Donald Rosenfeld Movies

Anton Chekhov authored his novella The Duel in 1891; one of the longest of the Russian master's tales, it pits an aristocratic ne'er-do-well named Laevsky against a conceited and slightly arrogant scientist called Von Koren, and witnesses a climactic physical struggle between the two men. This film adaptation from Georgian director Dover Kosashvili follows the original text with remarkable fidelity; in it, Laevsky (Andrew Scott) clings to ephemeral pleasures such as drinking, gambling, and romancing his alluring mistress, Nadya (Fiona Glascott), in the Russian provinces -- putting all of the said pursuits far ahead of disciplined action -- but he soon grows listless and disenchanted with Nadya, falls into financial ruin, and ultimately must fight Von Koren in a vicious duel thanks to Nadya's sexual liaisons with the man. This cinematization enlists a predominantly British cast and a screenplay adaptation by Mary Bing. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

As the world's demand for fish and other seafood increases and the technology available to commercial fisherman becomes more sophisticated, the annual harvest from global seaports has grown tremendously in recent years. However, the rise of industrialized fishing has not come without consequences, and many environmentalists and oceanographers believe that the current demand for fish and the methods used to fulfill it are taking an irreparable toll on the world's oceans, with some speculating that the seas could be literally fished-out by 2048 if current trends do not change. Filmmaker Rupert Murray offers an in-depth look at the crisis in the world's oceans in the documentary End of the Line, in which experts discuss some of the key factors behind the looming shortage -- increased demand for endangered species, irresponsible methods employed by major fishing lines, lax enforcement of current regulations -- and what can be done to head off the famine before it's too late. End of the Line was an official selection at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The compelling life story of America's only Nobel Prize-winning playwright comes to the screen in a documentary featuring scenes performed by Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer, Liam Neeson, and Vanessa Redgrave, and originally produced as part of PBS's American Experience series. Despite intense family drama and raging inner turmoil, Eugene O'Neill persevered to emerge as a world-class talent through such acclaimed works as The Iceman Cometh and Long Day's Journey Into Night. In transcending the traditional documentary form to truly examine O'Neill's character in great detail, filmmakers offer a revealing meditation on loss, redemption, and the high cost that artists are forced to pay in life. Excerpts from O'Neill's plays performed by some of the greatest actors of their generation prove that, even after his death, O'Neill continues to influence and inspire. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Photographer William Eggleston created a sensation in the art world in 1976 when a collection of his work went on display at the Museum of Modern Art. While the Memphis native's work went against the grain of the conventions of art photography of the day with their heavily saturated colors and oblique, seemingly careless framings, in time critics developed an enthusiasm for his work, and one critic cited the show as "the beginning of modern color photography." Filmmaker Michael Almereyda is an admirer of Eggleston's photography, and created a film portrait of this reclusive artist as he shoots a commissioned assignment in Kentucky, travels to Los Angeles for a show, conducts a joint question and answer session with author Bruce Wagner, and explores the nooks and crannies of the small Tennessee towns that provide his inspiration. Along the way, Almereyda attempts to interview Eggleston and comes up against the brick wall of the photographer's reluctance to discuss his art -- as Eggleston says, "Whatever it is about pictures, photographs, it's just about impossible to follow up with words. They don't have anything to do with one another." ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The three-hour documentary Center of the World is part of producer/director Ric Burns' massive 14 1/2-hour filmed history of New York City. More specifically, this film is an outgrowth of the five-minute coda to Burns' previous effort The City and the World: 1945 to Present, hastily added to acknowledge the horrendous terrorist attack of September 11, 2001. Center of the World focuses on the World Trade Center, from its embryonic inception in 1946 through the finalized design submitted by architect Minoru Yamasaki in 1962, and on to the construction of what would become Manhattan's tallest, most awe-inspiring and most controversial skyscraper structure. (For every commentator who admired the WTC, there was one who dismissed it as mere "aluminum siding.") The last 45 minutes of the film concentrates on the destruction of the Twin Towers and the aftermath of the tragedy, with a subliminal subtext suggesting that the attack may have been inadvertently brought about by the "economic imperialism" of the United States (though this theory is heartily rejected by several of the notables interviewed for the film). Among those offering commentary on New York City in general and the WTC in particular are journalists Mike Wallace, Pete Hammil, and Jimmy Bresliln; former mayor Mario Cuomo; history professor and frequent Burns collaborator Niall Ferguson; and Kenneth Jackson, president of the New York Historical Society. Center of the World made its American TV debut as an episode of the PBS anthology American Experience. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Noted producer Ismail Merchant stepped up to the director's chair for this drama. Adrienne Mark (Jeanne Moreau) is the most acclaimed French novelist of her generation, whose best known work, Je M'Appelle France, was an international best-seller made into an award-winning French film (and a disastrous Americanized remake). Adrienne is living in New York City when she learns that the flat in Paris where she grew up (as Adrienne Markowsky) is up for sale. Looking for a key to her past, she buys the apartment and discovers a cache of letters written by her late mother. Adrienne's mother died in a Nazi concentration camp during WWII, but while she's been led to believe that her mother was betrayed while working with the resistance, the letters suggest that the truth was far more troubling. Along the way, Adrienne is romantically pursued by a young fan, William O'Hara (Josh Hamilton), though he instead finds love with Virginia Kelly (Sean Young), an American film producer eager to work with the great writer. The Proprietor also features Sam Waterston, Nell Carter, and Austin Pendleton. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Best known for their historical epics that examine class and social issues in British life through a thick lens of tasteful production design and good manners, director James Ivory and producer Ismail Merchant set their sights on an American protagonist for a change with Jefferson in Paris. As the title suggests, Jefferson in Paris deals with the five years that Thomas Jefferson (Nick Nolte) spent as U.S. ambassador to France prior to the French Revolution; while Jefferson is sympathetic to the revolutionary forces in France, he's become well enough acquainted with the ruling aristocracy that he finds himself torn between the two sides of the issue. Jefferson, a recent widower, also becomes friends with Maria Cosway (Greta Scacchi), who is married to a foppish British artist; while it's obvious the two are in love, neither is in a position to do anything about their infatuation. And while Jefferson's daughter Patsy (Gwyneth Paltrow) loves her father, she's very upset with him when he sends her to a convent school. In this midst of this personal turmoil, Jefferson's younger daughter Polly (Estelle Eonnet) arrives in Paris, with her slave Sally Hemmings (Thandie Newton) in tow. Attractive and bright (if uneducated), Sally catches Jefferson's eye, and a friendship develops that grows into something deeper; in time, Sally becomes pregnant, and her family claims that Jefferson is the father. At the time Jefferson In Paris was released, the question of Sally Hemmings' relationship with Thomas Jefferson was a matter of lively historical debate; since then, genetic evidence has shown that, while Jefferson's paternity can't be proved beyond a doubt, it is likely that he did father children with Hemmings. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The world of high-fashion is explored in this documentary. Much of the film is centered on the professional life of American supermodel Christy Turlington as she travels around the world's fashion centers for photoshoots and runway gigs. The film also offers many glimpses of the glitterati that surround the fashion industry, including designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, and movie stars like Sharon Stone. Naturally the clothing itself also figures prominently. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Filmed with the usual meticulous attention to period and detail of films from Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, The Remains of the Day is based on a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. Anthony Hopkins plays Stevens, the "perfect" butler to a prosperous British household of the 1930s. He is so unswervingly devoted to serving his master, a well-meaning but callow British lord (James Fox), that he shuts himself off from all emotions and familial relationships. New housekeeper Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson) tries to warm him up and awaken his humanity. But when duty calls, Stevens won't even attend his own dying father's last moments on earth. The butler also refuses to acknowledge the fact that his master is showing signs of pro-Nazi sentiments. Disillusioned by Hitler's duplicity, the master dies an embittered man, and only then does Stevens come to realize how his own silence has helped bring about this sad situation. Years later, regretting his lost opportunities in life, he tries once more to make contact with Miss Kenton, the only person who'd ever cared enough to seek out the human being inside the butler's cold veneer. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi