Jennifer Dale Movies
Lead actress Jennifer Dale has appeared on screen since the '80s. ~ All Movie Guide- 2002
In the final episode of Monk's first season, the ultra-phobic Mr. Monk (Tony Shalhoub) is forced to take his first plane ride. Galvanized by sheer terror, Monk spends the first part of the flight driving his fellow passengers crazy with his anxious questions. Before long, he really has something to obsess over when he deduces that passenger Stephan Chabrol (Carl Marotte) has murdered his wife in mid-flight--even though a woman claiming to be Mrs. Chabrol is seated right next to him. The topheavy guest cast includes Tony Shalhoub's former Wings costar Tim Daly) as himself; Shalhoub's real-life wife Brooke Adams as a suspicious stewardess; and prolific producer-director Garry Marshall as a garrulous extension-cord salesman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Sex, drugs, and rock & roll happen to run in the family in this dramatic series produced for the MTV cable network. The Jackson Decker Band was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful rock group in the '70s and '80s, and after a 15-year layoff, Chase Rooney (Tom Lock), a recent honors graduate of Stanford's business school and also the son of the group's bassist Keith Rooney (David Nerman), has organized a reunion tour for the band. These days, the members of the Jackson Decker Band are older and wiser, and they've brought their children along for the tour, ranging in age from 16 to 23. Vocalist Annie Baker (Jennifer Dale), a recovering alcoholic, is accompanied by her better-grounded daughter Lu (Sarah Manninen), who was once Chase's girlfriend. Keith is traveling not only with son Chase as manager, but with Olivia (Jessica Welch), his free-spirited daughter. Drummer Rick Parsons (Bruce Dinsmore) has brought his straight-arrow daughter Darby (Jane McGregor) along to see the sights. And Travis Williams (Matthew Carrey) has recently learned that Jason Decker guitarist Drake Taylor (Ron Lea) is his biological father. Drake gets him a job as a roadie with the group so that Travis can get to know the father he never met while growing up. As the band members strive to avoid the chemical and sexual pitfalls that helped to sideline the band in the 1980s, the kids are tempted by the wild life of the road and have to deal with their own romantic entanglements. Live Through This was MTV's first hour-long dramatic series; the first episode premiered August 9, 2000. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane McGregor
- 1998
- R
A family discovers their home of the future, as controlled by the central computer, is not the peaceful abode they hoped it would be. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Timothy Busfield, Lisa Jakub, (more)
- 1997
This Canadian action-adventure series debuted in its home country as a two-hour pilot on September 29, 1996, before settling into its weekly, 60-minute time slot on September 15, 1997. The action fluctuated between Vancouver and Hong Kong, focusing on a pair of daring and sexy professional thieves, Mac Ramsey (Ivan Sergei) and Li Ann Tsei (Sandrine Holt). Groomed from childhood to perform their acts of larceny on behalf of an international crime cartel, Mac and Li Ann eventually reformed when they were involuntarily recruited into a secret crime-fighting organization, presided over by the Director (Jennifer Dale). Likewise rechannelling his talents for good rather than evil was Li Ann's new fiancé, ex-cop Victor Mansfield (Nicholas Lea), whose presence heightened the sexual tension between the two main protagonists. The 22-episode series was syndicated throughout the world beginning in the late '90s, but audiences in the U.S. were denied the project until it entered Stateside syndication during the week of September 30, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sandrine Holt, Ivan Sergei, (more)
This two-hour pilot for the Canadian TV series is inspired by John Woo's 1991 Hong Kong film of the same title, but the story has been altered extensively. Mac (Ivan Sergei) and Li Ann (Sandrine Holt) are the foster children of a powerful crime boss. With their foster father's biological son Michael (Michael Wong), the three make up a trio of high-tech burglars. When Li Ann is forced to become engaged to Michael, she tries to escape with Mac, whom she really loves. On their way, they pull a failed heist on one of their adoptive father's warehouses. Mac goes to prison believing Li Ann is dead. Years later, he is released from prison by a covert law enforcement agency based in Vancouver and is pressed into using his skills for good. He discovers that Li Ann is a part of this agency, but so is her new fiancé Victor (Nicholas Lea). When they're assigned to stop a Hong Kong crime family that's taking over Vancouver, they realize they're going to meet with Michael once again. The fact that this thriller is actually a television program and not a feature is evident in its slightly lower production values; however, Woo proved with the original Once a Thief that he could make a thriller without much violence, and the 1996 edition still has the ability to entertain. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sandrine Holt, Ivan Sergei, (more)
- 1995
Having been shot by his partner Ray (David Marciano) in the previous episode "Victoria's Secret", Fraser (Paul Gross) recuperates in the hospital. With plenty of time on his hands, Fraser tries to get over his duplicitious ex-lover Victoria (Melina Kanakaredes), and wonders if his friendship with Ray can ever be repaired. And, oh yes, he manages to get involved in the pursuit of a gang of murderous extortionists, thanks to the enthusiasm of his physical therapist Jill Kennedy (Laurie Holden). First broadcast on Canadian television, this episode made its US debut on June 9, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Gross, David Marciano, (more)
Mel Harris traces her aunt's mysterious roots in this made-for-television movie. Based on the book of the same name by Laurel Pace, Harris stars as Jordan Kirkland, a genealogist who begins tracing her wealthy Aunt Kitty's (Vivian Reis) roots. Her research -- which centers around a Fabergé egg seen in a photo from her orphan aunt's childhood -- takes her to several European cities and brings some colorful characters into the fray as she pieces together the woman's history. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mel Harris, Rob Stewart, (more)
- 1994
- NR
A Canadian production shot along the British Columbia coast, this is the story of a washed-up rock star who finds redemption. It was adapted for the screen by Paul Quarrington from his own award-winning novel. Desmond Howl (Maury Chaykin) is a faded music superstar who now lives a hermit's life in an out-of-the-way oceanside mansion. Living off residuals from previous hits, Howl spends all his time and energy in his state-of-the-art home recording studio trying to compose whale music. He hopes to write a symphonic piece, using the whales' own sounds, that will have the power to summon the marine mammals from the depths. Howl is haunted by hallucinations and nightmares involving his brother Paul, who recently died, apparently by his own hand. Howl also has to deal with his ex-wife, who meddles in his affairs. He manages to shut out these interferences until a young runaway arrives at his doorstep. Claire Lowe (Cyndy Preston) gradually captures the jaded musician's heart with her need for caring, and their relationship becomes a metaphor for the tender music Howl is trying to create. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maury Chaykin, Cyndy Preston, (more)
- 1993
- R
Mia Kirshner plays Page, a troublesome teenager whose low self-esteem has manifested itself into petty thievery. After stealing a car, Page is hauled into court, where she is placed in the custody of her divorced mom (Jennifer Dale). Ordered to move into her mother's Nova Scotia home, Page is resentful of the restrictions placed upon her movements. Before long, she hatches a nasty revenge. The plan: to seduce mom's new boy friend (Gregory Harrison), then laugh in both their faces. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Dale, Mia Kirshner, (more)
- 1991
Originally produced for Canadian television by the CBC, the Stephen Surjik-directed costume thriller Grand Larceny features Jennifer Dale (Separate Vacations) as the Becky Sharp-like Betsy Bigley, a conniving young prima donna who will cross any boundaries to claw her way to the top. The story begins in 1901, with Bigley scraping the bottom of the barrel. Arrested for the titular crime and wheeled away in a paddy wagon, Bigley swears vengeance against the lowlifes whose two-timing led to her incarceration, and devises a complex scheme to deliver herself involving a faux gold mine and a smitten detective. If it works, Betsy's plan will free her from confinement and enable her to reclaim her place among the cream of society. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Dale
- 1991
Written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, The Adjuster is an examination of the sexual quirks of a married couple. Starring such Egoyan regulars as Elias Koteas, Arsinée Khanjian, Maury Chaykin, and Don McKellar, the film focuses on Noah Render (Koteas), an insurance adjuster who enjoys sleeping with his clients, and his wife, Hera (Khanjian), a film censor who finds excitement in making copies of the most explicit parts of the movies she's assigned to review. When they invite Bubba (Chaykin) into their house to make a movie, the Renders find their lives becoming even more complex. McKellar plays a young film censor who works with Hera. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elias Koteas, Arsinée Khanjian, (more)
- 1989
Premiering October 24, 1989, this Canadian sitcom starred Kathleen Lasky as newly elected Member of Parliament Karen Collier. A representative of Canada's Dominion party, Karen was answerable to party leader Joe Reynolds (Lawrence Dane), but spent most of her spare time with fellow Parliamentary novice MacGilvary (Damir Andrej) and her caustic next-door neighbor Mary Margaret McCarthy (Jennifer Dale). A bit too "conservative" for most tastes, In Opposition remained in office for only a single season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathleen Laskey, Lawrence Z. Dane, (more)
- 1988
Three women gather in a self-help group to discuss their relationships and problems in this distaff drama. Martha (Jennifer Dale) tells of the breakup of her marriage. Ruth (Andrea Martin) discusses her painful emotional struggle in dealing with her mother's death. Edie (Lois Maxwell) tells the others how she met the man she has been married to for 40 years. Margaret Langrick portrays Edie in her younger days and co-stars with Kate Trotter and Chuck Shamata in this gang-directed feature. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Dale, Andrea Martin, (more)
- 1988
Two men fall in love with a radio psychologist during her Christmas break with friends. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1988
Wally Olynyk (Stefan Wodoslawsky) returns home to the Cape Breton region of Nova Scotia in this somber drama. After years of living in Los Angeles, he hopes to attend his high-school reunion and visit with his father Stan (Jan Rubes). Stan is the local mortician who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, but the 63-year-old father is too stubborn to admit anything is wrong. The contrast between Los Angeles and the grim Canadian steel town clashes like the father and son. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stefan Wodoslawsky, Jan Rubes, (more)
- 1987
In this drama a missing truckfull of soybeans leads investigators from the Justice Department to reveal questionable government practices. The clerk who does the work uses a variety of interesting techniques to solve the mystery. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daphne Ashbrook, Cyril O'Reilly, (more)
- 1987
This film tells about the controversial association of President JFK and Attorney General Robert Kennedy with FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1986
- R
An unhappily married husband takes off to Mexico in hopes of finding a fulfilling romantic interlude, and scores nothing but zeros. Meanwhile, the wife and kids, who have been left at home, decide to go on their planned ski vacation anyway. Up on the slopes, the mom tries to resist the continual advances of her good-looking ski instructor, but it's just a matter of time before the inevitable romance erupts, and the stranded mom learns she can have fun, too. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Naughton, Jennifer Dale, (more)
- 1983
Love and Larceny is a Canadian distaff version of The Sting. The film is set at the turn of the century; its protagonist is the fetching Jennifer Dale. An accomplished con artist, Dale tires of fleecing the provincial suckers. She heads to New York City to seek her fortune--or anyone else's fortune, for that matter. Also starring in Love and Larceny are veteran Canadian supporting players Kenneth Welsh and Douglas Rain (the voice of "Hal" in 2001: A Space Odyssey). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
When a banking executive tries to outsmart an enormous and seriously pesky rat, it is a case of a battle of wits between two unarmed opponents in this tedious rodent horror treatise on the multiple dangers of rats. Bert Hughes (Peter Weller) is home alone in his Manhattan apartment, trying to work out a major change in his trust company when a noisy rat starts scratching around his periphery, and he becomes obsessed with exterminating it. By the time Hughes is through, his whole apartment is nearly exterminated -- and his friends are keeping their distance due to his rat-mania. (In the middle of a business dinner he brings up the topic of rats served as "stringy chicken" in an Asian country.) Rats may be Of Unknown Origin, but more than their questionable hygiene and genealogy is needed to frighten viewers. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Weller, Jennifer Dale, (more)
- 1982
When her sister dies while in a mental hospital, a young woman returns to the institution in an attempt to discover the real reasons behind her sister's unexpected death. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
The "Moonie" cult of the 1970s and '80s has been cited as the principal inspiration for the 1981 Canadian production Ticket to Heaven. Nick Mancuso plays impressionable youth David Kappel, who, after breaking up with his girlfriend, tries to find an emotional balm by joining a religious sect. The first portion of the film details David's indoctrination into the group. The remaining portion concerns the efforts made by his parents to locate their thoroughly brainwashed son. R.H. Thomson dominates the final scenes as a "deprogrammer" hired to shake David out of his religious euphoria. Ticket to Heaven was based on Moonwebs, a novel by Josh Freed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nick Mancuso, R.H. Thomson, (more)
- 1981
- R
Sexual obsession provides the basis of this taut thriller, an adaptation of a Romain Gary novel. The story centers upon a prominent financier who must fight to save his crumbling business empire and his rapidly fading manhood. The obsession begins when the impotent magnate begins dreaming that a handsome gypsy is making love to his much younger girlfriend. He cannot get the dream out of his head and so goes to a Parisian madam to see if he can make the fantasy real. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Harris, Jeanne Moreau, (more)
- 1980
- R
This is a fast-paced, standard crime story with Sgt. Boyd (Richard Crenna) as a lone cop out to clean up the neighborhood. Kurtz (Paul Williams) is a wild gangster who manages a ring of prostitutes, and right now he has problems. Someone is shooting his hookers. A few of the undercover cops get killed as they try to infiltrate the hooker trade, so Sgt. Boyd is more or less alone in bringing in the sniper and giving Kurtz his due. While he is focusing on those tasks, prostitute Monica (Linda Sorenson) is focusing on him. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Crenna, Paul Williams, (more)
