Cherie Lunghi

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Victor Frankenstein is a promising young doctor who, devastated by the death of his mother during childbirth, becomes obsessed with bringing the dead back to life. His experiments lead to the creation of a monster, which Frankenstein has put together with the remains of corpses. It's not long before Frankenstein regrets his actions.

Jack & Sarah

Jack always lands on his feet. He lands on his feet when he marries the beautiful Sarah. He lands on his feet when he buys a luxurious new home. However, when Sarah goes into labour, he takes a tumble down the stairs and lands on his head. When he comes around he discovers he is the proud father of a baby girl, but deficient in the spouse department to the tune of 1.

Excalibur

A surreal adaptation of Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur" chronicling Arthur Pendragon's conception, his rise to the throne, the search by his Knights of the Round Table for the Holy Grail, and ultimately, his death.

The Mission

When a Spanish Jesuit goes into the South American wilderness to build a mission in the hope of converting the Indians of the region, a slave hunter is converted and joins his mission. When Spain sells the colony to Portugal, they are forced to defend all they have built against the Portuguese aggressors.

Viper in the Fist

1920. Jean Rezeau and his elder brother were living happily in their family estate in Brittany, until the death of their grandmother. The return of their mother, a worthy descendant of fairytales' witches, brings an all new atmosphere to their home.

Back to the Secret Garden

A youngster living in a stately home discovers the magical garden Mary, Colin & Dickon stumbled across years before - but faces a battle with the housekeeper over whether to nurture it.

Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil

Acting Lieutenant Hornblower and his crew are captured by the enemy while escorting a Duchess who has secrets of her own.

Edward & Mrs. Simpson

While still the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VIII meets the married American socialite, Wallis Simpson. Their relationship causes furor in the palace and in parliament, especially when King George V dies, Mrs. Simpson gets divorced, and King Edward announces his intentions to marry her.

Little White Lies

The tragic, unexpected death of David in a car-crash causes the cozy, safe life of gardener Beth to be thrown into complete chaos. In the aftermath, as Beth begins to pick up the pieces, worrying facts come to light about David's illegal deals with Oliver, the family solicitor, and his apparent long-running, illicit affair with Julia, Oliver's wife. In her distress and disbelief Beth digs deeper into her husband's private affairs and uncovers another layer of lies and deceit concerning Julia's mental stability and her friends' hollow, loveless marriage. Beth's anger and desperation for the truth about the husband she loved drives her ever on toward the truth behind tragic events of the past which lead inevitably towards further tragedy to come.

To Kill a Priest

A young priest speaks out against the Communist regime in Poland and is killed for it.

Oliver Twist

When 9-year-old orphan Oliver Twist dares to ask his cruel taskmaster, Mr. Bumble, for a second serving of gruel, he's hired out as an apprentice. Escaping that dismal fate, young Oliver falls in with the street urchin known as the Artful Dodger and his criminal mentor, Fagin. When kindly Mr. Brownlow takes Oliver in, Fagin's evil henchman Bill Sikes plots to kidnap the boy.

Diversion

Gary is a happily married man, devoted to his wife, their kid and the family dog. A weekend without the presence of his wife presents to him a chance of getting involved in a casual encounter with a pretty woman he met some time ago. Things go quite well but the woman isn't interested in Gary for just an one night stand.

An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn

Filmmaker Alan Smithee finds himself the unwilling puppet of a potentially bad big budget action film, for which he proceeds to steal the reels, and leaves the cast and crew in a frenzy.

Dead Man's Kit

After shore-leave in Lisbon for the crew of HMS Diana, Master-at-Arms 'Toby' Toberman makes an official complaint to the ship's Captain about the behaviour of an officer he saw in a casino. Following the ship's 'Sod's Opera' party, Toby is reported missing from the deck - presumed lost overboard. Was it an accident or suicide - or was he given the proverbial push?

Silent Cries

In 1942, the Japanese occupied the island of Singapore. During the take-over, not only military soldiers were taken prisoner, but also innocent civilians, particularly women and children. This is the story of a group of women who band together to face brutal treatment, harsh conditions, and ruthless captors to survive their internment.

Quell and Co.

A malevolent land mogul has threatened an honest group of Texas homesteaders, and when the innocent suffer justice must be served in director William Witney's action-packed, post-Civil War western. In a time when life was cheap and bullets were plentiful, Quell (Madison Mason) was a man to whom justice meant everything. A greedy land mogul whose mistreatment of the poor frontiersmen has raised the ire of Quell and his justice seeking band of followers, Kirk (Skip Homeler) thinks that he can bankroll respect and buy his way into power. That's not the way things work when in old Texas though, and when Kirk faces off against Quell and his crew, bullets are sure to fly.

The Sign of Four

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson try to track down the Great Mogul, the second-largest diamond in the world.

Coast to Coast

Two guys meet, one American, a deserter from the US army, one Brit, and they are drawn together by their mutual love of Soul music. Neither being gainfully employed they decide to start a mobile disco service for fellow soul lovers, which leads them to buy an ice cream van, and the adventure begins. Before long they find themselves on the run from the bad guys and the police.

When Calls the Heart

Elizabeth Thatcher, a cultured young teacher in 1910, fears leaving her comfortable world in the city. But when she accepts a teaching position in a frontier town, she finds new purpose and love with a handsome Royal Canadian Mountie.

Forever Young: How Rock 'n' Roll Grew Up

Despite the mantra of 'live fast, die young', Britain's first rock 'n' roll generations are now enjoying old age. What was once about youth and taking risks is now about longevity, survival, nostalgia and refusing to grow up, give up or shut up. But what happens when the music refuses to die and its performers refuse to leave the stage? What happens when rock's youthful rebelliousness is delivered wrapped in wrinkles?

The Comedy of Errors

The Royal Shakespeare Company act (and sing and dance!) Shakespeare's play about two sets of identical twins, separated at birth and brought together by circumstance.

The Canterville Ghost

When a teenaged girl moves to England, with her brothers and parents into the ancient Canterville Hall, she's not at all happy. Especially as there's a ghost and a mysterious re-appearing bloodstain on the hearth. She campaigns to go back home, and her dad, believing the ghost's pranks are Ginny's, is ready to send her back. But then Ginny actually meets the elusive 17th-century Sir Simon de Canterville (not to mention the cute teenaged duke next door), and she sets her hand to the task of freeing Sir Simon from his curse.

Diversion ...

This short film was the basis for the hit film Fatal Attraction

King David

This is a movie about the life of Israel's king David.

Harem

A young British woman is kidnapped by an Arabian sheikh and held captive in his harem. At first she frantically tries to escape, but as they slowly get to know and appreciate each other the difference between captor and captive dissolves.

The Man Who Lived at the Ritz

In this drama, an American art student is trapped amidst the political turmoil of war-torn Europe while visiting Paris and staying at the fabulous Ritz hotel. Rather than cope constructively with it all, the fellow opts to ignore it and continue living the high-life for as long as possible.

Praying Mantis

A middle-aged professor's young bride and his assistant plan to commit a double murder disguised as a "Crime Passionel", but discover too late that one of their intended victims has become a fellow conspirator.

The Seasons Alter

The world is burning up, icecaps melt, floods drown the landscape and people starve. These images are from a Shakespearean speech that dates from the seventeenth century. Climate change today has twisted the seasons beyond recognition, and the Bard's words describing a 'mazed world' are more relevant now than ever before. 'The Seasons Alter' is a vivid short film that uses Shakespearean poetry in the mouths of a modern family to illustrate the most pressing environmental challenge of our time.

The Lady's Not For Burning

A war and world weary soldier tries to talk a witch-hunting cleric into hanging him; he is shaken from his quest for death when the beautiful Jennet is also committed for hanging as a witch.

