Goddard, Jim

Reilly - Ace of Spies

Reilly: Ace of Spies is a thrilling dramatization of the fantastic life and exploits of Sidney Reilly, arguably the first modern secret agent and a complex, often unfathomable individual who invented his very name and identity. Sam Neill has never been better as the former Sigmund Rosenblum, an Odessa-born Jew who becomes a freelance spy for the British at the dawn of the 20th century. Calculating, ruthless, and more certain of his own counsel than the wisdom of his superiors, Reilly (he changes his name by the end of the first episode, "An Affair with a Married Woman," to obscure his personal history) can't help but remind one of a particularly determined James Bond. Reilly's reputation as a womanizer--not entirely deserved, but then none of his associates can quite figure out his thriving love life--adds to this historical figure's Bondian mystique.

In other respects, Reilly's version of espionage is far more complicated, and has greater historical repercussions, than that of Fleming's superspy. The first half of the 12 episodes in this set concern Reilly's daring work ascertaining and even securing the West's access to Middle East oil and, looking ahead to Russia's possible rise as a major power, determine the extent of that country's oil reserves. At the same time, Reilly always has one eye trained on ethically ambiguous opportunities to accrue wealth or play one friendly interest against another. The oil mission leads him from virtual house arrest in the foothills of the Caucuses (where Reilly sleeps with the young wife of an aging preacher as cover for his escape, leaves her to be arrested, then later marries her) to Port Arthur in China (where he clears the way for British allies the Japanese to invade) to France (where Reilly competes with the Rothschilds over Persian Oil concessions). The latter episodes focus on Reilly's extraordinary attempt to overthrow the Bolsheviks following the Russian revolution, barely escaping St. Petersburg after a botched attempt to assassinate Lenin and later risking his life by returning and advocating the killing of Stalin. Throughout this ever-changing drama, the series' writing is a marvel of historical fact and intriguing speculation about Reilly's whereabouts, exploits, and private passions. The supporting cast is superb, including David Burke as Stalin and Tom Bell as Russia's secret police chief Dzerzhinsky. The series was co-directed by Martin Campbell, who took on Pierce Brosnan's first assignment as 007, GoldenEye. --Tom Keogh

At the turn of the 20th century, one remarkable man single-handedly tried to alter the course of history. Cold, ruthless, enigmatic, this Russian-born British agent radically transformed modern espionage techniques and set the mold for a new kind of secret agent-the super spy. REILLY: ACE OF SPIES is the thrilling, suspenseful dramatization of the real-life adventures of Agent ST-1, aka Sidney Reilly, the inspiration behind Ian Fleming's James Bond. Shot in glorious period detail, one heart-pulsing mission after another captures the arc of Reilly's brilliant career. From stealing top-secret Russian oil information to a near overthrow of the Bolshevik Revolution to his final capture by Stalin's forces in 1918, Reilly's exploits are at times so daring and reckless it's hard to believe it's history and not fiction. Starring Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, The Hunt for Red October), REILLY: ACE OF SPIES includes all 12 original episodes on DVD for the first time, and features a bonus documentary examining the final, mysterious days of this legendary figure. DVD Features: "Life of Reilly: Superspy" episode from A&E's acclaimed Vanishings series; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

A Tale of Two Cities

The ultimate tale of love honor and sacrifice during the bloodstained French Revolution is movingly brought to life in this sumptuous production. The dashing Chris Sarandon (The Princess Bride) stars in dual roles as the cynical lawyer Sydney Carton and the disenchanted aristocrat Charles Darnay both in love with the same woman (Alice Krige Star Trek: First Contact). Also starring Peter Cushing (Star Wars) this Golden Globe-nominated version of the Charles Dickens classic thrillingly captures all the drama and emotion of one of history's most explosive eras.System Requirements:Running Time: 156 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 014381364026

Rumpole of the Bailey, Set 2 - The Complete Seasons 3 & 4

Before there was Quincy and The Practice, there was Rumpole. Rumpole of the Bailey is, quite simply, one of the finest television series, and it has served as a model for all law dramas that followed it. Edgy and satirical, Rumpole is based on John Mortimer's books of the same name. Esteemed actor Leo McKern portrays the antihero Rumpole, a determined and committed criminal defense barrister whose clients have included three generations of the Timson family, among others, at the Old Bailey (criminal court). As champion of the downtrodden, the self-righteous Rumpole loves to get in trouble with his wife, his peers, the head of chambers, and judges, to name but a few. A connoisseur of Wordsworth, cigars, and cheap liquor, McKern's usually disheveled Rumpole belies the character's dry sense of humor and astute skill as a barrister. His wife, the upwardly mobile Hilda, is played by Peggy Thorpe-Bates, known for her Miss Toliver in Alcatraz Island, and Justice Sir Guthrie Fetherston is played by Peter Bowles, known for his Richard DeVere in TV's To the Manor Born.

