Reviews (12)

--Beautiful Story--
IN THIS HOUSE OF BREDE is based on the novel written by that most talented author, Rumer Godden. She's also the author of BLACK NARCISSUS, another great novel that was made into a wonderful film.

This movie begins when an attractive, well-dressed woman leaves her home and travels to an abbey. Phillipa Talbot (Diana Rigg) is a lady who has a successful career and a man who loves her, but is unhappy in that life, and enters the cloistered world of Benedictine nuns.

This is a beautiful production and Diana Rigg gives an outstanding performance as a very worldly and sophisticated person who chooses the religious life. The film is spellbinding and it's one of the few stories that really seem to take you into that unknown world where women become nuns. The relationships among the nuns and postulants were interesting and close friendships were not encouraged since everyone was to be loved equally. This story also shows how committed religious deal with their peers when jealousies arise and personalities are conflicted.

Yes, the book examines the characters more than the film, but that's always the case, and this is a marvelous production

Powerful, engaging drama
Cloistered nuns! Why, my agnostic economist friend wondered, would anyone would make a film about them? No car chases, no special effects, no sex. Only the embers of a childhood crush on Diana Rigg persuaded him lift his eyes occasionally from his laptop and glance at the TV. The glances got longer, and my friend turned the laptop off after ten minutes. He was hooked. "Brede" does that.

The story charts relationships among four women in a Benedictine abbey. Philippa is a widow who has known worldly success and searing pain. Joanna, an angel made flesh, longs for a surrogate mother. Agnes is a shrewd, stern elder. And the newly elected Abbess Catherine must transcend her fears and limitations in order to hold the convent together.

The characters are inexplicably compelling, and their lives are three-dimensional. Like all of us, they struggle through joys, pains, and daily life. Watching them is fascinating, precisely because there are no special effects or car chases to distract us-or them-from the hard, beautiful work of being human.

Honesty requires admitting that the film has flaws. Some of the scenes between Philippa and Joanna edge into melodrama, and no one seems to have the sense to sit Joanna down for a good talk. But these are thorns on a rose.

Don't just take it from me. Take it from my agnostic James Bond fan: "Brede" is worth watching. In fact, he asked to borrow the book!

Book turned into movie
The movie gives a rare glimps into conventual life as it was practiced and still is for many contemplatives. The movie might seem slow to those who prefer movies like Leathal Weapon; however, conventual life is slow and repetative. I would say that the story might have been hard to follow if you never read the book. Even with that said, it is well acted and interesting if you like nuns.

Beautiful depiction of cloistered life!
I have not yet read the book, so cannot compare the film to it. But, on its own, I found it so compelling and beautiful. This is what true devotion to Christ is about--love. And about trying and trying again until one does finally get it right. The nuns were all very real, in their demeanor, in their foibles, in their interactions and in their strivings to live a holy life. I watched "The Nun's Story" shortly after seeing "In This House of Brede" and was disgusted with its unrealistic portrayl of devotion to Christ, allowing selfishness and pride to triumph over self-giving love. "In This House of Brede" shows us a good deal of the beauty of the Catholic Church through the devotion of the religious life.

The book is so much better.
In This House of Brede is a literary gem, and I couldn't wait to see this film, especially since I am a fan of Diana Rigg's...but the film disappoints, and mightily. I understand that not all of Godden's ideas could translate easily into what was a 'movie for television', but the scriptwriter took two of the more fascinating elements of the book - Philippa's memories of her son and the young novice, Cecily, too starry-eyed to understand all she is undertaking, and twists them together into a jarring, uncomforable third character that simply feels too contrived to work. Also, one of the major themes of the book, having to do with Dame Veronica and the abbey debt (and another to do with Dame Agnes' prejudice) are all ignored. What you are left with is a sort of skeletal hinging of atmosphere with very little story. I had hoped for so much more. I really wanted to see these beloved characters come to life. That said, I believe the film was partly on location at Stanbrook Abbey, (Brede is based on Stanbrook and on St. Cecilia's Abbey in Ryde, Isle of Wight) and the interiors are terrific. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Anthony Hopkins sets the standard
'The Bunker' is one of three films that deal with Hitler's final days as the Soviets encircle Berlin and put an end to the Third Reich in April/May 1945.

'The Bunker' is both one of the best and one of the worst of the three (the others being 1973's 'Hitler: the last ten days' and 2005's 'Downfall') at the same time.The triumph of 'The Bunker' is Anthony Hopkins tour de force performance as Hitler, at times so exact it is as if you are watching a newsreel.The element that makes the film almost painful to watch is that almost a 1/3 of it is dedicated to the whitewashing of convicted Nazi war criminal Albert Speer.

One thing that makes 'The Bunker' different from the others is the occasional use of flashbacks, and although brief they do allow Hopkins to portray Hitler in different venues and in a relaxed mode, casually chating and enjoying the company of friends when times were fat.In the bunker itself Hopkins turns Hitler purple in a full throttle rage as he yells about the need to destroy "the scourge and pestilence of Jewish Marxism!"

'Hitler: the last ten days' does a bit better than the rest in portraying the supporting cast of characters in the drama but one stands out in 'The Bunker' and that is Michael Lonsdale as Martin Borman, Hitler's personal secretary and gatekeeper, a man of considerable power who plays his cards close to the vest and is always scheming to stay one step ahead of his rivals.Despite its flaws 'The Bunker' earns a high rating as the Hopkins performance simply cannot be missed.

Surpassing Portrayal/Slow Moving Film
As much as I'd like to rate this film high, it suffers from onof the classic symptoms of movies like these - it really needs to get moving in spots.It's kind of like going along at 55 MPH, and then coming to a stop light, ad nauseum.

Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Hitler was surpassing, although I cannot compare it to someone like Alec Guinness, because I haven't seen that film yet, but for an HBO film and the choice of Hopkins, it's like some of the former reviews puts it - he grows on you, and almost transforms himself into Hitler before your eyes.

The supporting cast was okay, as far as supporting casts go.Susan Blakely played Eva Braun, although for some reason, I never expected Braun to be as attractive as Blakely portrayed her to be.

The subject matter, of course, is true to form.How the nation of Germany fell under the spell of what was to become a weak man, suffering from medical symptoms and emotional hysteria and paranoia escapes me, but don't all dictators somehow put their spell on the populace?In his case, he had Goebbels help, another character which was portrayed with chilling accuracy, all the while the propagandist trying to "pump up the Third Reich," but suggesting at times that FDR was dead, and that the cause will live on, and that the Jews were the cause of the problems they had, and wishing the world would take Germany's cue in this struggle.

A very interesting film, but I just wished it had gone a little more smoother.The pauses (momentary blackouts) were a little unnerving, especially as you get into the movie, and the 3 minute intermission was a bit much.Then there was the claim that the film was 87 minutes long.I watched it with my wife, and we figured it at two hours long.

If you're a Hopkins fan, this is a must-see.If you're a history buff, there might be other movies out there a little more appealing.

Hopkins is a Weaker Hitler
This version of Hitler's last days begs comparison with the earlier production with Alec Guinness.Hopkin's Hitler comes across as weaker, less strong, but it is a careful study nonetheless.The production is top quality, although the supporting cast is a bit weak.The actor who plays Goebbels over does it a bit, while Speer is given a more sympathetic portrait than he deserves.The perspective of this movie is larger, as it covers the entire three month period of Hitler's life in the Bunker.At times a little slow, the movie is less dramatic than its earlier counter part with Guinness, but it is a worthwhile version anyway.Hopkin's Hilter starts to grow on you after a while, while his performance lacks the force of Guinness it is still a careful study of a dictator/madman in steady decline.Buy both versions of Hitler with Guinness and Hopkins and you will have a fascinating study of one of the world's most infamous leaders of the 20th Century.

Great acting by Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins is absolutely riveting as Adolf Hitler.He captures all of Hitler's mannerisms, quirks, and facial expressions.My only complaint is that he doesn't use a German accent.The production is poor, and there are some flaws in the story.For example, Albert Speer is made out to be almost a hero in the film.It has been proven that there was actually no assassination attempt made by Speer.The guy who plays Joseph Goebbels is horrible, one of the worst acting jobs I've seen.But overall the acting is great, and the performance by Hopkins makes this movie worth owning.

Hitler's Last Days Revealed
Based on James O'Connell's best selling book, THE BUNKER is one of most accurate depictions of the last months of Adolf Hitler.Sir Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs, Nixon, A Bridge Too Far) was awarded an Emmy for his portrayal of Hitler.Considerable research was put into the book and that same detail transfers to the screen.The sets of the Chancellery, Bunker emergency exit and the Bunker itself are extremly detailed and could double for historic photos of the actual sites.The late Richard Jordan (The Secret of My Success, Gettysburg) contributes a strong performance as Hitler's Armaments Minister Albert Speer -- one of the few surviving senior vistors to the Fuehrer Bunker during the last days of Nazi Berlin.

Far superior to [other]productions ..., this is a definitive docu-drama of the last days of the Third Reich.The historical accuracy is striking.Costuming is accurate in almost every detail.

