Bill Owen Movies

In this dystopian fable, a librarian wife and mother becomes the childbearing pawn of a Christian theocracy. In the near future, as war rages across the fictional North American Republic of Gilead and pollution has rendered 99 percent of the female population sterile, Kate (Natasha Richardson) sees her husband killed and her daughter kidnapped while trying to escape across the border. Kate herself is transformed into a handmaid -- a surrogate mother for one of the privileged but barren couples who run the country's fundamentalist regime. Although she resists being indoctrinated into the bizarre cult of the handmaids, which mixes Old Testament orthodoxy and misogynist cant with 12-step gospel and ritualized violence, Kate soon finds herself ensconced at the home of the Commander (Robert Duvall) and his frosty wife, Serena Joy (Faye Dunaway). Forced to lie between Serena Joy's legs and be penetrated impersonally each month by the Commander, Kate longs for her vanished earlier life; she soon learns that since many of the nation's powerful men are as sterile as their wives, she may have to risk the punishment for fornication -- death by hanging -- in order to sleep with another man who can provide her with the pregnancy that has become her sole raison d’être. When that other man turns out to be Nick (Aidan Quinn), the Commander's handsome, sympathetic driver, Kate grows attached to him -- and eventually pregnant with his child. Only the mysterious rebel affiliations of her fellow handmaid, Ofglen (Blanche Baker), seem to offer any chance of giving her unborn child a life of freedom -- or finding the daughter she already lost. Loosely adapted by Harold Pinter from the novel by Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale also features Elizabeth McGovern in a small but pivotal role as Moira, a "gender traitor" who befriends Kate at the handmaids' reprogramming center. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

This feeble cartoon story starring the "Smurfs" is set in Medieval times when Pee Wee and his friend Johan set off for the land of the Smurfs to enlist their help in getting back the stolen Magic Flute -- not Mozart's Magic Flute, but another flute that has the ability to make people get up and dance. With flat humor, restricted animation techniques, and an overworking of "smurf" as a verb, the protagonists might say this movie was smurfed before it was released. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

One of the more cinematic entries in the mid-1970s American Film Theatre series, In Celebration is adapted from the play by David Storey. Lindsay Anderson, who directed the original stage version, reassembles his cast for this filmization. Alan Bates, James Bolam and Brian Cox play Andrew, Colin and Steven, the well-educated sons of roughhewn coal miner "Mr. Shaw" (Bill Owen) and his wife (Constance Chapman). On the occasion of their parents' wedding anniversary, the three sons return to their dank little home village. All three boys have become successful, but only Bolam is comfortable with his success. To his parents' dismay, Andrew announces that he has given up his law practice to become an artist; he also confesses to harboring homosexual inclinations. Prompted by the embittered Andrew, the other sons churn up memories of their childhood that they--and their parents--had hoped to keep buried. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

You never heard of this one? It might be because Romance with a Double Bass isn't a feature film at all, but a 40-minute short subject, designed for British television. John Cleese, still in his Monty Python period, plays a double-bass player who woos a lovely princess (Connie Booth). Both Cleese and his beloved are left to wander the countryside naked when a thief steals their clothes. Yes, they're starkers, and the film does little to cover up the naughty bits. Though the rest of the Monty Python gang isn't around for Romance with a Double Bass, we are treated with amusing cameos from such master performers as Graham Crowden and Freddie Jones. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The surprise British TV hit of 1965, The Likely Lads was a sitcom built around the misadventures of two Northerners, Terry Collier (James Bolam) and Bob Ferris (Rodney Bewes). Flying in the face of rumors that the two stars despised each other, Bolam and Bewes were reteamed eight years later for a sequel, imaginatively titled Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? Returning home after a stint in the army, Terry hoped to renew his carefree relationship with Bob, who was on the verge of marrying a likely lass named Thelma Chambers (Brigit Forsyth). Despite Terry's well-intentioned but annoying interference, Bob and Thelma were wed -- but old friendships died hard, and it looked as if Thelma would have to put up with Terry if she wanted her union with Bob to endure. Written by the same team responsible for the originally Likely Lads, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? aired from January 9, 1973 to April 9, 1974, lasting two seasons and 27 episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this upbeat children's film, an enterprising pack of children decide to run the newspaper of an ailing father. Mayhem ensues until they figure it all out. Then they end up doing a marvelous job until the sick man gets better. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

During the 16th century, it was prophesied that "When Hugh succeeds Hugh, Ireland shall be free." Hugh was the Prince of Donegal and his son Red Hugh, his successor. This lush and lively Disney adventure chronicles the young man's tumultuous ascension to the throne and his attempts to unite the many clans of Erin. Along the way, Red Hugh falls in love, is imprisoned by the British in Dublin Castle, and then fights to free Donegal Castle where his lady is being held. The film was shot in the United Kingdom and is based on Robert T. Reilly's story "Red Hugh, Prince of Donegal." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The seventh film in the long-running "Carry On" series (24 more were to follow), this chapter features Sidney James as Charlie, owner of the Speedee Cab Company. Business has been good for Charlie, so good that it's been a source of great aggravation for his wife Peggy (Hattie Jacques), who complains that he never spends any time with her anymore. When Charlie misses taking his wife out on their anniversary because he's busy with work, Peggy decides that she's had enough, and she fights fire with fire by starting her own taxi service, Glamcabs. Unlike the other cab companies in town, Glamcabs' fleet of drivers are exclusively beautiful women in skimpy uniforms, which not surprisingly makes them the taxi of choice for men in town. Glamcabs takes a big bite out of Speedee's business, which leads to an all-out war between Charlie and Peggy. The "Carry On" gang followed this with Carry On Spying; two more "Carry On" titles hit theaters before the end of 1964. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Alfred Lynch and Sean Connery star as a pair of klutzy RAF members, during World War II, who are more interested in running petty confidence scams that toting rifles. Though they doggedly avoid extra effort of any kind, Pope (Lynch) and Pascoe (Connery) are sent on a top-secret mission. The more the duo screws up, the more they succeed in pulling off their assignment, and through no real input of their own they become heroes. On the Fiddle more closely resembled an American service comedy than a British film, thus it was logical that its U.S. title was Operation SNAFU. During the James Bond craze, the film was retitled Operation Warhead and Sean Connery's participation was played up in the ads -- complete with the anachronistic inclusion of bikini-clad starlets! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The "Carry On" gang take on employment agencies in this labored edition to the long-running comedy series. Sidney James is Bert Handy, who starts an employment agency by the name of "Helping Hands, Ltd." Bert proceeds to hire a bunch of loonies to do a collection of screwball jobs employers want done. As is usually the case, the employees make hash out of every assignment given to them. In fact, the agency is so unsuccessful that their landlord (Stanley Unwin) tries to have the business removed from his premises by raising their rent. But the landlord makes a deal with Bert that if his company can fix up an old house, they can have a 99-year lease on the property. Chaos ensues. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

The "Carry On" gang take up residence in the men's ward of a British hospital in this wildly funny and wildly crude farce. There's not much of a plot, but plenty of nudging and winking, as the male patients line up by their bedpans as a mixed assortment of female nurses tend to their every whim. Included in the menagerie is Bert Albie (Wilfrid Hyde White), who enjoys killing time by taunting an overweight student nurse; Bernie Bishop (Kenneth Connor), a sharp-tongued boxer; and Hinton (Charles Hawtrey), who likes to amuse himself at the radio. There's also a slight romantic storyline, hinging around Ted York (Terence Longdon) and his amorous advances upon the attractive Nurse Denton (Shirley Eaton). But the gag's the thing in this rambunctious entry. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

This first entry in the long-running (some would say interminable) British "Carry On" series is at base a collection of motheaten army jokes, albeit served up with freshness and energy. Future Doctor Who star William Hartnell plays Sergeant Major Grimshaw, whose fondest wish is to win the coveted Best Troop Award before his retirement. Alas, this may never come to pass: his newest batch of conscripts include some of the biggest and stupidest foul-ups in military history. Popular comedian-cartoonist Bob Monkhouse and cockney bombshell Shirley Eaton head up the supporting cast, which includes such "Carry On" stalwarts-to-be as Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey and Kenneth Williams. Carry On Sergeant was very loosely based on The Bull Boys, a novel by R. F. Delderfield. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this comedy, a remake of the 1936 comedy, two sanitation workers get an unexpected bonus when they encounter a rare book that was accidentally tossed away. Soon they find themselves pursued by thieves, as this book is unique in the world. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide