Peter Jeffrey Movies
British actor Peter Jeffrey was a veteran of nearly two decades on stage when he started appearing in films in the early 1960s. Jeffrey was billed last as one of King Henry's murderous barons in 1964's Becket. He had moved to the middle of the cast list by 1972, when he appeared as Inspector Trout in The Abominable Dr. Phibes, a role he repeated in 1973's Dr. Phibes Rises Again. Though seldom cited by the critics for his efforts, Peter Jeffrey is a stalwart member of the "authority figure" ranks in British films. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi- 1998
John Schlesinger directed this razor-sharp retelling of the familiar Demon Barber legend, previously a Victorian penny-dreadful by Christopher Bond (The Story of Pearls), a stage play by George Dibdin-Pitt, a Tod Slaughter film (the 1936 Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street), and the 1979 Stephen Sondheim stage musical (Sweeney Todd). Sondheim's musical has been televised in a production with George Hearn and Angela Lansbury heading the cast. This John Schlesinger drama, scripted by executive producer Peter Shaw, is set in turn-of-the-century London where bald barber Sweeney Todd (Ben Kingsley) runs a cutting-edge business with an affluent clientele. He also has several sidelines, including the sale of his murder victims' jewelry, plus a profitable agreement with Mrs. Lovett (Joanna Lumley), who uses an industrial-size meat grinder to prepare her tasty "meat pies" for her unsuspecting customers. American insurance investigator Ben Carlyle (Campbell Scott), tracking $50,000 worth of missing diamonds, encounters corruption throughout the city as he attempts to solve the case. Victorian London locales seen here were actually filmed in Dublin. Shown April 19, 1998 on Showtime. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Kingsley, Joanna Lumley, (more)
- 1996
- R
Rasputin is a dramatization of the life story of one of the most intriguing figures in all history. A crude peasant from Siberia, Rasputin (Alan Rickman) was a self-styled charismatic holy man who traveled widely, openly engaging in drunkenness, sexual indulgences, and general debauchery. In the early part of the 20th century Rasputin made his way to the troubled Russian capital of St. Petersburg, a hotbed of political discontent due to widespread poverty under a repressive government. There Rasputin met Czarina Alexandra (Greta Scacchi), and the film focuses on how he exercised power over her and her loving husband, Czar Nicholas II (Ian McKellen), by virtue of his mystical ability to stop the bleeding of their hemophiliac son. But in a nation beset by internal and external problems, Rasputin's uncouth presence at the opulent imperial court, coupled with his scandalous antics around the capital, came to symbolize the weak leadership of the czar. The movie goes on to show the tragic consequences that resulted from this volatile situation. Originally made for cable television, the film features Emmy-winning performances by Rickman and Scacchi. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Alan Rickman, Greta Scacchi, (more)
Wilkie Collins helped pioneer a new literary genre when he published The Moonstone in 1868, widely believed to be the first detective novel, and this adaptation for British television brings his classic story back to life. In 1848, a few days before her birthday, Rachel Verinder (Keeley Hawes) receives a rather surprising gift -- the Moonstone, a rare and valuable diamond stolen from a Hindu shrine and believed to be cursed. The Moonstone was left to Rachel by her uncle, John Herncastle (Terrence Hardiman), whom she last saw two years ago, just before she informed him she never cared to talk to him again. Herncastle's aide, Franklin Blake (Greg Wise), is the man who arrives bearing the diamond, but the next morning, the jewel is gone -- as is Blake. Did Blake steal the Moonstone, or someone else looking for a fast fortune at the expense of a possible onslaught of evil forces? And is Herncastle really gone? The Moonstone was first aired in the United States as part of the award-winning anthology series Masterpiece Theatre. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 1996
The Prince and the Pauper, Mark Twain's novel about adventure and intrigue in the court of Henry VIII, has been adapted countless times for films and television. In 1996, a six-part miniseries version was seen in the United Kingdom. As ever, the story was predicated upon the astonishing resemblance between Prince Edward, heir to the British throne, and Tom Canty, the low-born son of a scoundrelly thief (both parts were played on this occasion by Philip Sarson). Of the many subplots, the one taking up most of the screen time dealt with the combined efforts of Edward and Tom to restore the property and reputation of discredited nobleman Miles Herndon (James Purefoy). The story ended with the hapless Tom, posing as the Prince, very nearly being crowned king in Edward's absence. The Prince and the Pauper was adapted for television by Julian Fellowes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Philip Sarson, James Purefoy, (more)
- 1993
Set in 1956 during the Suez crisis, this Dennis Potter-scripted musical comedy is about two young British servicemen, Francis Francis (Giles Thomas) and Mick Hopper (Ewan McGregor), stationed as Russian translators at the War Office. Francis, who stays with his aunt and uncle, develops a crush on his beautiful neighbor, Sylvia (Louise Germaine), who happens to be married to Francis' bullying superior, Corporal Berry (Douglas Henshall). Mick, who loves rock & roll and dreams of becoming a professional drummer, falls for Lisa (Kymberley Huffman), the niece of Lt. Colonel Trekker (Shane Rimmer), the American liaison at the office. The movie employs Potter's usual device of the characters lip-synching to the popular songs of the period. ~ Yuri German, Rovi
- Starring:
- Giles Thomas, Louise Germaine, (more)
In this entry in the continuing exploits of Sherlock Holmes, the great detective must track down his nemesis Professor Moriarty after the villain kidnaps Holme's brother Mycroft. The evil doctor is forcing his captive to decode highly classified military documents. The film is also called Hands of a Murderer. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Edward Woodward, John Hillerman, (more)
- 1989
- PG
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Director Terry Gilliam adroitly applies his Monty Python sensibilities upon the "career" of famed German prevaricator Baron von Munchausen. Played herein by John Neville, the baron is seen quelling a war that he himself started, flying into the stratosphere on the back of a cannonball, ballooning to the moon, exploring the innards of a volcano, being swallowed by a whale....In short, all of Munchausen's fabulous lies are here presented as "truth," played out in full view of nonplussed witnesses Eric Idle, Charles McKeown, Jack Purvis, and Sarah Polley. Fringe benefits include several loving medium shots of jaybird-naked Uma Thurman as Boticelli's Venus and an extended unbilled cameo by Robin Williams -- that is, by the head of Robin Williams -- as the King of the Moon. Filmed under considerable duress on a budget eventually exceeding 45 million dollars, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen never quite caught on with moviegoers, though it has enjoyed a lucrative afterlife on videocassette. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Neville, Sarah Polley, (more)
- 1985
In this sequel to the original miniseries, Lili (Phoebe Cates), having discovered the true identity of her mother, now begins looking for her father. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brooke Adams, Deborah Raffin, (more)
This dark comedy charts the chaos that results when the panicked staff of a major English hospital attempts to prepare for a visit by the Queen Mother, only to face every problem imaginable. Britannia Hospital clearly attempts to recapture the anarchic bite of director Lindsay Anderson's previous satires If... and O Lucky Man, but fails to achieve the same combination of intelligent political critique, comic lunacy, and skillful filmmaking. (Indeed, the three films are often considered a loosely linked trilogy, largely due to the presence in all three of lead Malcolm McDowell). The film does make a valiant effort, but its commentary on the poor, labor disputes, and the inhumanity of bureaucratic institutions mixes uneasily with the film's broader elements, like the experiments of a cartoonish mad scientist. The result is often quite entertaining on a scene-by-scene basis, but the film never reaches the level of delirious, farcical energy or satirical sharpness to which it clearly aspires. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leonard Rossiter, Graham Crowden, (more)
- 1978
In the second episode of the four-part story "The Androids of Tara," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Mary Tamm) arrive on the medieval planet Tara, in search of the fourth segment of the Key to Time. No sooner has Romana located the segment than she is seized by the minions of the wicked Count Grendel of Gracht (Peter Jeffrey). The reason? Romana happens to be a dead ringer for Princess Strella (also played by Mary Tamm), the reluctant bride-to-be of Prince Reynart (Neville Jason). Written by David Fisher, "The Androids of Tara, Episode 2" first aired on December 2, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1978
Beginning its four-episode run on November 25, 1978, "The Androids of Tara" was a follow-up to the previous Doctor Who adventure "The Stones of Blood." In search of the fourth segment of the Key to Time (which, when reassembled, will restore the balance between Good and Evil), the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Mary Tamm) arrive on the arborial planet Tara, which still exists in the Middle Ages. In retrieving the fourth key, Romana has an easy time of it -- deceptively easy, as it turns out. "The Androids of Tara, Episode 1" was written by David Fisher. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1978
In the conclusion of the four-part story "The Androids of Tara," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Mary Tamm) are still mired in a medieval power struggle on the arborial planet Tara. Hoping to arrange a wedding between Prince Reynart (Neville Jason) and Princess Strella, then kill Reynart and wed the Princess himself in order to ascend to the royal throne, Count Grendel of Gracht (Peter Jeffrey) has forced Romana to pose as Strella, her exact double (both roles are played by Mary Tamm). As intrigue piles upon intrigue, the Doctor wonders if he will ever be able to retrieve the fourth segment of the Key to Time, thereby restoring the balance between Good and Evil throughout the universe. Written by David Fisher, "The Androids of Tara, Episode 2" first aired on December 16, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1978
In the third episode of the four-part story "The Androids of Tara," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Mary Tamm) have arrived on the planet Tara, where rests the fourth segment of the all-important Key to Time. Their mission is stymied by a power struggle between the evil Count Grendel of Gracht (Peter Jeffrey) and the soon-to-be-crowned Prince Reynart (Neville Jason). Series regular Mary Tamm not only essays the dual role of Romana and her Taran lookalike Princess Strella, but also both characters' android duplicates. Written by David Fisher, "The Androids of Tara, Episode 3" first aired on December 9, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Midnight Express is a harrowing tale of a naïve American caught in a nightmare of his own making thousands of miles from his home. Billy Hayes (Brad Davis) is an American tourist visiting Turkey with his girlfriend Susan (Irene Miracle) when he's caught by customs officials trying to smuggle a large amount of hashish out of the country. The crime would normally carry a sentence of four years, but officials decide to make an example of Billy, and he draws a 30-year sentence despite the promises of his Turkish legal counsel. While Susan and Billy's father (Mike Kellin) pledge to do everything they can to speed Billy's release, in fact there's little than can be done. Billy quickly finds himself in a hellish prison that's a nightmare of filth, violence, rape, inedible food, and unspeakable health conditions. However, Billy gains a few confidantes behind bars: Jimmy (Randy Quaid), an American in a constant state of emotional overdrive; Max (John Hurt), an intelligent, drug-addicted Englishman; and Erich (Norbert Weisser), a gay Scandinavian who is attracted to Billy but accepts his gentle refusals of sex. Before long, Billy is convinced that he can take no more, and he makes plans to take the "midnight express" -- jailhouse slang for escape. While his friends are willing to help, they also make clear that almost no one who has tried to escape has lived to tell the tale. Based on a true story, Midnight Express was a box-office hit which won wide acclaim for the performances of Brad Davis and John Hurt; and the screenplay, by Oliver Stone, won an Academy Award. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brad Davis, Randy Quaid, (more)
- 1976
Steed (Patrick MacNee), Purdy (Joanna Lumley) and Gambit (Gareth Hunt) foil the latest mission of Soviet agent Perov (Peter Jeffrey). In retaliation, and in defiance of his superiors, Perov reactivates several "sleeper" agents who have been squirreled away throughout the U.K. for the past 20 years. At first, it would seem that Perov's sole motivation is to kill the Avengers--but there's far more to his sinister scheme. This is the episode in which Gambit poses as a pop star and Purdey impersonates a squealing teenage fan. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Patrick Macnee, Gareth Hunt, (more)
- 1975
- G
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After several years at loggerheads with one another, director Blake Edwards and star Peter Sellers reteamed for the slapstick fiesta The Return of the Pink Panther. It looks as though wizard cat-burglar Sir Charles Litton, played by David Niven in the original 1964 Pink Panther but here essayed by Christopher Plummer, is back in business. Dispatched to the Swiss resort town of Gstaad by his long-suffering superior Inspector Dreyfuss (Herbert Lom), Clouseau adopts a series of easily penetrable (and hilarious) disguises to get the goods on Sir Charles and his wife Claudine (Catherine Schell). If you remember A Shot in the Dark, you'll recall that Clouseau's ineptitude turned Inspector Dreyfuss into a twitching homicidal maniac. The same thing happens here, paving the way for the sequel, The Pink Panther Strikes Again. And, as with all the "Panther" movies, we are treated to the insinuating theme music by Henry Mancini, and the animated opening and closing titles. Return of the Pink Panther earned $17 million on its initial release. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Sellers, Christopher Plummer, (more)
- 1974
- R
Everything appears to be fine when a pair of strangers (Hayley Mills, Simon Ward) meet up and agree to travel together. However, the news that a mental patient has escaped from a nearby institution begins to cause problems between them. ~ John Bush, Rovi
The Odessa File is set in Hamburg in the winter of 1963. Jon Voight plays Peter Miller, a German reporter who is investigating the whereabouts of missing Nazi war criminals. After reading the diary of a Holocaust survivor who has recently committed suicide, Miller goes on the trail of in-hiding SS officer Eduard Roschmann (Maximilian Schell). The reporter finds his investigation blocked by members of a secretive group called Odessa. With the help of Israeli activists, Miller persists in his search. Schell's sister Maria also appears in The Odessa File as Miller's mother, the widow of a German soldier. Based on a nailbiting novel by Frederick Forsyth, The Odessa File is highlighted by the exquisitely Teutonic score of Andrew Lloyd Webber. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jon Voight, Maximilian Schell, (more)
One man's dreams of success take him on a Byzantine journey through the various stations of the British class system in this politically charged black comedy from director Lindsay Anderson. Mick Travis (Malcolm McDowell) is an ambitious young man who is looking to get his foot on the first rung of the ladder of success by landing a job as a salesman. After the death of Imperial Coffee's leading drummer in the North, Travis' charm and enthusiasm so impresses manager Mr. Duff (Arthur Lowe) that he's given the job, and after some coaching from Gloria Rowe (Rachel Roberts), Travis sets out to find his fortune in the coffee trade. Travis' desire for success quickly sets him on a curious odyssey in which he happens upon a secret sex club for businessmen, finds himself the subject of random seductions by lonely women, is captured and tortured by military intelligence agents, submits to medical experiments at a bizarre private clinic, hitches a ride with a traveling rock band led by former Animals keyboardist Alan Price, falls in love with a beautiful young bohemian named Patricia (Helen Mirren), goes to work for her father (Ralph Richardson), who happens to be a singularly corrupt political figure, and eventually lands in prison after he's implicated in a deal to sell chemical weapons to the Third World. As Mick's strange tale progresses, we periodically visit Price and his band in the recording studio or rehearsal hall, as they work on songs which serve as both mirror and counterpoint for Travis' progress. O Lucky Man! was the second film in which Malcolm McDowell would portray Mick Travis for director Lindsay Anderson, following If..., and preceding Britannia Hospital; the film's surreal undercurrent was reinforced by the casting, in which nearly all of the principal actors play two or three roles. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Malcolm McDowell, Ralph Richardson, (more)
- 1972
- PG
In this thriller, two lovers begin plotting the murder of the girl's wealthy grandmother so they can collect her inheritance. They decide they will frighten her to death by telling her that the world's young people have decided that all old people should be killed because they are too troublesome to care for. When a youthful protest group marches past her home, the poor grandmother falls dead from fright. Unfortunately for the greedy granddaughter, she made a little change in her will before she died. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1972
- PG
Polish actress Ingrid Pitt became a cult figure for her portrayal of the notorious Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory in this Hammer horror film. Bathory finds that bathing in the blood of virgins restores her youthful beauty, and she enlists her servant (Nigel Green in a standout performance) to kidnap her own daughter, Ilona (Lesley-Anne Down). Bathory assumes Ilona's identity to seduce a young man (Sandor Eles), but without a supply of blood, she turns old in a hurry. The real Bathory had no such problems, reportedly slaughtering over 600 young girls before being sealed alive in her room. Pitt and Green are excellent, although director Peter Sasdy -- who helped adapt this story from Valentine Penrose's book The Bloody Countess -- moves the story along at a rather leisurely pace. Still, the performances and typically sumptuous "Hammer look" should make this film appealing to fans of historical horror. Maurice Denham, Patience Collier, and Nike Arrighi co-star. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ingrid Pitt, Nigel Green, (more)
This sequel to the stylish 1971 melodrama The Abominable Dr. Phibes once more stars Vincent Price in the title role. Long believed dead, Phibes arises from a state of suspended animation, in search of the means to bring his deceased wife back to the land of the living. Phibes also wears a rubber mask to disguise his own horribly disfigured countenance. (The giveaway: he never moves his mouth when speaking, and eats by applying his fork to his neck!) With the aid of the enigmatic, never-speaking Vulnavia (Valli Kemp), Phibes follows an Egyptian expedition, seeking out an ancient elixir of life and killing everyone who gets in his way. In the original film, all of the doctor's grisly but ingenious murders were motivated, and all were linked by a Seven Deadly Plagues throughline. In the sequel, Phibes kills whenever he feels like it, and utilizes an impressive array of death-dealing contraptions (one victim literally has his skin blown off his body by a high-powered electric fan). This marks one of the only films ever made to wrap with Vincent Price singing "Somewhere, Over the Rainbow." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vincent Price, Robert Quarry, (more)
Long thought dead, the victim of a horrible accident, Dr. Anton Phibes (Vincent Price) still lives, surrounded by art-deco bric-a-brac and attended by mute beauty Vulnavia (Virginia North). Outwardly normal in appearance, Phibes actually wears a rubber mask, covering his hideously deformed countenance; giving away the artifice is the fact that, when he dines, he takes his food through his neck rather than his mouth. Able to speak only when plugging a wire into his damaged vocal chords, Phibes elucidates his plan to murder the medical team whom he holds responsible for the death of his wife. Each of the killings is patterned after the ten deadly plagues. Phibes saves his worst for last: trapping chief surgeon Dr. Vesalius in his lair, Phibes forces the hapless medico into a race against time to save the life of his own son. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vincent Price, Joseph Cotten, (more)
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