Alice Krige Movies
A psychology student in her native South Africa, slim, fragile-looking leading lady Alice Krige decided upon an acting career upon moving to London. Krige studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama (at 22, she was nearly the oldest student there), then established her reputation on stage. Her first film appearance was as Sybil, the casual lady friend of Olympic athlete Ben Cross, in the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire (1981). Next she co-starred in Ghost Story as the "avenging angel" who brings well-deserved grief to elderly Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and John Houseman. Her later film roles included Bathsheba in King David (1985) and Mary Godwin (aka Mary Shelley) in Haunted Summer (1988). Alice Krige has also been in more than her share of British and American made-for-TV movies, among them Baja, California (1984), Iran: Days of Crisis (1986) and Max and Helen (1990). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1985
Up-and-coming actress Nita Cochran (Alice Krige), who happens to be the niece of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), lands a plum role on a popular TV soap opera. Nita has been cast as a serial murderer--a fact that proves most unfortunate when an actual murder occurs at the TV studio. The victim was Nita's boss, who may or may not have been planning to abruptly write her off the show. . .but it soon develops that Nita was only one of several people with a strong motive. This episode represents the final TV appearance of Lloyd Nolan, whose well-known difficulty in memorizing lines is cleverly woven into the final scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Raoul Wallenberg: A Hero's Story is a perfection-plus TV biopic, scripted by Gerald Green (Holocaust) and directed by Lamont Johnson (who won an Emmy for his efforts). Richard Chamberlain plays Raoul Wallenberg, scion of a well-to-do family of Swedish bankers. Although he is a Christian "Aryan," Wallenberg despises the anti-semitism of the Hitler regime. Not content with merely sitting back and viewing with alarm, Wallenberg vows to help as many Jewish victims of the Nazis as possible. Employed as a diplomat at the Swedish embassy in Budapest during World War II, Wallenberg is responsible for the escape of over 100,000 Hungarian Jews, thereby earning the enmity Nazi functionary Adolph Eichmann (played with the fury of a rabid animal by Kenneth Colley). Alas, Wallenberg himself falls victim to a "purge" of another variety at the end of the war, when he is arrested by the Russians and subsequently vanishes from the face of the Earth. Expensively lensed in England and Europe, Wallenberg: A Hero's Story was originally telecast in two parts on April 8 and 9, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Director Bruce Beresford has safely stayed within the domain of the Bible and not strayed into patches of Hollywood fiction in this routine version of the story of David (Richard Gere). For that reason, anyone unfamiliar with Biblical history might be puzzled by the episodic presentation of David's life. In the opening scenes, Samuel condemns Saul and anoints the young David as his heir, and in fairly quick succession David slays Goliath, incurs Saul's jealous wrath, leaves, and, much later, comes back to rule after Saul has died. Once David is on the throne, Bathsheba and then Absalom enter into the picture. Interspersed are brutal scenes of fighting, but not much in the way of motivation for David's complex behavior. Gaps in the narration or unclear motivation may be the result of trying to cover too many events in a 114-minute running time. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Gere, Alice Krige, (more)
- 1983
The seven-hour TV miniseries Ellis Island was adapted from a novel by Fred Mustard Stewart. Per its title, the film is a mosaic of subplots involving several European immigrants who passed through New York's Ellis Island before taking up residence in the Big Apple. Most of the characters are based on real people, notably the Irving Berlin-like musician played by Peter Riegert. Co-stars Faye Dunaway, Richard Burton (in his last film role) and Ann Jillian were honored with Emmy nominations. Ironically, this essentially American saga was largely filmed in London. Originally telecast November 11, 13, and 14, 1984, Ellis Island was re-edited and re-telecast in the summer of 1986, just in time for the Statue of Liberty Centennial. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This 1981 John Irvin picture constitutes an adaptation of Peter Straub's colossal, bestselling novel. The central plot -- shared by both book and film -- revolves around the four elderly members of the Chowder Society (Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and John Houseman), who gather in each other's drawing rooms each winter to sip cognac and spin elaborate ghost stories. The four men also share a dark secret far more unsettling than fiction -- a secret which has literally come back to haunt them, as well as their own adult offspring. Each man is visited by a hideous specter bearing the likeness of a young woman (Alice Krige) they accidentally killed 50 years ago when spurning her mischievous sexual advances. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, (more)
Based on a true story, Chariots of Fire is the internationally acclaimed Oscar-winning drama of two very different men who compete as runners in the 1924 Paris Olympics. Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), a serious Christian Scotsman, believes that he has to succeed as a testament to his undying religious faith. Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), is a Jewish Englishman who wants desperately to be accepted and prove to the world that Jews are not inferior. The film crosscuts between each man's life as he trains for the competition, fueled by these very different desires. As compelling as the racing scenes are, it's really the depth of the two main characters that touches the viewer, as they forcefully drive home the theme that victory attained through devotion, commitment, integrity, and sacrifice is the most admirable feat that one can achieve. (Ian Holm was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor in his role as Abrahams' coach), and this powerful film ended up with four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, (more)
Chris Sarandon does the "far, far, better thing" when he tackles the dual role of Syndey Carton and Charles Darnay in this Anglo-American TV adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. The ubiquitous producer/screenwriter combination of Norman Rosemont and John Gay was responsible for this lavish, faithful cinemazation of Dickens' multiplotted account of the French Revolution. Featured in the huge cast are Peter Cushing as Dr. Manette, Alice Krige as Lucie Manette, Billie Whitelaw as the vengeful, eternally knitting Madame DeFarge and Barry Morse as the odious aristocrat St. Evremonde. Poignantly, the film also offers the late Kenneth More, making one of his last appearances as Jarvis Lorry, and the magnificent Flora Robson, taking her final bow in the role of Miss Pross. An Emmy nomination went to Olga Lehmann's costume design. A Tale of Two Cities debuted December 2, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Cushing, Chris Sarandon, (more)
