Patrick Stewart Movies
Doing for bald men what no amount of Minoxodil ever could, Patrick Stewart won international fame for his portrayal of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the popular TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Before earning immortality for his ability to handle a phaser convincingly, Stewart was known as a stage actor of great talent in his native Britain, where he had been performing since he was a teenager.Born in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England on July 13, 1940, Stewart was performing in various drama groups by the age of twelve. After leaving school at fifteen, he went to work as a junior reporter for a local newspaper. He quit the job after being told by the paper's editor that he was spending too much time at the theatre and not enough on the newspaper and worked for a year as a furniture salesman to pay for drama school. He was accepted at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 1957, and two years later made his professional stage debut in a production of Treasure Island.
Stewart went on to enjoy a prolific and acclaimed stage career, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 and remaining with it for the next twenty-seven years. He also began to work on the big and small screens, and in the early 1980s started popping up in a number of popular films like Excalibur (1981) and Dune (1984). In 1987, he was chosen to play Picard on Next Generation. Certain that he would be fired from the series, Stewart reportedly refused to unpack his bags for six weeks. Although more than one snarky observer spent the first year of the series making idiot jokes about Stewart's bald pate, the actor--and the show--proved to be a hit. Stewart stayed with Next Generation for seven seasons, and then reprised his role for a string of successful Star Trek films: 1994's Star Trek Generations, 1996's Star Trek: First Contact, 1998's Star Trek: Insurrection and 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis.
In addition to his work with the Next Generation series and films, Stewart also continued to work on the stage and in various films. In 1995, he had a hilarious turn as a flamboyant, acid-tongued interior decorator in Jeffrey, while in 1997 he tried his hand at intrigue with a part in The Conspiracy Theory. The following year, he appeared on the small screen, giving a terrific portrayal of the obsessive Captain Ahab in Moby Dick. Though a new Star Trek film every few years may not have been quite enough to keep the legions of sci-fi addicts satisfied, Stewart scored brownie points among fans by taking an impressive turn as Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003), and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). On the stage, Stewart enjoyed acclaim for a number of productions, particularly a one-man production of A Christmas Carol, which he performed in numerous theatrical venues around the world, winning numerous awards for his portrayal. He also earned extensive praise for his portrayal of Prospero in the Broadway production of The Tempest in 1996.
Interestingly, Stewart, though appreciative of his star status, has repeatedly bristled at the notion that his lack of hair is "sexy," à la Yul Brynner. In regards to his reluctant sex symbol status, he has stated that he would much rather be judged on the basis of his acting ability rather than his appearance. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Hosted by Kevin Costner and narrated by Gregory Harrison, the historical documentary 500 Nations, Volume 4: Invasion of the Coast - The First English Settlements portrays America's original inhabitants before and after the Europeans arrived. The film begins in the Arctic where the Inuit culture -- during the search for the Northwest Passage -- is examined. Also featured in the film are the stories of Pocahontas, the Pilgrims, Samoset, Captain John Smith, and the Powhatans. Other episodes in the 500 Nations series include 500 Nations: Removal, 500 Nations: Clash of Cultures, 500 Nations: Attack on Culture, 500 Nations: Cauldron of War, 500 Nations: Roads Across the Plains, and 500 Nations: Mexico. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide
Patrick Stewart stars as Ebeneezer Scrooge in this made-for-TV adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic holiday fable. Scrooge is a skinflint businessman who loathes the Christmas season and begrudges having to give time off to his best employee, Bob Cratchit (Richard E. Grant). On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his late friend and partner, Jacob Marley (Bernard Lloyd), who in the afterlife has come to see the error of his ways. Marley arranges for Scrooge to be visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Joel Grey), Christmas Present (Desmond Barrit), and Christmas Yet to Come (Tim Potter) in hopes of teaching Scrooge of the importance of embracing the joy of the holiday season. A Christmas Carol was produced for the TNT cable television network. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, (more)
- 2001
Actor Patrick Stewart narrates this Discovery Channel video about what scientists have learned about the Earth and moon during recent decades. As the 11 segments unfold, experts discuss such topics as Mount Everest's geological history, the 18,000 meteorites that annually hit the Earth, and what's been learned from our trips to the Moon. Time is also spent exploring how damaging one earthquake can be, and what's been learned from studying lava pouring out of the Earth's volcanoes. ~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
George Orwell's political fable about corruption and betrayal in post-revolutionary Russia gets a new look in this version that employs a cast of real animals alongside digitally manipulated critters and lifelike beasts crafted by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. At the Manor Farm, the alcoholic master Mr. Jones (Pete Postlethwaite) is cruel to his animals and has horribly mismanaged the property. One night, the wise but elderly pig Old Major (voice of Peter Ustinov) gathers the animals and speaks of a remarkable dream, in which the animals throw off their tyrannical human masters and learn to reap the fruits of their own labors. After Old Major's death, two other pigs, Snowball (voice of Kelsey Grammer) and Napoleon (voice of Patrick Stewart) lead a revolution that drives Jones from his land and leaves the animals in charge of their own destiny. After their revolt, Snowball and Napoleon rule side by side, but Napoleon soon becomes drunk with power and squeezes Snowball out of authority, eventually turning the other animals against him. With Boxer (voice of Paul Scofield), a simple-minded but loyal and physically powerful horse, as a role model, Napoleon leads the animals on a campaign of self-denial and hard work that will bring them security and freedom; however, it soon becomes obvious that Napoleon is growing fat while the other animals are starving, and he is quickly becoming the sort of creature he once waged war against. Animal Farm received its American premiere on the TNT cable TV network in October 1999; it opened as a theatrical release in several other countries shortly afterward. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pete Postlethwaite, Kelsey Grammer, (more)
The events in the direct-to-video Bambi II transpire during the middle portion of the original film, after Bambi's mother dies but before he grows into an adult. The film concerns Bambi being raised by his father, The Great Prince. Bambi learns his place in the forest thanks to his father and with the help of his friends like Thumper. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart, Alexander Gould, (more)
An old fable gets a high-tech update in this computer-animated comedy from Walt Disney Pictures. Chicken Little (voice of Zach Braff) is an earnest young fowl living in the town of Oakley Oaks who one day starts a panic when a falling acorn drops on his head, and he warns everyone that the sky has started to collapse. Chicken Little was wrong, of course, much to the embarrassment of his father, Buck Cluck (voice of Garry Marshall), and now the young chicken is struggling to live down the incident. While his best friends Abby Mallard (voice of Joan Cusack), Runt of the Litter (voice of Steve Zahn), and Fish out of Water stand by him, the school's star athlete Foxy Loxy (voice of Amy Sedaris) never passes up an opportunity to make fun of the diminutive chicken. As a result, Chicken Little tends to keep his more recent discoveries to himself, but what's a bird to do when he uncovers pseudo-scientific evidence that suggests the sky really is starting to fall, in large hexagonal chunks? Chicken Little was directed by Mark Dindal, who previously helmed The Emperor's New Groove for Disney. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Zach Braff, Steve Zahn, (more)
- 1985
In this slow-paced thriller set just before D-Day in Paris, Gus Lang (Ed Harris) is an American agent who has to make sure a captured U.S. officer is not forced to divulge the secret of the Normandy invasion. Since audiences know the invasion worked, the success of Gus Lang's espionage forays into Nazi officialdom, and the French resistance appears to be a foregone conclusion. At least Paris provides an excellent backdrop for his undercover work, both with the attractive Claire Jouvet (Cyrielle Claire) and the less-attractive Nazi military. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ed Harris, Horst Buchholz, (more)
Jerry Fletcher (Mel Gibson) is a New York City cab driver who seems to have absorbed every bit of crackpot information passed along as "suppressed news" that's surfaced on talk radio or the Internet in the past 20 years. Anti-United Nations militia men who are actually U.N. operatives? NASA scientists engineering earthquakes? Oliver Stone's secret life as a government agent discrediting conspiracy theorists? Jerry's heard 'em all and believes most of them, and even publishes his own journal of forbidden information, with a subscription list that now totals five people. In short, Jerry seems like just another New York City lunatic, and while he spends a fair amount of his spare time following Alice Sutton (Julia Roberts), a government attorney, Alice regards him as harmless; he once intervened while she was being mugged, and he's been acting like her benign if whacked-out protector ever since. However, one day Jerry is kidnapped and worked over by CIA operatives; he is convinced that one of the theories he uncovered must be for real -- but he has no idea which one. He tries to get Alice to help him, and before long both are drawn into a dangerous web that leads to a startling revelation of just how Jerry got this way. Mel Gibson gives a fine comic performance, and those with a taste for alternative media will have fun dissecting which of the theories Jerry spouts are "real" (or at least appeared before this film was made) and which were the invention of the screenwriters. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, (more)
- 1998
Betsan Morris Evans made his directorial debut with this British heist drama. Sav (Jake Wood) and H (Kevin McKidd) work for Sav's father, tulip farmer Dad Savage (Patrick Stewart). H brings in others, and a scheme develops to rob Dad Savage of his hidden money. Filmed in the flat landscapes of England's Fenlands. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart, Kevin McKidd, (more)
"They're the toughest anti-terrorist strike force in the world. But they've never faced an enemy like this." The "they" mentioned in the ad copy for Death Train are headed by Pierce Brosnan. The enemy is rogue Russian general Christopher Lee, who has stolen two nuclear bombs, intending to hold the world for ransom. The bombs are placed on two trains, which are then engaged in a breakneck race by the general via remote control. Things really get dangerous when one of the trains is hijacked! Alexandra Paul and Patrick Stewart also star in this middling actioner, which manages to stir up suspense only during the climactic detonation sequence. Originally titled Alastair MacLean's Death Train when it premiered over the USA Cable Network on April 14, 1993, the film was retitled Detonator for its theatrical release. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
David Lynch wades through dark waters in his adaptation of Frank Herbert's cult science fiction novel. In condensing Herbert's rambling and complex book by eliminating characters and compacting events, Lynch succeeds in rendering the story incomprehensible to those unfamiliar with the novel and making the film look like a sketchy greatest hits collection of the book for Herbert fans. The story takes place in the year 10,191. The universe is governed through a system of feudal rule, presided over by Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV (José Ferrer), who appears to take his marching orders from something that resembles a talking vagina. In the kingdom are two rival houses -- the House of Atreides and the House of Harkonnen. Each house is trying to gain dominion over the universe, but that dominion can only be gained by the house that controls the Spice, a special substance that permits the folding of time. The Spice is only available on the desert world of Arrakis, or Dune. Shaddam, tired of the feuding between the two houses, permits the Atreides to take over the Spice production on Dune, while secretly working with the Harkonnens to launch a sneak attack on the Atreides and destroy them. The leader of the Atreides is Duke Leto (Jürgen Prochnow), who rules with the help of his concubine Jessica (Francesca Annis) and son Paul (Kyle MacLachlan). The rival Harkonnens are headed by the pus-oozing degenerate Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Kenneth McMillan, in a thoroughly through-the-roof performance) and his two unsavory nephews, Rabban (Paul L. Smith) and Feyd (Sting). When his father is murdered by the Harkonnens, Paul escapes to Dune, where he is greeted by the Fremen (the desert dwellers on Dune who prepare the Spice) as the messiah foretold in Fremen legend. Paul assumes the mantle of messiah and leads the Fremen in a revolt that topples the balance of power in the universe. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Francesca Annis, Leo Cimino, (more)
John Boorman directed this gloriously savage interpretation of Arthurian legend loosely based on Thomas Malory's novel Le Morte d'Arthur. By turns gleaming and filthy, tender and bloody, the film is a visually stunning epic which is never less than compelling. Nigel Terry is perfectly cast as Arthur, whose unwavering trust and faith are shown to be both quietly heroic and achingly naïve. Interestingly, the quest for the Grail is the least effective part of the film, despite bold cinematography by Alex Thomson (who was nominated for an Oscar) and a fine performance by Paul Geoffrey as Perceval, whose greatest desire is attained in his dying sight. It is the scenes of Camelot in which Boorman is at his most effective, as Arthur is betrayed by the burning passions of Guenevere (Cherie Lunghi) and Lancelot (Nicholas Clay), whose boiling internal forces cannot be denied, whatever the cost. The wicked Mordred (Robert Addie) and Morgana (Helen Mirren) are commanding when onscreen, and Nicol Williamson's performance as the grandiosely self-sacrificing Merlin is outstanding. Liam Neeson and Patrick Stewart also appear in this dense, passionate, and stirring triumph featuring a marvelous Trevor Jones score. The gruesome effects by Peter Hutchinson and Alan Whibley, however, and sights such as a knight having sex in full body armor make this a fairy tale strictly for adults. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson, (more)
- 2005
Andy (Ricky Gervais) and Maggie (Ashley Jensen) are extras on the set of a very serious Patrick Stewart film. Andy's nemesis, Greg (Shaun Pye), is also there, and he has a line, much to Andy's chagrin. Andy drops by Patrick Stewart's trailer in a desperate effort to further his career. Stewart understands the challenge faced by struggling actors and is quite welcoming. When Andy tells Stewart about his sitcom script, Stewart goes into great detail about the screenplay he's working on, about a man (to be played by Stewart) who can control the world with his mind, and mainly uses that power to make women's clothes fall off. Later, Andy's agent (Stephen Merchant) calls him in, and tells him that the BBC is interested in his sitcom. The agent tries to get Andy to consider his client Shaun Williamson, now working as a handyman at the agency, for the lead role, instead of Andy playing it himself as intended. Despite the agent's ineptitude, Andy's meeting with producer Iain (Guy Henry) and flamboyantly gay script editor Damon (Martin Savage) goes quite well, and Andy starts working with Damon to tighten up the pilot script. First, of course, he has to drop by the set to tell Maggie the good news, and rub it in the faces of his fellow extras, particularly Greg. While Damon is out on a coffee break, Maggie visits, and Andy jokingly complains about his writing partner. "No one needs to be that gay." Maggie runs into Damon on her way out, and suggests he "might want to tone it down a bit," which leads to all kinds of problems. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart
- 2005
The title of this episode refers to actor James Woods, whom Peter Griffin befriends under unusual circumstances (what, exactly, would the USUAL circumstances be?). Before long, however, Peter regrets making the acquaintance of Woods, who refuses to leave the Griffin home despite all manner of provocation. Elsewhere, Brian the dog attends a PTA meeting, where he falls in love with a teacher named Shauna (voiced by Gabrielle Union). For reasons best known to producer Seth MacFarlane, this episode also features caricatured cameos by three actors in the Star Trek franchise: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes and Michael Dorn. And if nothing else, "Peter's Got Woods" proves that James Woods is a sucker for Reese's Pieces. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Host Patrick Stewart takes viewers on a journey through the universe, from the nearest stars to the beginning of time itself. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
This film opens with a big fat close-up of a sweaty prisoner with a fly (on a string) crawling on his face. The prisoner quickly pops the fly in his mouth and spits it out. Then he leeringly laughs about it to the prisoner next door. Nope. This is not a bad undiscovered Sergio Leone spaghetti western. Rather it is the opening shot Deran Sarafin's Gunmen -- a brainless action film without an original thought in its head. Christopher Lambert is the fly-eater, a man named Dani Servigo, the brother of a dead smuggler and a prisoner in a South American jail, who holds the secret to the whereabouts of $400,000 in stolen drug money. The walls of the prison explode, and Cole Parker (Mario Van Pebbles) makes his entrance. Cole is a mercenary working with the DEA who is in this South American hellhole to mop up the drug traders and to avenge his father's death at the hands of the drug traders. He wants Dani to lead him to the gold. In this love-hate buddy film, the two thrown-together friends/enemies race through the Amazon jungle with ruthless assassins in pursuit, as they all gravitate towards the secret stash of money. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Lambert, Mario Van Peebles, (more)
- 1979
Made-for-television adaptation of Shakespeare's classic tragedy about the Prince of Denmark's attempts to avenge the murder of his father. ~ Nicole Gagne, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Derek Jacobi
- 1975
Hedda is a tasteful, literate cinematic translation of the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler. Glenda Jackson plays Hedda, the restless, free-spirited daughter of a Norwegian military officer. Hedda is married to George Tesman (Timothy West), a dull professor whom she does not love. Bored with her lot, Hedda begins playing with the life of the trusting Thea Elvstead (Jennie Linden) and pushes her former love, the poetic Eilert Lovborg (Patrick Stewart), into attempting suicide. Hedda's machinations come to naught when she is threatened with exposure by the lascivious Judge Brack (Peter Eyre); the judge agrees to keep mum if Hedda will become his mistress. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenda Jackson, Timothy West, (more)
- 1975
- PG
Actor Richard Johnson wrote the original story for this taut suspense drama that stars Rod Steiger as Niall Hennessy, a man who plans to blow up the British Parliament in retaliation for the accidental death of his family in Belfast. Johnson plays Scotland Yard-inspector Hollis, an expert in the struggles of Ireland, who under Commander Rice (Trevor Howard) attempts to locate Hennessy. Hennessy has journeyed to London with a plan to substitute himself for MP Burgess (Hugh Moxey) and, wiring himself up as a human bomb, to destroy the British power structure. In a twist, IRA leader Tobin (Eric Porter), realizing that the explosion will lead to more British repression on Northern Ireland, also travels to London to try to kill Hennessy before he can explode his bomb. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rod Steiger, Lee Remick, (more)
This 13-episode miniseries was adapted from the book by Robert Graves, which chronicles the tumultuous life and times of Claudius (Derek Jacobi), who despite a deformed leg and a speech impediment through prophecy becomes the Roman Empire. An aging Claudius looks back at the bizarre and treacherous times through which he's lived and sets them down in a secret history that is not to be read until after his death. The distinguished cast of I, Claudius includes John Hurt as Caligula, Brian Blessed as Augustus, Sian Phillips as Livia, Margaret Tyzack as Antonia, and Patrick Stewart as Sejanus. The home-video release also includes the documentary The Epic That Never Was, which looks at producer Alexander Korda ill-starred attempt to film Graves' novel in the mid-1930s. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Derek Jacobi, Sian Phillips, (more)
