Claire Bloom Movies
While taking drama lessons at Badminton, Guildhall School, and the Central School of Speech and Drama, Claire Bloom began appearing on BBC radio, and made her stage debut at 15 with the Oxford Repertory. She made her London bow in 1947, and the following year was effusively praised for her performance as Ophelia in a Stratford-upon-Avon production of Hamlet. Also in 1948, she appeared in her first film, The Blind Goddess (1948). While gainfully employed at the Old Vic in 1952, Bloom was selected by Charlie Chaplin to portray the suicidal ballerina Terry in Chaplin's Limelight. Though the film was inadequately distributed due to Chaplin's "questionable" political beliefs, Limelight made Bloom an overnight star -- after only nine years in the business. Her next major film assignment was Lady Anne in Olivier's Richard III (1955), which led to a steady stream of costume roles in films like Alexander the Great (1956), The Brothers Karamazov (1959), The Buccaneer (1959), and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962). Of her "contemporary" film roles, several are standouts: the sexually unstable housewife in The Chapman Report, the lesbian psychic in The Haunting (1963), the compassionate psychiatrist in Charly (1968), and Martin Landau's Jewish-suburbanite wife in Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989). Her TV work has included Edith Galt Wilson in Backstairs at the White House (1979) and Lady Marchman in Brideshead Revisited (1982). Whenever her schedule has allowed, Bloom has returned to her first love, the theater; her favorite stage role is Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. Married three times, Bloom's first husband was actor Rod Steiger, with whom she co-starred in 3 Into 2 Won't Go (1969) and The Illustrated Man (1969); her second was producer Hillard Elkins, who packaged Bloom's 1973 film version of The Doll's House; and her third was novelist Philip Roth. In 1982, Claire Bloom published her autobiography, Limelight and After: The Education of an Actress. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Claire Bloom narrates this documentary about The Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague, the burial site that some claim houses up to 100,000 members of Prague's historic Jewish community. When the Germans occupied Prague in World War II, the cemetery was the only place that Jewish children were permitted to play. Later, when the communists took power, the same place was a popular rendezvous for lovers. Christened the "Westminster Abby of the Jewish people" The Old Jewish Cemetery is crowded with 12 layers of graves, and has been sited as the source of many legends, including that of Rabbi Loew's golem, which was constructed from clay to protect the Jewish people. Millions of people visit the cemetery every year, a fact that has no doubt fueled its reputation as a place steeped in mysticism, tradition, and philosophy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claire Bloom
- 2006
Dougray Scott, Linus Roache, Omar Sharif, and Naveen Andrews headline this epic mini-series from director Robert Dornhelm, and following the Prince of Egypt as he discovers his true identity and sets out on a mission from God. An oracle has prophesized that a child will grow up to become the Prince of Egypt, and in order to prevent this from happening The Egyptian Pharaoh (Paul Rhys) orders the immediate slaughter of all newborn males. No child in the entire kingdom is spared except for one. His name was Moses, the son of a Hebrew slave. Set adrift on the Nile immediately after he was born, Moses escapes certain death and enjoys a lavish upbringing in a royal Egyptian household. Moses has no memory of his past, and soon rises to the rank of prince. After Moses receives a fiery message from God and learns of his true heritage, he vows to reclaim his destiny by delivering his people from persecution and realizing his fate as the liberator of the Hebrews. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dougray Scott, Mía Maestro, (more)
- 2005
A trio of lifelong friends returns to their hometown of Kalamazoo, MI, for their ten-year high-school reunion, only to discover that their graduation time capsule contains embarrassingly unmet goals for all of them in director David P. O'Malley's affectionate comedy. For Carol Cavanaugh (Josie Davis), Maggie Goldman (Mayim Bialik), and Joan Branson (Joanna Clare Scott), life hasn't necessarily been as fruitful and as glamorous as they may have hoped in the idealistic days of their carefree youth. Though still relatively young and hopeful about the road that lies ahead, the prospect of having all of their unfulfilled dreams trumpeted before every member of their graduating class is much too humiliating to take lying down. Now, as the three lifelong friends attempt to recover the capsule before it can be read aloud, the spirits of their deceased grandmothers appear to offer solace and consolation in an uncertain time of progress and transition. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mayim Bialik, Josie Davis, (more)
In Deepa Mehta's poignant and heartbreaking romance, Emilia Fox plays Fay, a generally content, thirtysomething Torontoite suffering in a relationship of quiet desperation with her boyfriend; Bruce Greenwood is Tom Avery, a loser in the ways of romance with three broken-hearted marriages behind him, who hosts a late-night call-in radio program. The two meet and grow deeply smitten with one another, but must ultimately learn to accept one another unconditionally. Life seems just about perfect, until an unforeseen calamity challenges everything Fay has come to rely on as stable and solid. Mehta adapted the novel of the same title by Canadian author Carol Shields. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Greenwood, Emilia Fox, (more)
- 2003
American film historian and author Richard Schickel directs the documentary Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin. Schickel offers an exploration into Chaplin's life, from his childhood in London until his death in 1977. The film also contains insight on his multifaceted film career and much-publicized private life. Includes archive footage, film clips, and narration by Sydney Pollack. Interwoven with the vintage bits are contemporary interviews with Hollywood personas such as Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, and Johnny Depp. Chaplin's children Michael and Geraldine also provide contributions. Charlie was shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2003. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sydney Pollack, Charles Chaplin, (more)
- 2000
Love and Murder is based on Murder at the Mendel, the first of the "Joanne Kilbourn" mysteries written by Gail Bowen. Traumatized by the murder of her husband, former police detective Joanne Kilbourn (Wendy Crewson) resigns from the force to look after her children--and when money gets tight, she launches a whole new career as a college lecturer. Inevitably, Joanne is drawn back into detective work when her childhood friend Sally Love (Caroline Goodall) is accused of murdering her ex-husband, in a manner reminiscent of the mysterious death of Sally's father twenty years earlier. Also figuring into the case is a sinister obstetrician. Counting upon the assistance of her former partner Inspector Philip Millard (Victor Garber), Joanne sets about assembling clues and interviewing suspects in hopes of saving Sally--and purging a few privates demons of her own. Originally telecast April 16, 2000, on Canadian TV as part of the off-and-on "Criminal Instinct" series, Love and Murder has since been added to the regular TV-movie rotation of America's Lifetime cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wendy Crewson
- 1999
The poet Anna Akhmatova (1889-1996) was a well-known figure among artists and literati of pre-revolutionary Russia. During the Soviet revolution, her emotional and personal work, full of strong feelings for old Russia, made her a political target - which placed her family and friends in danger, with tragic consequences. Her own life was not taken, but she was forced to live in fear and poverty, and - although her poetry was banned by Stalin - she continued to write for decades. Narrated by Christopher Reeve, the documentary tells Akhmatova's story, using historical footage, interviews with poets and critics, and examples of her poetry (read by actress Claire Bloom). ~ Alice Duncan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Reeve
- 1999
Gene Wilder wrote and starred in this detective story produced for the A&E cable television network. Set in 1938, Wilder plays Larry "Cash" Carter, a one-time Broadway theatrical director who has moved to a quiet Connecticut town, where he oversees a community theater group and works as a private investigator. When a local philanthropist with strong anti-Nazi sentiments is murdered, the police ask Cash to help them track down the killer. Cash discovers his little town isn't as quiet as he imagined, with nefarious servants, devious relatives, and an Axis agent all figuring into the deadly puzzle before he can determine the killer's identity. The Lady in Question was the second in a projected series of made-for-cable "Cash" Carter mysteries written by Wilder; the character was introduced in the first film, 1999's Murder in a Small Town. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Wilder, Mike Starr, (more)
- 1998
Produced by Monterey Media, and part of PBS's the Master Poets Collection, dramatist Claire Bloom (Mighty Aphrodite, Brothers Karamazov), pays tribute to 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) by reading from her Letters to the World selection. While Dickinson only published seven poems in her lifetime, she had an estimated collection of 800 from which to choose. Some literary highlights appearing on this 30-minute VHS tape include This is my Letter to the World, Safe in their Alabaster Chambers, and I Dwell in Possibility. ~ C. Dwayne Smith, All Movie Guide
Laurie Weltz directed this period drama, set in 1959 at a seaside New Jersey town where former silent-screen actress Lulu Fraker (Claire Bloom) runs Lulu's Look Out, a women's rooming house. Teen Maddy Hawkins (Aleksa Palladino of Manny & Lo), employed at a local garage, feels abandoned after the wedding party for her best friend, Mary (Adrienne Shelly), who's moving to Colorado. However, Maddy's attention is soon directed toward carnival worker Will (Sam Trammell), and she also gets involved in the problem of Lulu's boarder Claire (Joely Richardson), a French war bride and widow now pregnant by gregarious garage owner Rick (Jay O. Sanders). The problem is that Claire doesn't love Rick, so Claire and Maddy set off on a journey to visit an abortionist. Shown at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Aleksa Palladino, Joely Richardson, (more)
- 1998
Part one of this acclaimed PBS series explores the earliest roots of the Irish people in the New World. Centering on the crucial event of the Potato Famine, this tape examines the causes of what would become one of the greatest mass migrations in world history. The conditions faced by early arrivals in the United States are examined, including the prejudice that made the end of the remarkable journey so bittersweet for thousands of families in search of a new life. Serious in tone and well documented, this tape is appropriate for use in the college classroom. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Chieftains, Elvis Costello, (more)
Acclaimed Shakespearean thespian Claire Bloom takes viewers on a made-for-TV romp through the women's roles of William Shakespeare in script, stage, and screen, many of which Bloom herself played in the decades of her classical theatrical career. Not only does Bloom read some of her most prized excerpts from her favorite of the famous playwright's works, but she also gives commentary to short screenings from some of the most famous film adaptations of his work, including herself with Laurence Olivier in 1955's Richard III. Other plays cited in this presentation include Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, and As You Like It. In addition to chronicling some of the great works of Shakespeare, this video also toasts the career of the actress made famous by his work, and chronicles her successes, interpretations, and lifetime achievements in the arts. ~ Karen Solomon, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Part four of the acclaimed PBS series explores the rise of two great Irish dynastic families in America, the Kennedys and the O'Neills. The trial, triumphs, and tragedies of these two clans are investigated in detail and held up as examples of the final arrival of the Irish in the New World. The lasting contributions of the Irish to American culture are investigated, as well as the continuing effort of Irish-Americans to both celebrate their heritage and remain true to their roots. Serious in tone and well documented, this tape is appropriate for use in the college classroom. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Chieftains, Elvis Costello, (more)
- 1998
Part two of the acclaimed PBS series explores the path taken by new Irish arrivals in the New World. Irish roles in the building of the American nation are examined, as well as the emergence of Irish-American heroes including such figures as John L. Sullivan and John Mackey. Still dogged by prejudice and often persecuted because of their heritage, the Irish often had no one but each other to turn to. The video examines such groups as the Molly Maguires and their role in the fight for early acceptance. Serious in tone and well documented, this tape is appropriate for use in the college classroom. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Chieftains, Elvis Costello, (more)
- 1998
Part three of the acclaimed PBS series explores the golden age of Irish-Americans living in America as immigrants, with children who begin to make their first indelible marks upon American society. Included are brief profiles of such figures as Al Smith and Ned Harrigan. Also covered is the rise of the first Irish political machine, Tammany Hall, which proved both a blessing and a curse for the Irish in America. Serious in tone and well documented, this tape is appropriate for use in the college classroom. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Chieftains, Elvis Costello, (more)
- 1994
This documentary chronicles the life and work of the woman who revolutionized the world of dance; without Martha Graham, modern dance would not be the same. She developed a completely new dance idiom, expressing itself in angular, percussive gestures. Her choreography was equally as innovative, focusing on the American experience. Excerpts from Graham's dances highlight the film. There is commentary from Agnes de Mile, Erick Hawkins, Ron Protas, and Martha Graham herself. The film is an excellent character study of a woman with a vision. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claire Bloom
- 1993
This romantic mystery is based on a novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford and chronicles a journalist's investigation of his bride-to-be's disappearance. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donna Mills, Stephen Collins, (more)
- 1992
The final installment of the British mystery series based on the books by Agatha Christie, Miss Marple: The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side first aired in 1992. Miss Jane Marple (Joan Hickson) investigates the poisoning death of a party guest at the home of film actress Marina Gregg (Claire Bloom). This story had been filmed once before in 1980 with Angela Lansbury as Miss Marple and Elizabeth Taylor as Marina. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Hickson, Claire Bloom, (more)
- 1989
This performance features dramatic reading of poetry and prose from women writers of our time. ~ All Movie Guide
Adaptation of Barbara Cartland's novel featuring a 17th century adventure romance between an aristocrat and an endangered noblewoman. ~ All Movie Guide
