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
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
- 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)
- 2006
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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 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)
- 2002
- Add Angelina Ballerina: The Show Must Go On - Christmas in Mouse Land to QueueAdd Angelina Ballerina: The Show Must Go On - Christmas in Mouse Land to top of Queue
Based on the stories by Katharine Holabird and Helen Craig,Angelina Ballerina: The Show Must Go On features the titular mouse losing out on the chance to play the lead in a school production. She selfishly quits the play when given a secondary part, but after an accident she learns her lesson and selflessly commits herself to making sure the play goes on. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
First telecast in the U.K. on February 17, 2002, the five-part British miniseries The Jury probes the workings of justice from the viewpoint of the 12 men and women chosen to determine the fate of a Sikh teenager, accused of murdering a white classmate with a ceremonial sword. This racially volatile situation is first placed in the hands of renowned attorney George Cording (Derek Jacobi), who is defending young Duvinder Singh (Sonnell Dadral), and relentless crown prosecutor Gerald Lewis (Antony Sher), better known as "The Bastard of the Bailey." But as mentioned, the focus is on the jurors, as diverse a group as one is ever likely to meet. Among the selected dozen are Rose (Helen McCrory), an unhappily married beautician; Johnnie (Gerard Butler), a recovering alcoholic; Marcia (Nina Sosanya), a single mother who tends to allow herself to be intimidated into making snap judgments; Peter (Michael Maloney), a brusque self-made businessman; Charles (Stuart Bunce), a Catholic seminarian uncertain of his calling; Elsie (Sylvia Syms), a lonely old widow; and Jeremy (Nicholas Farrell), a chronic gambler. How will the jurors' personalities affect the outcome of the case -- or, for that matter, the dissemination of facts? For its United States premiere on April 6, 2003, The Jury was beamed out by PBS as part of the Masterpiece Theatre anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Derek Jacobi, Antony Sher, (more)
Revenge, obsession, and the morally ambiguous aristocracy are targets of this adaptation by director Alex Cox of the 17th century dark comic play Revengers Tragedy, written by Shakespeare contemporary Thomas Middleton. The vindictive and mentally unstable Vindici (Christopher Eccleston) has returned to the grimy streets of a post-apocalyptic Liverpool in order to attempt to bring ruin to the ruling family led by the Duke (Derek Jacobi). The Duke was personally responsible for the death of Vindici's fiancée ten years previously when the woman would not yield to the Duke's sexual advances. An opportunity arises for Vindici's vengeance when the Duke's youngest son is accused of raping the wife (Sophie Dahl) of Lord Antonio (Anthony Booth) -- one of the Duke's courtiers. When the Duke's son is acquitted of the rape charges, Lord Antonio's wife dies a mysterious death, which leads to even more havoc in the court of the Duke. Seizing the opportunity, Vindici acts swiftly and violently but the morality of his cause is just as questionable as the aristocracy he is ousting. Revengers Tragedy was a competing film at the 2002 Locarno Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Eccleston, Eddie Izzard, (more)
A powerful ancient relic holds the key to ultimate destruction in director Stuart Urban's religious-flavored thriller Revelation. Since the crucifixion of Christ, the Loculus has eluded the grasp of the demonic Grand Master (Udo Kier), who seeks to find the artifact and learn its mysterious secrets in order to unlock its power to devastating results. As the Grand Master continues his quest for the Loculus, a billionaire mogul named Magnus Martel (Terence Stamp) enlists the reluctant aid of his computer expert son, Jake (James D'Arcy), and an alchemy student named Mira (Natasha Wightman) in finding the Loculus before the Grand Master completes his quest. Traveling the world in a race to save the soul of humankind, the trio attempts to unlock the centuries-old secrets of the Loculus, which may ultimately reveal the connection between science and religion as well as the salvation of the human race. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Terence Stamp, James D'Arcy, (more)
- 2002
- Add Nijinsky: From the Diaries of Vaslav Nijinsky to QueueAdd Nijinsky: From the Diaries of Vaslav Nijinsky to top of Queue
For a brief span of several years, Vaslav Nijinsky was perhaps the brightest star in the history of classical dance. Making his professional debut in 1907, the Russian-born dancer first became the sensation of the Saint Petersburg Imperial Ballet, and then spread his fame worldwide when he became a dancer and choreographer with the Ballets Russes in Paris, working alongside the noted dance patron Sergei Diaghilev. Nijinsky's fame came not just from his technical skills as a dancer, but his bold and unrelenting desire to expand the boundaries of what could be expressed through the medium of ballet. However, while he blazed many trails, he was also a man driven by a mixture of anger, paranoia, and visions of his own greatness. His beliefs struck many as perilously close to madness, and in 1919, a few months after his final performance, Nijinsky was committed to a mental institution, where he would remain until his death in 1950. He kept a diary in which he wrote about his life and accomplishments as well as his philosophies, his personal demons, and his feelings about his own creative nature. Bowdlerized excerpts were first published in 1936, while the unexpurgated text finally saw the light of day in 1995. Filmmaker Paul Cox has long been fascinated by Nijinsky's writings, and his feature Nijinsky: From the Diaries of Vaslaw Nijinsky is a labor of love, in which Derek Jacobi reads from the dancer's journals, while a variety of images -- some abstract, some re-creations of Nijinsky's dances, still others dramatizations of episodes from his life -- appear onscreen to compliment or contrast the words he wrote to explain and express himself. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
