Peter Morgan Movies
An incisive playwright/screenwriter whose uncanny ability to capture the dramatic avatars of history's most notable leaders has earned him both critical acclaim and numerous awards, Peter Morgan credits his keen observational skills directly to his outsider status as a German-speaking adolescent growing up in South London. Born in April 1963 to a German Jewish father who had fled from Nazi Germany and a Polish Catholic mother who had escaped the Soviets, Morgan had a particularly difficult time connecting with his peers in the south of London due in large part to the language barrier, which made communication with classmates nearly impossible. Though standing apart from the pack can at times be a deeply troubling experience for a youngster, it provided the imaginative Morgan with a unique perspective not afforded to the vast majority of his peers. Morgan's father died of a heart attack when the future writer was just nine years old; however, the many thoughtful conversations shared between the pair about politics and world events before tragedy struck had lain the groundwork for Morgan's entire career.Later, when Morgan found the English department at Leeds University a bit too stiflingly old-fashioned for his tastes, he switched to a fine arts degree in an attempt to try his hand at acting. A fateful panic attack during a production of Love's Labor Lost prompted Morgan to eschew the stage in favor of writing and directing, and a subsequent collaboration with fellow scribe Mark Wadlow resulted in a play entitled Gross -- which was inspired by the latter's brief experience working at a call center. It was during a performance at the Edinburgh Festival that Morgan and Wadlow were spotted by a talent scout, who subsequently hired the emerging 21-year-old and his partner to write a series of training films. Though not a particularly glamorous job, the training films did provide both writers with the opportunity to refine their writing skills and develop their own distinctive styles. After partnering one last time with Wadlow to refine the script for director John Schlesinger's Madame Sousatzka, the pair parted ways and Morgan was all set to strike out on his own.
Though to this point in his career Morgan had always had the luxury of bouncing his ideas off of another writer, it was now time to put his experience to the ultimate test. While a collaboration with British comedy icon Rik Mayall (Mickey Love) and an attempt to offer a new approach to the courtroom drama (The Jury) proved moderately popular with critics, Morgan's Oscar-nominated 1990 short Dear Rosie -- as well as his screenplays for such made-for-television dramas as Stephen Frears' The Deal and Pete Travis' Henry VIII -- truly established him as a talent to watch. A sizable success concerning the Tony Blair/Gordon Brown leadership pact, The Deal earned the writer a BAFTA Award for Best Single Drama.
Success continued when Morgan was nominated for both a BAFTA Award and a British Independent Film Award for his screenplay for The Last King of Scotland -- a haunting look at the legacy of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin which earned star Forest Whitaker an Golden Globe for Best Actor. Morgan also became the recipient of multiple awards including a British Independent Film Award and a Golden Globe for his screenplay to The Queen. By now it was well established that Morgan possessed a fearless and unusual ability to probe the minds of the ruling class, and soon thereafter director Ron Howard announced plans to adapt Morgan's riveting stage play detailing David Frost's hard-hitting 1977 interview with disgraced former American President Richard M. Nixon. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1988
- PG13
Shirley MacLaine is Madame Sousatzka, an aging piano instructor of Russian extraction. Entrenched in a dilapidated London rooming house, the Madame gives lessons only to the most gifted. She does not stop at mere instruction; Sousatzka insists that her pupils conduct their lives in the same genteel, cultured manner in which she was raised. Her prize student at the moment is an East Indian teenage boy (Navin Chowdhry), who forms a strong and loving bond with the old woman. Director John Schlesinger occasionally cuts away from the Madame and her pupil to allow comic space for the other tenants in Ashcroft's building, including an erstwhile songstress (Twiggy) and a gay osteopath (Geoffrey Baydlon). Navim Chowdhry's mother is played by Shabana Azmi, an important star of Indian films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shirley MacLaine, Navin Chowdhry, (more)
- 1992
- PG13
After stumbling creatively in the 1980s due to an exile from Poland because of his ties to solidarity, director Krzysztof Zanussi returned to form with this English-language drama. Lothaire Bluteau plays Stefan, a Polish music student who wakes from a dream with the notes of a song still ringing in his ears. Unable to identify the tune, Stefan becomes certain that it involves Henry Kesdi (Max Von Sydow), a great composer who abandoned his career 40 years ago when his first wife was murdered in the Holocaust. Stefan seeks Henry out in Copenhagen, where the irascible, ailing man lives with his long-suffering second wife Helena (Sarah Miles). Henry rejects Stefan, but in a magical realist touch, it's revealed that Stefan has mysterious healing powers, and Henry relents when the young student is able to ease his pain. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Max von Sydow, Lothaire Bluteau, (more)
Nick Hamm (Talk of Angels) directed this U.K. romantic comedy following a group of British blokes and their encounters with an American woman in London. As Laurence (Joseph Fiennes, brother of Ralph Fiennes) narrates the tale to his neighbor, Dr. Pedersen (Ray Winstone), the scene flashes back to three days earlier: Laurence's friend Daniel (Tom Hollander) is in the Minneapolis airport on a business trip when he spots blonde Martha (Monica Potter of Con Air) buying a "first flight to anywhere." Daniel sits next to her on the plane and makes a London lunch date with her for the following day, but she's a no-show. He expresses his disappointment to Laurence and unemployed actor Frank (Rufus Sewell of Cold Comfort Farm). Frank meets Martha accidentally in a park, realizes who she is, learns she's in love and she intends to fly back to the U.S., and then makes a move on her (without telling her he knows Daniel). He loses track of her at an art gallery. Later, Laurence reveals that when he missed meeting Daniel at the airport, he wound up meeting Martha instead -- a moment of mutual love. At this point, much like the structure of Stanley Kubrick's The Killing (1956), the time is reset and previous events are repeated -- from the POV of another character. The movie is only two-thirds complete when Laurence finishes his recap of the previous three days -- so the story continues from that point. Shown at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Monica Potter, Rufus Sewell, (more)
- 2000
Debuting May 1, 2000, the British "dramedy" series Metropolis concerned itself with six friends who'd met while attending college. Keeping in touch after graduation, the six protagonists continued to be linked with one another physically, spiritually, and sometimes sexually. Presented by Granada Television, Metropolis was sabotaged by the network's decision to schedule the program on an irregular, erratic basis. Also, the series never quite made up its mind if it wanted to be a half-hour sitcom or an hour-long drama. At any rate, the whole affair was over and done with after five episodes on May 15, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
First telecast in the U.K. on February 17, 2002, the five-part British miniseries The Jury probes the workings of justice from the viewpoint of the 12 men and women chosen to determine the fate of a Sikh teenager, accused of murdering a white classmate with a ceremonial sword. This racially volatile situation is first placed in the hands of renowned attorney George Cording (Derek Jacobi), who is defending young Duvinder Singh (Sonnell Dadral), and relentless crown prosecutor Gerald Lewis (Antony Sher), better known as "The Bastard of the Bailey." But as mentioned, the focus is on the jurors, as diverse a group as one is ever likely to meet. Among the selected dozen are Rose (Helen McCrory), an unhappily married beautician; Johnnie (Gerard Butler), a recovering alcoholic; Marcia (Nina Sosanya), a single mother who tends to allow herself to be intimidated into making snap judgments; Peter (Michael Maloney), a brusque self-made businessman; Charles (Stuart Bunce), a Catholic seminarian uncertain of his calling; Elsie (Sylvia Syms), a lonely old widow; and Jeremy (Nicholas Farrell), a chronic gambler. How will the jurors' personalities affect the outcome of the case -- or, for that matter, the dissemination of facts? For its United States premiere on April 6, 2003, The Jury was beamed out by PBS as part of the Masterpiece Theatre anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Derek Jacobi, Antony Sher, (more)
The life of one of Great Britain's most influential and feared monarchs is dramatized in this lavish production, originally produced for British television. King Henry VIII (Ray Winstone) is a shrewd but ruthless ruler who is determined to sire a male heir who will succeed him on the throne. However, his wife, Catherine of Aragon (Assumpta Serna), after numerous attempts, is only able to bear him a daughter, so the king takes a mistress, Anne Boleyn (Helena Bonham Carter), in hopes she will give him a son. Anne Boleyn cleverly insists that she must wed the king if they are to have a child, and when the Catholic Church forbids Henry's request for a divorce, the king responds by forming his own denomination, the Church of England, which he will oversee himself. One of the king's most trusted advisers, Cardinal Wolsey (David Suchet) attempts to convince Henry that this is folly; Henry sentences him to death, and sends him to the Tower of London to await his sentence. Despite these machinations, Anne Boleyn is unable to give Henry the son he wants, and the king decides she will pay with her life for this failing. As Henry becomes increasingly ruthless in his dealings with those close to him -- as well as other nations -- he leaves a bloody wake as he uses beheading as his favored means of dealing with troublesome wives and untrustworthy allies. The cast also includes Sean Bean, Charles Dance, Emilia Fox, and Emily Blunt; Henry VIII first aired in the United States as part of PBS's award-winning anthology series Masterpiece Theatre. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Winstone
