Judy Parfitt Movies
British lead and supporting actress, onscreen from the early '60s. ~ All Movie Guide- 2008
Multiple Oscar nominee Peter O'Toole adds yet another offbeat role to his long resume with the mystical comedy-drama Dean Spanley. Adapted from Lord Dunsany's popular novella My Talks with Dean Spanley and helmed by Toa Fraser, the film stars O'Toole as Horatio Fisk, an irascible, cantankerous septuagenarian living out his final days at the turn of the 20th Century. Despite his distant and slightly strained relationship with his son Henslowe (Jeremy Northam), Horatio willfully joins the young man on regular outings; the tedium and monotony of these routines eventually grow so overwhelming, however, that the two decide to attend a lecture on the Transmigration of Souls by a visiting Hindu Swami. At the meeting, their paths intersect with the eccentric Dean Spanley (Sam Neill), and a friendship blossoms between Spanley and Henslowe. When Spanley joins Henslowe for a private dinner, and accepts his invitation to sample a rare Hungarian wine known as the Imperial Tokay, Spanley instinctively brings forth reminiscences of a prior life lived out as a canine - and his recollections hold a rather bizarre connection to Horatio's familial past. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Northam, Sam Neill, (more)
Screenwriter Andrew Davies' adapts Charles Dickens' tale of struggle and hardship in 1820s London. Returning to England after many years abroad, Arthur Clennam (Matthew Macfadyen) sees a sparkle in the eye of diminutive young seamstress Amy Dorrit (Claire Foy). But "Little Dorrit" works for his mother, and in digging for the truth about the mysterious girl he winds up at Marshalsea Debtors Prison. There, he discovers that the specter of debt follows the object of his affections like an oppressive shadow. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Courtenay, Matthew MacFadyen, (more)
Directed by David Mackenzie, Asylum follows a 1950s family living in a home on the grounds of an asylum after Max (Hugh Bonneville), the patriarch, is assigned to serve as deputy director of a remote psychiatric hospital. Neither his wife, Stella (Natasha Richardson), nor his young son, Charlie (Augustus Jeremiah Lewis), are particularly happy about the arrangements, though Stella finds herself slowly becoming attracted to Edgar Stark (Marton Csokas), a charismatic inmate. Despite the obvious repercussions of an extramarital affair and the sage advice of Dr. Cleave (Ian McKellen), a colleague of her husband, Stella's slow-burning attraction becomes an all out obsession; before long, Stella is barely aware that she is risking her family, her sanity, and even her very life for Edgar. Asylum is based on a novel by Patrick McGrath. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ian McKellen, Natasha Richardson, (more)
- 2004
- PG13
In this drama set in Eastern Europe in 1944, (Martin Landau) plays Josef Krauzenberg, a wealthy Hungarian Jewish business owner who, despite his fortune, finds his life hanging in the balance as the Nazi "final solution" is being enacted throughout Eastern Europe. Under the terms of the Third Reich's "Europa Plan," Krauzenberg arranges with Nazi leaders to exchange his fortune, his business holdings (textile plants, steel mills, ownership of several banks) and a collection of rare art for safe passage to Switzerland for himself, his wife Rachel (Judy Parfitt), and their family. Such is Krauzenberg's wealth and power that when he agrees to sign over his property, two of the most powerful men in the Nazi regime announce they will come to his house to handle the paperwork -- Adolf Eichmann (Steven Mackintosh) and Heinrich Himmler (Danny Webb); however, as the Nazi leaders are ushered into Krauzenberg's home, they notice something unusual -- his two most trusted servants, Hans Vassmann (Kenny Doughty) and his wife Ingrid (Caroline Carver) are a married Aryan couple who are still working for a Jew despite the pogrom. As it happens, Eichmann and Himmler's suspicions are well-founded -- Hans and Ingrid are actually Jews working undercover with a team of resistance fighters, and as they serve the Nazis, they wonder if they should kill Eichmann and Himmler for the greater good, even if it would mean certain death for the Krauzenbergs and themselves. While The Aryan Couple is fictional, it was inspired by actual events, and the existence of the "Europa Plan" has been documented, though no one appears to have been saved from death through its application. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Landau, Judy Parfitt, (more)
The subject of one of Johannes Vermeer's most enduring portraits becomes the focus of this biographical period piece from director Peter Webber. Girl With a Pearl Earring is told from the point of view of Griet (Scarlett Johansson), a teenaged girl who leaves her family's care in the country to become a servant for the Vermeer household in the comparatively bustling, canal-laden burgh of Delft. When she arrives, she finds herself at the low end of the servant totem pole, until she's allowed to clean "the master's" painting quarters. There, she catches the eye of the taciturn, reclusive Vermeer (Colin Firth), and over a period of time, he begins to craft her portrait. Of course, this does little to further his relationship with his jealous, pregnant wife, Catharina (Essie Davis), or with his most vocal benefactor, van Ruijven (Tom Wilkinson), who often dictates what portraits Vermeer should paint. Meanwhile, Griet navigates a sweet, tentative relationship with a peasant boy her age (Cillian Murphy). Girl With a Pearl Earring had its North American premiere at the 2003 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Colin Firth, Scarlett Johansson, (more)
- 2002
Season nine of ER begins ten minutes after season eight left off, with the County General ER still in lockdown in the face of a possible smallpox epidemic. Though most of the patients and staffers have been evacuated, a handful are quarantined at the ER for two weeks, among them Carter (Noah Wyle), Abby (Maura Tierney), Chen (Ming-Na), and Pratt (Mekhi Phifer), now a full-fledged series regular. In the midst of the chaos and confusion, Carter and Abby have managed to find the opportunity to lock lips, thereby inaugurating a whole new phase in their relationship. Meanwhile, on the roof of the hospital, Romano (Paul McCrane) throws another temper tantrum, with disastrous consequences when, in mid-rant, he backs into the tail rotor of a helicopter. And in faraway London, the newly widowed Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) has joined her father's business -- but may now be too "Americanized" for her family's tastes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The best-selling suspense novel by late author Robert Ludlum comes to the screen for a second time, following a 1988 made-for-TV movie. Matt Damon stars as Jason Bourne, a barely alive amnesiac with a pair of bullet wounds in his back, pulled from the Mediterranean by Italian fishermen. Bourne's only clue to his own identity is a bank account number etched on a capsule implanted in his body. He quickly finds the Zurich bank where money, a gun, and a few identification documents await, but after he's pursued by security goons at the American consulate, Bourne realizes he can trust no one and offers a German gypsy named Marie (Franka Potente) ten thousand dollars for a ride to Paris. Encountering more professional killers bent on his destruction, Bourne discovers that he possesses a surprising degree of skill in combat, martial arts, and linguistics -- handy talents that clearly indicate his past includes work as a spy and assassin, but for whom? With Marie's reluctant help, Bourne edges closer to the truth, something CIA officials want concealed at all costs. The Bourne Identity co-stars Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, and Julia Stiles. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matt Damon, Franka Potente, (more)
- 2001
The wedding of Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) and Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) may never come off, thanks to a combination of terrible weather, squabbling in-laws, a misplaced wallet, and a clueless limo service. Back at the ER, with most of the nurses invited to the wedding, Abby (Maura Tierney) must hold down the fort while suffering from a bad cold; and Kovac (Goran Visnjic) and Carter (Noah Wyle) argue over the treatment of the victims of a prison-van accident. And while embarking on a vacation to get over her relationship with Legaspi, Weaver (Laura Innes) makes a new "friend" (Casey Biggs). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Still not fully recovered from the vicious attack that seriously injured him and killed Lucy Knight, Carter (Noah Wyle) finds himself face to face with Lucy's mother (Gwynyth Walsh). In other developments, Kovac (Goran Visnjic) commandeers a plumber's truck to rush a hit-and-run victim to the ER. Abby (Maura Tierney) handles a patient without Weaver's (Laura Innes) permission. Carol (Julianna Margulies) must tell a teenaged girl that she is suffering from something far more serious than a sexually transmittable disease. And Greene (Anthony Edwards) receives some bad news about his father (John Cullum). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Distracted by his father's refusal to face his lung cancer, Greene (Anthony Edwards) must nevertheless hold down the fort at the ER. Not quite recovered from the vicious attack in which he was injured and Lucy Knight was killed, Carter (Noah Wyle) returns to work. Corday (Alex Kingston) encounters difficulty in her efforts to harvest the organs of a brain-dead patient. Abby (Maura Tierney) makes a fatal error. And Malucci (Erik Palladino) sits down to a most unusual breakfast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
In the first episode of a two-part story, Valentine's Day has a strange effect on Greene's (Anthony Edwards) cantankerous dad (John Cullum) and Corday's (Alex Kingston) judgmental mom (Judy Parfitt), who find themselves attracted to one another. Back at the ER, a private quarrel between Chen (Ming-Na) and Malucci (Erik Palladino) may have adverse consequences on a patient (Lenny Wolpe). A grim Kovac (Goran Visnjic) must tell two youngsters that both of their parents have been killed. Abby (Maura Tierney) treats one of Carter's patients. And Carter (Noah Wyle) brusquely brushes off Lucy (Kellie Martin) when she asks his help in dealing with a patient named Sobricki (David Krumholtz), whose "headache" may be linked to a more serious mental illness. The episode ends on a sudden and shocking note of tragedy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
In the shattering conclusion of a two-part story, Carter (Noah Wyle) finds Lucy (Kellie Martin) lying in a pool of blood, stabbed and near death. No sooner has this sunk in than Carter is himself attacked and stabbed by Lucy's patient, delusional lawyer Paul Sobricki (David Krumholtz). Both victims are rushed to the operating room -- but only one will emerge alive. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Andy Tennant directed this Cinderella variant. The Brothers Grimm arrive at the home of a wealthy Grande Dame (Jeanne Moreau) who speaks of the many legends surrounding the fable of the cinder girl before telling the "true" story of her ancestor. In flashback, the story then focuses on eight-year-old Danielle, daughter of a wealthy widower, a 16th-century landowner. After returning to France with his new wife Rodmilla (Anjelica Huston) and her two daughters, he dies of a heart attack. Ten years later, Danielle (Drew Barrymore) is now treated as a servant by the trio. Fortunately, she has an encounter with Prince Henry (Dougray Scott), who is fleeing an arranged marriage. Later, when Danielle poses as a Lady, the Prince takes an interest in her. Inventor-artist Leonardo da Vinci (Patrick Godfrey), accepting the French court's patronage, offers advice to Prince Henry on matters of the heart. George Fenton's music adds an accompaniment to the lush look of this period romance. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, (more)
Literary genius, legendary wit, bon vivant, and gay martyr, Oscar Wilde was a man whose legend has grown to iconic proportions since his death at the beginning of the 20th century. Establishing Wilde (Stephen Fry) as a loving family man, complete with a wife (Jennifer Ehle) and two adorable sons, the film takes pains to portray him as a dignified genius who was as pained by what he considered his own sin -- his homosexuality -- as he was delighted by the sins of others. From his initial encounters with Robbie Ross (Michael Sheen), his first male lover, through his tragic affair with the beautiful and bratty Alfred Lord Douglas (a perfectly cast Jude Law), Wilde is seen as a conflicted fellow, warring with his own urges even as he dazzles everyone around him. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Fry, Jude Law, (more)
- 1996
In this made-for-television drama, a woman and her husband fight long and hard to make euthanasia legal, but when she is diagnosed with cancer, her viewpoint abruptly changes. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Lindsay, Gwen Humble, (more)
- 1995
An Irish castle filled with eccentric characters, both upstairs and down provides the basis for this lively, loopy British comedy based on Henry Green's anti-novel set in 1941. The Castle Kinalty has become a haven for advocates of the traditional British class system. The aristocratic masters go about their business and try to ignore the nagging guilt that tells them they should return to England to fight in the war. The story (if it can be called a story) begins as Raunce is promoted to the position of head butler following the death of the former butler. The middle-age Raunce loves the power he suddenly has over the others and over the household accounts. Raunce is a little arrogant and very uptight and always courteously catering to the widowed mistress of the house and her randy daughter. Restrained Raunce finds himself targeted for love by the lithesome lusty young servant Edith who teaches him the advantages of unbridled passion. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
A daughter who has come to imagine the worst about her mother learns the facts are quite different -- and more shocking than she ever imagined -- in this adaptation of Stephen King's best-selling novel. Dolores Claiborne (Kathy Bates) has spent nearly a quarter of a century looking after a mean-spirited woman named Vera Donovan (Judy Parfitt) on a small island off the coast of Maine; when Vera is found dead after falling down a flight of stairs, Dolores is considered a prime suspect in her murder. Word of the affair reaches New York-based journalist Selena St. George (Jennifer Jason Leigh), Dolores's estranged daughter. Though she's about to leave on an important assignment, Selena instead flies to Maine to find out what's happened with her mother. Selena's father, Joe St. George (David Strathairn), died under mysterious circumstances 15 years before; more than a few people believe Dolores killed Joe, and many feel she did the same with Vera. Though the strong and tough-talking Dolores stands her ground, police detective John Mackey (Christopher Plummer) is convinced that there's more to her story than she's letting on, and in time Selena learns the ugly truth about her mother's connection to both deaths. This was Kathy Bates's second starring role in a film based on Stephen King's work; she earned an Academy Award for her breakthrough role in the movie version of King's Misery. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, (more)
- 1994
- NR
Based on the famous children's novels by Mary Norton, this BBC production stars the diminutive Ian Holm as the even-more-diminutive patriarch of The Borrowers, a family of thumb-sized creatures looking for a new place to live. Directed by John Henderson. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ian Holm, Penelope Wilton, (more)
- 1993
First telecast by the BBC on November 14, 1993, the two-part British TV movie The Return of the Borrowers is a sequel to the classic children's book by Mary Norton. Real-life husband and wife Ian Holm and Penelope Wilton head the cast as Pod and Homily Clock, a pair of teeny-tiny people who, with their equally microscopic daughter, Arietty (Rebecca Callard), live beneath the floorboards of a Victorian house. In order to survive, the Clock family must "borrow" various necessities from normal-sized people -- or as they're known to the trio, "Human Beans." Forced to move from their familiar digs, the Clocks stumble across a miniature model house that proves to be just right for their needs, and in the bargain they befriend a youthful Human Bean named George (Paul Cross). Alas, the well-being of the diminutive brood is threatened by the evil designs of one Mrs. Drivers (Sian Phillips). In America, The Return of the Borrowers was first seen over the TNT cable network on June 4 and 5, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ian Holm, Penelope Wilton, (more)
- 1993
A woman involved in a satanic cult (Olivia D'Abo) is looking for the devil's new bride. She takes a job as a nanny to find the victim. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Olivia D'Abo, Marcy Walker, (more)
Based on the 1978 novel by Julian Symons, the two-part, four-hour British miniseries The Blackheath Poisonings was set during the Victorian era. When the head of a prominent household is poisoned, virtually everyone within a 50 mile radius falls under suspicion. As the plot thickens, more suspicious deaths occur, the final one proving to be a means of "escape" for the guilty party. Deftly exploring the sinister underpinnings of 19th century British gentility, The Blackheath Poisonings was broadcast by Central Television on December 7 and 9, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christine Kavanagh, Ian McNeice, (more)
- 1991
This four-part, four-hour British miniseries was a sequel to Malcolm Bradbury's 1990 TV effort The Gravy Train. Christoph Waltz returned to the role of Dorfman, a terminally idealistic member of the European Economic Council. This time around, the teeny-tiny Balkan state of Slaka hoped to join the Council in hopes of supping from the same public-fund trough as the rest of the European nations. It was up to Dorfman to cast the deciding "yea" or "nay" vote. The Gravy Train Goes West was seen over Britain's Channel Four from October 28 to November 18, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christoph Waltz, Ian Richardson, (more)
Sometimes a family title, among the nobility of England, goes to the "collateral" heirs -- people not in the direct line of decent, like cousins, great-nephews and the like. On rare occasions, these people are not even aware that they are about to be elevated to the House of Lords, and they have been living more-or-less ordinary lives. In this comedy, the family which lacks direct heirs is the Royal Family of England -- as all of the likely heirs have died one after the other in swift succession. In this comedy, the "collateral heir" is an exuberant, fence-busting All-American slob (and pretty good rock n' roll musician) by the name of Ralph (John Goodman). Unknown to him, his grandmother had an affair with a royal prince. Ralph's a good guy, and eager to please. He recognizes the importance of the royal hoopla to England and works very hard to fit in as its new designated king. He is assisted by the ever-unctuous, very serious family factotum Willingham (Peter O'Toole). The trouble is, he doesn't have instincts for politics English-style, and he is constantly "putting a foot wrong," as they might say. The most difficult situation for him is when he develops a new love interest, and she's not "acceptable" to the upper crust. In addition to being hounded by the tabloids, he finds that "the good of the state" requires that he drop his new girlfriend. Things really come to a head just before Ralph's coronation as king. Reviewers generally loathed this feel-good comedy, but audiences seem to have enjoyed it tremendously, and it has done well in video and TV airings. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Goodman, Peter O'Toole, (more)
- 1990
- R
Dark Obsession is a slow, English-made, psychological thriller dealing with erotic obsession, guilt and betrayal. Sir Hugo Buckton (Gabriel Byrne), an aristocrat strapped for money, is married to beautiful, sensual and successful Virginia (Amanda Donohoe). His alcoholism and his envy of her lead to his obsessive jealousy and belief in her lack of fidelity. During one drunken evening while out driving with friends, Hugo hits and kills a pedestrian who resembles Virginia. When Hugo begins to receive vague blackmail letters, he suspects one of his friends, and the group begins to plot a murder. Dark Obsession has all the ingredients of a first-rate thriller but fails despite its excellent cast to generate any excitement. The pace of the film is languid, the motivations of the characters are unclear, and after the accidental death, nothing much really happens. Dark Obsession, originally released as Diamond Skulls, despite the best efforts of its cast, is a thriller that fails to thrill. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabriel Byrne, Amanda Donohoe, (more)
