June Roberts Movies
A few good men are sent on a secret mission as a few good women in this comic tale of wartime espionage, loosely based upon a true story. Steven O'Rourke (Matt LeBlanc) is an American intelligence agent who, during World War II, has been assigned to obtain an Enigma machine, a special encoding-and-decoding device that Axis forces have developed to transmit their most sensitive secret information. A working Enigma machine would be invaluable to the Allied cause; O'Rourke is able to obtain a machine, but Col. Aiken (Edward Fox), a British officer whose stiff upper lip sometimes overwhelms his common sense, mistakes O'Rourke for a plunderer and destroys the previous gadget, which is hidden in a typewriter. An altercation with Aiken lands O'Rourke in military prison, but he's released in time to carry out a new plan to obtain an Enigma for Allied use. A small factory has been set up in rural Germany to build the machines, which is entirely staffed by women, so O'Rourke, communications expert Johnno (David Birkin), and veteran intelligence man Archie (James Cosmo) are to infiltrate the plant disguised as women, with Tony (Eddie Izzard), an agent who moonlights as a drag performer, giving the men a crash course in looking and acting like women. All the Queen's Men also features Nicolette Krebitz as Romy, a double agent working at the Enigma plant, and Udo Kier as Lansdorf, a Nazi general. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matt LeBlanc, Eddie Izzard, (more)
- 1993
- R
Danny Glover plays Jerry, a caring street person who takes a mentally retarded Matthew Dillon under his wing, teaching him the survival smarts so necessary to society's left-overs. The two team up with three other vagrants in an attempt to build a nuclear group-support community and find little lasting security in the cold NYC street world. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Glover, Matt Dillon, (more)
There's no point in recounting the many production problems and personal hostilities which plagued the filming of Mermaids: the end result is all that matters. Set in the 1960s, the film details the relationship between an unorthodox, unmarried vagabond mother (Cher), and her two daughters. The 15-year-old (Winona Ryder), continually embarrassed by her flamboyant mother, wants to be the world's greatest Catholic; the nine-year-old (Christina Ricci) would be satisfied with becoming the world's champion swimmer. Moving with her family to New England, the older daughter falls in love from afar with the groundskeeper (Michael Schoeffling) from a nearby convent, while Mom takes up with a lonely salesman (Bob Hoskins). Mermaids is perceptively adapted from the warmly comic novel by Patty Dann. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cher, Bob Hoskins, (more)
The Working Girls in this New York-based film are laboring away at the World's Oldest Profession. Molly (Louise Smith), a Yale grad whos lives with her lesbian lover, turns tricks to keep food on the table. She approaches each day with fear and loathing, carrying out her responsibilities with crisp, businesslike efficiency. Her coworkers include Gina (Marussia Zach), who hopes to stay a hooker just long enough to finance her own business, and Dawn (Amanda Goodwin), an outspoken college student who harbors dreams of becoming a lawyer. The film covers a single day in the lives of these three ladies, neither judging nor apologizing: a job's a job, the film seems to be saying, whether it's punching a clock or rolling in the sack with an elderly stranger. Director Lizzie Borden's matter-of-fact approach to her material (based on six months' worth of interviewing genuine prostitutes) places Working Girls head and shoulders above the usual lachrymose "ladies of the evening" drama. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louise Smith, Ellen McElduff, (more)
- 1984
An excellent vehicle to showcase the talents of Tim Curry, this comedy by Colin Bucksey casts Curry as Larry Gormley, an actor who has never really had the break he so desperately wants -- though whether or not his talent is up to the task is another question. Larry drives a cab in-between auditions, which essentially makes him a cab driver with acting aspirations. When one shot at stardom falls through because his producer promptly drops dead, Larry has a bit of apparent good fortune drop into his lap. A fare of dubious business affiliation accidentally leaves a stash of cash in his suitcase in the back of Larry's hack. Recognizing the brass ring when he sees it, Larry grabs the ill-gotten dough and takes off, quickly and disastrously followed by the Mob and the IRA. Chased to Dublin, Larry passes himself off as a nun or worse, all in order to evade his murderous pursuers. Fast-paced and funny, viewers should also enjoy Curry's interpretations of Mick Jagger and Elvis. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Debby Bishop, (more)
- 1982
- PG
Set in 1962 Wales, Experience Preferred...But Not Essential is the story of a hotel waitress named Annie (Elizabeth Edmonds). In the words of the famous song, Annie's been looking for love in all the wrong places. This time around, she hopes to find lasting happiness in the arms of the hotel cook. Screenwriter June Roberts' "ear" for period dialogue and attitudes is unerring; indeed, it is difficult to believe that the film was actually made 20 years after the on-screen events take place. Part of a series of films about young people produced for British television, Experience Preferred...But Not Essential has gained its largest American following thanks to Public TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Edmonds, Roy Heather, (more)
