Frank Whitten Movies
Director P.J. Hogan (Muriel's Wedding, My Best Friend's Wedding) helms this live-action retelling of J.M. Barrie's classic children's play Peter Pan. Starring Jeremy Sumpter (Frailty) in the title role, the film follows the adventures of the Darling children, Wendy (Rachel Hurd-Wood), John (Harry Newell), and Michael (Freddie Popplewell), as they are visited by the boy who never grows up and whisked away to Neverland, where they encounter The Lost Boys, Tinker Bell (Ludivine Sagnier), and the evil Captain Hook (Jason Isaacs). ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Isaacs, Jeremy Sumpter, (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)
- 1998
- R
Easily (if somewhat too glibly) describable as "The Terminator in drag," the futuristic made-for-TV drama Chameleon revolves around a female cyborg killing machine at large in the year 2028. Designed expressly to destroy all enemies, the robotic Kam (Bobbie Phillips), who can change her appearance at will and is virtually unstoppable, abruptly and unexpectedly develops maternal feelings. The object of her compassion is Ghen (Eric Lloyd), the young son of the leader of a liberation movement that the dictatorial government is doing its best to eliminate. Despite orders to kill every member of the movement, Kam instead dedicates herself to saving Ghen from his evil human pursuers. First telecast October 23, 1998, on UPN, Chameleon later spawned a handful of direct-to-video sequels. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bobbie Phillips, Eric Lloyd, (more)
The talented teenage son of outback farmers, Ralph dreams of becoming an American country music star. When his supportive, hard working parents hand him tickets to Nashville, he is elated and eager to embark upon the highway to stardom, but before he can, the callow Ralph must learn a few life lessons on the road to Sydney. Paying tribute to country music, this sprightly comedy follows the his adventures after he is picked up by charming crook Boyd and his moll, a stunning red head who can sing as well as her namesake Patsy Cline. Ralph's education begins after the police stop Boyd, who is carrying illegal drugs and driving a stolen Jaguar. During the struggle, Patsy escapes and Ralph ends up accused of possessing the drugs and stealing the car. Both he and Boyd end up in a local hoosegow. While in jail, Ralph is befriend by the three musically inclined Brothers Grimm. A young cop also becomes a fan of Ralph's and plays a key role in the young man's musical career in Tennessee's Music City. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Roxburgh, Miranda Otto, (more)
- 1997
- R
Janet Meyers directed this TV movie about the search for Jack the Ripper in London of 1888. As Inspector Hansen (Patrick Bergin) searches for the murderer of East End prostitutes, his suspicions focus on Prince Albert Victor (Samuel West), eldest son of the Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria's grandson. Filmed in Melbourne, Australia, this drama premiered December 6, 1997 on the Starz! channel. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Bergin, Gabrielle Anwar, (more)
- 1995
This Australian period comedy set at the turn-of-the-century, is based on the anecdotal books of Steele Rudd (the pen name for author Arthur Hoey) that described life on a rural "selection" (a small farm) in Queensland. Like the original written tales, the film is anecdotal and chronicles events from the lives of the Rudd family. The story begins when the parents and their five grown children first arrive at their desolate selection. Their lives are as barren as the land as they struggle to work. The result of their toil is a meager harvest, which they try to sell in a depressed market. Despite their constant hard work and few rewards, the family is a lively bunch and despite their difficulties are able to stay together through thick and thin. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Heads are a poppin' everywhere in this Australian private-eye movie that combines elements of horror and science fiction. Dirk Trent is not the classic movie PI. He fat, clumsy, and nerdy. While tracking down a woman's unfaithful husband, his assistant films what at first seems to be the husband murdering his secretary in a cheap motel. Upon closer examination, Trent deduces that the husband didn't kill her because his head exploded first. Soon he discovers a whole series of people whose heads have blown-up. His investigations lead him to Dr. Henderson who has been conducting odd experiments to cure brain tumors. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Chubb, Les Foxcroft, (more)
- 1992
Adapted from the popular Greenhill School books by William Taylor, this movie follows the adventures of the students. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Lawn bowling is a very different sport from the kind that occurs indoors; it is an almost meditative exercise resembling nothing so much as horseshoes and is much favored by the elderly in one Sydney suburb. In this low-key comedy, the lad who works very diligently to keep the bowling green immaculate has just gotten out of jail. Despite his good intentions and energetic hard work, he's just not very effective. Maybe it's all the pot he and his wife have been smoking, as now the two of them are in debt to their dealer for thousands of dollars. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Max Cullen
In this comedy, Carlos Munoz (Cheech Marin) travels from America to Australia to find work, and gets a job at a Mexican restaurant. While there, he meets up with poor little rich girl Alex Hobart (Emma Samms) who hires him to pose as her fiance to scare her father into approving of her marriage with her unappealing boyfriend, Bruce Woodley (Vernon Wells). ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cheech Marin, Emma Samms, (more)
- 1990
In this Australian drama, a group of female friends return from locations around the world to help another friend have her child. While there, they reminisce and catch up on their current lives. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Deborra-Lee Furness, Frank Whitten, (more)
- 1989
Based on a novel by David Morrell, the made-for-TV Brotherhood of the Rose is unabashedly old-fashioned escapist espionage fare. Peter Strauss and David Morse play polar-opposite CIA agents, code names Romulus and Remus. Their superior-and father figure-is crusty CIA official Robert Mitchum. Though Romulus and Remus are devoted to Mitchum, he is only concerned with the greater good of the service-a philosophy that has become despotic over the years. Now Mitchum has determined that Romulus is expendable. Escaping from CIA assassins, Romulus and Remus stumble into a vast rule-the-world conspiracy called The Brotherhood of the Rose. Filmed in New Zealand, this was originally a long miniseries broadcast in two parts, on January 22 and 23, 1989 - and then edited down to feature length. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
- R
In this tale of sleazy romance that turns deadly, novice Kiwi director Denis Lewiston has created an unevenly paced story with several gripping (and groping) scenes. Christine (Simone Griffeth) is an American married to a rich but crass businessman, and unknown to them both, Greg Sandford (Steve Marchuk) is planning to break into their opulent digs and rob them blind. Right in the middle of carrying out his preparations, he arranges for an "accidental" meeting between himself and Christine -- and the sparks of sexual attraction ignite a blaze that not only lands them in bed, but burns up whatever morals Christine may have left. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Simone Griffeth
- 1984
Vincent Ward directed and co-wrote this stately coming-of-age film that features a subtly nuanced performance from twelve-year-old Fiona Kay. Toss (Kay) is a sweet girl on the verge of adolescence, who lives on a sheep farm with her father in the rolling hills of New Zealand. When her father dies in a tragic accident, Toss' mother Elizabeth (Penelope Stewart) puts the farm up for sale. But her grandfather (Bill Kerr) wants to keep the farm in business and enlists the hunter Ethan (Frank Whitten) to help get the farm back into functioning shape. At first Ethan and Elizabeth react to each other's presence with restrained hostility, but their nearness to each other eventually erupts into a passionate love affair. Through all of this, Toss tries to deal with the up-front passions of the two adults as she also adjusts to her coming womanhood. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penelope Stewart, Frank Whitten, (more)
- 1983
Fred Wells (Patrick McGoohan) is a sullen introvert who still resents the death of his wife in childbirth 25 years earlier. His daughter born at that time, Katie (Emma Piper), runs away from his ravings about sin and damnation and escapes to a hippie-style commune where an unscrupulous guru ends her virginity in a supposed sex ritual. When the arrogant guru is murdered, a shy young man enamored of Katie is first sought by the police -- but the real culprit seems to be her father. The undertones of incestuous desire on the part of the father, and the human reactions when the reality of that tendency is faced, are handled well in this psychological drama. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick McGoohan, Emma Piper, (more)
