Tim McInnerny Movies

In "The Red-Headed League," an episode of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (an excellent adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle produced in the Britain for Granada), Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) reprises his excellent portrayal of the famed detective aided by his companion Dr. Watson (David Burke). In this episode, Holmes investigates the suspicious actions of a club where all the members have red hair. This well-done episode, which is impeccably faithful to the original story, will please both fans of Holmes and mystery fans everywhere. Thirteen of the Holmes short stories were adapted in this series, which was followed by The Return of Sherlock Holmes and The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, as well as several TV movie adaptations. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

The fourth series of Blackadder episodes, logically titled Blackadder Goes Forth, commenced on September 28, 1989. Rowan Atkinson was back as the latest in a long line of Blackadders, this one named Captain Edmund. Having joined the Army to meet beautiful and willing damsels, the cowardly Edmund was aghast when Great Britain entered the First World War. In the episode titled "Plan A: Captain Cook," Edmund conspires with his traditional crony Baldrick (Tony Robinson) to avoid combat duty by becoming Official War Artist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Anxious to be transferred far away from the trenches of France, Captain Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) arranges a musical show for the top brass. The plan comes acropper when Baldrick (Tony Robinson) stops the show with a disgusting Charlie Chaplin impression. Making matters even dicier, the general (Stephen Fry) falls in love with a sexy female chanteuse -- who turns out to be Lt. George St. Barleigh (Hugh Laurie) in disguise. "Plan C: Major Star" was originally telecast in England on October 12, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Assigned to the British secret service, Blackadder goes undercover at an army hospital to ferret out a German spy. Among the suspects is shapely Nurse Mary (Miranda Richardson), with whom Edmund immediately falls in lust. And what about Brigadier Smith (Bill Wallis), who speaks with a pronounced Teutonic accent? "Plan E: General Hospital" first aired on October 26, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ever anxious to one-up his fellow man, Lord Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) enters a beer-drinking contest. On the same day as the Big Event, who should show up but Edmund's puritanical, teetotalling uncle and aunt, Lord and Lady Whiteadder (Daniel Thorndike, Miriam Margoyles). Adding to Edmund's woes is an unfortunate run-in with a turnip and an ostrich feather. "Beer" made its first British television appearance on February 11, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The second series of Blackadder episodes ended on February 20, 1986, with "Chains." In response to a series of high-profile political abductions, Queen Elizabeth I (Miranda Richardson) adopts a strict no-ransom policy. Almost as if on cue, Lord Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) and his crony Lord Melchett (Stephen Fry) are kidnapped by Prince Ludwig of Germany (Hugh Laurie). Edmund's peril intensifies when he is placed in the hands of a Spanish interrogator (Max Harvey) right out of a Monty Python sketch. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lord Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) is heavily in debt to the Bishop of Bath and Wales (Roland Lacey), a disagreeable sort who eats babies for fun. In his efforts to raise the necessary money, Edmund runs into an unexpected obstacle: his own Queen Elizabeth I (Miranda Richardson). Can our "hero" wriggle out of this one, or will this be the only 12-minute TV show in history? "Money" was originally telecast on February 5, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Once again, Edmund Blackadder is jealous of his betters; in this case, the object of his envy is the Scarlet Pimpernel. Determined to prove himself as fearless and daring as that "damn'd elusive Pimpernel," Edmund heads to France (a country that makes him violently ill) to rescue aristocrats on his own. Meanwhile, Edmund's patron, the portly Prince Regent (Hugh Laurie), struggles in vain to put on his trousers. "Nob and Nobility" first aired on October 1, 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Though he'd much rather be King of England, Edmund (Rowan Atkinson) is willing to accept the lesser post of Archbishop of Canterbury. But there's a catch: the Archbishop is out of favor with King Richard IV (Brian Blessed), thus all of Edmund's predecessors have met with sudden and violent deaths. How, pray tell, can our "hero" turn this situation to his advantage? "The Archbishop" first aired in England on June 29, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

"The Foretelling" marked the official inauguration of the satirical British comedy series The Black Adder. The year is 1485: Riding out of the nowhere into the now is Edmund (Rowan Atkinson), Duke of Edinburgh -- better known as The Black Adder -- the demented, embittered, and ruthlessly ambitious son of an obscure British king. Arriving late at the Battle of Bosworth, Edmund accidentally kills King Richard III (Peter Cook), whom he mistakes for a horse thief, thereby placing Richard IV (Brian Blessed) on the throne of England. Edmund must now hide his brother Henry Tudor (Robert East), the Prince of Wales, in his own quarters, as part of a master plan to claim the throne for himself. "The Foretelling" originally aired on June 15, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Black Death has not only decimated half of England, but has also forced King Richard IV (Brian Blessed) into his sick bed. Hoping to curry favor with the populace and become King himself, the duplicitous Edmund declares that the plague is the result of witchcraft, thus he hires the infamous Witchsmeller (Frank Finlay) to root out all sorcerors in the land. Alas, the first "witch" whom the Witchsmeller smells is Edmund himself! "The Witchsmeller Pursuivant" was originally telecast on July 13, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

History's most renowned ladies' man finally meets his match in this historical romance laced with comedy and adventure. In Venice in 1753, Giacomo Casanova (Heath Ledger) is a notorious playboy whose way with women goes too far when he's caught leaving the bedroom of a novice nun, and one of the leading prosecutors of the Inquisition, Pucci (Jeremy Irons), puts him on trial. The Doge (Tim McInnerny), Venice's political point man, is a friend of Casanova's and pulls strings to get him off the hook and allow him to stay in the city, but under one condition -- he must take a wife and remain faithful to her. Casanova sets his sights on Victoria (Natalie Dormer), a lovely young maiden who is obviously taken with the handsome ladykiller, but he's not the only one who wants her hand. Giovanni Bruni (Charlie Cox) is a young man who is very much in love with Victoria, and in order to move him out of the picture, Casanova challenges him to a duel. However, when Casanova is bested in swords in the challenge, he discovers he's actually been parrying with Giovanni's sister, Francesca (Sienna Miller). As Casanova gets to know Francesca, he discovers she's a gifted writer and a bright and independent woman as well as a good hand with a sword, and he comes to the realization that she's the woman he wants to take to the altar. However, Francesca has already been promised to the vain and chubby Papprizzio (Oliver Platt), a man she's never met, and she doesn't seem at all interested in the notorious Casanova. Casanova also stars Lena Olin, and Omid Djalili. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide