Sylvestra Le Touzel Movies
Sally Hawkins and Eddie Marsan star in director Mike Leigh's seriocomedy concerning an eternally optimistic teacher living and working in North London. Thirty-year-old teacher Poppy (Hawkins) always has a smile on her face, and does her best to brighten the days of those around her by making small talk and cracking jokes. For the past ten years, Poppy has lived with her best friend, Zoe (Alexis Zegerman), a fellow teacher whose wry outlook on life serves as the perfect counterbalance to Poppy's effervescent charm. One day, Poppy decides that it's time to take driving lessons and enrolls in the Axle School of Motoring. Almost instantly, Poppy and her stressed-out instructor, Scott (Eddie Marsan), clash. Still, it seems that there's more to this relationship than surface appearances would suggest. After accompanying her colleague Heather (Sylvestra Le Touzel) to a dance class taught by a particularly passionate instructor (Karina Fernandaz), Poppy connects with kindly school social worker Tim (Samuel Roukin). Of course, Tim can't help but fall for a woman of such boundless compassion, but how will Poppy's increasingly jealous driving instructor react to the news of her most recent romance? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, (more)
One man's role in the long battle to outlaw slavery in the United Kingdom sets the stage for this historical drama from director Michael Apted. In 1784, 21-year-old William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) was elected to the British House of Commons, and soon established himself as a politician with a conscience. Several years later, his close friend William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch) became prime minister, and together they made a bold plan to introduce a bill banning slavery before the English legislature. Wilberforce was aided by anti-slavery activists Olaudah Equiano (Youssou N'Dour) and Thomas Clarkson (Rufus Sewell); however, pro-slavery hard-liners Lord Tarleton (Ciarán Hinds) and the Duke of Clarence (Toby Jones) spearheaded a hard-fought opposition to the legislation, and despite Wilberforce's best efforts, his bill went down in defeat. In 1797, Wilberforce left politics due to poor health and a battered spirit; staying at the country home of his friends Henry and Marianne Thornton (Nicholas Farrell and Sylvestra Le Touzel), he became acquainted with Barbara Spooner (Romola Garai), a beautiful woman with progressive views. Spooner became deeply infatuated with Wilberforce, and she encouraged him not to give up on his noble goals; with her help, Wilberforce launched a second campaign to persuade England's lawmakers to end the slave trade. Amazing Grace made its North American premiere as the closing-night gala attraction at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ioan Gruffudd, Romola Garai, (more)
- 2000
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The 13th feature-length episode of the British detective series Midsomer Murders, "Beyond the Grave" is set in motion by a mysterious act of vandalism at the Aspen Tallow museum. When a 17th century painting is slashed to pieces, the superstitious locals believe that the damage was the handiwork of one Jonathan Lowrie -- and never mind that he has been dead for centuries. Ultimately, a number of mysterious deaths occur, which some attribute to Lowrie but which DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) believes are being committed by someone who is still very much alive. As he pursues his investigation, Tom is also pressed into service as a "technical advisor" for his daughter's actor-boyfriend (Ed Waters), who has been cast as a cop in a popular TV soap opera. "Beyond the Grave" was first telecast in the U.K. on February 5, 2000, and in the U.S. on April 8 of that same year. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Nettles, Daniel Casey, (more)
- 1987
Sylvestra Le Touzel stars in Naming the Names. Le Touzel portrays Finn McQuillen, a political activist at large in contemporary Belfast. Her devotion to her nationalistic cause results in betrayal and tragedy. Though described tersely as a "crime drama" in most TV listings, the film is thought-provoking enough to transcend its genre. Made for British TV in 1987, Naming the Names premiered in America in March of 1988 through the facilities of the A&E cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Adapted from the novel by Jane Austen, the British miniseries Mansfield Park starred Sylvestra La Touzel as Fanny Price, a "poor relation" deposited at the doorstep of the titular country estate at age ten. Raised by her cynical uncle, Sir Thomas Bertram (Bernard Hepton), the ugly-duckling Fanny was ignored or rebuffed by everyone on the estate except for her cousin, Edmund (Nicholas Farrell). Eventually blossoming into a beautiful woman, Fanny found herself the romantic bone of contention between Edmund and neighboring aristocrat Henry Crawford (Robert Burbage). Though fond of both men, Fanny was not about to make an impulsive choice between them; both Edward and Henry would have to prove their mettle to her before either man could claim her hand in marriage. Telecast in six hour-long installments by the BBC in 1986, Mansfield Park was remade 13 years later as a theatrical feature film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvestra Le Touzel, Bernard Hepton, (more)
- 1968
In the conclusion of the five-part story "The Mind Robber," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and Zoe (Wendy Padbury) wend their way through a Lewis Carroll-like maze, somewhere in the Land of Fiction. Emerging from the confusion, the two time travellers come face to face with the Master (Emrys Jones), who explains he is the creator of a world comprised entirely of characters and locales taken from Earth Literature. The Master then demands that the Doctor take his place -- with dire consequences for Zoe and Jamie (Frazer Hines) if his demands are not met. Written by Derrick Sherwin and Peter Ling, "The Mind Robber, Episode 5" originally aired on October 12, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines, (more)
- 1968
In the second episode of the five-part story "The Mind Robber," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) is drawn out of the TARDIS by the same irresistable force that has sucked Zoe (Wendy Padbury) and Jamie (Frazer Hines) into a white void. Though he is successful in rescuing his companions from the fearsome White Robots, the Doctor can only look on in helpless horror as the TARDIS is destroyed. Somehow or other, the three time travellers land on a planet that vaguely resembles Earth -- an Earth that exists only in the imaginations of the world's most famous authors. Written by Derrick Sherwin and Peter Ling, "The Mind Robber, Episode 2" originally aired on September 21, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines, (more)
