Julian Firth Movies

This 90-minute Cadfael mystery first aired in England on December 28, 1998. Set in 12th century Shrewbury, the story concerns two religious pilgrims: an older man and his devoted young companion. A corpse is found tied in a sack -- could the pilgrims be responsible for the murder, or is one of the men covering for the other? Brother Cadfael (Derek Jacobi), ex-warrior, present monk, and dilettante detective, uses his scientific know-how to get to the bottom of things. Adapted by Richard Stoneman from the novel by Ellis Peters, "Pilgrim of Hate" was seen in the United States during the 1998-1999 season of the PBS Mystery anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When a flood threatens to engulf Shrewbury Abbey, the monks quickly remove all the sacred objects, including the precious relics of St. Winifred. After the deluge, it is discovered that those relics have been stolen. While trying to solve the crime, Brother Cadfael (Derek Jacobi) must protect the truth about the relics (which he uncovered in the previous Cadfael episode "A Morbid Taste for Bones"). He must also discern the link between the robbery, the kidnapping of a slave girl (Louise Delamere), the horrible confessions of a penitent monk (Julian Firth), and a thread of fabric found upon a corpse. Adapted by Ben Rostul from the novel by Ellis Peters, the 90-minute Cadfael drama "The Holy Thief" originally aired in England on June 23, 1998, and shortly thereafter was seen in America as part of PBS' Mystery anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The new parish priest of Shrewsbury, Father Ailnoth, proves to be most unpopular with his parishioners. After refusing to baptize the illegitimate baby of a prostitute, he's found dead in the river; unsurprisingly, there is no shortage of murder suspects. Cadfael's (Derek Jacobi) subsequent investigation fails to expose the murderer, but a new clue presents itself when he finds the priest's old skull cap on a nail underneath the bridge. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide

Ellis Peters' 12th-century monk who finds time in his daily devotionals to ferret out crime comes alive in this made-for-TV drama. A young man named Meriet (Christian Anholt) arrives at Shrewsbury Abbey eager to become a novice, but Brother Cadfael (Derek Jacobi) somehow doubts the boy's good intentions, and a Senior Cleric decides to take a look into his past. When the Cleric turns up dead, Meriet confesses to the murder, but once Cadfael learns more about the young man's troubled history, he wonders if Meriet might be offering himself as a sacrifice to cover someone else's tracks. Brother Cadfael: The Devil's Novice also features Terence Hardiman and Mark Charnock; the drama was originally shown in the U.S. as part of the PBS series Mystery! ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Derek Jacobi stars in this 12th century drama as Brother Cadfael, a former soldier in the Crusades who has become a monk but occasionally pauses in doing the Lord's work to solve the occasional mystery. In this story, Oswin, a novice under Cadfael, confesses to the rape and murder of a young nun whose body is found in a nearby stream. Convinced Oswin is innocent, Cadfael begins investigating the crime and discovers the foul activities of a group of rouge soldiers from the Crusades, as well as a young squire who might be his son. Brother Cadfael: Virgin in the Ice was produced for British television and was first shown in America as part of the PBS series Mystery! ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This 90-minute Cadfael mystery gets under way when the lovely Iveta (Tara Fitzgerald) balks at the prospect of her arranged marriage to the wealthy and powerful Baron Huon. Amateur sleuth Brother Cadfael (Derek Jacobi) of Shrewbury Abbey is drawn in to the situation when both the Baron and Iveta's guardian are found dead. Who did it? And why did the Baron ride off to parts unknown on the day of his wedding? Adapted by Paul Pendar from the novel by Ellis Peters, "The Leper of St. Giles" was originally telecast in England on June 12, 1994, then subsequently aired on the American public-TV anthology series Mystery. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on the novel by Ellis Peters, "One Corpse Too Many" was the first of thirteen 90-minute Cadfael mysteries, focusing on the exploits of a murder-solving monk in 12th century Shrewsbury. While sifting through the bodies of rebels recently executed on the orders of King Stephan (Michael Grandage), Brother Cadfael (Derek Jacobi stumbles across a corpse that doesn't belong there. With the help of his unofficial assistant, landowner/sheriff Hugh Beringer (Sean Pertwee), Cadfael assembles the necessary evidence to uncover a murderer. Adapted for television by Paul Pendar, "One Corpse Too Many" originally aired in Britain on May 29, 1994, and shortly thereafter was seen in America as part of PBS' Mystery anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This lavishly mounted adaptation of the play by William Nicholson tells the true story of the doomed love affair between novelist and noted Christian scholar C.S. Lewis and a Jewish-American poet. Anthony Hopkins stars as C.S. "Jack" Lewis, an Oxford professor and successful author of the Chronicles of Narnia series of children's fantasy novels. A confirmed bachelor, Jack's existence is an inward life of the mind. Somewhat detached from the world, his only social outlet is evenings out at a local pub discussing philosophy and religion with his fellow lecturers. Jack has been corresponding with a bluntly intelligent American woman, Joy Gresham (Debra Winger), who arrives to visit him, with her young son Douglas (Joseph Mazzello) in tow. She tells Jack that she has actually fled from an abusive marriage and plans to divorce, and Jack astonishes friends and family by agreeing to a platonic marriage with Joy so that she can obtain British citizenship. As their friendship deepens and Joy discovers that she has a terminal illness, the relationship between Joy and Jack becomes a genuine romance, and their marriage turns into a real commitment. Shadowlands (1993) had previously been filmed as a well-regarded British television movie in 1985 starring Joss Ackland as Lewis. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

