Stephanie Beacham Movies
Born in Casablanca to English parents (her father was a globetrotting insurance executive), Stephanie Beacham prepared for an acting career by taking private lessons in Paris and attending London's RADA. Beacham was 17 when she made her professional bow in a regional production of Servant of Two Masters. She first appeared on British television in 1967, in films in 1969, and, finally, on the London stage in 1970. Having been trained in Shakespeare, Shaw and Pinter, Beacham wasn't altogether prepared for the cult worship attending her breakthrough film appearance as the masochistic, sexually insatiable Miss Jessel in The Nightcomers (1970). During production, she endeared herself to the crew by refusing to take any guff from her co-star Marlon Brando, even while she lay naked in bed, bound hand and foot. After this auspicious appearance, Beacham's film assignments were largely confined to such kinky roles as Jessica Alucard in Dracula 1972. She was permitted a wider range on British television, playing strong, take-charge roles in the series Tenko (1982) and Connie (1984). In 1985, Stephanie was cast as velvety villainess Sable Colby on the nighttime TV serial The Colbys, a role she later reprised on the spin-off soaper Dynasty (1988). Feeling that a change of venue would do her some good, Beachum accepted the title role in the 1989 sitcom Sister Kate. She was quite convincing as a feisty nun, though fans complained that her voluminous habits obstructed her now-famous decollatage. Stephanie Beacham's subsequent weekly TV roles have included Tris McKay on Beverly Hills 90210 (1990) and Dr. Kristin Westphalen on Seaquest DSV (1993). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A hyperactive and high-fashion American transplant living in London and working for Vogue magazine does her best to enhance the lives of those around her while remaining blissfully unaware of the man who longs to profess his true love to her in an ultra-modern romantic comedy produced by Luc Besson and David Fincher and directed by Alek Keshishian. Emily Jackson (Brittany Murphy) lives a charmed life. Always on the go in her Mini Cooper and able to talk until the sun comes up and then some, her fast-paced lifestyle belies a sensitive soul who takes great joy in playing matchmaker for her many friends. It's Emily's gay roommate and constant companion, Peter (Matthew Rhys), who usually becomes the subject of the quirky Cupid's frequent pairings, and when handsome new photographer's assistant Paolo (Santiago Cabrera) arrives at the Vogue offices, Emily makes it her mission to bring the two men together. Unfortunately for the contemporary Holly Golightly, Emily is so busy arranging a love connection between Peter and Paolo that she remains completely blind to the obvious torch carried for her by the one suitor who longs to provide her the with the loving companionship that she so cheerfully arranges for others. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brittany Murphy, Santiago Cabrera, (more)
What's a middle-aged woman to do when her husband walks out on her and her favorite pop star is murdered by a serial killer? Writer/director P.J. Hogan explores this and many other pressing questions in Unconditional Love, a comic murder-mystery he devised with his wife and co-screenwriter, Jocelyn Moorhouse. Their heroine, Grace Beasly (Kathy Bates), finds her placid Midwestern life turned upside down after she loses both of the aforementioned men in her life: her husband (Dan Aykroyd) and the Tom Jones-like, Welsh singing star Victor Fox (Jonathan Pryce), whom she unabashedly worships. After Fox's death, Grace impetuously flies to England for his funeral. Paying an uninvited visit to his countryside estate, she discovers Dirk Simpson (Rupert Everett), Fox's longtime, secret live-in lover, who's also in a state of shock following the senseless murder. Together, the two team up, traveling back to the Windy City to find the infamous "Crossbow Killer" who took Fox's life. After receiving a fall 2002 release in the U.K., Unconditional Love had its U.S. premiere on the Starz network in August 2003. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathy Bates, Rupert Everett, (more)
A man who wants a woman who will love him for him looks for ladies while posing as someone else in this comedy. Paul (Brad Rowe) is a millionaire who made a fortune in the technology industry, and now is looking for the woman with whom he can share his life. However, Paul is afraid that lots of women will be more interested in his bankbook than his personality, so he begins posing as a working stiff named Ernest in hopes of finding someone who won't be after his money. Paul meets Olivia (Susan Ward) while posing as Ernest, but when he falls in love with her and wants to get serious, she's not so sure she trusts Paul after spending time with his altar ego. Meanwhile, Guy (Jonathan Penner) is a con man who learns about Paul's scheme, and begins making the rounds as Ernest himself, luring a beautiful blonde named Sophie (Samaire Armstrong) in the process. Would I Lie to You? also stars Stephanie Beacham, Steve Hytner, and Jennifer Griffin. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brad Rowe, Susan Ward, (more)
- 2000
Adapted for the screen from the 1951 play that revived playwright Noel Coward's flagging reputation, Relative Values is another wit-laden addition to the English comedy of manners ouevre. Set sometime during the mid-20th century, the film opens on the French Riviera, where nebbish English aristocrat Nigel (Edward Atterton) has just announced his engagement to vulgar American movie star Miranda Frayle (Jeanne Tripplehorn). Nigel's news dismays both his mother, Felicity (Julie Andrews), and Miranda's former lover, fellow screen icon Don Lucas (William Baldwin). Felicity manages to strap on a stiff upper lip while Don drowns his sorrows in booze and flees to England. Meanwhile, Felicity's personal assistant Moxie (Sophie Thompson) makes the rather startling announcement that Miranda is her estranged younger sister. Everything looks set to go pear-shaped until Felicity's cunning butler Crestwell (the ever-cunning Stephen Fry) comes up with an ingenious plan that will turn the tables in Moxie's favor. After Nigel returns to his mother's estate with Miranda in tow, Crestwell's plan is complicated by the unexpected arrival of an inebriated Don at a dinner party that Felicity is throwing for the engaged couple. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sophie Thompson, Edward Atterton, (more)
- 1996
- R
Three women who share a house are all about to turn 30. Tentative, mousy Micki (Julie Warner) has just had her fiancée, Jeff (Joseph Urla), break off their wedding plans because she's not passionate enough for him. Beautiful Tanya (Paulina Porizkova) is pregnant and has lost her job as a sales clerk, but her boyfriend Tom (Richard Edson) isn't ready to marry and raise a child. Jasmine (Illeana Douglas), who loves being single and dating bad boys, is tired of her family's pressure to marry. She proposes that all three get married, notify their families, then divorce. They go to Las Vegas to pursue the scheme. Micki hooks up with a dreamy cowboy, Cary (John Corbett), who instructs her in the art of passion. Tanya lures an older fellow, divorced businessman Oliver (Charles Martin Smith), planning to trick him into thinking that he's responsible for her pregnancy. Jasmine falls for Oliver's younger friend Matt (Jonathan Penner), who turns her on despite being a nice guy. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Illeana Douglas, Paulina Porizkova, (more)
In this frothy outing, a helpful twin temporarily leaves college to pretend to be a fashion model in order to help keep her sister out of trouble. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rick Springfield, Andrea Roth, (more)
- 1993
Foreign Affairs was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alison Lurie. Joanne Woodward plays Vinnie Miner, a college professor on sabbatical in England. While still on the plane, Vinnie makes the acquaintance of hard-hat tourist Chuck Mumpson (Brian Dennehy). Though she isn't too fond of Chuck's coarse, vulgar behavior, she finds him somehow fascinating. Likewise, Chuck is turned off by Vinnie's nose-in-the-air sophistication, but he's turned on by her. By the time the two of them have hit London, their mutual attraction has blossomed into love--much to the horror of their respective friends and family. Eric Stolz, Stephanie Beacham and Ian Richardson co-star in this made-for-cable confection, which first aired March 17, 1993, over the TNT channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joanne Woodward, Brian Dennehy, (more)
- 1993
Sherlock Holmes' perennial nemesis Professor Moriarty (Daniel Davis), previously created on an released from the holodeck in the second season's "Elementary, Dear Data," is again at large in this episode. Though he'd previously insisted that he wasn't the villain everyone assumes him to be, Moriarty's subsequent behavior is anything but benign. He takes over the Enterprise, refusing to relinquish command until his holodeck-generated sweetheart is likewise made "real." Originally telecast January 30, 1993, "Ship in a Bottle" was written by Rene Echevarria. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Based on a steamy Danielle Steel novel, this drama centers on the strange relationship between a television producer and the star of his latest series. They had a romance before, but now she has become an enigma, always running off to fulfill some vague obligations. The producer also discovers that other members of the show are concealing fascinating secrets as well. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Plummer, Stephanie Beacham, (more)
- 1992
When a TV producer strikes up a romance with an old flame, a star in his new TV series, their relationship is threatened by mysteries she won't explain to him. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
Lindsay Wagner stars as Paula O'Neill in this made-for-TV miniseries based on the best-selling novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford. Paula's grandmother, Emma Harte, took a failing department store and turned it into the powerful Harte Industries retail empire, and now that Paula has inherited the family business, she is determined to expand their international success by launching a new store in Hong Kong. However, Paula's cousins Jonathan (Christopher Cazenove) and Sarah (Claire Oberman) are determined to wrest control of the company away from Paula, and begin running interference in her plans for global expansion. Paula soon learns that Harte Industries is on financially shaky ground, and her personal life begins to crumble under the strain of keeping Hart Enterprises afloat. As Jonathan uses the firm's financial woes to his advantage, Paula finds that Jack Figg (Anthony Hopkins), the company's head of security, may be her last line of defense against her devious relatives. Originally broadcast in August 1992, To Be the Best was a follow-up to 1983's A Woman of Substance, another miniseries based on a Barbara Taylor Bradford novel, which covered Paula's life before she took over the family business; Diane Baker played Paula in the earlier series. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lindsay Wagner, David Robb, (more)
- 1992
Made for television, the two-part To Be the Best is the sequel to Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman of Substance and Hold The Dream. Lindsay Wagner plays the CEO of a merchandising empire, whose life and livelihood is threatened by a hostile takeover. Meanwhile, Lindsay pursues a hot romance with her chief of security, Anthony Hopkins. Originally telecast August 2, 1992 Part One of To Be the Best establishes the various characters and plotlines. In part two, which first aired August 4, 1992, Christopher Cazenove dominates the proceedings as a greedy corporate raider-who happens to be Lindsay's cousin. The critic for TV Guide compared the sudsy goings-on in To be the Best to "soap left in the sink too long." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Shelly Long stars in this comedy as a spoiled Beverly Hills wife who decides--wanting to prove her husband's accusation of her selfishness wrong--to become the leader of her daughter's wilderness group. Though taking them on outings at the mall rather than in the woods, she later must prove her worth as a legitimate troop leader. After some zany incidents, all parties learn lessons of teamwork and selflessness. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shelley Long, Craig T. Nelson, (more)
- 1988
Stuart Orme directed this charming children's adventure-fantasy based on the book by Joan Aiken. Set during the imaginary reign of King James III, sometime in the last century, the story takes place in the snowbound and wolf-infested North Yorkshire countryside in England. The tale centers upon two children -- Bonnie (Emily Hudson) and Sylvia (Aleks Darowska) -- and how they attempt to foil a sinister plot by their evil governess Slighcarp (Stephanie Beacham). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephanie Beacham, Mel Smith, (more)
Based on the novel by best-selling British author Jilly Cooper, this drama looks at the highly competitive world of equestrian show-jumping. Jake Lovell (Michael Praed), a gypsy half-breed born into poverty, has through hard work and his remarkable skill with horses risen to the top among competitive riders. Jake now finds himself challenging his arch rival Rupert Campbell-Black (Marcus Gilbert), a gifted rider but a contemptible cur off the course; Jake, who is just as sure a hand with women as he is with horses, extends his rivalry off the riding field when he makes a play for Rupert's wife Helen (Arabella Tjye), to whom Rupert is chronically unfaithful. Riders was originally produced and aired as a mini-series for British television. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1984
On the verge of closing their doors in the mid-1980s, Britain's Hammer studios produced this passable supernatural thriller, which received its debut on American cable television. Hammer regular Stephanie Beacham stars as a woman vacationing with her photographer husband (David Carradine) at a lush seaside hotel, where she is tormented nightly by the anguished cries of a man apparently re-enacting his own murder (Carradine again). Or is the tragic specter actually a ghostly echo from the future, foreshadowing ominous events yet to come? Interesting but ultimately predictable, the film benefits from good performances, and Carradine is quite effective in a double role. Also known as Dying Truth. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
This unsettling British Alien clone (released in the U.K. under the sleazy title Inseminoid) is set in the labyrinthine underground caverns of a remote planet, where a team of scientific explorers find themselves in the bizarre predicament of defending themselves from a rampaging, pregnant crew member (Judy Geeson). It seems the poor woman has been impregnated by a slime-covered insectoid alien (as depicted in a surreal and truly disgusting flashback), and the resulting hormonal imbalance has transformed her into an inhumanly strong, psychopathic killer. She promptly sets about dismembering and eating everyone in sight (no doubt because of the baby's nutritional requirements) before finally giving birth to a pair of snarling little mutants bearing a more-than-passing resemblance to the terror tykes from the It's Alive series. Aside from the admittedly "unique" premise, this is a fairly standard rip-off -- complete with characters resembling their Alien counterparts -- and the lovely Geeson's rabid, eye-popping performance is more than a bit uncomfortable to watch. The American video release is missing a great deal of the original's graphic violence. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judy Geeson, Robin Clarke, (more)
Frightmare director Pete Walker follows-up his 1976 shocker The Confessional with this grim tale of a beautiful figure skater who falls victim to a murderous stalker. Samantha Gray was just a young girl when her mother was murdered right before her eyes. Years later, Samantha (Lynne Frederick) has grown into a talented skating star. Samantha is engaged to the man of her dreams, but when their wedding announcement draws the attention of an obsessed fan her joy quickly fades to horror. Now Samantha can't leave the house without feeling like she's being followed. When her friends begin to fall prey to a mysterious killer, Samantha becomes convinced that the stalker is someone she knows and trusts. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
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
