David Stevens Movies

In response to the public's insatiable fascination with the Kennedy family, the NBC network brought forth this two-part miniseries, based on a book by Randy Taraborelli. Described by the author as "Knot's Landing goes to Capitol Hill," Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot covers a time span of 25 years, from the marriage of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier to the 1980 presidential bid of JFK's brother Teddy. To many observers, the film seemed to consist primarily of TV news bulletins announcing various and sundry Kennedy tragedies, punctuated by long, long discussions between the wives of JFK, Bobby, and Teddy regarding their husbands' various infidelities. Some of the intrigues are based on fact, notably the uneasy relationship between Jackie and Bobby's wife Ethel, and the drinking problems shared by Teddy and his wife Joan. Other segments, however, fall back on rumor and hearsay, notably the scenes involving Marilyn Monroe. At the very least, the three actresses chosen to play the title roles -- Jill Hennessy (Jackie), Lauren Holly (Ethel), and Leslie Stefanson -- looked, sounded, and behaved exactly like their real-life counterparts. Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot originally aired on March 4 and March 5, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This four-hour fantasy miniseries, elaborating on the Arthurian legend and filmed in England and Wales, offers a portrait of the wizard Merlin (Sam Neill), following his life as a youth (Daniel Brocklebank) to his later conflicts with the evil Queen Mab (Miranda Richardson) and his love for Nimue (Isabella Rossellini), who is kidnapped by Lord Vortigern (Rutger Hauer). Amid battles and displays of magic and mysticism (courtesy of London's Framestore and the Jim Henson Creature Shop), Merlin strides the English countryside encountering Excalibur, the unbreakable sword, and a Camelot cast of colorful characters including the morphing manservant Frik (Martin Short), Morgan le Fey (Helena Bonham Carter), King Arthur (Paul Curran), Lancelot (Jeremy Sheffield), and Guinevere (Lena Heady). Premiered April 26, 1998 on NBC. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Pierce Brosnan, best known for his suave and sophisticated roles, takes on a new screen personality in this adaptation of Daniel Defoe's classic novel. Robinson Crusoe (Brosnan) is an adventurer who hopes to find fame and fortune on the high seas, but a fierce ocean storm wrecks his ship and leaves him stranded by himself on an uncharted island. Left to fend for himself, Crusoe seeks out a tentative survival on the island, until he meets Friday (Wiliam Takaku), a tribesman living on the island. Initially, Crusoe is thrilled to finally have a friend, but when he discovers another tribe is also living on the island, he comes mad with power and insists that he be the sole ruler of all he surveys. Robinson Crusoe also stars Ian Hart, Lysette Anthony, and James Frain. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In 1977, Alex Haley's groundbreaking mini-series Roots became one of the most watched programs in television history, telling the story of seven generations of the author's mother's family, from their capture in Africa and enslavement in the United States to their eventual emancipation more than a century later. With 1992's Queen, Haley, who passed away before completing the source material, presents the story of his father's family, focusing on his paternal grandmother, a mulato. Halle Berry stars as the title character, the daughter of a slave and a plantation owner. Amidst the Civil War and up through the turn of the century, Queen finds herself struggling to find acceptance from blacks as well as whites. With an all-star cast that also features Martin Sheen, Danny Glover, Dennis Haysbert, Ossie Davis, and Ann-Margret, Queen was directed by John Erman and originally aired in February of 1993. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

A drifter becomes both a bank robber and a hero in this crime thriller. Andrew McCarthy stars as Wade Corey, who hitches a ride on a freight train already occupied by Doyle Kennedy (Matt Dillon), a charming ex-con who convinces Wade to accompany him to his hometown. Once there, Wade realizes too late that Doyle is intent on robbing the local bank. After they are separated following the crime, Wade hides the money. Happening upon a drowning in progress, he saves a young girl who just happens to be the daughter of the state governor, and he becomes an unlikely hero. Finding work at a nearby farm, the meandering Wade becomes a hired hand, falls for the beautiful daughter (Leslie Hope) of his boss, and dreads the return of Doyle, who is sure to come looking for his money. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

In one of the oddest themes for a movie in any decade, Undercover is a slick film about women's underwear, as developed by an Australian designing firm run by Fred Burley (John Walton) in the 1920s. The story which is true in its basic outlines, begins with Libby McKenzie (Genevieve Picot) who leaves her small town for Sydney and hopefully, a better life. Libby ends up working for Burley's clothing design company where she meets all sorts of independent-minded characters, including her supervisor, the head designer Nina (Sandy Gore). Since the development of new underwear is a long stretch for a feature-length film, director (David Stevens) and writer (Miranda Downes) have Burley campaigning for Australians to buy home-made products, like his own, for instance. There is a certain disparity between the high standards in the opulent visual aesthetics of this film, and the fluctuating scenes that meander from melodrama to camp humor without finding a definitive voice. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Breaker Morant is one of the most acclaimed Australian films, telling a powerful tale of wartime betrayal and injustice. Henry "Breaker" Morant (Edward Woodward) is an Englishman living in Australia at the end of the 19th century. When war breaks out in 1899 between Britain and the Boers (descendants of Dutch colonists), Morant and a number of Australians volunteer for duty and are absorbed into the non-regular units of the British army. Acting under orders from his commanders, Morant oversees the execution of several Boer prisoners; it turns out that one of them was German, and in order to keep the peace with Germany, Britain agrees to courtmartial Morant and two other soldiers, sentencing two to death and one to life imprisonment. Based on a play by Kenneth Ross, Bruce Beresford's film is powerfully filmed and acted and has become a classic anti-war movie since its 1980 release; the script (co-written by Beresford) was nominated for an Academy Award. The final execution scene is nearly overpowering in its sense of tragedy and futility. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi

When a woman moves into a Victorian home, she finds a dress that, when worn, delivers her back in time in this made-for-television adventure adapted from David William's novel, Second Sight. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi

When this middle-aged mom becomes a widow she decides to spice up her social life, even if her kids disapprove. ~ Rovi