Gabrielle Anwar Movies
Though most audiences will likely remember getting their first glimpse of the lovely Gabrielle Anwar when she took the dance floor as Al Pacino's tango partner from 1992's Scent of a Woman, she had previously appeared in numerous British miniseries' since the late '80s. Breaking into American cinema opposite Richard Grieco in the 1991 teen spy comedy If Looks Could Kill, Anwar soon found herself climbing the credits list after her charm and skillful footwork left audience hungering for more. Born in the daughter of an Persian film producer and a British actress in Laleham, Middlesex, England, in February of 1970, ruffian Anwar was kicked out of school for fighting in her early years, though she later opted to study drama and dance in London. Anwar made her television debut in Jim Henson's The Storyteller (1987), followed by her film debut in 1988's Manifesto, and after appearing in such British miniseries as Summer's Lease, First Born, and Press Gang (all in 1989), it was time to cross the pond with mate Craig Sheffer and make her bid for Hollywood. Following her eye-catching turn in Scent of a Woman, the fledgling starlet faced an unearthly horror in Abel Ferrara's Body Snatchers, romanced Michael J. Fox in For Love or Money (both 1993), and appeared opposite Andy Garcia in Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995). Though it certainly seemed as if Anwar's career was headed in the right direction, a series of low-budget efforts in the late '90s, as well as a rumor that she had lost the lead role in Titanic to Kate Winslet, seemed to stall her rise to stardom. Taking a cue from her early years, Anwar turned toward television. She gained positive notice for her role as Fidel Castro's secret lover in the 1999 made-for-television feature My Little Assassin, and a few short years later she appeared in the short lived sci-fi mystery series John Doe. Still appearing frequently in features, the woman voted as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People Magazine (in 1993) could be spotted in such efforts as Save it for Later and Mob Dot Com in 2003. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Murder and double-dealing among the idle rich sets the stage for this drama. Alan Cross (Adrian Dunbar) is a British detective who travels to a wealthy community along the coast of France in 1938; he's there to attend the funeral of a friend and wants to find out more about the mysterious circumstances behind his friend's death. Cross finds a privileged British family who were close to the deceased and who seem to live by their own set of rules. Helena Graves (Joanna Lumley) was good friends with the deceased, but she claims to know nothing about how he died. Helena's daughter Celia (Gabrielle Anwar) is engaged to a hot-blooded American but has also been involved in an incestuous relationship with her brother Jeremy (Stephen Dorff); Jeremy harbors a dark childhood secret regarding the death of his brother, and he is courting a Jewish woman, much to the chagrin of the anti-Semitic Helena. Cross becomes convinced that someone in the Graves family is to blame for the death, but it's not until someone else dies that the truth begins to bubble to the surface. Innocent Lies was also shown under the title Halcyon Days. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Dorff, Gabrielle Anwar, (more)
Actor Ken Olin directed this real-life story of five American Calvary soldiers who took a stand against General Douglas MacArthur and fought his 1930s plan to trade men on horses for tanks. After defying a direct order to destroy their horses, the men find themselves on the wrong side of military law fighting to survive. This made-for-cable movie was filmed on location in New Zealand and Australia. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Don Johnson, Craig Sheffer, (more)
Abel Ferrara's Body Snatchers is the third screen version of Jack Finney's cold war science fiction novel Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Marty Malone (Gabrielle Anwar) is moving with her father, stepmother, and stepbrother to a military base where her father will investigate possible environmental and ecological problems. Before they get to town, Marty is warned in a gas station restroom by a crazed looking military man that, "They get you when you sleep!" Marty adjusts to life on the base by flirting with a young officer and making friends with the rebellious daughter of the base commander. These friends help her when a plot by aliens to turn all humans into unemotional, unfeeling "pod people" shifts into high gear. As her family and friends are attacked, Marty doesn't know who to trust. Previous versions of his story were directed by Don Siegel (1956) and Phillip Kaufman (1978). ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabrielle Anwar, Terry Kinney, (more)
- 1993
The second volume in this film noir style TV-anthology series, this collection of short stories revolves around the dark world of detectives and police officers. Called to look into a murder, an investigator (Gary Oldman) discovers that the victim of the crime is none other than his estranged wife (Gabrielle Anwar) in "Dead End for Delia." When an attractive woman captures the attention of a detective, he ends up entangled in mob business in "I'll Be Waiting." In "The Quiet Room," the underhanded plans of two unscrupulous officers go amok ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
Michael J. Fox stars as Doug Ireland in this romantic comedy about a brash concierge at a swanky New York hotel who always makes it a point to go out of his way for the hotel guests. But Doug doesn't want to be a concierge forever. What he would really like to do is build a swanky hotel of his own, and all he needs is $3 million to do it. When haughty and patronizing tycoon Christian Hanover (Anthony Higgins) comes to the hotel for a rendezvous with his mistress Andy Hart (Gabrielle Anwar), Doug sees the opportunity to convince Christian to invest the $3 million in his dream of a hotel. So, Doug willingly agrees to baby-sit Andy when Christian has to leave her to see his wife. But the more time he spends with Andy, the more affectionate he feels toward her, until finally he has fallen in love with her. Now Doug must make a choice concerning what he really wants -- his dream of a hotel or the love of Andy. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael J. Fox, Gabrielle Anwar, (more)
This comedy-adventure is one of several adaptations of Alexadre Dumas' (pere) classic novel. Provincial swordsman D'Artagnan (Chris O'Donnell) travels to Paris to follow in his father's footsteps and become a king's guard, a musketeer. Meanwhile, the evil royal advisor Cardinal Richelieu (Tim Curry), with the help of one-eyed Captain Rochefort (Michael Wincott), has disbanded the King's bodyguards in his devious attempt to usurp the power of the King (Hugh O'Conor) and rule France. Three of the musketeers, Athos (Kiefer Sutherland), Porthos (Oliver Platt), and Aramis (Charlie Sheen), escape and partner with D'Artagnan in an attempt to thwart the Cardinal and his minions, who also include the duplicitous Milady de Winter (Rebecca DeMornay). ~ Lisa Kropiewnicki, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, (more)
Driven by an extravagant, tour-de-force performance by Al Pacino, Scent of a Woman is the story of Frank Slade (Pacino), a blind, retired army colonel who hires Charlie Simms (Chris O'Donnell), a poor college student on the verge of expulsion, to take care of him over Thanksgiving weekend. At the beginning of the weekend, Frank takes Charlie to New York, where he reveals to the student that he intends to visit his family, have a few terrific meals, sleep with a beautiful woman and, finally, commit suicide. The film follows the mis-matched pair over the course of the weekend, as they learn about life through their series of adventures. Though the story is a little contrived and predictable, it pulls all the right strings, thanks to O'Donnell's sympathetic supporting role and Pacino's powerful lead performance, for which he won his first Academy Award. Scent of a Woman is based on the 1975 Italian film Profumo Di Donna. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Chris O'Donnell, (more)
- 1991
- PG13
Television flavor-of-the-month Richard Grieco made his feature-film debut in this juvenile spoof of James Bond films. He plays a high-school senior named Michael Corben who has flunked out of his French class, but has the chance to make up his grade on the French Club's summer trip to Europe. On the airplane booked to transport the French Club to France is another man by the name of Michael Corben, and this man happens to be a super-spy. When he is killed, the hapless high-school senior is mistaken for the real spy by British intelligence. He becomes involved in a mad plot by Augustus Steranko (Roger Rees) in which Steranko and his evil assistant Ilsa Grunt (Linda Hunt) plan to dominate the European continent by converting the gold standard to coins that will bear Steranko's likeness. Corben goes along with it when he is provided with a red sports car, a tuxedo, and some high-tech weapons. Along with all the spy accouterments, he latches onto a sexy helper -- Mariska (Gabrielle Anwar). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Grieco, Linda Hunt, (more)
Based on a true story, Disney's family film Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken follows the adventures of a 1920s teenager named Sonora Webster (Gabrielle Anwar), who runs away from her foster home to join a carnival. At the carnival, she gets a job as a stunt rider who leaps with her horse into a tank of water 40 feet below. Along the way, she has plenty of adventures, eventually falling in love with the son of one of the show's cowboys. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabrielle Anwar, Cliff Robertson, (more)
British retiree John Thaw and his wife Lindsay Duncan spend a Year in Provence in this TV miniseries. Each episode covers a single season of the couple's experiences in their new home in the south of France. Purchasing a 200-year-old farmhouse, Thaw and Duncan must undergo the usual rigors of restorations and adjustment. They also come to understand the fancies and foibles of their new neighbors, many of whom seem to be refugees from a Rene Clair musical. Most pleasurable of all, the couple is permitted to partake of eating and drinking experiences that they'd never dreamed of in their staid previous existence. A Year in Provence is based on two autobiographical novels by former London businessman Peter Mayle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Thaw, Lindsay Duncan, (more)
- 1989
- R
This film deftly combines black comedy with sharp political satire. Set in a fictional Eastern European town called Waldheim, a place "where nothing is what it seems," the action is centered around a visiting king, in whom many people are very interested for a variety of reasons. Assassination and lust figure prominently on their minds. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Camilla Soeberg, Alfred Molina, (more)
