Charles Edwards Movies

The fascinating story of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth is recounted in this British made-for-TV effort. It all begins in 1920, when the then-Duke of York Albert (James Wilby), known affectionately as Bertie, meets and falls in love with the aristocratic, 19-year-old Elizabeth Bowes-Lytton (Juliet Aubrey). Although their marriage makes international headlines, the mild, unprepossessing Bertie knows that he will always play second fiddle to his dashing older brother, the Prince of Wales, in the hearts and minds of the British people. This is never more true than when Bertie's brother ascends to the throne as King Edward VIII in 1936. That same year, however, the new King abdicates so that he may marry the woman of his choice, thereby thrusting the reluctant Bertie into the limelight as Monarch of the British Isles. Spurred on by the love and devotion of his lifelong helpmate Elizabeth, Bertie -- now King George -- proves more than worthy of his new burdens and responsibilities, especially during the darkest days of WWII. Although the King passes on in 1952 (a death hastened by his fondness for tobacco), Elizabeth lives well past the century mark, beloved by her subjects as the mother of the future Queen Elizabeth II and the impulsive Princess Margaret. A co-production of Carlton Television and PBS, Bertie and Elizabeth was telecast in America as part of the Masterpiece Theater anthology on February 4, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Freely adapted from a novel by Jane Austen, this period drama is set in the early 1800s, as a girl named Fanny (Hannah Taylor Gordon) is being raised by loving but desperately poor parents. Wanting a better life for Fanny, they send her away to live with her aunts, high-minded Mrs. Norris (Sheila Gish) and drug-addicted Lady Bertram (Lindsay Duncan), who share an estate called Mansfield Park. Fanny joins the family at Mansfield Park, which includes Lady Bertram's husband Sir Thomas (Harold Pinter), who made his money in slaves and West Indian plantations; Sir Thomas's son Tom (James Purefoy), an alcoholic; Tom's intelligent younger brother Edmund (Jonny Lee Miller); and his two sisters, Julia (Justine Waddell) and Maria (Victoria Hamilton). Fanny soon makes friends with Edmund, though she's shown little respect by the rest of the family. In time, Fanny grows to adulthood (now played by Frances O'Connor) and gains skill and poise as a horsewoman while developing her skills as an author. When the stylish but secretive siblings Henry and Mary Crawford (Alassandro Nivola and Embeth Davidtz) arrive at Mansfield Park, romantic sparks begin to fly; the two sisters fight over Henry, while Mary is soon engaged to wed Edmund -- to the disappointment of Fanny, who has fallen in love with him. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A teenage boy learns about the dangers of alcohol while another man tumbles from booze into dope addiction in this exploitation drama. After his high-school-age son is found passed out by the side of the road in a drunken stupor, a father chooses an unusual form of punishment -- taking the boy to the sleaziest beer halls and juke joints in town. After an evening of watching hopeless drunks in their natural environment, the boy begins to learn his lesson. Later, we are introduced to Fred Garland (Noel Reyburn), an ambitious young man who owns his own candy shop while still in high school but dreams of bigger and better things. After enjoying some spiked punch at a party, Fred develops a taste for liquor and sells his shop to move to New York City. Fred lands a part in a vaudeville show and is enjoying life on the road until his drinking makes his unreliable, and a later job running a variety show for the owner of a drugstore goes no better. Fred fares a bit better when he opens a talent agency, but after he's talked into going into a confidence game with his partner, he's found guilty of fraud and takes it on the lam. Falling deeper and deeper into alcohol and despair, Fred's bad luck gets even worse when a "friend" introduces him to heroin. The Flaming Teen-Age was originally released as Twice Convicted and named for a play about the real-life travails of Fred Garland; the framing story of the teenage alcoholic was later added in order to sell the picture as a juvenile delinquency epic. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide