (Molly Parker) and tells her about how Miss Isringhausen is trying to get him to implicate her in Brom's murder. Alma initially thinks that Al is trying to shake her down, but Al makes it clear that he's on her side, because he doesn't want Hearst taking over the camp. Cy (Powers Boothe) enlists Leon (Larry Cedar) and Con (Peter Jason) to drum up interest in the Chinese whores that Lee (Philip Moon) has brought in. Joanie (Kim Dickens) lets Cy know that she won't make trouble for Wolcott (Garret Dillahunt) over bloodshed at the Chez Amis. She does confide to Charlie (Dayton Callie), who decides to pick a fight with Wolcott and mete out punishment himself in the thoroughfare. This worries Cy, who recommends that Al call a town meeting to discuss the camp's attitude toward the powerful George Hearst and his proxies. Cy tells them that if Hearst doesn't like the way they treat his people, he can have them replaced. E.B. (William Sanderson) is offended at not being invited to the meeting, but Al, as always, has his reasons. Wolcott tells Doc (Brad Dourif) that he has Wild Bill's last letter in his possession, and Doc relays the message to Charlie. This episode was directed by Michael Almereyda. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
This 2 1/2 hour long epic biopic from India recounts the crucial years Ghandi spent in South Africa. Beginning in Bombay as Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi begins practicing law after studying in England. One of his first assignments is to take a case over in South Africa in 1893. Ghandi is totally unprepared for the racism he encounters there. In court, he gets off to a rocky start when he refuses to doff his turban for a white judge. Later he joins the South African bar and obeys the rule. He also becomes an activist for East Indian rights and over the next 21 years launches a major civil rights movement based on pacifism. Ghandi also sets up two major cooperative farms and during the Boer War manages a Red Cross unit for the British Army. In addition to focusing on the great leader's humanitarian efforts, the filmmakers also offer a rarely chronicled look into Ghandi's personal life and the sacrifices his family made. The film's climax comes when Ghandi organizes and leads an enormous gathering of Indian laborers across South Africa. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Liberally sprinkled with dashes of humor, this is a fast-paced comedy about a family and their friends who lived through the transition of Goa from a Portuguese colony to a district governed by India. Ana (Sushma Prakash) is about to become engaged (unwillingly) to the unappealing Erasmo when her beloved grandfather suddenly dies. Her grandmother is so overwhelmed by grief that Ana's engagement is put on hold indefinitely (along with everything else) while granny tries to contact the spirit of her dead husband. But her wires get crossed each time and instead of grandpa, she brings forth ghosts of people the family has wronged in the past. Meanwhile, Ana's real love is hiding out in the cellar. As Ana's marriage to Erasmo draws near, she faints dead away because (as he soon finds out) she is pregnant, but not by him. These and other events are revealed in flashbacks as a former resident in the house returns to visit 25 years later. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leela Naidu, Sushma Prakash, (more)
Unlike the more succinct 1950 MGM version, the 1984 TV movie adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's Kim (filmed on location in India) takes its own sweet time establishing characters and exposition. You'll have to stay with the film for its first half hour to determine who is who and what is what, but the end result is worth the effort. Ravi Sheth stars as Kim, a street orphan in Lahore, India during the height of the British Raj. Kim's amazing adventures get under way the moment he learns that he's actually the son of a British soldier. One such exploit involves horse trader Bryan Brown (playing a character essayed by Errol Flynn in the 1950 film), who uses Kim as a spy for the British against Russian infiltrators in the Himalayas. The big-money act in Kim is Peter O'Toole as a wizened Buddhist monk. O'Toole's acting is impeccable, though his false beard and bald wig make him resemble the woebegone hermit who always shows up in the opening credits of Monty Python's Flying Circus. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Set in India during World War II, this fair action drama relies heavily on the good acting talent gathered to convey its slight, uninvolved story. Gregory Peck is Col. Lewis Pugh, backed up by Roger Moore as Capt. Gavin Stewart, David Niven as Col. Bill Grice, Patrick MacNee as Major Crossley, and several others -- all retired and past the age for active duty. At issue are three German freighters that are parked in the waters off Goa, the Portuguese coastal colony on the subcontinent of India. Since Portugal is neutral, the regular army cannot destroy the freighters, and it is up to the retired army officers and a large corps of over-the-hill volunteers to take on the mission of eliminating the German ships. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gregory Peck, Roger Moore, (more)
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