Frederick Treves Movies
Supporting actor, onscreen from the late '50s. ~ All Movie Guide
In the summer of 1937, wealthy timber importer William Cazalet (Frederick Treves) and his wife, Kitty (Ursula Howells), host their children -- Hugh, Edward, Rupert, and Rachel -- and grandchildren for an extended holiday at William's idyllic Sussex estate. At dinner, William invites Rupert (Paul Rhys), a struggling artist, to join his other two sons, Hugh and Edward, in his thriving firm. Idealistic Rupert declines the offer. While attempting to justify his decision to his self-centered wife, Zoe (Joanna Page), whom he married after his first wife died, Rupert also must cope with his adolescent daughter's resentment of her stepmother. Meanwhile, rumors of war with Germany unsettle the family, and they monitor radio broadcasts closely. Hugh (Hugh Bonneville) knows well the perils of soldiery. In the Great War, he lost the use of his left hand and suffered a head injury that causes recurring headaches. His wife, Sybil (Anastasia Hille), worries about him, and he in turn worries about her, especially when her health mysteriously declines. Edward (Stephen Dillane), on the other hand, worries only about getting caught cheating on his wife, Villy (Lesley Manville), who is pregnant. His lustful behavior becomes truly detestable when he gropes his own daughter. His sister, spinster Rachel (Catherine Russell), is his opposite: reserved, always thinking of others. But a secret longing distresses her, and she vies with it in silence. Meanwhile, Villy, Zoe, and Edward's mistress all become pregnant; Sybil develops cancer; Rupert enlists when the Nazis go on the march; and a nephew comes to the Cazalet estate to escape his autocratic father. The war, familial conflict, and Sybil's illness test the family as never before. The final two hours of the six-hour saga reveal whether the Cazalets have the mettle to choose selflessness over self. ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugh Bonneville, Stephen Dillane, (more)
The fortunes of a family of Hungarian Jews are followed over the course of nearly 150 years in this epic historical drama, with leading man Ralph Fiennes playing three different roles. The story begins in the late 18th century, as Aaron and Josefa Sonnenschein (the name means "Sunshine" in German) die in an explosion while making an herb tonic for sale in their village. Their son Emmanuel (David de Keyser), the only survivor of the tragedy, travels to Budapest, carrying the recipe for the medicine with him. He's able to parlay the formula into a successful business, and Emmanuel and his wife Rose (Miriam Margolyes) raise two sons, Ignatz (Ralph Fiennes), who becomes a successful lawyer, and hot-tempered Gustave (James Frain). The Sonnenscheins also make room in their home for Valerie (Jennifer Ehle), but Emmanuel and Rose become furious when Valerie becomes romantically involved with Ignatz. Eventually, Valerie and Ignatz raise two children, Istvan (Mark Strong) and Adam (Ralph Fiennes), and the family changes its name to Sors in hopes of avoiding the anti-Semitism sweeping Europe. In time, Adam goes so far as to convert to Catholicism, and he marries another Catholic, Hannah (Molly Parker). He soon begins an affair with his brother's wife, Greta (Rachel Weisz), who is unable to persuade Adam to leave as the Nazis rise to power. Adam and Hannah have only one son, Ivan, who is fated to watch his father die in a concentration camp; as Ivan grows to adulthood (now played by Ralph Fiennes), he swears revenge on the forces of fascism and embraces Communism. Ivan throws in his lot with Communist leader Andor Knorr (William Hurt), but a liaison with the wife of a party official (Deborah Kara Unger) leads Ivan to tragic consequences and a jail term. In time, Valarie and Gustave are reunited at the family's estate as the only two members of the Sonnenschein clan who survive to witness the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. Hungarian director Istvan Szabo co-wrote Sunshine's original screenplay in collaboration with American playwright Israel Horovitz. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ralph Fiennes, Rosemary Harris, (more)
In this British thriller, an aristocratic, wealthy and snobbish Englishwoman who is addicted to heroin falls for an American student who tries to help her kick her deadly habit. Meanwhile, narcotics-officer Stringer is determined to find the pusher, who has been sexually involved with her daughter, Sandy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This British gay drama explores the reaction of a British housewife who suddenly discovers that her husband Keith is having an affair with another man. Anna is devastated by the discovery. After her initial hysterical reaction, Anna begins to do some research about homosexuals and their practices. Still angry, she confronts Keith at home. She winds up telling him to quit messing around and throws a dildo at him. Time passes and Anna quickly finds herself becoming conscious of AIDS and therefore, more compassionate. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Asher, Tim Woodward, (more)
The wife of a kind but uninteresting preacher is scorned by her community for supplementing the family income by taking a job at the local grocery store in this drama starring Lindsay Duncan and based on the book by Joanna Trollope. Anna Bouverie's husband has been passed over for a job promotion, leaving her family financially destitute. Concerned that they will not be able to survive on the humble preacher's meager income, Anna decides to alleviate both the money issue and her personal boredom by accepting a position as a shelf stocker at the local grocery store. Largely mocked by the traditional-minded community for her benign act of independence, Anna soon begins to attract the attention of Cotswald Village's male population. Now, as the men in the small village begin falling in love with the beautiful married woman, Anna finds herself forced to choose between not only two men, but her commitments to her family and her own independence as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lindsay Duncan, Stephen Dillane, (more)
A young boy comes to fear that his blind mother may become the next victim of a serial killer in this complex psychological thriller. Unfolding at first as a traditional suspense tale, the film follows the terrified boy's attempts to determine the killer's identity, a task his policeman father has failed to achieve. Things take a more provocative and puzzling turn when the boy's penchant for fantasy is revealed, forcing the audience to question whether what has been shown has been real or merely a product of the boy's imagination. As a result, much of the anxiety in Afraid of the Dark emerges not from the violent shocks, but from the uncertain reality and the tantalizing, disturbing hints of the child's psychology. This purposeful ambiguity may strike some viewers as confusing and alienating, despite the film's assured performances and striking imagery. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Keyworth, James Fox, (more)
- 1991
- R
Christopher Morahan directed this nail-biting suspense melodrama that takes a cynical look at the medical profession. Matthew Harris (Paul McGann) is an unhappy intern at a London hospital who envies the staff doctors and their calling. When a physician who resembles Matthew is killed in an auto accident, Matthew decides to assume his identity so that he can attend an interview the dead man had scheduled for a post at a Bristol hospital. Matthew gets the job and is now Dr. Simon Hennessey, working in the hospital emergency room. He is assisted by friendly nurse Christine Taylor (Amanda Donohue), who ends up falling in love with him. But Matthew makes a fatal mistake and a patient dies. At the ensuing inquest, Christine takes the blame for the accident. Matthew, emboldened by the results of the inquest, decides to apply for a better job at a hospital in Salisbury. But an acquaintance from his past appears and Matthew has to kill him in order to continue with his deception. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul McGann, Amanda Donohoe, (more)
- 1990
Husband and wife producers Richard Goodwin and Christine Edzard return to the same milieu as in their epic version of Little Dorrit in The Fool. This slight story stars Derek Jacobi as Mr. Frederick, a theatrical clerk in the London of 1857, who concocts a monetary scam to bilk the rich. In order to carry off this deception, Mr. Frederick passes himself off as the well-heeled Sir John. But problems arise after he is recognized by some theater people, and he begins to take his false identity a bit too seriously. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Derek Jacobi, Cyril Cusack, (more)
- 1989
This long-running TV series features John Thaw as the morose but shrewd detective of the title, who along with his partner -- the dependable Sgt. Lewis -- investigates a variety of murderous crimes against the picturesque back-drop of Oxford, England. ~ Mark Hockley, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Beryl Markham: Shadow on the Sun was a two-part TV movie originally telecast in May of 1988. Stefanie Powers is right in her element as the real-life Beryl Markham, an Englishwoman living in Kenya with her family. Bucking the male-dominated Kenyan social structure, Beryl becomes the first woman in Africa to train horses on a professional level. And in 1936, she thrills the world by being the first aviatrix to fly from England to the US across the Atlantic. With four hours to fill, the film is obligated to trace Beryl's love life, which (according to the script) was not always as rewarding as her public accomplishments. Inasmuch as Beryl was a contemporary (and friendly rival) of author Karen Blixen--better known as Isaak Dinesen--Beryl Markham: Shadow on the Sun contrives to include several characters introduced in Out of Africa. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stefanie Powers
- 1987
Part of the British mystery series based on the books by Agatha Christie, Miss Marple: Sleeping Murder was first aired in 1987. Newlyweds Gwenda (Geraldine Alexander) and Giles Reed (John Moulder-Brown) move into a spooky old house in the country. Ever since she moved in, Gwenda has been plagued with horrible memories from her childhood involving a murderer who may kill again. Her friend Raymond West (David McAllister) helps out by introducing her to his aunt, Miss Jane Marple (Joan Hickson). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Hickson
- 1985
- R
Flame to the Phoenix manages to transcend its skintight budget and variable English-language dubbing. The time is the eve of WW II, and the place is Poland. When the Germans stage their invasion, most of the country is caught helpless and unawares. With no heavy artillery to speak of, the Poles must rely on their antiquated cavalry to offer resistance. Surprisingly, the cavalry proves quite efficient in warding off Hitler's panzer columns--at least for a while. Offsetting the desperate courage of the Polish military and civilians are the futile efforts by British diplomats to prevent Germany from embarking upon its hellish course. The storyline of Flame to the Phoenix tends to be disorganized, but overall the film is a worthy tribute to the valiant men and women who died fighting an apparently lost cause. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
The two-part British miniseries Wynne and Penkovsky was based on the true story of a Soviet G.R.U. colonel who worked as an undercover agent for the U.S. and Britain from 1960 to 1962. Until his arrest, Oleg V. Penkovksy (here played by Christopher Rozycki) was at the center of several volatile political incidents, and had been credited with providing the intelligence necessary for the Allies' successful maneuverings during the Berlin and Cuban Missile crises. Of the many books written about Penkovsky's activities, the best-known was The Man From Moscow by former British intelligence operative Greville Wynne (played by David Calder), who served as the Russian mole's contact man and go-between. It was Wynne's volume that served as the principal source for Wynne and Penkovsky, which first aired in the U.K. on January 2, 1985. A 100-minute "feature film" version has been released to video as The Man From Moscow. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Calder, Christopher Rozycki, (more)
This TV adaptation of George Elliot's 1861 novel Silas Marner was one of the rare single-episode presentations of PBS' Masterpiece Theatre. Ben Kingsley plays Silas Marner, who after being falsely accused of a crime and banished from his own town, becomes a miserly recluse in the small British community of Raveloe. When his precious cache of money is stolen by the town wastrel (Jonathan Coy) Silas can see no reason for going on with life. He is transformed from misanthrope to rehabilitated human being through the love of Eppie, an orphaned child left in his care. Patsy Kensit is featured as the grown-up Eppie. Originally taped in 1985 for the BBC, Silas Marner was first shown in the US on March 15, 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Kingsley, Jenny Agutter, (more)
This fast-paced thriller examines the amorality of a nation's secret services and the responsibility of journalistic investigations in an era of nuclear tensions and bureaucratic deceit. The film examines an unspooling series of events occurring after a near crash of a nuclear bomber at an American Air Force base in the English countryside. When Dennis Markham (Ian Bannen), a well-respected member of Parliament, is reported by a London paper to have been seen leaving a woman's home, and the woman is found to also be familiar with a dignitary from East Germany, his loyalty to his country is questioned, and he is forced to resign. The author of the newspaper exposé, Nick Mullen (Gabriel Byrne), continues his investigation with his colleague Vernon Bayliss (Denholm Elliott). But when Vernon dies from a mysterious heart attack, Mullen suspects something deeper at work and finds evidence of a complex web of deceit concerning a secret Air Force base. With the help of Vernon's secretary, Nina Beckman (Greta Scacchi), Nick fights the dark forces in order to bring the truth to light. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabriel Byrne, Greta Scacchi, (more)
Deke DaSilva (Sylvester Stallone) and Matthew Fox (Billy Dee Williams) are New York police officers specially assigned to a special multi-national team dedicated to tracking down terrorist Wulfgar (Rutger Hauer). Wulfgar planted a bomb in a London department store, killing several children and he is now an outcast, hunted by both the police and his fellow gang members. He has extensive plastic surgery and resumes his activities aided by Shakka (Persis Khambutta), a completely psychotic fellow outcast. Soon DaSilva and Wulfgar are engaged in a violent battle of wits as Wulfgar resumes his terrorist activities and threatens New York . This very effective thriller features a chilling performance by Rutger Hauer as the handsome, ruthless cold-blooded killer who charms women into helping him and then kills them. Sylvester Stallone gives an unusually understated emotionally vulnerable performance as a man trying to save lives while he saves his own marriage. The film makes excellent use of New York locales, particularly during a terrifying hijacking of a cable car where Wulfgar coolly decides which of the hostages will live or die. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, (more)
John Hurt stars as John Merrick, the hideously deformed 19th century Londoner known as "The Elephant Man". Treated as a sideshow freak, Merrick is assumed to be retarded as well as misshapen because of his inability to speak coherently. In fact, he is highly intelligent and sensitive, a fact made public when one Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) rescues Merrick from a carnival and brings him to a hospital for analysis. Alas, even after being recognized as a man of advanced intellect, Merrick is still treated like a freak; no matter his station in life, he will forever be a prisoner of his own malformed body. Unable to secure rights for the famous stage play The Elephant Man, producer Mel Brooks based his film on the memoirs of Frederick Treves and a much later account of Merrick's life by Ashley Montagu. The film is lensed in black and white by British master cinematographer Freddie Francis. Though nominated for eight Academy Awards, the film was ultimately shut out in every category. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, (more)
- 1980
In the third episode of the four-part Meglos, the title character has disguised himself as the Doctor (Tom Baker) and stolen the power source of the planet Tigella, the better to restore the tattered glories of Meglos' own race. Meanwhile, the Doctor tries to figure out a means of escape, so that Tigella will not be destroyed by Meglos' machinations. Jacqueline Hill, who'd played the Doctor's traveling companion Barbara Wright in the earliest episodes, guest stars as Lexa, leader of the Deon race. Written by John Flanagan and Andrew McCullough, "Meglos, Episode 3" first aired on October 11, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
- 1980
In the conclusion of the four-part Meglos, the Doctor (Tom Baker) has managed to escape a time loop, not to mention his mercenary captors. Will he be in time to prevent Meglos (Christopher Owen), the power-hungry solo survivor of the Zolfa-Thuran civilization, from destroying the planet Tigella? Aiding and abetting the Doctor is Lexa, leader of the Deon race, played by Jacqueline Hill, some 17 years after her portrayal of the Doctor's traveling companion Barbara Wright. Written by John Flanagan and Andrew McCullough, "Meglos, Episode 4" first aired on October 18, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
- 1980
The title character in this four-chapter Doctor Who adventure is the last survivor of the Zolfa-Thuran civilization. While on a diplomatic mission to the cult-dominated planet Tigella, the Doctor (Tom Baker) is intercepted by Meglos, who has hatched a scheme to access Tigella's power source. Jacqueline Hill, who'd played the Doctor's traveling companion Barbara Wright in the earliest episodes, guest stars as Lexa, leader of the Deon race. Written by John Flanagan and Andrew McCullough, "Meglos, Episode 1" first aired on September 27, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
- 1980
In the second episode of the four-part Meglos, the title character (Christopher Owen) is determined to restore his past glories as the ruler of the now-extinct Zolfa-Thuran civilization. To do this, Meglos kidnaps the Doctor (Tom Baker) and assumes his identity, the better to tap the precious power sources of the planet Tigella. Jacqueline Hill, who'd played the Doctor's traveling companion Barbara Wright in the earliest episodes, guest stars as Lexa, leader of the cultish Deon race. Written by John Flanagan and Andrew McCullough, "Meglos, Episode 2" first aired on October 4, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
Based on Quentin Crisp's autobiography, the once-controversial picture The Naked Civil Servant stars John Hurt as Crisp, a flamboyant character who publicly declared his homosexuality during the brutally homophobic and misogynistic England of the 1930s and '40s -- a time when this alternative lifestyle was still an offense punishable by imprisonment in Great Britain. (The man dyed his hair and wore makeup in an era when women were looked on with disapproval for such behavior!) Director Jack Gold handles the material with taste, discretion, and a generous supply of humor; it thus might seem bizarre to a contemporary viewer that anyone could be offended by this, but remember that the world was a different place in 1975. More than a few PBS subscribers threatened to yank their support when this British TV film was first offered to American viewers in the spring of that year. Fortunately, many others were willing to see beyond the film's controversial subject matter and revel in the excellence of the production and its participants; one of the film's biggest and most influential fans was none other than Milton Berle. Carl Davis, best known for his symphonic silent-movie restoration scores, composed the music. Hurt drew equal controversy later that same year for his work in another British drama-turned-PBS special -- when he played the psychotic Caligula in Herbert Wise's epic miniseries I, Claudius. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Hurt, Patricia Hodge, (more)
- 1967
Steed and Emma are summoned to investigate when several businessmen and a few prize bulls are found mauled to death. The culprit would seem to be a "big cat" of some sort, obliging Steed to go on a safari to find the answers. But it is Emma who finds herself in the thick of it, thanks to a curious organization called the Philanthropic Union for the Rescue, Relief and Recuperation of Cats (or PURRR). Ronnie Barker, of Two Ronnies fame, is among the guest stars. Written by Philip Levene, "The Hidden Tiger" was first seen in England on March 4, 1967, and in America 13 days later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diana Rigg
