Derek Jacobi Movies
One of Britain's most distinguished stage performers, Derek Jacobi is one of two actors (the other being Laurence Olivier) to hold both Danish and English knighthoods. Primarily known for his work on the stage, he has also made a number of films and remains best-known to television audiences for his stunning portrayal of the titular Roman emperor in I, Claudius.Born in Leytonstone, East London, on October 22, 1938, Jacobi was raised with a love of film, and he began performing on the stage while attending an all-boys school. Thanks to the school's single sex population, his first roles with the drama club -- until his voice broke -- were all female. It was with one of his first male roles that Jacobi earned his first measure of acclaim: playing Hamlet in a school production staged at the 1957 Edinburgh Festival, he made enough of an impression that he was approached by an agent from Twentieth Century Fox. Ultimately deemed too young to be signed to the studio, Jacobi instead went to Cambridge University, where he studied history and continued acting. His stage work at Cambridge was prolific and allowed him to work with classmates Ian McKellen and Trevor Nunn, and, thanks to his performance as Edward II, landed him his first job after graduation. Jacobi acted with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre until his portrayal of Henry VIII attracted the attention of Laurence Olivier. Olivier was so impressed with Jacobi's work that he invited him to London to become one of the eight founding members of the prestigious National Theatre.
Jacobi went on to become one of his country's most steadily employed and respected actors, performing in numerous plays over the years on both sides of the Atlantic (in 1985, he won a Tony Award for his work in Much Ado About Nothing). He also branched out into film and television, making his film debut with a secondary role in Douglas Sirk's Interlude (1957). He acted in numerous film adaptations of classic plays, including Othello (1965) and The Three Sisters (1970). However, it was through his collaborations with Kenneth Branagh on various screen adaptations of Shakespeare that he became most visible to an international film audience, appearing as the Chorus in Branagh's acclaimed 1989 Henry V and as Claudius in the director's 1996 full-length adaptation of Hamlet. Jacobi made one of his most memorable (to say nothing of terrifying) screen impressions in Branagh's Hitchcock-inspired Dead Again (1991), portraying a hypnotist with a very shady background. In 1998, Jacobi earned more recognition with his portrayal of famed painter Francis Bacon in John Maybury's controversial Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon.
On television, in addition to his celebrated work in I, Claudius, Jacobi has also earned praise for his roles in a number of other productions. In 1989, he won an Emmy for his performance in the 1988 adaptation of Graham Greene's The Tenth Man. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- 2009
- PG13
Vantage Point director Pete Travis turns his attention from high-profile political assassinations to the high-risk talks that ushered in the end of apartheid while securing the release of Nelson Mandela in this historical drama starring William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofer, Mark Strong, and Johnny Lee Miller. The time is the late '80s, a crucial period in the history of South Africa. President P.W. Botha is hanging on to power by a thread as the African National Congress (ANC) takes up arms against apartheid and the country tumbles toward insurrection. A British mining concern called Consolidated Gold is convinced that their interests would be better served in a stable South Africa, and they quietly dispatch Michael Young, their head of public affairs, to open an unofficial dialogue between the bitter rivals. Assembling a reluctant yet brilliant team to pave the way to reconciliation by confronting obstacles that initially seem insurmountable, Young places his trust in ANC leader Thabo Mbeki and Afrikaner philosophy professor Willie Esterhuyse. It is their empathy that will ultimately serve as the catalyst for change by proving more powerful than the terrorist bombs that threaten to disrupt the peaceful dialogue. As the story shifts between Mandela's jail cell, Botha's chambers, ANC headquarters, and a rented car occupied by a British bureaucrat, the prospect for peace becomes more than just a distant hope. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, (more)
Author Yoram Kaniuk's celebrated 1971 novel concerning a charismatic yet questionably sane Holocaust survivor comes to the screen in this dark drama starring Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, and Derek Jacobi. In the years before World War II, Adam Stein (Goldblum) was a Berlin entertainer who thrilled audiences with extravagant circus acts and spectacular magic tricks. Later, when Hitler took power and Europe was plunged into chaos, Stein and his family were locked away in a concentration camp presided over by the sadistic Commandant Klein (Dafoe). The only reason Stein survived those dreadful years was because he managed to become the commandant's personal "dog," entertaining his captors even as his wife and daughter are marched off to die. Flash-forward to 1961, when Stein is a patient at an Israeli mental hospital for Holocaust survivors. Seemingly able to read minds, Stein confounds head doctor Nathan Gross (Jacobi) with the question "Who brought a dog in here?" Despite Gross' vehement denial that any such animal is on the premises, Stein soon tracks the scent to a young boy who has spent his entire youth locked in a basement and chained to a wall. Over time, Stein and the boy see in each other something undeniably familiar, and the two kindred spirits set out on a remarkable journey together. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, (more)
