Ritchie Singer Movies
- 2005
In the tradition of Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company and Growing Up Brady comes the telemovie Dynasty: the Making of a Guilty Pleasure: a slightly tongue-in-cheek docudrama that purports to tell the scintillating story behind the scenes of ABC's nine-season prime time soaper about the Carringtons and the Colbys. The feature (produced by ABC itself) reflects on the parent network's own lust after a serial drama in the face of drowning competition from Dallas. To solve this issue, producer Aaron Spelling (here played by Nicholas Hammond) and show creators Richard and Esther Shapiro (Ritchie Singer and Pamela Reed) conceive of a modern American dress version of I, Claudius about the corrupting influences of wealth and power in the Reagan era. The suits devise the scheming character of Alexis Carrington Colby and bring Joan Collins (Alice Krige) in to play her as a kind of feminine equivalent of J.R. Ewing. The main thrust of the story involves the program's rise to one of the top-tiered series on television, followed by its inevitable fall when it disrespects and underestimates its regular audience. John Bart portrays John Forsythe, Melora Hardin plays Linda Evans, and Robert Coleby is Rock Hudson. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pamela Reed, Alice Krige, (more)
Directed by Mark Joffe, Australia's The Man Who Sued God centers around Steve (Billy Connelly), an ex-lawyer who is unable to collect insurance money for his destroyed boat. Deeming the accident an "act of God," Steve decides to sue the man at the root of his problem -- namely, God. Anna (Judy Davis), a jaded journalist who took a particular interest in Steve's case, decides to help him out on his quest to collect from the almighty. The movie raises a host of philosophical issues, some of which include who should represent God in court, who pays up should God be convicted, and the status of Steve's eternal soul. The Man Who Sued God also features Vincent Ball and Billie Brown. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Connolly, Judy Davis, (more)
- 1999
- NR
Unrequited love and mistaken identity are the lynchpins of this romantic comedy from Australia. Ruby Vale (Claudia Karvan) is a pretty but no-nonsense young woman who lives in a small village in the Aussie outback, where she runs the only diner in town. She's engaged to marry Hamish (Andrew S. Gilbert), who is pleasant but dull, and spends much of her free time with her good friend Jack (Hugh Jackman). Jack secretly aspires to be a writer and has in fact published a novel, but since the book is a frothy paperback romance, to avoid embarrassment he decided not to use his own name and instead credited Ruby Vale as the author. The book becomes a best seller and suddenly Ruby is forced to pose as the writer of a book she hasn't even read, and when the publisher flies her to Sydney to discuss her next project, confusion is the result. Leading lady Claudia Karvan was formerly a popular child actress in her native Australia, while her co-star Hugh Jackman makes his screen debut after establishing himself in musical theater, starring down under in major productions of Beauty and the Beast and Sunset Boulevard. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claudia Karvan, Hugh Jackman, (more)
- 1998
Based on the best-selling memoirs of the late Dame Mary Durack, this big-budget Australian historical drama miniseries traces three generations of the Duracks. After several family deaths, the Duracks flee Irish famines of the 1840s for a better life Down Under, where they make a fortune with Queensland cattle -- only to lose it all in a property crash near the turn of the century, prompting patriarch Patsy Durack (Stephen Dillane, of Welcome to Sarajevo) to reflect, "If it's kings we are, it's kings in grass castles that may be blown away in the wind." Compressing 75 years into four hours, the Durack saga is set against the wider tapestry of pioneering Australian history during the 19th Century. Premiered March 29, and April 5, 1998 on Seven Network Australia. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Dillane, Essie Davis, (more)
- 1998
Based on a true story, this drama is set in a ramshackle Australian seaside boarding house inhabited by a disparate group of social misfits and centers on the attempts of its newest residents, a troubled New Zealander and her 5-year-old daughter, to begin a new life. Before moving into Terra Nova, Ruth (Jeanette Cronin) and her daughter Tuesday (Eloise Etherington) lived with her parents. Ruth has psychological problems, but their exact nature and scope remain undefined in the film. The idiosyncratic Margie (Angela Punch McGregor) runs the rooming house. Ruth's fellow tenants include neo-Nazi skinhead Warren (Teo Gerbert); Dud (Trent Atkinson, who becomes friends with Tuesday; Rob, an astrologer; and Dud's strange older brother Simon (Paul Kelman), who is Margie's sometime lover. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeanette Cronin, Paul Kelman, (more)
- 1991
- PG
John Seale directed this lively, though overly familiar, adventure tale. Frank Flynn (Mark Harmon) is a jazz musician who travels to the South Seas to look for his missing brother Charlie. Once there, he takes up with an attractive hitchhiker named Anna (Deborah Unger). When he finds out that his brother has been bludgeoned to death by a group of natives, Frank decides to investigate the case on his own. Frank meets Charlie's former business associate, Robert "Viv" Vivaldi (Jeroen Krabbe) and his insouciant manner causes Frank to suspect he may have had something to do with his brother's death. Anna then reveals herself to be Viv's ex-wife and Frank's badgering of Viv causes both Frank and Anna to flee into the jungle, where they come upon some curious gold bars. Frank then recalls their father had mentioned something to Charlie about an American bomber that had crashed in the jungle, loaded with gold. Viv then catches up with the duo and, although Anna is captured, Frank befriends a group of natives who teach him the ways of the South Pacific Islanders. They also lead him to the location where the plane full of gold went down; they then help Frank lay siege to Viv's home. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Harmon, Deborah Kara Unger, (more)
- 1990
Having been soundly thrashed in the ratings wars by The Cosby Show, ABC wisely (if belatedly) moved the contemporary Mission: Impossible from Thursday to Saturday evenings on January 6, 1990. The first episode in the new time slot was "Deadly Harvest," written by Jan Sardi. In this episode, IMF agent Nicholas Black takes the place of Jared (Nick Carrafa), a research scientist who has been developing a dangerous virus on behalf of Orambaq, a terrorist nation. Unless the villains are stopped in their tracks, the entire wheat harvest in the United States will be permanently contaminated. Ritchie Singer appears as the head baddie, Jousseff K. (apparently Kafka-inspired). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Thaao Penghlis, (more)
- 1989
- R
Cappuccino takes place for the most part in an Australian coffee house, where a quartet of aspiring actors confer on a regular basis. John Clayton moonlights as a cabbie and a mediocre comedian; Rowena Wallace, Clayton's ex-lover, has had some moderate stage success; Jeanie Dryden (wife of Anthony Bowman, the film's director) is a naive newcomer who never gets a break; and Barry Quin is a onetime soap-opera star who'll do anything for publicity. There really isn't much of a plot, save for a wisp of continuity involving Clayton's discovery of an incriminating videotape in his cab. Cappuccino maintains an air of comic authenticity throughout, in that its cast is comprised of genuine struggling actors. The film was adroitly filmed on a minuscule budget in Sydney, Australia. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Clayton, Rowena Wallace, (more)
- 1988
- R
Horror and hard-rock meet head on in Encounter at Raven's Gate. On the eve of hosting a music concert, a tiny Australian town is plagued by a series of unexplained occurrences. Most of these involve electric appliances and the failure of same. Far more disturbing is the suddenly violent behavior of many of the citizens. When the explanation comes, it's every man (and woman) for him(or her)self! The "Vincent Gill" in the supporting cast is not the famed country western star. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Vidler, Celine Griffin, (more)
- 1987
Max Falcon (Garry McDonald) is a pompous and immensely popular actor who stars in "Freud The Musical" in this offbeat comedy. His wife Marilyn (Pamela Stephenson) is having an affair with her Polish chauffeur Richard (Marian Dworakowski). The two conspire to murder Max by putting broken glass in his food, by assassination, and by poisoning his drink. The drink is consumed by his manager Norda (Su Cruickshank), who dies as a result. Max is finally killed off but is allowed to return to Earth as a ghost to settle some unfinished business. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Garry McDonald, Pamela Stephenson, (more)
- 1985
This film's all-inclusive original title was Shout!: Story of Johnny O'Keefe. Helen Reddy hosts this documentary of Australian pop star Johnny O'Keefe. Vintage film clips show the central character in glorious action. Pop songs featured herein include "Johnny B. Goode," "Great Pretender" and of course the title tune. Somehow there is enough material to film 260 minutes, and still leave the audiences begging for more! Shout was initially produced as an Australian TV miniseries. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
