Al Fiorentini Movies

Not to be confused with the 50-minute television documentary of the same name, the made-for-British-TV biopic Diana: The People's Princess stars Amy Seccombe as the title character. Rather than rehash the tumultuous marriage between Diana and Prince Charles (Robert De Newby), the film focuses on the protagonist's last 14 months on Earth, from her divorce in May of 1996 to her tragic death in August of 1997. Adroitly blending heartbreak with triumph, the script details Diana's loss of her royal title, her troubled relationship with sons Harry (Rory Jennings) and William (Freddie Sayers), her ongoing travails with the press and papparazzi, her extensive humanitarian activities (with Nelson Mandela and Mother Theresa making token appearances), and her romance with Dodi Ay Fayed (George Jackos), who was fated to die with Diana in that infamous car crash. Seemingly dedicated to bestowing sainthood upon Princess Di, the film manages to make her antagonists as unpleasant and unsympathetic as possible, with an inordinate amount of scorn heaped upon Dodi's former fiancée! First telecast in the U.K. on April 12, 1998, Diana: The People's Princess debuted in the U.S. courtesy of the TNT cable network on August 29, 1999, on the eve of the second anniversary of Diana's death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ian Bertram (Robert Lindsay) is a mathematical genius who works as an accountant for a multinational firm based in England. When he meets Cary Porter (Molly Ringwald), who recently started working for the same company, Ian immediately falls in love and quickly proposes marriage. Cary accepts, and they plan a modest wedding, but when Ian's accounting skills earn him the admiration of company head Herbert Dreuther (John Geilgud), Herbert offers to pay for a honeymoon in Monte Carlo and give them a ride back on his yacht. But while Mr. Dreuther means well, he has problems with his memory, and once Ian and Cary get to Monte Carlo, Herbert has forgotten all about them. Stuck at the hotel with a large bill that he can't afford, Ian works out a plan to win at roulette; his scheme works, and he earns enough to pay their bill, get them home, and have plenty left over. But his sudden success at the gambling tables makes Ian drunk with power, and Cary discovers that her new husband has turned into a power-hungry tyrant. Strike It Rich was adapted from the novel Loser Takes All by Graham Greene; it has been shown under the novel's title, as well as under the title Money Talks. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide