David Hemmings Movies

While Olde England is being ransacked by roving Danes in the 9th century, Alfred (David Hemmings) is commencing to join the priesthood. But observing the rape of his motherland, he puts aside his religious vows to take up arms against the invaders, leading the English Christians to fight for their country. Alfred soundly defeats the Danes and becomes an English hero. But now, although Alfred still longs for the priesthood, he is torn between his passion for God and his lust for blood. After marrying the beautiful Aelhsweth (Prunella Ransome), he gives himself over to his dark side and aggressively rapes his wife. At this point, the Danes return and Alfred must muster the English forces once again for a decisive battle, but he also must battle his conflicting soul. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

A voluptuous outer space agent travels to another galaxy in search of a missing inventor in this science fiction send-up. Barbarella (Jane Fonda), an interstellar representative of the united Earth government in the 41st century, is dispatched to locate scientist Durand Durand, whose positronic ray, if not recovered, could signal the end of humanity. Outfitted in an array of stunning Star Trek/Bond girl outfits and cruising around in a plush, psychedelic spaceship, Barbarella travels to the Tau Seti system and promptly crash-lands. She then spends the rest of the film discovering the joys of interstellar sex with a keeper of feral children (Ugo Tognazzi), a blind, beatific angel (John Phillip Law), and an inept revolutionary named Dildano (David Hemmings). Slowly but surely, she also finds her way to Durand Durand by moving from one exotic, Wizard of Oz-style locale to another. Along the way, she meets the kindly Professor Ping (a surprisingly verbal Marcel Marceau), a Eurotrash dominatrix named the Great Tyrant (Rolling Stones gal pal Anita Pallenberg), and the Concierge (Milo O'Shea), a strangely familiar lackey of the Great Tyrant who tries to destroy Barbarella with his great big organ of love. Jean-Claude Forest, who created the character Barbarella in 1962 for V-Magazine, served as visual advisor on the adaptation. The film's missing scientist character famously inspired the band name of '80s pop stars Duran Duran (who altered the spelling slightly). Almost two decades later, the film also inspired electronic act Matmos, which was named after the aqueous personification of evil unleashed by the Concierge at the movie's climax. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Not long after he lost that "chicken run" to James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause (1955), actor Corey Allen switched professional gears to become a prolific film and TV director. Allen was responsible for putting television perennials James Brolin and Lisa Hartman through their paces in Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues. Brolin plays a Beverly Hills cop who teams up with a luscious female private eye from Texas (Hartman, of course). While Brolin prefers peace and quiet, Hartman insists upon rooting out the murderer of a debutante-turned-hooker. Since both stars were gainfully employed on other TV series when Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues first aired on October 5, 1985, we hesitate to suggest that this film was the pilot for a potential series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A woman anticipating a blessed event suspects the forces of darkness might be involved in this tale of terror. Heather Graham and James Purefoy play a couple who desperately want to have a baby; unfortunately, she has been diagnosed as infertile, and the couple can't afford the medical treatments that might allow her top conceive. Good fortune appears to be smiling on the couple when they are given an opportunity to receive free treatments at a mysterious fertility clinic. The woman is soon the expectant mother of twins, but as her due date draws nearer, she begins to suspect something is wrong, and that she has become the unwilling victim of a pact with evil. Blessed also stars Andy Serkis, Stella Stevens, and David Hemmings. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

19th century frontierwoman Martha Jane Canary (1852-1903)--better known as Calamity Jane--has been portrayed by actresses as diverse as Doris Day, Jean Arthur and Louise Dresser. Jane Alexander isn't exactly the living image of the legendary Jane, but at least she plays down the Hollywood glamour that afflicted Arthur's and Day's interpretations. This made-for-TV film details the private Jane rather than the public image. It was based on letters sent by Jane to her daughter back east; Suzanne Clauser's teleplay opines that the daughter was the illegitimate offspring of Calamity and her paramour Wild Bill Hickok (Frederic Forrest). Calamity Jane originally aired March 6, 1984. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

David Hemmings plays Charlie Muffin, a working-class British secret agent who suffers fools and aristocrats not at all well, and as such is in constant conflict with his superiors. Unlike James Bond, Charlie bleeds when you prick him...and he cares, deeply. Britain's M16 unit reluctantly assigns Charlie the task of protecting Valery Kalenin (Pinkas Braun), head of the KGB. Kalenin is ostensibly defecting, but Charlie gloms onto the truth of the whole affair early on. He also figures out that those unseen assassins taking potshots at him are not only in the employ of the KGB, but also the M16. Originally released in 1979, Charlie Muffin did not receive widespread American exposure until its October 1983 telecast on PBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Harlequin is directed by Simon Wincer and tells a tale with echoes in 20th-century Russian history. Nick and Sandra Rast (David Hemmings and Carmen Duncan) have a little boy, Alex (Mark Spain), who is suffering from leukemia. Like normal parents they will do anything to help their son, especially Sandra. So when Gregory Wolfe (Robert Powell) comes along with his faith-healing techniques to treat Alex, Sandra is particularly impressed. What complicates matters is that Alex's father Nick will soon be running the government and his career depends a lot on Doc Wheelan (Broderick Crawford), his mentor. Trouble starts when Wheelan cannot abide the faith healer, causing the mysterious Wolfe to react in a most unexpected way. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

This suspenseful crime drama features cameo appearances by some of Great Britain's more popular pop groups of the mid-1960s as it tells the tale of an ex-crook who finds success managing several of the groups. The trouble begins when a master jewel thief blackmails him into becoming a gem smuggler. Together, they set sail across the Channel to get a fortune in diamonds safely to Amsterdam. They are pursued by two determined detectives. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The film that has become the master work in Italian horror maestro Dario Argento's canon, Deep Red holds up brilliantly despite the plethora of copycat slasher films it inspired in the years to follow. The film opens with a flashback murder shown from the perspective of a child while an eerie nursery rhyme plays. Cut to the present, pianist Marc Daly (David Hemmings) witnesses the murder of a psychic while chatting with his drunken pal, Carlo (Gabriele Lavia). While the police investigate, Marc joins forces with attractive reporter Gianna (Daria Nicolodi). Once Marc realizes that he is a target for the killer, he seeks help from Giordani (Glauco Mauri), a professor of the paranormal, who soon becomes one of the killer's victims. Marc's research leads him to an abandoned house where he discovers a secret room that hides a corpse. Before he can call the cops, he is knocked out and awakens to find the place in flames while Gianna holds him. Racing to the neighbors to call for help, Marc discovers an important clue that leads him to a nearby school where he finally finds the killer's identity. The madman attacks him, but the police arrive to save Marc. Though the case appears to be solved, Marc comes to the disturbing realization that one piece of the puzzle remains. ~ Patrick Legare, All Movie Guide

A fine cast distinguishes this unusual supernatural thriller. When London-based vintner Phillippe de Montfaucon (David Niven) receives the bad news that dry weather is expected to destroy crops in his vineyard in France for the third year in a row, he immediately leaves for his castle on the continent, Bellenac, instructing his wife Catherine (Deborah Kerr) to stay behind with their children. However, Catherine's curiosity gets the better of her and she arrives at Bellenac to discover that the villagers who tend the grapes and watch the castle are members of a pagan cult, and that they believe the death of Marquis may be required for the future health of the crops. While pre-release editing left its narrative a bit fragmented, Eye of the Devil is certainly notable for its cast, which includes Donald Pleasance, Edward Mulhare, David Hemmings, and Sharon Tate. Kim Novak was originally cast as Catherine, but was forced to bow out midway through shooting due to an injury. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This lively, funny Faerie Tale Theatre production of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale is about a thumb-sized girl (Carrie Fisher) who has to find her way back home after being kidnapped by a toad and a mole. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide

The violent rise of gangland power in New York City at a time of massive political corruption and the city's evolution into a cultural melting pot set the stage for this lavish historical epic, which director Martin Scorsese finally brought to the screen almost 30 years after he first began to plan the project. In 1846, as waves of Irish immigrants poured into the New York neighborhood of Five Points, a number of citizens of British and Dutch heritage who were born in the United States began making an open display of their resentment toward the new arrivals. William Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis), better known as "Bill the Butcher" for his deadly skill with a knife, bands his fellow "Native Americans" into a gang to take on the Irish immigrants; the immigrants in turn form a gang of their own, "The Dead Rabbits," organized by Priest Vallon (Liam Neeson). After an especially bloody clash between the Natives and the Rabbits leaves Vallon dead, his son goes missing; the boy ends up in a brutal reform school before returning to the Five Points in 1862 as Amsterdam (Leonardo DiCaprio). Now a strapping adult who has learned how to fight, Amsterdam has come to seek vengeance against Bill the Butcher, whose underworld control of the Five Points through violence and intimidation dovetails with the open corruption of New York politician "Boss" Tweed (Jim Broadbent). Amsterdam gradually penetrates Bill the Butcher's inner circle, and he soon becomes his trusted assistant. Amsterdam also finds himself falling for Jenny Everdeane (Cameron Diaz), a beautiful but street-smart thief who was once involved with Bill. Amsterdam is learning a great deal from Bill, but before he can turn the tables on the man who killed his father, Amsterdam's true identity is exposed, even though he has concealed it from nearly everyone, including Jenny. Gangs Of New York was the first film in two years from actor Leonardo DiCaprio; ironically, it was at one time scheduled to open on the same day as Catch Me if You Can, the Steven Spielberg project that DiCaprio began filming immediately after Gangs wrapped. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide