Jack Rosenthal Movies

Robert Young directed this fact-based British comedy-adventure. In 1791, Captain Scoresby sailed from Whitby in northern England to the Arctic. Mariner Captain Jack (Bob Hoskins), obsessed with Scoresby, is troubled by the fact that Scoresby has not been adequately acknowledged and honored in his town -- so Jack sets out to retrace Scoresby's journey with a curious and offbeat crew -- an Australian hitchhiker (Peter McDonald), two elderly sisters, and stowaway Tessa (Sadie Frost). They set sail, pursued by NATO, the Royal Navy, and a mixed bag of various journalists and photographers. Shown at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Empty-nest syndrome confronts some harried parents in this BBC made-for-television movie. When two sets of parents go off to Cambridge for college enrollment interviews for their children, the realization that the kids are grown up and moving on finally hits home. The film has some touching moments with its somewhat familiar theme. It was followed by a sequel the following year, Cold Enough For Snow. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi

Everybody's All American covers 25 years in the life of college football hero Gavin Grey (Dennis Quaid). When he marries campus sweetheart Babs Rogers (Jessica Lange) and is picked up by the pros, a happily-ever-after denouement is predicted by friends and family. It is clear from the outset, however, that Grey is going to have to do a lot of growing up over the next few decades. Babs does her best to keep in step with her husband's career and mood swings, and in so doing becomes the "parent" in the family. John Goodman also stars as Grey's best buddy, and Timothy Hutton is on hand for a romantic-triangle subplot. Everybody's All American is based on the novel by longtime Sports Illustrated scrivener Frank Deford. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The romantic hurdles experienced by the teen set at a British school are juxtaposed with the same type of difficulties experienced by their elders in this pat, adolescent view of life and love by director Michael Apted for a British TV series called First Love. The English teacher (Alison Steadman) is in love with the gardener (Garry Cooper) and has her own problems to handle. Young Alan (John Albasiny) is in love with Ann (Abigail Cruttenden) and is hyperventilating over the fact that he will have to kiss her in the school play, in front of everyone. Alan and his best buddies are more or less focused on the nature of sex and how to get it and what to do from there, while Alan's hero the gardener may turn out to have feet of clay. In this standard TV fare, the young actors are not quite at the same par as the adults, making their antics less engaging than otherwise. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Michael Apted directed and Lawrence Kasdan wrote the screenplay for this diverting romantic comedy -- a film that attempts to recapture the spirit of an old Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn vehicle. A very subdued John Belushi plays a star columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times named Ernie Souchak (but loosely based on columnist Mike Royko), who uses his column as a direct line to report on the dirty dealings at Chicago City Hall. When his political reports on a local corrupt alderman get too hot, Ernie is sent to the Rocky Mountains to do a fluff piece on reclusive ornithologist Nell Porter (Blair Brown). Ernie arrives at her mountain hideaway, but Nell is hostile and orders him to leave. Ernie informs her that his guide won't return for a few weeks and she reluctantly permits him to stay. The two first learn to put up with each other and then their aversion slowly turns into love. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

The Knowledge is the story of four men and how they make preparations for an all-important event in their lives -- the examination that will allow them to work the coveted job of taxi driver in Greater London. In the course of learning of their hopes and aspirations, and the impact of these plans of the men's families, the viewer gets a deep and abiding respect for the strictness with which standards in this field are maintained in London. "The Knowledge" is the familiarity with the city's myriad streets and neighborhoods, and often takes many years to master. Made for British television, this comedy drama got a fair amount of notice around the world, especially in the United States -- and no more so than in New York City, whose Taxi and Limousine Commission frequently licenses drivers whose knowledge of the streets goes no further south than Houston Street or north of 200th Street (which is Dyckman Street -- a trick answer). The film flew on its own merits, but was also a revelation in the city when shown on public television. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi

Created by Jack Rosenthal, the seriocomic British series Sadie It's Cold Outside starred Rosemary Leach and Bernard Hepton as Sadie and Norman Potter. After several uneventful years of marriage, Sadie and Norman came to the conclusion that the fire had gone out of their relationship. It fell to Norman to restoke the flames -- if he was still capable of doing so. The first of the six hour-long Sadie It's Cold Outside episodes was transmitted by Granada Television on April 21, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this romantic British comedy, an amorous young man attempts to persuade his girl friend to abandon her old -fashioned notions about premarital sex. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi