Hugh Leonard Movies
In the Irish town of Kilshannon in the 1920s, a matriarchal clique of widows tightly sets the rules for behavior. Heading the town's ruling circle is the doughty Mrs. Counihan (Joan Plowright). The only non-widow in town is a reclusive middle-aged spinster, Miss O'Hare (Mia Farrow), who seems to be guarding some kind of secret. Crashing into this provincial coterie is dashing, urbane Edwina Broome (Natasha Richardson), who immediately starts feuding with O'Hare, for no apparent good reason. Broome mangles O'Hare's prize roses and bumps her skiff in a boat race. Counihan's dimwitted son, Godfrey (Adrian Dunbar), proposes marriage to Edwina. Eventually, the true motives of all involved are revealed. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mia Farrow, Joan Plowright, (more)
- 1990
Although the story of 19th century Irish statesman and patriot Charles Steward Parnell resulted in a disastrous movie vehicle for Clark Gable in 1937, the results were more satisfying when the same story was adapted as a four-episode British TV miniseries in 1990. Trevor Eve headed the cast as Parnell, prime advocate for Irish home rule at a time when such a position was tantamount to treason. For all his good works, Parnell was doomed to infamy as the result of his clandestine romance with Katharine O'Shea (Francesca Annis), the wife of a British Member of Parliament. Parnell and the Englishwoman was written for television by celebrated Irish playwright Hugh Leonard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Trevor Eve, Francesca Annis, (more)
- 1988
- PG
Irish author Hugh Leonard's play Home Before Night was the basis of Da. Martin Sheen plays an Irish/ American playright living in New York. No matter how much he's assimilated himself, Sheen cannot escape the influence of his deceased adoptive father (Barnard Hughes). The writer has several heated confrontations with the "ghosts" of his father and mother (Doreen Hepburn), as well as with his own adolescent self (Karl Hayden). Sheen comes to realize that his own success was in part sparked by the failures of his "Da", a gardener who spent his life speaking in empty aphorisms and wishing he were someone else. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barnard Hughes, Martin Sheen, (more)
- 1979
One of the most turbulent eras in Dublin history is detailed in this adaptation of the James Plunkett novel directed by Tony Barry and starring Peter Ustinov and Peter O'Toole. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter O'Toole, Peter Ustinov, (more)
- 1978
Although there have been several British TV adaptations of Emily Bronte's gothic romance Wuthering Heights, this five-part 1978 version is the one regarded as being the most faithful to the original novel. In covering the star-crossed romance between the headstrong Cathy (Kay Adshead) and wild gypsy boy Heathcliff (Ken Hutchinson), this adaptation did not (as have so many others) end with Cathy's death, but instead carried over the story into the next generation, wherein the vengeful Heathcliff continued to wage his private war of retribution against the people whom he felt had wronged him. Irish playwright Hugh Leonard handled the adaptation, deftly juggling the many characters and subplots without the slightest sense of strain. Wuthering Heights was originally beamed out to the British Isles from September 24 to October 22, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kay Adshead, Ken Hutchison, (more)
- 1977
Previously filmed in 1948 with a young Richard Attenborough in the lead, Norman Collins' slice-of-life novel London Belongs to Me was adapted as a seven-part British TV miniseries in 1977. Set during the Depression era, the story took place in and around a shabby London boarding house, where young punk Percy Boon lived with his mother. Inexorably drawn into a life of petty crime, Percy was eventually accused of murder, whereupon the other boarders rallied to his defense. But was their loyalty to one of "their own" truly worth the effort? London Belongs to Me was a presentation of Thames Television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Porcine British character comedian Ronnie Barker starred in this BBC2 sitcom, which initially aired on March 25, 1973. The series consisted of seven half-hour comedy pilots, all starring Barker. Three of the episodes graduated to weekly series status. Of these, only "Prisoner and Escort" (retitled "Porridge" for its series run) would star Barker; the others were "Open All Hours" and "My Old Man." The remaining episodes included "Another Fine Mess," "I'll Fly You for a Quid," and "One Man's Meat," the last-named property written by Barker under the pseudonym Jack Goetz. Seven of One was last seen on May 6, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Written by Irish dramatist Hugh Leonard, the British anthology series Tales From the Lazy Acre consisted of seven half-hour comedy playlets, each one based on a different Irish myth and/or urban legend. The first episode, telecast over BBC1 on April 10, 1972, was "The Pick-Pocketer." This was followed in rapid succession by "Judgment Day," "Stone Cold Sober," "The Bitter Pill," "The Last Great Pint-Drinking Tournament," and "The Culchie" -- all of which, like the opening episode, starred Milo O'Shea, with David Kelly as the Narrator (known only as "Dead Man"). Tales From the Lazy Acre ended its run on May 22, 1972 with "The Travelling Woman," a Hibernian spin on the old "Vanishing Hitchhiker" legend. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
- PG
In this gender-bending war drama, set during WW II, an actor, impersonating a woman, finds himself captured by Nazis. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Widely regarded as the first "true" detective novel, Wilkie Collins' gothic thriller The Moonstone has undergone numerous stage, film, and TV adaptations since its publication in 1868. In the TV category, the BBC offered a five-part version of the well-worn story in 1972. The title referred to a valuable but "cursed" yellow diamond, which after leaving a trail of death and devastation amongst its previous owners came into the possession of the lovely Rachel Verinder (Vivien Heilbron). When the Moonstone turned up missing on a dark and stormy night, diligent Sgt. Cuff (Basil Dignam) showed up at Rachel's Yorkshire estate to solve the mystery -- and to protect the heroine from harm. After its original British TV run, The Moonstone was seen in America on PBS' Masterpiece Theatre beginning December 10, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Basil Dignam
Low-brow British humor abounds in this farcical account of Edwin Anthony, the first man to receive a successful penis transplant. Anthony becomes quite attached to his new appendage and even gives it the title name. The alleged humor comes in when Anthony and Percy set out to investigate the life of the latter's former owner. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Stefan Zelter (Oskar Werner) is a classical orchestra conductor who is sued for libel after statements made in a newspaper interview. He finds himself blacklisted and out of work and leaves his wife Antonia (Virginia Maskell) to be with the reporter Sally (Barbara Ferris). His wife nobly tells him he must never give up his music even though the two may never reconcile. This dramatic, romantic tearjerker has music by Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff performed by the British Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Comedian John Cleese has a straight role as a television publicist and Donald Sutherland plays the role of a mutual friend whose marriage is on the rocks. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oskar Werner, Barbara Ferris, (more)
- 1968
Mae West was never permitted to make a film version of her bawdy historical romp Catherine Was Great, yet this British adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Great Catherine made it to the screen. Where is the justice in this? Anyway, Jeanne Moreau braves it through the nearly unplayable role of Catherine, mother of All the Russias, while Peter O'Toole and Zero Mostel struggle manfully to breathe life into the proceedings. The plot has something to do with Prince Patiomkin's efforts to splice Catherine with Captain Edstaston, thus assuring that the queen's reign will be a happy one. The Captain would rather dally with Claire (Angela Scoular) and spends the rest of the running time escaping the queen's wrath. Throughout Great Catherine, Shavian wit is given short shrift in favor of 2-reeler slapstick. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter O'Toole, Zero Mostel, (more)
- 1959
Broth of a Boy is an even-keel film version of a play by Irish dramatist Hugh Leonard. Barry Fitzgerald plays the world's oldest man, a taciturn centenarian Irishman. Media representatives converge on Fitzgerald's village on the occasion of the old coot's 110th birthday. The eager TV exec who stages the event discovers that damage control is definitely in order: not only is Fitzgerald a widely despised poacher, but he also truculently refuses to participate in the ceremony. Broth of a Boy is a pleasant, easygoing satire of exploitive journalism--a target that is as viable today as it was in 1959. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