British director Stephen Frears' political docudrama The Deal was originally broadcast on Channel 4. The film is based on the real-life events that elevated Tony Blair to the seat of Prime Minister. The film shows how the hard-working, but not head-turning, Gordon Brown (David Morrissey) and the flashy Blair (Michael Sheen), two very opposite personalities, forged a working relationship while opposing Margaret Thatcher's government. When the Labor leader, John Smith, dies of a heart attack, on May 13, 1994, everyone believes Brown will ascend to the top of the party. But that isn't what happens.
The film supposes what happened at a historic dinner meeting between Brown and Blair, at Islington, that led directly to Blair's appointment. This film is loosely based on The Rivals, written by James Naughtie. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
The film supposes what happened at a historic dinner meeting between Brown and Blair, at Islington, that led directly to Blair's appointment. This film is loosely based on The Rivals, written by James Naughtie. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Morrissey, Michael Sheen, (more)
A courageous group of soldiers plot their escape from the well-fortified Colditz compound in this World War II adventure drama starring Jason Priestly, Damian Lewis, and Sophia Myles. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hardy, Laurence Fox, (more)
Director Kevin MacDonald teams with screenwriter Jeremy Brock to adapt Giles Foden's novel detailing the brutal reign of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin as seen through the eyes of his personal physician. James McAvoy stars as the doctor who slowly realizes that he is trapped in an inescapable nightmare, and Forest Whitaker assumes the role of the notorious despot. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, (more)
The British prime minister and the Royal Family find themselves quietly at odds in the wake of a national tragedy in this drama from director Stephen Frears. On August 31, 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales died in an auto accident in Paris; despite the controversial breakup of her marriage to Prince Charles, she was still one of the most famous and best-loved women in the world, and the public outpouring of emotion over her passing was immediate and intense. However, given the messy circumstances of Diana's breakup with Charles, official spokespeople for the Royal Family were uncertain about how to publicly address her passing. It didn't take long for the media to pick up on the hesitation of Buckingham Palace to pay homage to Diana, and many saw this as a sign of the cool emotional distance so often attributed to the royals, which in this case was widely seen as an insult against Diana and the many people who loved her. Prime Minister Tony Blair (played by Michael Sheen) saw a potential public-relations disaster in the making, and took it upon himself to persuade Queen Elizabeth II (played by Helen Mirren) to make a statement in tribute to the fallen Diana -- an action that went against the taciturn queen's usual nature. The Queen was released the same year that Helen Mirren played Queen Elizabeth I in an acclaimed miniseries for British television; The Queen also gave Michael Sheen his second opportunity to play Tony Blair after portraying the prime minister in the television film The Deal. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, (more)
Academy-award-winning actor Jim Broadbent portrays controversial British campaigner Lord Longford in this biopic that details the former government minister and then-House of Lords leader's notorious encounter with infamous Moors Murderer Myra Hindley (Samantha Morton). A lifelong Christian who approaches every person he meets with the goodness and innocence of a child, Frank Packenham (aka Lord Longford) receives a letter from convicted child killer Myra Hindley requesting that he drop by her prison cell for a visit. Despite the vehement disapproval of his wife, Longford casually accepts the invitation and forms an unexpected bond with the woman due in large to their mutual Catholic upbringing. When his established notions about Hindley are challenged during a subsequent visit with her demonically manipulative partner-in-crime Ian Brady (Andy Serkis), the humble social campaigner finds his faith put to the ultimate test as public outcry mounts as a direct result of his meeting with the despised couple. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Broadbent, Samantha Morton, (more)
