John Hunter Movies

One of the most successful Canadian drama series of the late 1990s, Da Vinci's Inquest was also one of the CBC's slickest efforts -- not to mention one of the most realistic. Nicholas Campbell starred as Dominic Da Vinci, a former cop who worked as a police coroner in Vancouver. Like Quincy before him, Da Vinci used his official capacity to right wrongs, help those in distress, and in general boldly go where the "regular" cops feared to tread. In this he was assisted by a number of friends, business associates, and family members, who frequently found themselves in jeopardy, obligating the hero to effect a last-minute escape. Compared by some critics to the American TVer Homicide (albeit with a bit more melodrama), the series was created by Chris Haddock, who also wrote many of the 60-minute teleplays. Da Vinci's Inquest began its long and profitable CBC TV run on October 7, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Veteran Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent handled the direction of John and the Missus. And who with better right? Pinsent also wrote the novel upon which his screenplay was based. John Munn (Pinsent) is a Newfoundland miner whose town faces extermination when the local copper mine is closed. Everyone else in town is resigned to relocate, but John stands firm, hoping to salvage the home of his father. Jackie Burroughs co-stars as John's wife, or "Missus," who backs up her husband's near-hopeless cause. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Francis Ford Coppola protégé Phillip Borsos directs this elegiac, low-key tale about real-life bandit Bill Miner that has become a classic of Canadian cinema. Having been released from jail in 1901 following a 33-year prison sentence for robbing stagecoaches, Bill Miner (Richard Farnsworth) finds himself living in a society that has completely changed from the one of his youth. He tries to put his life of crime behind him and settle down in Washington state with his sister, but the quiet life does not suit him. He feels restless but uncertain as to how to proceed next. The answer comes to him when he sees Edward S. Porter's The Great Train Robbery. Soon, Miner has slipped over the border into Canada and, along with his new partner, Shorty (Wayne Robson), robs the Canadian Pacific Railway Transcontinental Express. Later, while laying low after the crime in a remote corner of British Columbia, he meets the beautiful, strong-willed photographer Kate Flynn (Jackie Burroughs). In writing this script, Borsos reportedly made heavy use of contemporary court documents and testimonies. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival in honor of its 20th anniversary. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

In this high-seas adventure, a wicked one-eyed, one-armed pirate forces a young man, who was wrongfully imprisoned, to take him and his band to his Caribbean island home where the pirate believes great treasure is buried. Once there, the pirate begins fighting for control of the island and begins slaughtering the lad's family and friends. The young man is utterly appalled and with his step-sister, a young woman and her beloved, somehow escape. Later the pirate discovers a large statue of pure gold. He and his men haul it to the beach and put it on a raft. As they are floating toward their ship, they are ambushed by the man and the other survivors causing the precious statue to fall overboard and sink to Davy Jones' locker while the pirate is killed. Later the survivors return to their ravaged home. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Distinguished British actress Vanessa Redgrave makes her feature film debut in this hospital-set drama that chronicles the deadly rivalry between two head surgeons. She is one of the surgeons. She and her competitor have radically different ideas about how the hospital should be run. The film features one of the first scenes of actual open-heart surgery being shown upon a closed-circuit TV screen. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Jack Hawkins plays a former British army officer who is surprised in his home one evening by a burglar. His surprise is compounded when the intruder turns out to be one of the men from his World War II army unit. With the straight-arrow diligence of a wartime commander, Hawkins delves into the unfortunate burglar's past, trying to discover why so promising a soldier hit the skids. The film is not so much a mystery but a genteel expose of the socioeconomic problems facing discharged servicemen in postwar England. The Intruder was adapted by Robin Maugham (son of Somerset Maugham) from his own novel Line on Ginger. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this comedy, a braggart and his new bride head for a honeymoon in Italy. There they go to the small village the groom claims to have freed all by himself. Unfortunately, the villagers are most unhappy to see him. Before he can safely continue his honeymoon, he must clear his name with them. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

A composer discovers that the inspiration for his greatest work may come at the expense of his marriage in this romantic drama with music. Richard Wilder (Michael Dennison) was a pilot with the RAF during World War II and was shot down over the Dolomite Mountains of Italy during a mission. Wilder's life was saved by Alida (Valentina Cortese), a beautiful woman working with the anti-fascist resistance who rescued him after his crash. After the war comes to a close, Wilder returns home to England and his wife Ann (Dulcie Gray), where he begins writing an opera based on the legends of Dolemite, as passed along by the peasants of the region. However, his home in England does not prove to be a conducive creative environment, so he travels back to Italy, where he spends time with Alida and is able to complete his work. However, he begins to fall in love with Alida, and he soon finds that he must choose between his muse and his spouse. Acclaimed classical vocalist Tito Gobbi appears as himself and sings several selections. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In this romance, the owner of a garage buys Brownie, a racehorse from Miss Peggy Landstone and subsequently hires her as the horse's trainer. Unfortunately, the horse only comes in second during the big race causing the garage man's fiancee to desert him. This suits him fine as he is then freed to marry Peggy. Later an official investigation reveals that Brownie won after all. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Three adventurous young men find themselves duped by a double dealer in this thriller. The story begins after the young lads have convinced a wealthy man into providing financial backing for their African treasure-hunting expedition. While they are away, he immediately entraps one of the fiancees of the young men by encouraging her to run up an enormous gambling debt. In order to save her father, who has also been tricked by the con man, the girl becomes the wealthy lecher's mistress. The young men return. Their journey has been successful and they are quite wealthy. When they learn that the backer will not follow through on his promises, and has sullied the young woman, they decide that he must be killed. They decide which one will do the deed by drawing cards. He is killed, and the murderer is revealed--but as the coroner decided it was a suicide, the killer is not convicted. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi