Bernadette Peters Movies
American actress Bernadette Peters was a five-year-old performer on Horn and Hardart's kiddie-talent radio program, and by age 11 was appearing on Broadway in Most Happy Fella. Peters achieved national fame in 1968 with her campy performance as Ruby, the 1930s-style chorus girl protagonist of the off-Broadway musical pastiche Dames at Sea. The role demonstrated only one aspect of her talents, but nonetheless threatened to typecast her as a squeaky-voiced dumb blonde. Bernadette scuttled that stereotype herself as leading lady in the 1969 Joel Grey musical George M. The following year she played Mabel Normand opposite Robert Preston's Mack Sennett in the musical comedy Mack and Mabel, which, though a failure, has become a staple of community theatres. (The amateur Mabels have an ongoing tendency to imitate Bernadette Peters). In 1976, Peters costarred with Richard Crenna on All's Fair, a Norman Lear TV sitcom that showed neither star to best advantage. Reluctant to leave her native New York City, Peters has nonetheless occasionally travelled to Hollywood for an off-and-on movie career. Hilarious as a babaloo-ing cabaret entertainer in Silent Movie (1976), the actress was even better as the long-suffering wife of goony Steve Martin in The Jerk (1977). She was reunited with Martin in Pennies From Heaven (1981), an uneven but fascinating attempt to juxtapose the fanatasies of 1930s popular music with the grim realities of Depression life. Offscreen, her relationship with Martin was intensely romantic for several years. Feeling unfulfilled in Hollywood, Bernadette Peters returned to Broadway in the mid 1980s, reclaiming her Dames at Sea prominence tenfold in such musicals as Sunday in the Park With George, Song and Dance, and Into the Woods, nearly unrecognizable in the latter in her heavy makeup as the wizened witch of "Hansel and Gretel" fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1973
When Cliff Robertson was toasted by Ralph Edwards on the TV series This is Your Life in 1972, Robertson was standing on the set of Ace Eli and Roger of the Skies. This production was announced as an "upcoming release"-though as it turned out, the film lay on the shef for several years thereafter. Robertson plays a barnstorming stunt flyer of the Roaring Twenties. Accompanying him from job to job is his 11-year-old son, Eric Shea. Despite having a child in tow, Robertson has no trouble scoring with the local lovelies wherever they go. 20th Century-Fox had so little faith in Ace Eli and Roger of the Skies that the company changed many of the names in the production credits: producer "Boris Wilson" was really Robert Fryer, director "Bill Sampson" was actually John Erdman and screenwriter "Chips Rosen" was known to friends and family as Claudia Salte. Only poor Cliff Robertson was denied the opportunity to cloak himself in an alias. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Woody Allen's character study of a well-kept, upscale Manhattan woman (Mia Farrow) takes the title character on a journey through a Wonderland of her own making, in which she learns some truths about herself, her relationships, and the universe in general. Alice leads a comfortable life, except for some nagging aches and pains, but when she visits the mysterious Dr. Yang (Keye Luke), he discovers that what really ails Alice is her own lack of true human experience. Alice has been married for sixteen years to Doug (William Hurt), an emotionally detached stockbroker, and she lives a perfectly maintained life in a perfectly maintained apartment, with a pair of children and the requisite support staff. All that changes when a chance meeting with a neighbor (Joe Mantegna) leads Alice to consider an affair. Dr. Yang, seizing the opportunity, gives Alice herbal potions that make her both invisible and seductive, allowing her to free herself from her inhibitions. Plunging into her new fantasy world, Alice ultimately comes to terms with her family, her husband, and her life. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mia Farrow, Joe Mantegna, (more)
- 1975
Bernadette Peters guest stars as Linda Galloway, a sexy college student in need of special tutoring. Since Linda is one of Mike's students, he takes on the task of getting her through the finals. But Mike is not quite prepared for the fact that Linda finds him to be a very attractive man -- nor does this fact escape the notice of a jealous Gloria. The script, by Lou Derman and Milt Josefsberg, is so adroitly constructed that for a few moments, even the audience is convinced that Mike will plunge headlong into infidelity. "Gloria Suspects Mike" originally aired on November 17, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
The first feature from the 20th Century-Fox animation unit in Phoenix, Arizona, this is the ninth film produced and directed by the Don Bluth/Gary Goldman duo (An American Tail) and the first animated feature to be made in CinemaScope since Disney's Sleeping Beauty (1959). This $50 million animated fantasy retells the story of Anastasia, daughter of Czar Nicholas, beginning with her childhood in 1916 Russia. After Rasputin's curse on the Romanovs, little Anastasia is separated from her grandmother, the Dowager Empress Maria. After growing up in an orphanage, Anastasia emerges as a young woman called Anya. With no clear memory of her youth, Anya encounters entrepreneurs who seek an Anastasia look-alike in hopes of collecting a reward in Paris from the aged Dowager Empress. Despite demonic interference from Rasputin, the three travel to Paris where another problem awaits: the Dowager Empress is now skeptical of the parade of imposters. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meg Ryan, John Cusack, (more)
This family classic is adapted from the Broadway musical, which was based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie. During the Great Depression in New York City, a plucky red-haired scrapper named Annie (Aileen Quinn) is the voice of hope for her fellow orphans who live under the supervision of drunken floozy Miss Hannigan (Carol Burnett). Annie's spirit is fueled by the belief that her real parents dropped her off at the orphanage with a half of a locket, promising to return for her with the other half. One day, the dingy orphanage is visited by the sophisticated Grace Farrell (Ann Reinking), personal secretary to conservative politician Oliver Warbucks (Albert Finney). In order to improve his image, Grace brings Annie to the Warbucks estate for a weeklong visit. Annie quickly wins the hearts of servants and politicians alike, eventually even bringing her song of hope, "Tomorrow," to President Roosevelt in Washington. Warbucks and Grace even go so far as to perform a public search for Annie's parents, creating an opportunity for Miss Hannigan, Rooster (Tim Curry), and Lily (Bernadette Peters) to scam their way to the reward money. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, (more)
- 1981
This home video release captures singer and actress Bernadette Peters performing live at Edmonton's Jubilee Auditorium in 1981. Songs include "Broadway Baby" and "Thank You For Being A Friend." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Musical theater stalwart Bernadette Peters performs over two-dozen songs on this concert film. Included during the performance are renditions of "We're In the Money," "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight," "The Way You Look Tonight," and "I'll Be Seeing You." The DVD release of the concert contains a full biography for the performer. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bernadette Peters
- 2002
- PG13
Jeremy Paul Kagan directs this Showtime family drama set in a rural village in Ireland. Bernadette Peters and Rachel Ward star as a lesbian couple who run the local tavern. They end up taking care of a orphaned boy and one of them is diagnosed with breast cancer. Also stars Jonathan Silverman, Thomas Sangster, and Don Foley. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bernadette Peters, Rachel Ward, (more)
- 1988
In this above-average made-for-television drama, Bernadette Peters stars as a mother facing the greatest challenge of her life. Based a true story, Matthew Lawrence stars as David Rothenberg, a six year-old who was viciously set on fire by his jealous father. Severely burned and disfigured, David courageously clung to life despite the odds against him. Determined to see her son through the ordeal, the film shows how his mother Marie (Peters) tirelessly worked to help nurse him back to life. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1983
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Based on the beloved fairy tale, this installment of Shelley Duvall's "Faerie Tale Theatre" tells the well-known tale of a beautiful princess (Bernadette Peters) who is enchanted by an evil fairy and doomed to an eternal sleep unless she receives the kiss of a prince (Christopher Reeve). ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1990
The Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker story was a "natural" for TV-movie adaptation, and Fall From Grace more than fills the bill. Bernadette Peters heaps on makeup by the trowel as Tammy Faye, the wife of televangelist Jim Bakker (here played with boyish fanaticism by Kevin Spacey). The Bakkers build up their "PTL" organization ("Praise the Lord") into a massive empire encompassing millions of dollars in donations, a cable-TV network, valuable land holdings and a garish religious theme park, Heritage USA. A North Carolina newspaper rocks the boat by investigating inequities in the Bakkers' financial setup. The whole enterprise falls apart when it's discovered that Jim has siphoned off funds to cover up an extramarital affair. Telecast in the spring of 1990 to coincide with the beginning of Jim Bakker's long, long prison sentence, Fall From Grace tries to be fair...for at least fifteen minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
In the tradition of the theatrical film Sliding Doors, this episode of Frasier offers two alternatives to a single twist of fate for both Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Niles (David Hyde Pierce). In Frasier's case, we are given the opportunity to see what will happen to him if he decides to go out on Valentine's Day -- and what will happen if he stays at home (and taking things a step farther, we see two different methods of courtship involving Frasier and a cute but klutzy artist [Charlotte Ross]). Meanwhile, a similar "either-or" situation is played out for Niles and Daphne (Jane Leeves), who may or may not go on a Hawaiian vacation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Heartbeeps stars Andy Kaufman and Bernadette Peters as domestic robots who fall in love and run off together. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andy Kaufman, Bernadette Peters, (more)
- 1998
This live recording of Cameron Mackintosh's extravagant and ambitious revue features all the brightest stars of the musical stage. Hailed by critics and fans during its 1998 run at the Lyceum Theatre of London, the show includes old classics and new favorites by Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Julian Slade, Lerner and Loewe, Cole Porter, Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil, Stephen Swartz, and Louis Jordan. Performers include Jonathan Pryce, Julie Andrews, Michael Ball, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Paige, Judi Dench, Colm Wilkinson, Hal Fowler, Brian Blessed, David Campbell, Lea Salonga, and Hugh Jackman. ~ Sarah Welsh, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Country-western singer LeAnn Rimes plays herself in this made-for-TV adaptation of her autobiographical novel. The film charts LeAnn's Nashville childhood, her rise to fame on the nightclub and honky-tonk circuit, and the fulfillment of her lifelong dream: To sing at the Grand Ole Opry. Alas, on the eve of this triumph, LeAnn is forced to make a difficult decision: Should she perform at the Opry as scheduled, or should she remain at the bedside of her dying grandmother? It is up to legendary country vocalist Faith Shawn (Bernadette Peters to help LeAnn sort out this troublesome dilemma. Naturally, LeAnn Rimes does a lot of singing, including an unforgettable duet with Bernadette Peters. Also known as The LeAnn Rimes Story, Holiday in Your Heart first aired December 14, 1997, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin, better known in the literary world as George Sand, not only took a man's name, but trotted around wearing pants and smoking cigars in public. No great shakes today, but in the 1800s she was perhaps the most famous (or infamous) woman in the world. One of the first original celebrities, aside from her garb and literary output, she was known to inspire many duels and broken hearts among other famous hedonist artists. One character describes her in Impromptu, as "that graveyard." The film engages in a sexual roundelay among Sand's (Judy Davis) many friends -- Eugene Delacroix (Ralph Brown), Alfred DeMusset (Mandy Patinkin), Franz Liszt (Julian Sands), and Frederick Chopin (Hugh Grant). The entire crew heads off to the summer estate of the Duke and Duchess d'Antan (Anton Rodgers and Emma Thompson), invited there by the culture-vulture hosts. Sand takes a bead on the sickly Chopin and spends her time throwing herself at him. Also on hand is Liszt's mistress Marie d'Agoult (Bernadette Peters) and Felicien Mallefille (Georges Corraface), Sand's recently jilted lover. Mallefille is jealous of any of the other guests who glance in Sand's direction and continually challenges them to duels. Marie, on the other hand, is enlisted by Sand to deliver a note to Chopin. But Marie, jealous of Sand, delivers the note substituting her name for Sand's. And as the weekend continues, the sexual merry-go-round continues at full tilt. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judy Davis, Hugh Grant, (more)
Originally broadcast as part of the American Playhouse series on PBS, this video captures a performance by the original cast of the popular Broadway musical. With songs and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine, who also directed the stage production, Into the Woods humorously combines a number of classic fairy tales into one over-arching narrative. A baker and his wife are assigned a number of tasks by a nearby witch; only after completing these duties will they be able to give birth. During their quest to fulfill the witches' demands, they encounter Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and numerous other fairy tale figures. The traditional stories are parodied and altered at will, yet the original fairy tales' sense of wonder and, at times, darkness remains intact. The score, winner of Broadway's Tony Award, includes such songs as Children Will Listen, Giants in the Sky, and No One Is Alone. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
A family takes on the difficult task of learning how to get along with one another in this emotional comedy drama. Alex Gromberg (Michael Douglas) is a middle-aged man who feels caught in the middle of his familial obligations as he muddles he way through a midlife crisis. While a successful businessman, Alex sometimes still feels as if he's under the shadow of his father, Mitchell Gromberg (Kirk Douglas), a successful attorney whose skills in the courtroom outstripped his gifts as a parent. Elderly Mitchell has recently survived a stroke, and Alex and Mitchell want to mend their relationship while there's still time, but making it so proves difficult, even with Alex getting advice from his wife, psychologist Rebecca (Bernadette Peters), and Mitchell being prodded by his long-suffering wife, Evelyn (Diana Douglas). Alex is also trying to reach out to his two sons, who are as different as night and day; college student Asher (Cameron Douglas) is an aspiring club DJ who seems to be styling himself to bear no resemblance to his father, while 11-year-old Eli (Rory Culkin) is an overly serious lad who is having trouble navigating the first steps of adolescence. It Runs in the Family marked the first time Kirk Douglas acted in a film with his son Michael Douglas; adding to the family atmosphere was Michael's son Cameron Douglas, working with his family for the first time, and Diana Douglas, Kirk's former wife and Michael's mother. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Douglas, Kirk Douglas, (more)
Adam Marcus, whose previous works include Jason Goes to Hell (1993), directs this heartwarming romantic comedy. The film opens with little James Ellis watching his parents divorce and his mother (Bernadette Peters) hop from one Mr. Wrong to the next. His grandmother warns him that "in this family, the men leave and the women go crazy." Fast-forward 14 years to a gloriously snowy winter day when James (played by screenwriter and brother of the director Kipp Marcus) runs into his neighbor Sarah (Alice Dylan). As best buddies, the two help each other out as he enrolls in a cooking school and she studies at a New York college. Soon, their attraction boils over and they stumble into their first kiss. Confused, Sarah tells James that the kiss was a mistake, though in her heart it felt all too right. Crestfallen, James dutifully agrees. But when he gathers the courage to tell her what he really feels, she has left to study in England. James seeks solace from a series of failed rebound dates by spending evenings at a local club with his fellow walking wounded. Snow Days was screened at the 1999 AFI/L.A. Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kipp Marcus, Alice Dylan, (more)
Director Dan Ireland adapts writer Robert Bazell's autobiographical novel Her-2 to the screen with this made-for-Lifetime drama concerning UCLA oncologist and researcher Dr. Dennis Slamon, creator of the promising breast cancer drug Herceptin. Convinced that his revolutionary drug could effectively switch off cancer cells for women with tumors of the Her-2+ (Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2-positive) without radiation treatment, Dr. Slamon raised funds for his research with the help of Ron Perelman, Lilly Tartikoff, and the extended Revlon family. Later, as Dr. Slamon attempted to cut through the bureaucratic red tape and get his drug approved, a number of brave patients who had volunteered for the clinical tests of Herceptin sadly succumbed to their cancer. But all hope wasn't lost, because in 1998 the FDA finally approved the use of Herceptin to treat breast cancer, giving hope to millions of women and their families across the country. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harry Connick, Jr., Bernadette Peters, (more)
Produced and directed by Glenn Jordan, this 1971 made-for-television movie features a performance of Clifford Odets' depression-era drama, Paradise Lost. Starring Eli Wallach, the play is a character study focusing on the lives of Leo and Clara Gordon, a middle-class husband and wife living in 1932 America. Also starring Bernadette Peters, Fred Gwynne, and Jo Van Fleet, the program was released as part of Kultur's Broadway Theatre Archive series. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
Adapted from Dennis Potter's landmark British TV miniseries and relocated to the United States during the Depression, Pennies from Heaven dramatizes how popular songs both shaped and reflected the thoughts of people living through economic (and emotional) hardship. Arthur Parker (Steve Martin) is a sheet music salesman who believes that he can spot a hit a mile away and wants to open his own store. But he can't get a bank loan and his wife Joan (Jessica Harper), who has savings left to her by her father, refuses to give him the money. Also, while Arthur has a fierce sexual appetite, Joan generally refuses his advances. While on the road, Arthur meets Eileen (Bernadette Peters), a shy schoolteacher as desperate for affection as Arthur is hungry for sex. They begin an affair, which leads to tragedy for both. Punctuating the drama of Pennies from Heaven are elaborate musical numbers in which the characters lip-synch to popular songs of the day, which at once lift their hopes and reflect their fears. Arthur's buoyant tap number to "My Baby Said Yes" and Eileen's saucy rendition of "Love is Good for Anything That Ails You" are reflections of their needs for money and love, and their pas de deux on "Let's Face the Music and Dance" is at once an escape and an acknowledgement of their hopelessness. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, (more)
For his third film as a director and his third film directing Clint Eastwood, stunt-man Buddy Van Horn helmed this action comedy involving a skip tracer, some neo-nazis, and the titular vehicle. Eastwood stars as Tommy Nowak, a bounty hunter with a knack for catching bail-skippers with an array of costumes and characters. After he captures a young woman (Bernadette Peters), he suddenly finds himself between the woman's good-for-nothing husband and his white supremacist cohorts and the wads of cash hidden in the pink Cadillac she's driving. With the skin-heads hot on their tail, a romance sparks between the skip-tracer and his captive. Written by John Eskow, Pink Cadillac costars Timothy Carhart and Michael Des Barres. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Bernadette Peters, (more)