Adapted from author Philippa Gregory's historical novel of the same name, director Justin Chadwick's atmospheric period drama follows the fierce competition between sisters Mary (Scarlett Johansson) and Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman) to win the affections of Tudor king Henry VIII (Eric Bana). Anne and Mary Boleyn are under pressure from their father and uncle to help maintain the family's rich legacy and ensure their further prosperity by winning the affections of none other than the king of England (Eric Bana). But life in the royal court is far different than it was in the countryside where these two sisters were raised, and before long their bid to earn the love of the king has transformed two once-happy sisters into bitter rivals. At first, it appears that Mary has triumphed in winning the king's favor by becoming his mistress and bearing him an illegitimate child. Despite her early success, however, Mary has underestimated just how clever and cunning her sibling can truly be. Not only does the relentless Anne manage to edge aside her sister in the eyes of King Henry, but she also succeeds in averting his gaze from his wife, Queen Catherine of Aragon, as well. Mary is driven by genuine affection for King Henry, while her sister Anne has only kept up the charade in a desperate bid to become the queen of England. Now, the growing chasm between two sisters is mirrored on a larger scale as England becomes divided more than ever before. As the consequences of their actions threaten to alter the course of an entire nation, these two sisters will ultimately discover that the only place they will find true strength and loyalty is in family, and that no matter what the consequences they will forever be bound by blood. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, (more)
Hollywood heavyweight Ron Howard adapts playwright Peter Morgan's West End hit for the silver screen with this feature focusing on the 1977 television interviews between journalist David Frost (Michael Sheen) and former president Richard Nixon (Frank Langella). At the time Nixon sat down with Frost to discuss the sordid details that ultimately derailed his presidency, it had been three years since the former commander in chief had been forced out of office. The Watergate scandal was still fresh in everyone's minds, and Nixon had remained notoriously tight-lipped until he agreed to sit down with Frost. Nixon was certain that he could hold his own opposite the up-and-coming British broadcaster, and even Frost's own people weren't quite sure their boss was ready for such a high-profile interview. When the interview ultimately got under way and each man eschewed the typical posturing in favor of the simple truth, fans and critics on both sides were stunned by what they witnessed. Instead of Nixon stonewalling the interviewer as expected, or Frost lobbing softballs as the truth-seekers feared, what emerged was an unguardedly honest exchange between a man who had lost everything and another with everything to gain. In this film, viewers are treated to not only a recreation of that landmark interview, but a behind-the-scenes look at the power struggles that led up to it as well. Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Brian Grazer team to produce a film adapted for the screen by original play author Morgan (The Queen and The Last King of Scotland). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, (more)
The creators of such docudramas as The Queen and Frost/Nixon re-team for this period sports chronicle set in 1974. In England, the Leeds United players retain a status as the preeminent champions of their football league. Unfortunately, the manager to whom the team owes much of its success, visionary Don Revie (Colm Meaney), promptly leaves the unit to take over the England team. His replacement, the slick and confident Brian Clough (Michael Sheen), is publicly known as a vociferous critic of the team's approach to games. Clough has some experience and success to back him up -- in flashbacks, the film details how he and his business partner Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall) coached Derby County from the bottom of the Second Division to the League Championships, though they had much less success working with the Brighton team later on. For various reasons, Taylor refuses to accompany Clough to his new post in Leeds, so Clough must go it alone. Clough wastes no time aggressively attempting to modify the playing style of the team -- he dictates that they play more attractively, and less violently. This clashes with the intentions of the team members, however. When the players hit the field, they find it extraordinarily difficult to adapt to the mandates of their new coach, which sets the stage for a series of losses and puts Clough's reputation on the line. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, (more)
