Charlotte Gray 2001 PG-13, 121 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Gillian Armstrong Cast: Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Michael Gambon, Rupert Penry-Jones, Ron Cook, Anton Lesser, John Pierce Jones, Wolf Kahler, John Benfield, Jack Shepherd
During World War II, Charlotte Gray (Cate Blanchett) joins the French Resistance as an undercover courier in order to track down her RAF pilot lover, Peter Gregory (Rupert Penry-Jones), whose plane had been shot down over France. Disguised as "Dominique," Charlotte goes to Vichy France where she finds intrigue and a new romance.
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Esther Kahn 2000 N/R, 163 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Arnaud Desplechin Cast: Summer Phoenix, Ian Holm, Fabrice Desplechin, Frances Barber, Ian Bartholomew, Emmanuelle Devos, Akbar Kurtha, Anton Lesser, Kika Markham, Paul Regan, Laszlo Szabo
This is an interesting portrait of a late 19th-century actress, Esther Kahn (Summer Phoenix), who was born into a large Jewish immigrant family and raised on the streets of London. Her one interest was the theater, where she could escape life's realities. A good depiction of the acting profession.
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Fairytale: A True Story 1997 PG, 99 min. Genre: Family
Director: Charles Sturridge Cast: Florence Hoath, Elizabeth Earl, Paul McGann, Phoebe Nicholls, Peter O'Toole, Harvey Keitel, Bill Nighy, Bob Peck, Anton Lesser, Tim McInnerny
Based on a true story, this plot revolves around two English girls who took a photograph, in 1917, of what is assumed to be fairies. The picture was taken to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Peter O'Toole), who vouched for its authenticity, and it was published in a magazine.
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Guinevere 1994 TV, 95 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Jud Taylor Cast: Sheryl Lee, Sean Patrick Flanery, Noah Wyle, Brid Brennan, Donald Pleasence, James Faulkner, Constantine Gregory, Martin East, Ben Pullen, Anton Lesser
This TV tale tells of the trials and tribulations of the establishment of King Arthur's (Sean Patrick Flanery) Kingdom with the spotlight on Guinevere and her role in bringing the various factions of England together.
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Imagining Argentina 2003 R, 107 min. Genre: Drama / Thriller
Director: Christopher Hampton Cast: Antonio Banderas, Emma Thompson, Ruben Blades, Maria Canals-Barrera, Leticia Dolera, John Wood, Claire Bloom, Anton Lesser, Kuno Becker, Fernando Tielve, Stella Maris, Concha Hidalgo
During Argentina's military dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s, theater director Carlos Rueda (Antonio Banderas) uses psychic powers as he desperately searches for his wife, Cecilia (Emma Thompson), and teenage daughter Teresa (Leticia Dolera). The two women have been abducted and are among Argentina's 30,000 "disaparecidos" who have vanished under the corrupt junta rule.
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Miss Potter 2006 PG, 92 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Chris Noonan Cast: Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson, Barbara Flynn, Bill Paterson, Matyelok Gibbs, Lloyd Owen, Anton Lesser, David Bamber, Patricia Kerrigan, Judith Barker, Chris Middleton, Sarah Crowden, Richard Mulholland
Renee Zellweger takes on the role of Beatrix Potter, the author of "The Tale of Peter Rabbit." The film explores Potter's ill-fated romance with her publisher, Norman Warne (Ewan McGregor), amidst Potter's struggle for an independent life vs. marriage in an era when women were expected to marry and not have careers.
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Moses 1996 TV, 188 min. Genre: Adventure / Drama
Director: Roger Young Cast: Ben Kingsley, Frank Langella, David Suchet, Christopher Lee, Anna Galiena, Enrico Lo Verso, Geraldine McEwan, Maurice Roeves, Anthony Higgins, Philippe Leroy, Philip Stone, Anton Lesser
This made-for-TV account of the Old Testament prophet Moses is highlighted by the fine performance of Ben Kingsley in the title role. The story begins with the baby Moses being placed in a basket by his mother and floated down the Nile to save him from the wicked pharaoh who called for the death of all Hebrew children. Found by a princess, he is raised in luxury, but his destiny is to lead his people out of Egypt to the promised land.
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Vanity Fair 1998 TV, 300 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Marc Munden Cast: Natasha Little, Nathaniel Parker, Frances Grey, Philip Glenister, Miriam Margolyes, Tim Woodward, Tom Ward, Jeremy Swift, Eleanor Bron, Bryan Pringle, David Ross, Michele Dotrice, Janine Duvitski, Anton Lesser, Janet Dale
This TV miniseries adaptation of William Makepease Thackeray's novel stars Natasha Little as the scheming country girl Becky Sharp who leaves a trail of victims in her climb up the social ladder. Becky was born into a poor family but does get an education and jobs as a governess. She works for the Crowley family and wins over the children and their wealthy aunt (Miriam Margolyes). She even marries one of the children: the dashing Rawden (Nathaniel Parker). Becky is pregnant when Napoleon invades Europe, and Rawden leaves to fight in the war. Rawden survives the war, but troubles follow, and Becky continues to look for a man of a higher station to support her.
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| 1. Charlotte Gray (2001)
2. Esther Kahn (2000)
3. Fairytale: A True Story (1997)
4. Guinevere (1994)
5. Imagining Argentina (2003)
6. Miss Potter (2006)
7. Moses (1996)
8. Vanity Fair (1998)
In The News
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