Brother Sun, Sister Moon 1973   PG, 121 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Graham Faulkner, Judi Bowker, Alec Guinness, Leigh Lawson, Kenneth Cranham, Valentina Cortese, Lee Montague, Adolfo Celi, Michael Feast, Nicholas Willatt, John Sharp, Francesco Guerrieri, Carlo Pisacane, Aristide Caporale, Peter Firth
This is the biography of St. Francis of Assisi (Graham Faulkner) who rejected material wealth after his spiritual revelation. Francis returns to his home following the war and finds that disease and war have ruined his neighborhood. Francis is also ill, but he recovers and his life has changed. Instead of drinking in bars, Francis spends his time meditating about the beauty of life. This culminates in Francis renouncing his former life and dedicating himself to the simple life as a man of God. 1 User Review
| User Review |
| | kav 05/15/2007 | | unfashionably beautiful and idealistic,no post modern cynicism at all,moving and non didactic. |
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Callas Forever 2002  N/R, 108 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Fanny Ardant, Jeremy Irons, Joan Plowright, Jay Rodan, Gabriel Garko, Manuel de Blas, Justino Diaz, Jean Dalric, Stephen Billington, Anna Lelio
Later days in the life of opera diva Maria Callas (Fanny Ardant) are the focus of this fictionalized tribute to Callas, which was written and directed by her friend of 20 years, Franco Zeffirelli. In this story, she loses her voice and is talked into making a video on which her voice from a past performance will be used as a lip-sync.
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 The Champ 1979 PG, 122 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Jon Voight, Faye Dunaway, Rick Schroder, Jack Warden, Strother Martin, Arthur Hill, Joan Blondell, Elisha Cook Jr., Randall "Tex" Cobb, Mary Jo Catlett
This emotional drama involves a young son–played by Rick Schroder–who believes his father is a champion boxer on the verge of making a comeback. The father (Jon Voight), however, is an alcoholic/gambling addict who never does get his act together. Remake of the 1931 winner of a tearjerker starring Wallace Beery.
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Endless Love 1981  R, 115 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Brooke Shields, Martin Hewitt, Shirley Knight, Don Murray, Tom Cruise, Robert Moore, Richard Kiley, Beatrice Straight, James Spader, Penelope Milford, Jami Gertz, Jan Miner, Salem Ludwig, Jeff Marcus
Seventeen-year-old David (Martin Hewitt) and 15-year-old Jade (Brooke Shields) fall in love, but Jade's father has had enough of David and bans him from their house. David's solution to his problem: burn down their house, rescue the family, and become a hero. David does carry out the arson but is caught and sent to a reformatory where he remains obsessed with reuniting with Jade. "Endless Love" marks the film debut of Tom Cruise, and the title song was nominated for an Oscar for Best song.
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 Hamlet 1990  PG, 135 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Paul Scofield, Ian Holm, Helena Bonham Carter, Stephen Dillane, John McEnery, Vernon Dobtcheff, Pete Postlethwaite, Nathaniel Parker, Sean Murray, Michael Maloney, Trevor Peacock, Christien Anholt
Hamlet (Mel Gibson), the Prince of Denmark, finds his life changing after his father's murder. Soon after Hamlet's father dies, his mother, Queen Gertrude (Glenn Close) marries her brother-in-law Claudius (Alan Bates). When his father's ghost (Paul Schofield) appears, he tells Hamlet that it was Claudius who killed him and orders Hamlet to avenge his murder. Hamlet fakes madness to avoid suspicion, and the death toll rises. Victims include Claudius, Hamlet's friends and family, and even Hamlet. A very good remake of the Shakespeare classic.
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Jane Eyre 1996 PG, 113 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Charlotte Gainsbourg, William Hurt, Joan Plowright, Anna Paquin, Geraldine Chaplin, Fiona Shaw, John Wood, Josephine Serre, Billie Whitelaw, Maria Schneider, Nic Knight, Nicola Howard, Sasha Graff, Amanda Root, Leanne Rowe
This is Charlotte Bronte's classic tale of the persecuted girl, Jane Eyre (Charlotte Gainsbourg), who rises in life with her heartless aunt, Mrs. Reed (Fiona Shaw), and the repressive school run by the tyrannical Mr. Brocklehurst (John Wood). Following graduation, Jane is hired to care for a young child (Josephine Serre) and is taken under the wing of the maternal Mrs. Fairfax (Joan Plowright). Jane then finds her brooding soul mate in her master, Edward Rochester (William Hurt).
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Jesus of Nazareth 1977  TV, 376 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Robert Powell, Anne Bancroft, James Mason, Rod Steiger, Ernest Borgnine, Claudia Cardinale, Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasence, James Earl Jones, Anthony Quinn
With a cast of the great and near great, good film depicts the life of Jesus and was made for TV.
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 La Traviata 1983 G, 105 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama / Musical
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Teresa Stratas, Placido Domingo, Cornell MacNeil, Alan Monk, Pina Cei, Axelle Gail, Maurizio Barbacini, Robert Sommer, Ricardo Oneto, Dominique Journet, Luciano Brizi, Tony Ammirati
This is an excellent film production of Verde's opera, which is based on Alexandre Dumas' "Camille." Set in Paris, the storyline involves the love affair of Violetta (Teresa Statas) and Alfredo (Placido Domingo) who live happily in their country villa. But, happiness does not last forever, and tragedy lies ahead when Alfredo's father (Cornell MacNeil) becomes involved.
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Romeo and Juliet 1968 PG, 138 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Olivia Hussey, Leonard Whiting, Michael York, Laurence Olivier, Milo O'Shea, John McEnery, Robert Stephens, Murray Head, Roy Holder, Bruce Robinson
Romeo (Leonard Whiting) and Juliet (Olivia Hussey) come to life in this beautiful production of Shakespeare's story about star-crossed lovers. Pasquale DeSantis won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, and an Oscar was also awarded for the costumes. Laurence Olivier narrates the story. Nominations were also received for Best Picture and Director.
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The Taming of the Shrew 1967 N/R, 122 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Vernon Dobtcheff, Michael Hordern, Michael York, Alfred Lynch, Cyril Cusack, Natasha Pyne, Victor Spinetti, Alan Webb
Petruchio (Richard Burton) marries the wealthy, mean Katharina (Elizabeth Taylor) and has his work cut out for him in this well-executed Shakespearean tale.
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 Tea with Mussolini 1999 PG, 116 min.
Genre: Drama / Comedy
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Cher, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, Maggie Smith, Lily Tomlin, Baird Wallace, Charlie Lucas, Massimo Ghini, Paolo Seganti, Claudio Spadaro
Based on Franco Ziffirelli's autobiography, this is the story of his childhood adoption by a band of ex-patriot women (Cher, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, Maggie Smith, and Lily Tomlin) who were living in Italy on the eve of World War II.
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| 1. Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1973)
2. Callas Forever (2002)
3. The Champ (1979)
4. Endless Love (1981)
5. Hamlet (1990)
6. Jane Eyre (1996)
7. Jesus of Nazareth (1977)
8. La Traviata (1983)
9. Otello (1986)
10. Romeo and Juliet (1968)
11. The Taming of the Shrew (1967)
12. Tea with Mussolini (1999)
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