This four-disc set includes all 12 episodes from seasons 3 and 4. Typical of British drama, production values are low, while the caliber of scriptwriting and acting is unsurpassed. A rare example of a television serial that is as appealing and engaging on its 10th viewing as it is on its first. --Erik Macki

Today's legal minds could take a lesson or two from Horace Rumpole, one of the most colorful characters ever to approach the bench. Rumpole also maneuvers behind the scenes, using his brilliant mind and sly sense of humor to make his case. Stylishly played by Leo McKern, he throws the courtroom into an uproar for twenty episodes that seamlessly blend comedy, mystery, and drama.

Rumpole of the Bailey, Set 3 - The Complete Seasons 5, 6 & 7

The three final seasons of RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY- the standard-setting courtroom drama from the brilliant mind of Sir John Mortimer, based on his celebrated and best-selling books of the same name.

Opinionated and set in his ways, the portly and curmudgeonly Horace Rumpole powers forth in his daily quest for justice. Unfailingly disheveled and as fond of "plonk" as he is of the English language, the beloved barrister asks only one thing of the accused--never plead guilty. For it's only a matter of time before the unflagging Rumpole cuts through society's hypocrisies and gets to the truth--as well as the heart--of the matter.

A timeless mixture of comedy and drama, this 6-disc DVD set contains all 18 episodes broadcast during the fifth, sixth, and seventh seasons of RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY, adapted by Sir John Mortimer from his best-selling novels, and starring the esteemed Leo McKern (A Man for All Seasons).

Rumpole of the Bailey, Set 1 - The Complete Seasons 1 & 2

Before there was Quincy and The Practice, there was Rumpole. Rumpole of the Bailey is, quite simply, one of the finest television series, and it has served as a model for all law dramas that followed it. Edgy and satirical, Rumpole is based on John Mortimer's books of the same name. A determined and committed criminal defense barrister (whose clients have included three generations of the Timson family, among others) at the Old Bailey (criminal court), esteemed actor Leo McKern portrays the antihero Rumpole. As champion of the downtrodden, the self-righteous Rumpole loves to get in trouble with his wife Hilda, his peers, the head of chambers, and judges, to name but a few. A connoisseur of Wordsworth, cigars, and cheap liquor, McKern's usually disheveled Rumpole belies the character's dry sense of humor and astute skill as a barrister. The upwardly mobile Hilda is played by Peggy Thorpe-Bates, known for her Miss Toliver in Alcatraz Island, and Justice Sir Guthrie Fetherston is played by Peter Bowles, known for his Richard DeVere in TV's To the Manor Born.

Each volume features two episodes. Included in this set are "Rumpole and the Younger Generation," "Rumpole and the Honourable Member," "Rumpole and the Married Lady," "Rumpole and the Learned Friends," "Rumpole and the Heavy Brigade," "Rumpole and the Man of God," "Rumpole and the Case of Identity," "Rumpole and the Show Folk," "Rumpole and the Fascist Beast," "Rumpole and the Age for Retirement," "Rumpole and the Bright Seraphim," and "Rumpole and the Barrow Boy."

Typical of British drama, production values are low while the caliber of scriptwriting and acting is unsurpassed. A rare example of a television serial that is as appealing and engaging on its 10th viewing as it was on its first. --Erik Macki

Today's legal minds could take a lesson or two from Horace Rumpole, one of the most colorful characters ever to approach the bench. Rumpole also maneuvers behind the scenes, using his brilliant mind and sly sense of humor to make his case. Stylishly played by Leo McKern, he throws the courtroom into an uproar for twenty episodes that seamlessly blend comedy, mystery, and drama.

The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries, Set 1

What happened to the arsenic? What about the red paint on the banister, or that horrid little book about how to embalm a corpse? Such questions are, of course, best left to Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn (Patrick Malahide) of Scotland Yard, who puts on his "serious suit" to solve four baffling mysteries in this quartet of episodes from the exemplary BBC mystery series based on Ngaio Marsh's books. In "A Man Lay Dying," a weekend in the country turns deadly when the host's game of murder produces a real victim, while Alleyn investigates the theft of a rare religious artifact. In "The Nursing Home Murder," Alleyn dissects the death of the British Home Secretary, who has succumbed on the operating table. In "Death at the Bar," directed by Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People), a prominent lawyer is seemingly dispatched by poison dart. "Final Curtain," the liveliest of the lot, features Alleyn's girlfriend, artist Agatha Troy, who enlists Alleyn to investigate the death of a venerable Shakespearean actor whose portrait she was commissioned to paint. Like Lord Peter Wimsey, Alleyn has an aristocratic background, but he sports none of the trappings, nor does he exhibit Wimsey's panache. He gets more mileage out of quizzical looks than witty banter. But while Alleyn himself may not be a sparkplug, the mysteries themselves--"seething with sinister intent," to quote one observer--will thrill Anglophiles and mystery buffs who can't get enough of dark and stormy nights, rooms full of suspects with darting eyes, and the climactic moment when Alleyn sorts it all out, or as one very suspect gent remarks at one point, "What an intriguing maze a policeman's mind is." --Donald Liebenson