Though seldom acknowledged by contemporary scholars, Naples, Italy served - prior to the eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79 - as a societal Petri dish for the most unique and cutting-edge Italian artistic expression, thanks in no small part to its role as a vacation locale for Romans on holiday. The fact that heads of state including Julius Caesar and various senators flocked to the site inspired recognition-hungry artists to place their sculptures, frescoes and murals in that venue. Then, of course, Vesuvius hit, burying nearly everything under lava and ash. Fortunately, many of the artifacts were subsequently excavated and put on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. As narrated by one of the preeminent actors of the late 20th and early 21st centuries - Sir Derek Jacobi of I, Claudius and Love is the Devil fame - this historical documentary examines the said artifacts, one-by-one - thus bringing the audience as close to an actual tour of pre-Vesuvius Naples as they will ever get. The program is supplemented by such additions as various Giorgio Sommer photographs from the 19th century and interviews with archaeologists. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Johnny Was screenwriter and executive producer Brendan Foley makes his feature directorial debut with this psychological thriller that asks what a burned-out sports journalist, an eccentric vagrant, and a Charles Dickens novel could have to do with a series of unsolvable murders. Mike Sullivan (Vinne Jones) is s sports writer who longs to become a serious newsman. Strangely, and for reasons beyond Sullivan's comprehension, his superiors at the newspaper and a Police Inspector named Willis (P.H. Moriarty) seem to be blocking his efforts at every turn. And when Sullivan begins investigating a recent murder case, their efforts to steer him back to the sports pages only intensify. Later, seemingly by happenstance, Sullivan comes into possession of an original manuscript for Dickens' The Riddle. As Sullivan begins to draw parallels between the age-old story and a collection of corpses whose official causes of death are flimsy at best, the true intentions of his secretive superiors gradually begin coming into focus for the budding investigative journalist. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2007
A young girl and her doting grandfather flee from a vicious debt collector and a mysterious stranger in this made-for-BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale. Deep in the heart of London, Little Nell Trent (Sophie Vavasseur) lives with her grandfather (Sir Derek Jacobi) in his Old Curiosity Shop. There, dust-coated treasures cover the walls, and line the shelves. But Little Nell's grandfather is a compulsive gambler, and eventually his debts become so large that the malevolent Quilp (Toby Jones) seizes the shop. Desperate, Little Nell and her grandfather flee the city. But no matter how far they run, it seems like Quilp and the mysterious stranger are always hot on their heels. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sophie Vavasseur, Derek Jacobi, (more)
A young girl embarks on a perilous journey to rescue her best friend and fight the forces of darkness in director Chris Weitz's adaptation of the first installment of author Philip Pullman's best-selling fantasy trilogy. Screen newcomer Dakota Blue Richards stars as young heroine Lyra Belacqua, Casino Royale star Daniel Craig appears as Lyra's ruthless adventurer uncle, Lord Asriel, and Nicole Kidman assumes the glamorous guise of the villainous Mrs. Coulter. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicole Kidman, Dakota Blue Richards, (more)
Tribes of vampires and werewolves battle for supremacy among the undead in this follow-up to the horror hit Underworld. Tracing the bloody history of the ongoing war between the Death Dealers, a gang of upper-crust vampires, and the Lycans, a pack of scruffy werewolves, Underworld: Evolution finds beautiful Death Dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) and hunky Lycan Michael (Scott Speedman) exploring their own pasts as well as those of their comrades in hope of uncovering the secrets of this centuries-old conflict. As Selene and Michael deal with their bloody legacy as well as their forbidden romance, the violence between the Death Dealers and the Lycans escalates in what may be the final face-off between them. Directed by Len Wiseman, who also helmed the first film, Underworld: Evolution also stars Shane Brolly, Bill Nighy, Tony Curran, and Derek Jacobi. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, (more)
- 2006
- Add Mist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy to QueueAdd Mist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy to top of Queue
A farm pup that longs for the day she will become a genuine sheepdog attempts to prove herself to her demanding master while contending with some particularly troublesome rams in this family friendly tale from director Richard Overall. Mist was born one of three tiny pups on the serine grounds of Borough Farm. From the moment she was born Mist longed for the day she could help her master round up the sheep, but as her training gets underway it seems that this ambitious pup can't do anything right; every time Mist tries to impress her master, she is scolded and punished. Now, before Mist earns her prized spot amidst the sheepdogs at Borough Farm, she will first have to learn to contend with the curmudgeonly rams and understand why her auntie doesn't always seem to have her best interests at heart. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Derek Jacobi