Intrigue

A spy is looking for his old colleague who now works for the other side.

The Misanthrope

One man's defiant stand against the hypocrisy of polite society is the theme of Molière's comic masterpiece. Ian Holm stars in this film set in Paris in the 1920s.

Much Ado About Nothing

Benedick and Beatrice fight their merry war of words. But when Beatrice's friend, Hero, is humiliatingly jilted by Benedick's best friend, Claudio, Benedick has to choose which side he's on. But unknown to all, Claudio's been tricked by the bastard Don John, and (unfortunately), it's up to Dogberry and Verges to solve the case.

'Tis Pity She's a Whore

Lord Sorenzo marries the beautiful young Annabella, but unbeknownst to him, she is pregnant as a result of an incestuous relationship with her brother Giovanni. Sorenzo discovers the truth, and his ambitious, scheming servant Vasques, resorts to murder (and worse) to ensure that the whole affair ends in a heart rending tragedy! The original 17th century play was set in Italy, this version the action takes place in Victorian England.

Parker

An Aussie businessman is trying to find out why and by whom he was kidnapped and then later released with no explanation.

Patrick

A woman's chaotic life becomes more complicated when she inherits her grandmother's dog.

The Open Doors

The Open Doors is a short British film based on a short story 'The Open Window' by Saki (H. H. Munro) starring Michael Sheen, Charlotte Ritchie and Cherie Lunghi

Letters to an Unknown Lover

During World War II, two allied soldiers escape from a Nazi POW camp to Lyons, where they accept the hospitality of mademoiselle Helene.

Love's Kitchen

Rob Haley, an up-and-coming chef and restaurateur in London, is grief-stricken when he loses his wife. With encouragement from his infamous friend and real life TV Chef Gordon Ramsay, Rob decides to spice up his life by turning a run-down country pub into a gourmet restaurant. His food catches the eye - and taste buds - of beautiful American food critic Kate Templeton and they soon both write a recipe for love that leaves both their hearts - and their stomachs - in full.

Desert of Lies

The fortunes of two expeditions a century and a half apart become mysteriously linked in the same desolate stretch of Kalahari Desert. In 1848 the Broon family are sent by the London Missionary Society to look for and convert a legendary race of strangely deformed savages. In 1983, a team of three people go off in search of what really happened.

A Question of Guilt

The brutal murder of a woman appears to be an open and shut case. But while there is a suspect and a signed confession, the lack of a credible motive still nags the investigating officer and prosecuting lawyer.

Hidden Histories: WW1's Forgotten Photographs

Documentary telling the extraordinary untold story of soldiers' photography in the First World War. The British and German soldiers marched off to war with secret 'vest pocket' cameras, determined to record what they thought would be a great adventure, but few were prepared for the horrors they were about to witness and photograph. Their photos - many never seen before in public - provide a deeply moving document of their lives in the trenches and their rapid loss of innocence.

Excalibur: Behind the Movie

This retrospective documentary looks back on the making of director John Boorman's 1981 movie, Excalibur. Self-described as the toughest film he ever made, Excalibur told the tale of King Arthur and the Sword in the Stone and helped start the careers of actors Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne, Helen Mirren and Patrick Stewart. In this one hour film, they join other cast and crew to share their memories from the filming of this Arthurian masterpiece. Documentary originally released in 2013 with the title Behind The Sword In The Stone; a later, renamed version with updated biographical information on the actors involved was then released in 2016. The 2016 version has since been shown on various on-demand channels.

Versailles: The Dream of a King

Docudrama about the life of Louis XIV nicknamed "the Sun King", the King of France who ran a glamorous court, expanded the borders of France, loved women and parties and built an incredible palace for himself - the Versailles.

Preview

Four television critics gather in a Wardour Street preview theatre to see a documentary and get the surprise of their lives.