From the "golden age" of the British mystery comes a hard-working Scotland Yard detective whose breeding and bearing give him unique access to the fashionable world in which these stories are set. Drawing on her love of theatre and art, New Zealand novelist Ngaio Marsh created elegant crime-puzzlers full of quirky characters with hidden agendas, all brought meticulously to life in this BBC series. The keen intelligence and subtle persistence of Chief Inspector Alleyn (Patrick Malahide, The Singing Detective) are complemented by the insights of his independent lady friend, artist Agatha Troy (Belinda Lang, To Serve Them All My Days), and the loyalty of his partner, Detective Inspector Fox (William Simons, Sergeant Cribb).

Kennedy

Inspector Morse - The Remorseful Day

An unsolved murder case is reopened after a suspect is released from jail, but when he and two of his associates are found dead, detectives Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis face one of their most difficult investigations, and Morse's involvement may be more personal than he is willing to admit.

The final case for British television's best-loved detective is suffused with melancholy. Years of stress and far too much beer have taken their toll, and Morse is a sick man. Popping pills, wincing with pain, and drinking in spite of doctor's orders, Morse keeps going because he is obsessed with bringing criminals to justice. It's impossible to imagine him in retirement, but his vocation has ruined his health and now threatens his life.

The complex relationship between Morse and his partner has always been at the heart of the show's success, and at the beginning of "The Remorseful Day," that relationship is even more strained than usual. Lewis is furious when Morse takes over his investigation into the multiple murders, and the ailing Morse is more irritable than ever. But in spite of all their differences the two men complement one another and they are soon working together again. When this final episode moves into its final act Kevin Whately's performance as the faithful, underappreciated Lewis is deeply moving, providing a fitting coda to their enduring partnership.

The accompanying documentary includes behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with many of the distinguished actors who have appeared in the show over the years, and comments from Morse's creator, Colin Dexter. --Simon Leake

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

Yes, it's nine hours long. Yes, it's Charles Dickens, he of the 900-page novels you had to read in high school. And, yes, it's a film of a play. But the Royal Shakespeare Company's Tony Award-winning 1981 production of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby at London's Old Vic Theatre was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and those of us who missed its Emmy-winning PBS broadcast can be thankful for A&E's superb video boxed set. Dickens's story of greed, poverty, and cruelty in Victorian England is handled deftly by director Jim Goddard and set designer John Napier, who never deny their film's staginess but instead seek to exploit it, unafraid to show the viewer the skeletal nature of the theater and, in one instance, boldly using actors as props. The RSC makes excellent use of this mise en scène, bringing to life Dickens's characters with intensity, verve, and just the right notes of melodrama--this being a Dickens story, after all.

Roger Rees plays the young, earnest Nicholas, whose father's death prompts him; his sister, Kate (Emily Richard); and their mother (Jane Downs) to make their way to London to seek out the financial assistance of Nicholas's cold, calculating uncle, Ralph Nickleby (played to scowly perfection by John Woodvine). Ralph grudgingly provides his nephew with employment at a Yorkshire school for abandoned boys under the cartoonishly vile Wackford Squeers (Alun Armstrong), but Nicholas can't stomach the physical abuse Squeers heaps on his students. After lashing out at the sadistic schoolmaster during a particularly savage beating of a child, Nicholas escapes the school, taking with him the most wretched of the young creatures, a limping, crooked-backed boy named Smike (played heart-wrenchingly by David Threlfall). The story unfolds from there, with the now-itinerant Nicholas forced to make his way in the world while adhering to his principles and protecting Kate and their mother from his scheming uncle, who is eventually forced to come to terms with his emotions in the story's shocking conclusion. Typically Dickensian, the characters are neatly divided between good and evil, with little ambiguity. Still, each of the 39 actors in the ensemble does a wonderful job, making it a production that figures to linger in the memory long after you're done clapping. --Steve Landau

Inspector Morse - Second Time Around