Stefan Schwartz Movies
A lovelorn man setting out to find his way in life finds his heart captured by the striking, soon-to-be-bride that he senses is his true soul-mate in this romantic comedy starring Stuart Townsend, Seth Green, and Amy Smart. Soon after causing some ripples in the publishing world with his first novel, emerging writer Olly Pickering (Townsend) wanders wayward and is forced to accept a dead-end position as a lowly assistant. Though it initially appears as if he has entered into a downward spiral from which he isn't likely to emerge anytime soon, Olly finds his luck taking a turn for the better upon meeting the lovely Sarah (Smart) at the engagement party of a close friend. After discovering that Sarah is in fact the fiancée of his philandering friend and the pair have requested that Olly serve as the best man in the upcoming wedding, the dejected writer determines to convince the unsuspecting Sarah that she is about to marry the wrong man. With a little help from his wacky roommate Murray (Green), Olly may be able to put the breaks on the impending nuptials and prove his undying love for Sarah before she makes a mistake she is likely to regret for the rest of her life. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Smart, Stuart Townsend, (more)
- 2002
Based on actual events that took place in Waterford, Ireland, in the late 1700s, director Stefan Schwartz's romantic comedy-drama concerns itself with a group of abductors who kidnap usually willing young women in order to persuade them to wed. Set during an era where law dictates that the eldest sons inherit family estates and younger siblings are left to either enter the priesthood or the military, young noblemen decide to take matters into their own hands by abducting the young heiresses and charming them for a night before releasing them to make their ultimate decision. As Anne (Sophia Myles) is subjected to the uninvited advances of Power (Liam Cunningham), Abduction Club member Byrne (Daniel Lapaine) schemes to kidnap Anne's older sister Catherine (Alice Evans). Though the kidnapping plan is foiled when Anne decides to tag along, Byrne's friend Strang (Matthew Rhys) finds himself attracted to the younger sister despite Abduction Club rules stating that abductees must be at least 18 (Anne is 17) and that no more than one member of the same family is to be abducted at any given time. Strang is subsequently expelled by Abduction Club leader Sir Myles (Patrick Malahide), and the fledgling affections of the mismatched couple face a formidable challenge as the local militia is tipped off to their scheme. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alice Evans, Daniel Lapaine, (more)
Calling to mind the whimsical, swinging London comedies of the 1960s, such as the Blake Edwards Pink Panther films and the collaborations of The Beatles with director Richard Lester, this frantic romantic comedy is an airy, pop example of the British New Wave. Dylan Dan Futterman and Jez Stuart Townsend are friends from opposite sides of the Atlantic using their special skills -- Dylan is a slick-talking American, while Jez is a humble British computer expert -- to bilk England's wealthy. Both orphans, they plan to accumulate enough pounds to buy the luxurious mansion home they never had as children. Their scams include selling phony voice-recognition software and reinstalling the same insulation into various homes. Into their lives comes Georgie (Kate Beckinsale), a beautiful girl engaged to a rich jerk. Dylan and Jez hire Georgie as a secretary and both fall in love with her, though Jez's feelings are a bit more sincere. At first appalled by her employers' scams, Georgie believes their lie that they intend to give the money to the poor. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Futterman, Stuart Townsend, (more)
- 1994
- R
This British romantic comedy examines a trouble relationship between a behavioral psychologist and a paleontology lecturer with serious sexual hang-ups. Currently Dr. Daniel Becker is holding seminars for teaching body language to executives. Katie, the lecturer, seems to defy all he seems to know with her habit of knocking out any male she suspects of harboring sexual thoughts about her. They go out on a dinner date. Immediately, Katie-the-mind-reader smacks the waiter. Intrigued, Daniel blindfolds her to see if she really can read thoughts. Katie, who sees no future in their relationship, plans to go on a research trip to India with her peer, Sandip. Daniel tries to thwart her plans. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amanda Pays, Mark Frankel, (more)
- 1994
This cross-cultural thriller follows the travails of an American in Istanbul who is sent upon a mysterious quest. Richie Hunter's adventure begins when he is handed an old compass by Haldun, a stranger. Haldun instructs him to go see Lamia, a wealthy aristocrat and show him the compass. Haldun is Lamia's illegitimate son, the ancient piece proves he is still alive. Lamia is married to a businessman with an arsonists heart. He wants to set fire to the family manse and claim the insurance money. Lamia's chauffer is going to steal the ancient scroll that contains the secrets of "death and love." Others too, seek this scroll including a religious sect and Richie Hunter who secretly works for a large U.S. corporation. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gonen Bozbey, Daniel Chace, (more)
- 1992
Gavin Bellini is half Scottish, half Italian. Perhaps that blend of two of the most romantic sensibilities in the world accounts for his being in London, scraping out a living as an illustrator. One day he runs into his father's brother and learns that, if he high-tails it to Glasgow in time to attend his father's surprise birthday party, there's a chance he could come into some cash. He hops in his old rust-bucket of a car and takes to the road. On the way, he picks up a girl hitchhiker who is also headed back home to Glasgow. She is a feisty wench, and unexpectedly skilled at getting cars fixed. The two of them couldn't be more different and soon begin to argue and bicker, with the inevitable result that, in addition to their other adventures, they fall in love. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Capaldi, Frances Barber, (more)
Adapted from the autobiographical novel by Nigel Nicolson, the four-part British miniseries Portrait of a Marriage was inspired by the marriage of convenience between Nicolson's parents, historian Harold Nicolson and novelist Vita Sackville-West (Janet McTeer). Although the elder Nicolson was homosexual, his wife Vita was not only forgiving, but also obliging when he strayed from home and hearth to pursue partners of his own gender. After all, Vita was herself embroiled in a torrid -- and ultimately tragic -- affair with one Violet Keppel (Cathryn Harrison). The winner of a BAFTA award for Best Costume Design (Dinah Collin), Portrait of a Marriage was telecast in Britain and New Zealand in 1990, and in the United States two years later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Janet McTeer, David Haig, (more)
- 1989
In the conclusion of the four-part story "Battlefield," the ages-old battle for possession of the Sword Excalibur continues to rage on -- this time with dangerously high-tech weapons -- in the England of the 1990s. According to the scenario at hand, the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) is Merlin and Ace (Sophie Aldred) is the Lady of the Lake -- but who, pray tell, has been "cast" as King Arthur? This question must be answered before the sorceress Morgaine (Jean Marsh) is able to lay claim to Excalibur by unleashing the dreaded Destroyer of Worlds. Originally telecast on September 27, 1989, "Battlefield, Episode 4" was written by Ben Aaronovitch. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, (more)
- 1989
In the third episode of the four-part story "Battlefield," the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy), armed with the powers of Merlin, squares off against the minions of Mordred (Christopher Bowen) on the same battlefield where the battle for possession of the sword Excalibur was fought centuries before. Meanwhile, the Doctor's friend, Ace (Sophie Aldred), and extra-dimensional warrior Shou Yuing (Ling Tai) are trapped in a hotel room, faced with dangers ranging from the rampaging sorceress Morgaine (Jean Marsh) to an all-out nuclear holocaust. Originally telecast on September 20, 1989, "Battlefield, Episode 3" was written by Ben Aaronovitch. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, (more)
- 1989
In the second episode of the four-part story "Battlefield," the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) discovers that the long-ago battle between King Arthur and Mordred of possession of the sword Excalibur has spilled over into the 20th century. A group of warriors from another dimension insist that the Doctor is actually the ancient wizard Merlin -- a conclusion also jumped to by the resurrected Mordred (Christopher Bowen). Meanwhile, the Doctor's friends, Ace (Sophie Aldred) and the Brigadier (Nicholas Courtney), face their own separate perils. Jean Marsh of Upstairs, Downstairs fame, who previously appeared in the 1965 Doctor Who adventure "The Dalek Masterplan," is here cast as the sorceress Morgaine. Originally telecast on September 13, 1989, "Battlefield, Episode 2" was written by Ben Aaronovitch. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, (more)
- 1984
Exaggerated gags and unconvincing situations mar this attempt at broad comedy meant to mimic teams like Laurel and Hardy or Abbot and Costello. Jagger and Spaghetti (Stefan Schwartz and Peter Buchholz) are unemployed and inept. Spaghetti does the best he can to run a television repair shop, but in his case that means running the business into the ground and then trying to save it by fencing stolen TV sets. Jagger comes to the rescue, he thinks, with a way of faking it to cover the mess that Spaghetti created. Either way, nothing seems to work -- on several levels. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sabine Kaack, Manfred Reddemann, (more)
- 1983
This West German film chronicles the trials of a group of people fleeing the invading Russian army in 1944-45 in the area of Pomerania in eastern Germany. Caught in the dead of winter, several men, women and children load themselves and their belongings onto horse-drawn wagons to start their journey to safety. At one point, the group reaches a farm where everyone in the family has committed suicide, and at another juncture they are hiding in the basement of a house when some Soviet soldiers come to the door looking for refugees. The French POWs who were in the house try to send the soldiers away, but they fail -- the soldiers discover the refugees and are about to rape the women when the Soviet officer in charge prevents that atrocity. These and other stories of a fictional group of refugees were taken from real accounts at this time. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Armin Mueller-Stahl, Marie-Charlotte Schüler, (more)
- 1979
Romantic love between two socially disparate people binds and separates a young man and young woman in this traged based on Nobel Prize-winner Knut Hamsun's novel. In order to win the right to be invited into the house of a wealthy girl whom he loves, a miller's son struggles and becomes a writer. However, the girl's father is now deeply in debt, and needs to get her married off to a rich suitor. When the wealthy groom dies in a hunting accident, it begins to look as though the writer and his lady-love can finally be united, but it becomes apparent that she has tuberculosis. They are together for only a brief time before she dies. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stefan Schwartz
