Benjamin Whitrow Movies

Shane Taylor, Benjamin Whitrow, and Eileen Nicholas star in writer/producer/director Paul Cotter's bittersweet family drama tracing one veteran's efforts to make amends for the destruction he caused during World War II. Lovelorn art school graduate Ross is still down in the dumps when his eighty three year old father announces plans for a family road trip to Germany. Back in the war, Ross' father accidentally bombed a small German town. He's regretted the mistake ever since, and now he's determined to visit the town and offer a formal apology. But getting to Germany won't be easy, because it's been years since father and son have exchanged a kind word. Along the way, father and son both learn some important lessons that will help them to be better, more compassionate people in the future. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Aardman Animations, the British clay-animation studio that created a cult sensation (and won three Academy awards) with its short subjects featuring Wallace and Gromit, presents its first feature film, a mixture of comedy and adventure. Mrs. Tweedy (voice of Miranda Richardson) operates a chicken farm, where most of the birds have resigned themselves to a short and uneventful life of producing eggs and ending up as the main course of someone's Sunday dinner. But when Rocky (voice of Mel Gibson), a rooster from America, arrives on the farm, things begin to change. Rocky soon finds romance with a hen named Ginger (voice of Julia Sawalha) who longs for a better life and has been trying to find a way out of the farm for some time; together they devise a plan to escape to freedom. However, Rocky and Ginger soon find themselves racing against the clock when Mrs. Tweedy decides it's time to turn the entire flock into chicken pies. Nick Park, director of the Wallace and Gromit shorts, co-directed Chicken Run with Peter Lord, who produced several Aardman projects and created animation for the TV series Pee-Wee's Playhouse. The voice cast also includes Jane Horrocks, Phil Daniels, and Timothy Spall. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this TV miniseries based on the 1749 Henry Fielding novel, kindly Squire Allworthy (Benjamin Whitrow) adopts an infant boy left at his home after unmarried Jenny Jones (Camille Coduri) is paid by the real mother to admit that the child is hers. Having lost his own children in infancy, then his wife, Allworthy pours all his love on the little chap, names him Tom after himself and Jones after his supposed mother, and raises him on his vast estate in Somersetshire in Western England. By this time, Jenny Jones has left for another part of England without disclosing the name of the real mother, Allworthy's own sister, Bridget, who lives with the squire. Meanwhile, Bridget (Tessa Peake-Jones) marries money-hungry Captain Blifil (Con O'Neill), who dies of a stroke after Bridget gives birth to a child, William. William and Tom grow up together. A nasty wretch, William (James D'Arcy) despises Tom (Max Beesley) and constantly plots against him. Although Tom is good-hearted, he has a mischievous streak. However, whenever he gets into trouble, it is usually to help others. As young men, Tom and William vie for the affections of beautiful Sophia Western (Samantha Morton), daughter of wealthy landowner Squire Western (Brian Blessed). Although she loves Tom, her father wants her to marry Allworthy's nephew, Blifil, to unite the Western and Allworthy estates. After Tom has a fling with a gamekeeper's daughter, Molly Seagrim (Rachel Scorgie), she becomes pregnant and Tom dutifully accepts responsibility for fathering the child. Later, though, he discovers that Molly has had many lovers. But it's too late. Tom's misadventures -- as well as Blifel's machinations against him -- convince Squire Allworthy to disinherit him and cast him out. Tom strikes out for the seacoast. Sophia later follows him. While encountering many adventures during his travels, Tom learns the truth about himself from a schoolteacher who had employed Jenny Jones as a servant. Eventually, Sophia goes to London, and all of the principal characters -- learning of her presence there -- also end up there. The climax reveals the ultimate fate of Tom and Sophia and the heir of the Allworthy estate. ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide

Adapted from Josephine Hart's spare novel by British screenwriter David Hare and French director Louis Malle, this brooding erotic drama concerns the obsessive sexual relationship between an English politician and his son's lover. Stephen Flemming (Jeremy Irons), an up-and-coming member of Parliament, has a beautiful and loving wife, Ingrid (Miranda Richardson), and two children, including son Martyn (Rupert Graves), a successsful journalist. Sparks fly, however, when Stephen meets beautiful art-world denizen Anna Barton (Juliette Binoche), Martyn's new girlfriend. A measured, seemingly passionless man who believes that life can be controlled, Stephen suddenly finds himself unable to resist brief but intense liaisons with the mysterious, melancholy Anna. Eventually she explains the palpable air of sadness that hangs over her: When she was 15, her beloved older brother committed suicide because he could not possess her. "Remember," Anna warns Stephen, "Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive." Drawn to Anna and the passion she engenders in him, Stephen tries to justify his betrayal by telling himself Martyn isn't serious about Anna; he is stunned, then, when the two announce their engagement. On the advice of Anna's mother (Leslie Caron), who sees right through the charade, Stephen tries to break things off. But soon the affair resumes with full force, eventually destroying several lives. Although Damage's stark, frank sex scenes were trimmed to attain an R rating for theatrical release, the original, uncut version is available on video and DVD. Richardson received an Oscar nomination for her work. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Filmed on location in Wales, On the Black Hill is adapted from the novel by Bruce Chatwin. This is the story of two Welsh brothers, identical twins. The film covers 80 years in the sibling's lives, touching upon their hopes, disappointments, romances and political entanglements. Rather than going the traditional split-screen route, two genuine twins are cast in the leads: Mike and Robert Gwilym. The stellar supporting cast includes Gemma Jones and Catherine Schell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

John Cleese's knack for mining hilarity from the growing frustration of a dignified gentleman is fully exploited in the British comedy Clockwise. Cleese portrays Brian Stimpson, a perfectionist English headmaster who has been selected to make an important presentation before a group of his peers. When Stimpson sets out upon his journey, however, he finds himself facing a seemingly never-ending series of delays and inconveniences, which range from missing a train to becoming a fugitive from the police. The film goes no deeper than its farcical surface, but is nevertheless consistently entertaining, thanks to former Monty Python member Cleese's precisely tuned transitions from composure to complete collapse. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Ray Lonnen starred in this British miniseries as Army Captain Harry Brown, assigned to go undercover in strife-ridden Northern Island. It was Harry's mission to locate and knock off the IRA assassin who killed a British cabinet minister. Among the many obstacles in Harry's path were the fact that the local police were unaware that he was on "their side," and his personal problems with his wife back in London. Along the way, Harry fell in love with a Belfast woman who may or may not have been an associate of the man (or woman?) he was hired to eliminate. Produced by Yorkshire Television, the three hour-long episodes of Harry's Game were seen over Channel Four from October 25 to 27, 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Greeks laid siege to the city of Troy after Paris (David Firth) of Troy abducted the beautiful Helen (Ann Pennington) from Sparta. In the city, Troilus (Anton Lesser), brother of Paris, is courting the lovely Cressida (Suzanne Burden), who is playing hard to get so that his interest will be heightened. Outside the walls of Troy, the Greek forces are growing weary of the war. Leader Agamemnon (Vernon Dobtcheff) even finds his prize warrior Achilles (Kenneth Haigh) to be sullen about the proceedings, and is concocting a plan to promote Ajax (Anthony Pedley ) as the Greeks' greatest hero, thereby goading Achilles back into action. To this end, Ajax is chosen when the Trojans suggest a wrestling match with Hector (John Shrapnel), another brother of Paris and Troilus. Meanwhile, Troilus and Cressida consolidate their feelings for one another and spend the night together. The next day, however, Cressida's traitorous father arranges for her to be given to the Greeks in exchange for a captured Trojan. Troilus vows vengeance on Diomedes (Paul Moriarty), the Greek who seduces Cressida, and goes on a rampage in the Greek camp. The fighting spreads, with Hector killing Patroclus (Simon Cutter), beloved of Achilles, and Hector viciously slain in turn by Achilles. The film ends with the war far from over, and Troilus bemoaning the meaninglessness of love and life. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

This made-for-television British comedy is was adapted from the play by Frederick Lonsdale. Wealthy English widow Maria Wislack (Penelope Keith) decides to take beau Richard for a vacation on a Scottish Island, as a sort of trial marriage before going through with the real thing. While there, Maria and her friend Helen decide to spice things up by swapping their respective partners and the comedy ensues. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide

Olivier stars in this production of the Shakespearean tragedy about greed and vengeance. ~ All Movie Guide