Rupert Evans, Derek Jacobi, and Natalia Verbeke star in this drama concerning a former Guantanamo Bay detainee who struggles to separate reality from fantasy after awakening disoriented and sick on a deserted Cuban beach. In the aftermath of a violent storm, Ali awakens on the sands of a picturesque beach with no memory of where he came from or how he got there. After making his way to the nearest town, the weary traveler makes the acquaintance of Manuela, a sensual dancer from nearby Havana. Despite the veiled warnings from her friend and suitor Guido, Manuela can't help but fall in love with the mysterious stranger. The situation grows complicated, however, when Ali's memory begins to return in a series of disturbing visions that reveal not only where he came from, but how he knows the man named Guido as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rupert Evans, Derek Jacobi, (more)
- 2005
This release captures a live performance of the tragic modern opera Twin Spirits, by a chamber ensemble of actors and singers, bringing to life the story of composer Robert Schumann and his wife, pianist Clara Wieck. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sting, Trudie Styler, (more)
A nanny reveals ways of making children behave that are much more effective than a time-out in this fantasy comedy based on the "Nurse Matilda" books for children by Christianna Brand. Near the dawn of the twentieth century, Mr. Brown (Colin Firth) is a widower who must tend to his business as an undertaker while looking after his brood of seven children. Brown's offspring are a singularly ill-mannered lot who have managed to drive away 17 different nannies when their father arranges for one Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) to help out with the children. McPhee is an strange looking woman with a large nose, protruding teeth, and pock-marked skin, but it isn't long before the kids realize she has magical powers and isn't afraid to use them to help keep them in line. While the children aren't taken with McPhee's insistence on such things as saying "please" and listening to their elders, it becomes clear everyone has bigger things to worry about. Aunt Adelaide (Angela Lansbury) has insisted that if Mr. Brown cannot find a new wife within a month, she'll take custody of one of the children and cut off Brown's inheritance, and while Brown and the widow Mrs. Quickly (Celia Imrie) seem fond of one another, his ineptitude in courtship seems to insure he'll never get her to the altar. But while the Brown Children realize Nanny McPhee is a formidable opponent, she can also be a valuable ally as they learn to make use of her talents by being better children; they also discover that as they behave better, she begins to look less frightening. Emma Thompson, who played the title role in Nanny McPhee, also wrote the film's screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, (more)
A pair of dentists deal their own unique blow against the Third Reich in this low-key British comedy, which is actually based on a true story. In 1942, war rages all through Europe as Nazi Germany has taken France, attacked London, and defeated British forces at Dunkirk. In the midst of this chaos, Sgt. Peter King (Kenneth Cranham) and Pvt. Leslie Cuthbertson (Leo Bill) are serving in the village of Aldershot as part of the Royal Army Dental Corps, whose motto is "An Army Who Can't Bite, Can't Fight!" Eager to do more than fill cavities or pull wisdom teeth as the fate of Great Britain hangs in the balance, Sgt. King hatches a mad scheme to leave his post, make his way across the English Channel, and launch his own miniature invasion of France. Logically assuming that some assistance would be a good idea, he persuades Pvt. Cuthbertson to join him, and armed with ten grenades, a pair of pistols, and 20 bullets, they set out to take on the Vichy troops all by themselves. Derek Jacobi and Rosanna Lavelle highlight the supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kenneth Cranham, Leo Bill, (more)
Anders Ronnow Klarlund's fantasy-action film Strings tells the tale of Hal Tara, the son of a slain ruler who sets out to settle the score with those who dispatched his father. Interestingly, all of the characters in the film are marionettes, explaining the title of the film to some degree. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James McAvoy, Catherine McCormack, (more)
- 2003
Originally intended as a four-part miniseries, Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites made its U.S. debut as a two-part PBS special on May 14 and 21, 2003. Narrated by Keith David, with character voices provided by an impressive lineup of prominent actors, the program is dedicated to the thesis that the Israelites and the Jewish faith changed human history "as much as any empire that ever existed." Persecuted and slaughtered for practicing monotheism at a time when the prevailing belief was in multiple gods, the Kingdom of David kept itself united and solvent by passing along the history and traditions of its elders in written form (the "religion of the book"). Among the subjects explored are the formation of the laws of the Jews, the origins of their customs, and their strongly held and strictly enforced moral values. Individual episode titles include "By the Rivers of Babylon," "The Book and the Sword," "The End of Days," and "The Gifts of the Jews." As often as possible, Kingdom of David was filmed on the exact locations where the historical events described herein occurred. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keith David, Jeremy Irons, (more)