British playwright David Hare both wrote and directed the complicated political melodrama Paris By Night. Charlotte Rampling plays a Tory member of the European parliament, who lets absolutely nothing get in way of her ambitions. At present, Rampling is convinced that she is being blackmailed by her ex-business partner Andrew Ray. Upon accidentally meeting Ray, Rampling impulsively murders the man. In a deliciously ironic turn of events, she is approached by Ray's daughter Sinead Cusack, who hopes that Rampling will help her locate her missing dad. Rampling eventually finds out Ray had been innocent all along-but a greater shock awaits her at home, at the hands of her long-neglected husband Michael Gambon. Paris By Night contains far too many cute coincidences to be credible, but this fact doesn't immediately sink in as the audience revels in the film's superlative performances and David Hare's adroit manipulation of people, places and events. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The rise of teen culture in 1950s Britain provides the backdrop for Julien Temple's unconventional rock musical Absolute Beginners. The film centers on Colin, an 18-year-old with a talent for photography and a fondness for the neon nightlife of British jazz clubs. He also is in love with Crepe Suzette, an impulsive, ambitious young beauty who abandons him after attracting the attention of a powerful fashion designer. Depressed and aimless, Colin turns for help to a flashy ad executive (David Bowie) who promises to make him a star photographer. The former lovers take parallel paths to success, capitalizing on the youth mania gripping the nation. The film's nostalgic yet gently satirical look at teen culture is tempered by a recognition of the era's social tension, particularly a disturbing rise in racism. Despite these serious undertones, however, the film tells its story with a colorful vibrancy reminiscent of both MTV and old Hollywood musicals, filled with such show-stopping numbers as a memorable sequence in which Bowie dances on a giant typewriter. Critical reception was mixed, with some hailing the film's spectacular cinematography and ambitious scope, while others found the mixture of tones and style too inconsistent. The film also drew lukewarm response at the box office, with the memorable soundtrack receiving more attention than the film itself. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Two men who had been partners 20 years earlier reunite and rekindle old animosities in this routine, low-budget drama by director David Drury, made for the "First Love" British TV series but also released theatrically. James (James Aubrey), a teacher, and Father Michael (Nicholas Gecks) meet again long after their upbeat musical partnership ended and are overjoyed at seeing each other -- though that is short-lived. Personality differences emerge rather quickly, especially after James starts a sexual liaison with the mother of a little boy who adores Father Michael. Flashbacks to the 1950s help to illustrate the background of the two men in conflict. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Based on John Le Carré's novel by the same name, this story about Charlie (Diane Keaton) a female double agent working between the Palestinians and Israelis, loses some of the excitement and in-depth characterization engendered by the long novel -- mainly because the novel is hard to capture in a two-hour filmed format. But the action itself carries viewers along as Charlie ends up leaving England and her job as an actress in a Brit repertory company to meet Kurtz (Klaus Kinski) in Greece who recruits her as a spy. Charlie later has to handle her own emotions when she gets romantically involved with her Israeli contact (Yorgo Voyagis), though events move her quickly along to a Palestinian military camp near Beirut. Once she has passed herself off as a reliable Palestinian agent and completed her military training at the camp, she goes to Germany to hunt down a Palestinian terrorist (Sami Frey). Filled with a multitude of characters and locations, not to mention camera shots, the intensity of this story is dissipated somewhat by literally and figuratively covering a lot of territory, though the thread of the story itself is never lost. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide