David Yelland Movies
- 2000
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As produced by the BBC, the release Lewis & Clark and Other Great Adventures presents three back to back docudramas that recreate the excitement and suspense of history's most courageous explorers, via sweeping on-camera reenactments. The first segment follows Meriweather Lewis and William Clark, circa 1804, as they hearken out of Missouri and comb the wilderness for a trade route to the Pacific; the second cuts back to the 18th century to observe German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt as he embarks from Europe to the then-uncharted continent of South America and attempts to systematically document the plant and animal life of that region; and the third drama observes Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton as he and his crew spend two years struggling to survive at all costs amid the polar regions. David Yelland, Kal Weber and Christopher Eccleston co-star . ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
A young man learns that love hurts (or at least it does if you're doing it right) in this saucy comedy from England. Henry Harding (Tom Bell) is a member of British Parliament and a self-styled moral crusader who is deeply disturbed by reports that Tanya Cheex (Guinevere Turner), a dominatrix from the U.S., has opened a night club for S&M enthusiasts in England. Harding is determined to put Cheex out of business, but first he needs to collect evidence of her activities, so Harding persuades Peter Emery (Christian Anholt) -- a young man with political ambitions, Christian principles, and his virginity intact -- to attend the club incognito and videotape the proceedings. To Peter's great surprise, he discovers that he rather likes a bit of spanking and leather fetishism, and he soon becomes quite infatuated with Tanya, making him all the less inclined to help shut down her club. Preaching to the Perverted presented Guinevere Turner in her first starring role after her breakthrough in the acclaimed independent feature Go Fish. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Guinevere Turner, Christien Anholt, (more)
Sara embodies all the hopes and fears of young girls in this adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic A Little Princess. Placed in a boarding school by her doting father, Sara seems to have it all. She sleeps in the best room and wears costly dresses. But her fortune cannot rival Sara's generosity. Soon she is the favorite of the school. Then, tragedy strikes. Sara's father dies and she is faced with the jealousy of the headmistress. Plunged into poverty, the little princess becomes a pauper, forced to work off her debts. Through it all, Sara's optimism is unwavering. She perseveres and eventually becomes an inspiration for the other girls at the school. This two-part series is a moving tale of strength and imagination. There's no wonder why the story is a favorite of young readers all over the world. ~ Sarah Ing, All Movie Guide
- 1985
This 5-part Masterpiece Theatre TV presentation was adapted from several short stories by Noel Coward. Though the personnel and settings change from week to week, the episodes are linked (sometimes very tenuously) by their relationship to the world of Theatre and the Performing Arts. In the first hour, a playwright (Peter Chisholm) is forced to cast a temperamental movie star (Susannah York) in his debut production. In the second, a married couple (Ian Holm and Judi Dench) do their "patriotic duty" by serving as the official British citizens in a faraway South Pacific isle. Episode number three finds an ageing homosexual musical comedy star (Tom Courtney) recalling his one romantic fling with a woman. The fourth installment is about a self-effacing old lady (Patricia Hayes) who dislikes being center of attention on her birthday. And the final playlet is set on a luxury cruise, where a playboy (Nigel Havers) has a tete-a-tete with an inquiring journalist (Judy Parfit). Star Quality was originally shown on PBS from March 29 through April 26, 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
Othello (Anthony Hopkins) is a noble black Moor held in high regard by Venice for his service as a military general. However, he makes a deadly enemy in his ensign Iago (Bob Hoskins) after he promotes Michael Cassio (David Yelland), not Iago, to the position of personal lieutenant. To gain revenge, Iago secretly attempts to break up the new marriage of Othello and his lovely wife Desdemona (Penelope Wilton) by having Desdemona's former suitor Roderigo (Anthony Pedley) inflame Desdemona's father, Senator Brabantio (Geoffrey Chater), against Othello as a sorcerer who used witchcraft to woo his daughter. In the Venetian Senate, which is discussing a Turkish threat against Cyprus, the duke exonerates Othello of wrongdoing and dispatches him to Cyprus to defend it and become the new governor. Unaware that Iago was behind Brabantio's earlier protests against his marriage, Othello orders Iago to accompany his wife to Cyprus, and Roderigo goes along at the urging of Iago, who tells him that Desdemona will eventually tire of Othello. Once in Cyprus, Iago manipulates Roderigo and his own wife Emilia (Rosemary Leach) into helping him to discredit Cassio and make Desdemona appear unfaithful. His plan works. Othello tells Iago he plans to poison Desdemona, but Iago persuades him to kill her in the bed she ''contaminated.'' As for Cassio, Iago says, ''Let me be his undertaker.'' Believing Iago has killed Cassio, the Moor returns to his castle for the awful task of executing his wife. Othello, still loving his wife, kisses her awake, asks her to prepare her soul for death -- and after an exchange of accusations and denials -- smothers her in her bed. When Emilia tells Othello the truth about the scheming Iago, the wounded Cassio backs up Emilia's story. Othello wounds Iago, then kills himself. Iago kills Emilia. After Iago is led away in chains, Cassio becomes governor of Cyprus. ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Hopkins, Bob Hoskins, (more)
Based on a true story, Chariots of Fire is the internationally acclaimed Oscar-winning drama of two very different men who compete as runners in the 1924 Paris Olympics. Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), a serious Christian Scotsman, believes that he has to succeed as a testament to his undying religious faith. Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), is a Jewish Englishman who wants desperately to be accepted and prove to the world that Jews are not inferior. The film crosscuts between each man's life as he trains for the competition, fueled by these very different desires. As compelling as the racing scenes are, it's really the depth of the two main characters that touches the viewer, as they forcefully drive home the theme that victory attained through devotion, commitment, integrity, and sacrifice is the most admirable feat that one can achieve. (Ian Holm was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor in his role as Abrahams' coach), and this powerful film ended up with four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, (more)
The 1974 BBC adaptation of David Copperfield -Charles Dickens's 1850 bildungsroman about a young Brit's coming of age in mid-nineteenth century London - sports David Yelland in the title role, alongside such luminaries as Arthur Lowe (O' Lucky Man, Sweet William) as Wilkins Macawber, Anthony Andrews (Brideshead Revisited, Under the Volcano) as James Steerforth), and Patricia Routledge (Keeping Up Appearances) as Mrs. Micawber. The story sees Copperfield working through hardship after hardship, including a sadistic boarding school, an abusive stepfather, and estrangement from the warmth of his mother, to fulfill his destiny and be all that he can. Julian Aymes directs this acclaimed five-and-a-half hour miniseries, from a script by William Trevor. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Yelland, Patience Collier, (more)
