Julia McCarthy Movies
- 1992
- PG13
In this film, young, headstrong Margaret Harwood (Penelope Ann Miller) is entrusted with a business assignment by her wine merchant father. While taking an inventory of the contents of the wine cellar of a Scottish estate, Margaret discovers an almost-priceless bottle of wine from the "year of the comet." When Margaret alerts her father to the find, he sends his crude assistant, Oliver Plexico (Timothy Daly) to fetch it. Although Oliver and Margaret initially have no great love for one another, they discover that they are forced to work together to keep the wine out of harm's way. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penelope Ann Miller, Tim Daly, (more)
- 1989
Produced for Scottish television, Venus Peter was financed by the Orkney Islands Council. The title character is transformed into a "sea child" when he is baptized with salt water. Though his family tries hard to accustom him to life on land, Peter (Gordon R. Strachan) yearns to go to sea -- or, at the very least, to escape his cloistered community. He finds a kindred spirit in Princess Paloma (Juliet Cadzow), the village "looney," who, alas, is eventually carted away to an institution. Briefly fascinated by poetry and music, thanks to his lovely teacher Miss Balsibie (Sinead Cusack), Peter is disillusioned when he finds his teacher in the arms of her lover (and out of her clothing). The final blow to Peter's idealism comes when his grandfather's ship is repossessed. Despite the bleakness of his surroundings and his seemingly dead-end existence, however, Peter never completely lets go of his dreams, and the film ends on a positive note. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gordon R. Strachan, Ray McAnally, (more)
An unusually principled young Viking becomes increasing uncomfortable with all the killing and plundering that goes with the job, and sets out on a magical journey in order to bring about world peace. Former Monty Python member Terry Jones attempts to have his story of Erik's seemingly hopeless quest operate as both witty, lunatic satire and sincere children's fantasy. However, despite a good cast and some interesting design elements, the film fails to completely succeed at either of its goals. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Robbins, Gary Cady, (more)
- 1989
- R
Produced for London Weekend Television, Wilt is based on the novel of the same name by Tom Sharpe. Griff Rhys Jones and Mel Smith, stars of the internationally popular TV series Not Necessarily the News, head the cast as Henry Wilt and Inspector Flint. Though master of his own destiny on the lecture circuit, Wilt is a natural-born doormat in his day-to-day life. He also has a bad habit of inadvertently gumming up the various investigations conducted by Inspector Flint. Things come to a head when the hapless Wilt is implicated in a murder, allowing the zealous Flint to persecute -- er, prosecute -- the poor man to the full limit of the law. With its parade of eccentric character and Gilbert & Sullivan-style plot complications, Wilt can't help but raise chuckles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Griff Rhys Jones, Mel Smith, (more)
British sleaze artist Pete Walker applies his characteristic sleazy, ultra-violent touch to this audacious, Catholic-bashing tale. A deranged, sex-mad priest (Anthony Sharpe) exploits the sanctity of his office as a means of harassing young women who confide their sins in his confessional, recording their confessions in order to blackmail them into doing his vile bidding. Eventually, evidence of these transgressions reaches other members of his parish (including his mother), prompting him to bump them off in creative ways, utilizing the trappings of his profession -- strangulation by rosary, arsenic-laced communion wafers, bludgeoning by incense burner, etc. Much criticism has been leveled against this film for its unabashed attacks on Catholicism, but it's really Walker's trademark amoral approach to filmmaking that elicits a strong urge to take a hot bath after viewing. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Bill Bixby sheds his "lovable sitcom hero" persona in the role of smooth-talking psychopath Tom Dayton. Seven years after killing the fiancee of Sgt. Ed Brown (Don Galloway), Dayton is delcared to be "safe" by the authorities and is given his freedom. But Ed is convinced that Dayton's pathological hatred for female authority figures will soon resurface and tragedy will result unless the man is put out of commission permanently. This final episode of Ironside's third season features a flashback sequence in which Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) is able to move around without his wheelchair--presumably to squash the then-prevalent rumor that star Burr was genuinely paralyzed from the waist down! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
