Michael York Movies
Frequently portraying dashing heroes or upper-crust socialites, British actor Michael York appropriately got his start in the theater. He graduated from Oxford University and toured with the National Youth Theatre before his meeting with director Franco Zeffirelli for the 1965 staging of Much Ado About Nothing. Taking him into the world of feature films, Zeffirelli cast the young actor in the roles of Lucentio for the Taming of the Shrew and Tybalt for Romeo & Juliet. York remains best known for his film work of the late '60s, but he also developed a lengthy career in televised adaptations of literary classics. Over a 30-year span, he played key roles in Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Jesus of Nazareth, and several others. His small-screen work began with the role of Jolyon Forsyte on the BBC's 1967 series The Forsyte Saga. He had some of his most interesting roles throughout the '70s, including the swashbuckling D'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers, Count Andrenyi in Murder on the Orient Express, and the title hero in the sci-fi Logan's Run. He also played the bisexual Konrad in Something for Everyone, the expatriate writer in England Made Me, and he brought it all together as bisexual expatriate writer Brian Roberts in Bob Fosse's Cabaret. After a brief stint as a producer, the '80s were a slow time for York's film career and he moved on to countless TV movies, after-school specials, and a reoccurring role on the soap opera Knots Landing. In the '90s, he returned to the stage for Broadway productions of The Little Prince, Bent, and The Crucible. He also authored his memoirs, released in the U.S. under the title Accidentally on Purpose. Younger audiences may recognize him from the Austin Powers movies as Basil Exposition, head of the British Intelligence Agency, or from the Omega Code movies. Since 2000, York has found work playing the headmaster in Borstal Boy, lended his voice to such History Channel productions as Alexander Hamilton, and resurrected his D'Artagnan character for the miniseries La Femme Musketeer. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide- 1999
- R
In this period thriller, college student James (Andrew Bowen) discovers that his girlfriend is pregnant. He convinces her to have an abortion, and they make arrangements with a "doctor" for the clandestine operation. However, the abortionist proves dangerously incompetent, and James's sweetheart dies in agony. James is distraught, and he meets with Professor Ambrose (Michael York), a man with a shadowy past and a long history of personal misfortune. This adaptation of the Henry James story was produced by low-budget legend Roger Corman. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael York, Andrew Bowen, (more)
- 1999
- PG13
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Austin Powers -- fashion photographer, denizen of Swingin' London, international espionage agent, and bane of dental hygienists everywhere -- returns in his second screen adventure. Powers (once again played by Mike Myers), a 1960s superspy stranded in the 1990s, discovers that his nemesis, criminal genius Dr. Evil (also Mike Myers), has somehow stolen his "mojo" (the secret to his otherwise inexplicable sex appeal) and traveled back in time to the 1960s as part of his latest fiendish scheme. Powers must also travel back in time to retrieve it, but if Austin doesn't quite fit into 1998, he's been there just long enough not to fit in in 1968 anymore, either. Powers also discovers that Dr. Evil has new allies this time: Mini-Me (Verne Troyer), a clone of Dr. Evil one-eighth his size but just as nasty; Fat Bastard (Myers yet again), whose name describes him just fine; and vixenish assassin Robin Swallows (Gia Carides). Powers' lack of mojo also proves troublesome when he's paired with his new partner, saucy CIA operative Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham). Other characters returning from the first film include Elizabeth Hurley as Vanessa Kensington, Robert Wagner as Number Two, Michael York as Basil Exposition, Seth Green as Scott Evil, and Mindy Sterling as Frau Farbissina. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me also includes cameo appearances from Tim Robbins, Jerry Springer, Woody Harrelson, and Burt Bacharach with his current songwriting partner, Elvis Costello. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Myers, Heather Graham, (more)
In this spiritual thriller, an ancient prophecy is about to be fulfilled as a secret code brings the world to the edge of Apocalypse. Gillen Lane (Casper Van Dien) is a expert on theology and mythology who has gained international fame as a motivational speaker. Lane is approached by Stone Alexander (Michael York), the owner and founder of a major media empire, who has been made chairman of the European Union and needs someone to help spread the word about his goal of a world united behind a single vision of peace. Lane begins to realize that there's something sinister behind Alexander's veneer of charity and benevolence: a secret code was embedded in the original texts of the Torah that will allow the person who cracks it to unlock the secret powers of the Christian scriptures; if it falls into the wrong hands, it could mean the end of Man's Reign on Earth. After the death of his mother, Lane lost his faith in God and embraced a New Age philosophy, but now he must confront his lost faith as he tries to discover both the all-powerful secret of the Omega Code and his own true identity. The Omega Code also stars Van Dien's wife Catherine Oxenberg as Cassandra Barris, a reporter working for Alexander's network, and Michael Ironside as Dominic, Alexander's thuggish underling. The Omega Code was produced in association with the Trinity Broadcasting Network, America's largest Christian broadcasting outlet. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Casper Van Dien, Michael York, (more)
- 1999
- R
A professor, who is haunted by the spirit of his daughter, wages a battle against a supernaturally infested house. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1999
From Twentieth Century FOX comes the animated video release of Mozart's classic opera, The Magic Flute. Directed by Ron Myrick and Marlene Robinson May , this child-oriented version of Mozart's timeless opera follows Prince Tamino as he searches for Pamina, the Queen of the Night's kidnapped daughter.
~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
Mark Christopher wrote and directed this look back at the Disco Era when the popular Studio 54 was at its apogee in the late '70s. With obvious comparisons to Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997) and Whit Stillman's The Last Days of Disco (1998), the story introduces working-class 19-year-old Irish-American Shane O'Shea (Ryan Phillippe), who has lived with his father and siblings since the death of his mother when he was 12. Shane quickly rises from busboy to bartender at Studio 54, co-owned and managed in a paternal manner by entrepreneur Steve Rubell (Mike Myers). Busboy Greg Randazzo (Breckin Meyer) and Greg's wife, Anita (Salma Hayek), the club's coat check girl, become Shane's new friends, and he encounters the possibility of romance with soap star Julie Black (Neve Campbell). The story spans the summer of 1979 until the decline of Studio 54 a year later with IRS investigations, followed by the arrest and jailing of Rubell. Costumes by Ellen Lutter capture the glitter and glam-glitz of the period. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan Phillippe, Salma Hayek, (more)
Pat Proft directed this satire on The Fugitive with a plot parody of the 1993 Harrison Ford movie, which in turn was inspired by the 1963-67 ABC television series with David Janssen. Violinist Ryan Harrison (Leslie Nielsen) romances the wife (Kelly Le Brock) of his benefactor (Michael York), a man murdered by mercenaries. Naturally, Ryan gets blamed. Headed for Death Row, he's on a bus involved in a train accident and escapes in order to locate the real killer -- a one-armed, one-legged, one-eyed man. Tracking Ryan is Lt. Fergus Falls (Richard Crenna). Other movies lampooned here include Titanic, Clear and Present Danger, Chinatown, Mission Impossible, and North by Northwest. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leslie Nielsen, Richard Crenna, (more)
A Russian immigrant arrives in the Unites States to discover that the American dream has dampened somewhat in writer-turned-director Len Richmond's satirical look at America's preoccupation with all things sexual. Despite enthusiastic Alex's (Michael York) best efforts, the only job he can find upon arriving in the United States is a low-paying stint in a sex-toy factory. When elderly factory owner Eppy (Nancy Fish) takes pity on the struggling newcomer and introduces him to has-been adult film star Catherine (Prunella Gee) in hopes of making a match, the romantic bachelor finds that true love doesn't always arrive in the most conventional form. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael York, Prunella Gee, (more)
- 1998
In this animated adaptation of the beloved fairy tale, Gunther (Judge Reinhold) is an ordinary guy whose life changes when he gets an extraordinary pet -- a cat that can walk and talk like a man (Michael York). With some prodding from the kitty, Gunther tries to make his dream a reality and win the heart of the beautiful Princess (Vivian Schilling). But first Gunther has to prove himself worthy by defeating the horrible Ogre (Kevin Dorsey). Puss in Boots was the third animated feature directed by Phil Nibbelink, who previously worked as an animator for Disney and made his directorial debut with An American Tale: Fievel Goes West. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1998
In this romantic comedy, Rob Lowe plays an emissary of the Devil who is sent to Earth to corrupt the spirit of a sweet, well-meaning waitress (Alexandra Powers). However, the plan backfires when the imp finds that he's falling in love with his intended victim. One Hell of a Guy also stars Michael York and Lindsay Crouse. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Lowe, Alexandra Powers, (more)
- 1998
Having just moved to a new town, widow Elaine Freedman (Cheryl Ladd) and her teenage daughter, Justine (Jody Thompson) are greeted by the effusive, terribly nice Dr. Calvin Lawrence (Michael York). Sensing that Justine is bit testy and out of sorts (most kids her age tend to get that way, you know), Dr. Lawrence recommends that she begin taking a special vitamin which he manufactures in his own home. Before long, Justine is the model of perfection -- just like all the other teenagers in town. What no one realizes until it is almost too late is that the kindly Dr. Lawrence is the quintessential control freak, using mind-altering drugs and secret radio waves to create his own "perfect city," where everyone bends to his will. A TV movie variation on the theatrical feature Disturbing Behavior, Perfect Little Angels was based on a novel by Andrew Neiderman, and first aired November 14, 1998, on the Family Channel cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cheryl Ladd, Jody Thompson, (more)
In this romantic fantasy adventure, a lady scientist's experiment whisks her back to King Arthur's court. While there, the plucky lass proves that modern women are as tough as medieval men, and she soon becomes the mythical king's most favored knight. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Whoopi Goldberg, Michael York, (more)
Based on a true story, this Civil War-era epic centers on the exploits of Sarah Ashby McClure (Dana Delany) and her sister Euphemia (Annabeth Gish) as they try to make their way on the male-dominated West Texas plains. When their home is threatened by Mexican forces and Native American warriors, the sisters lead their family and friends to safety. Based on the book by Janice Woods Windle, True Women also co-stars Rachael Leigh Cook, Angelina Jolie, and Tina Majorino. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dana Delany, Annabeth Gish, (more)
- 1997
- PG13
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Less a parody of the early James Bond film than a parody of the films that parodied the early James Bond films, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery stars Mike Myers as Austin Powers, by day a hipster fashion photographer in mid-'60s swingin' London and by night a crime-fighting secret agent. Austin's wardrobe is pure Carnaby Street at its most outrageous, his vocabulary is crowded by the cool lingo of the day ("Groovy, baby! Yeah!!"), and he's irresistible to women, despite the fact that he can be charitably described as "stocky" and has teeth that strike fear into any practicing dentist. When his nemesis, the arch-enemy Dr. Evil (also played by Myers), has himself cryogenically frozen and sent into space, Powers also has himself put on ice so he can be thawed out when Dr. Evil returns. Come 1997, Dr. Evil returns to Earth and is back to his old tricks, so Austin is thawed out and returned to active service -- though he soon discovers his style doesn't play so well 30 years on. The supporting cast includes Elizabeth Hurley as Austin's sidekick, Vanessa Kensington; Michael York as his boss, Basil Exposition; Robert Wagner as Dr. Evil's assistant, Number Two; and Seth Green as Dr. Evil's troubled son, Scott Evil. Ming Tea, the swingin' pop band that periodically backs up Austin, includes real life pop-rockers Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was a mild box-office hit but an even bigger success on home video, which led to the 1999 sequel, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, (more)
Harley Jane Kozak, Paul Mercurio and Michael York star in this science fiction adventure. A Dark Planet can be found past the opening of an Interstellar Wormhole, and only one man, knows how to get his spacecraft to the planet and back again -- and his name is Hawke. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Mercurio, Harley Jane Kozak, (more)
Tony (Daniel Baldwin) runs a rather intriguing Hollywood brothel. His primary hookers -- Francesca (Julie Delpy), Mimi (Georgina Cates), and Dolly (Pamela Gidley) -- are given to elaborate, costumed, role-playing fantasies to please Tony's peculiar, highly emotional clientèle. The harlequin-outfitted harlots find their lives suddenly complicated by their increasingly strange customers, a relentless husband (Patrick Dempsey), and a political rally involving a sexually uninhibited mayoral candidate (Seymour Cassel). ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
This animated retelling of the Charles Dickens classic makes for light holiday viewing. The familiar tale begins with the miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge (voice of Tim Curry), who would rather count his money than celebrate the season with his put-upon employee, Bob Cratchit (voice of Michael York). In the middle of the night, the ghost of Scrooge's dead partner, Jacob Marley (voice of Edward Asner), warns him that he will be visited by three spirits. The Ghost of Christmas Past takes him back to his childhood, the Ghost of the Present takes him to visit the poverty-stricken Cratchits, and the Ghost of the Future is merely a silent cloaked figure, representing his death. Upon seeing the error of his ways, Scrooge reforms and attempts to bring good cheer to the Cratchit family. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Whoopi Goldberg, (more)
This United States/Philippine co-production examines how the real-life closing of the U.S. naval base at Subic Bay profoundly effected both the local Filipino community and the Americans who had served there. As the base's operations slowly wind down and naval manpower begins to dwindle, Commander Hamilton (Wolfgang Bodison) relies on three Navy SEALs to help keep the base secure. William Hawk (John Haymes Newton), a longtime soldier nearing the end of a tour of duty, is involved with Lisa Velasquez (Nannette Medved), a representative of the Mayor's office in nearby Olongapo City. Lisa has to deal with the economic crisis that the base's closing will doubtlessly bring to her community, as well as her own personal problems brought on by William's imminent departure and the strained relationship of her mother Anna (Daria Ramirez) and stepfather Ed (James Brolin). Paul Bladon (Alexis Arquette), another SEAL with the Subic Bay base, is the son of a U.S. Senator (Michael York), who will be visiting Subic Bay for the base's closing ceremonies. Sen. Bladon is bringing along Paul's girlfriend Angela (Maureen Flannigan), though Paul has fallen in love with Emma (Alma Concepcion), a former prostitute who now plans to marry Paul. The third SEAL, John Stryzack (Corin Nemec), is furious over what he sees as America's betrayal of its responsibilities in the Philippines; he winds up behind bars after a violent incident, but he plans to escape to assassinate Sen. Bladon, whom he believes is responsible for the closing of the base. Rae Dawn Chong also appears as a U.S. military investigator. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 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)
- 1996
Michael York guest-stars as a bedraggled space traveller who claims to be King Arthur. Meanwhile, Sheridan defends B5 against the forces of Earth. Crucial to the strategy devised by Sheridan and Ivanova is an alliance with the Centauri government ---something that Londo can not and will not tolerate. This is the episode in which G'Kar is willingly cast in the role of "The Red Knight." First shown in America during the week of April 22, 1996, "A Late Delivery from Avalon" was written by J. Michael Straczynski. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Boxleitner, Claudia Christian, (more)
Adapted from a novel by Rosemunde Pilcher, the British miniseries September boasted a fairly impressive cast in a fairly impressive production. Jacqueline Bisset starred as Pandora, a worldly middle-aged woman who after many years at large returned to her hometown, a provincial Scottish village. No sooner had Pandora arrived than she lived up to her name by opening a veritable trunk full of uncomfortable memories -- especially among those with whom she had been "familiar" in the old days. A Portman production, September was offered in two 90-minute installments by Britain's Sky One satellite service in 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacqueline Bisset, Michael York, (more)
In this drama, a German woman treasures a ring, the one tie she has left to her life before WWII. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nastassja Kinski, Linda Lavin, (more)
- 1995
An invader from space has sinister designs on the world's blood supply in this sci-fi thriller. Paul Johnson (Michael York) is a mysterious stranger who arrives in Los Angeles and moves into a luxurious estate in Beverly Hills, hiring a private nurse, Amanda (Elizabeth Barondes), to help him with his rare medical condition, as well as a driver and errand boy, Jeremy (Richard Belzer). However, Amanda soon thinks there's something strange about Paul, and after consulting with a physician, Dr. Rochelle (Mason Adams), they discover that Johnson is actually an alien who is stockpiling reserves of blood for the dying residents of his home planet. Not of This Earth is the second remake of 1957's low-budget cult classic; Roger Corman, who directed the original film, served as executive producer for this version. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael York, Parker Stevenson, (more)
- 1994
Infidelity, murder, and white-collar crime walk hand in hand in this sophisticated thriller. Trevor McCabe (Michael York) is a British businessman who oversees the Brazilian branch of a successful multinational corporation with his partners Austin (Grainger Hines) and Frank (Will Kepper). While Trevor is married to Kitten (Dee Wallace Stone), their relationship has been rocky lately, and Trevor's been having an affair with Frank's wife, Paige (Jennifer O'Neill). Trevor discovers that someone within the company has been embezzling millions of dollars from the company's accounts, and while both Austin and Frank deny any knowledge of what's happened, Trevor doesn't think Frank's explanation holds water. Thinking Trevor is on to him, Frank persuades a sexy young artist who moonlights as a call girl, Miranda (Elizabeth Gracen), to seduce Trevor and take his mind off his investigation. Frank's plan works for a while until Paige finds out about Miranda; feeling angry and betrayed, Paige arranges for Kitten to find out about her husband's infidelity, and Kitten sends Trevor packing. Not long afterward, Paige is murdered, and Trevor has to prove that he isn't involved in her death while still trying to get to the bottom of the embezzlement scheme. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael York, Jennifer O'Neill, (more)