THE BUNKER was produced as a television movie in 1980 as a joint US - French production.This film is long overdue for release in DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I Saw The Final Performance of "The Last of Mrs. Lincoln"
I was fortunate to be in the audience for the final performance of Miss Julie Harris in "The Last of Mrs. Lincoln" on Broadway. When the curtain came down and the thuderous applause began, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

What can one say about Julie Harris's incredible performance? The entire cast was wonderful, of course, but we're talking about one of the First Ladies of the American Theatre here. My heart broke (along with everyone in the audience) when Mrs. Lincoln wrote (aloud) a letter to her beloved nephew. I tried desperately NOT to shed tears, but the floodgates were shattered all over the theatre. People were sobbing openly. I had seen nothing else that season, but was convinced that Julie would win the Tony Award for best actress. She did.

Screams of "bravo!" greeted Miss Harris as she took bow after bow. I must put this performance along side Geraldine Page in "The Trip to Bountiful," Uta Hagen in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff," Cecily Tyson in "A Woman Called Moses," Jessica Tandy in "The Gin Game," Bette Davis in "All About Eve," and Gloria Foster in "A Hand is On The Gate."

THE UNFORGETTABLE JULIE HARRIS
I HAVE ALWAYS REGRETTED NOT SEEING MISS HARRIS ON BROADWAY IN THIS PRODUCTION. THE DVD WHICH I RECENTLY PURCHASED REMINDED ME HOW FORTUNATE THE WORLD OF THEATRE IS TO HAVE PRODUCED SUCH AN INCREDIBLE ACTRESS. THE PERORMANCES THROUGHOUT THIS PRODUCTION ARE OUTSTANDING AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS FOR ANYONE WHO TRULY APPRECIATES THEATRE AT ITS VERY BEST. AS ALWAYS, MISS HARRIS GIVES A PERFORMANCE WHICH COMPLETELY CAPTIVATES THE VIEWER. THIS IS NOT TO BE MISSED!

"it's not the years that age us, but the loneliness"
This 1976 KCET production directed by George Schaefer is a re-creation of the 1972 Broadway play for which Julie Harris won one of her 5 Tony Awards.
Ms. Harris' performance will keep you riveted to the screen in this astounding portrayal of the ageing, troubled, and misunderstood Mary Todd Lincoln.
Exquisitely written by James Prideaux, it's a compassionate portrait of this first lady who's love for her husband made it so hard for her to live without him, and does give insight into certain things. It was Mary who installed many improvements in the White House (like plumbing !), and was never sufficiently renumerated for them by the government.

The final seventeen years of her life depicted are not all doom and gloom, thanks to the script, which is balanced with wonderful wit. I love the dialogue with Senator Austin (well played by Denver Pyle) in a sparse hotel room in Frankfurt, as well as the repartee with a malicious gossip (deliciously played by Kate Wilkinson) during her 1875 stay in Springfield.

The rest of the cast is excellent: Michael Christopher plays her son Robert, who was the only one of their children to live to full maturity, Robby Benson her beloved Tad (two other children had died previously), Priscilla Morrill and Ford Rainey play her her sister Elizabeth and brother-in-law Ninian, and Patrick Duffy their grandson, Edward Lewis Baker Jr.

The costume design by Noel Taylor is marvelous, and I was especially delighted to see the reproduction of the beautiful gown adorned with flowers with matching flower headress seen in photographs of Mrs. Lincoln, and Ms. Harris wears it with beauty, grace and style.
Mrs. Lincoln died at age sixtythree in her sister's house in Springfield, the same house she was married in, and given the wedding ring with the inscription "Love is Eternal".
This is a remarkable drama for history buffs, and Julie Harris is truly the First Lady of the stage. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Grace Bradley (Loretta Swit) is called in to direct the community church's child production of the Christmas play. Unfortunately, this is the year the six Herdman children--the dirtiest, most feared neighborhood kids--decide to bully themselves into the lead roles. Barbra Johnson wrote the teleplay based on her novel for this 1978 TV broadcast that has become a favorite over the years. A 9-year-old Fairuza Balk makes her debut as Grace's daughter and narrates the story centering on the seemingly parentless troupe of ragtag ruffians. Of course, the town believes the play is hopelessly lost, but this is Christmas Eve and miracles do happen. Kids can find meaning in the Bible's tale and the Herdmans certainly can bring a fresh take on the age-old story. Not as rambunctious or preachy as later modern-day Christmas tales, the less-than-an-hour production stays away from giving anyone his or her comeuppance and is easily digestible for the whole family. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Superb Christmas Tale!
I loved the book by Barbra Robinson when I read it and I thought the movie was just as good!It is pretty funny,esspecialy when Gladys yells,"Hey!Unto you a child is born!".I love that part!I highly reccomend this film for any person that likes movies that are funny,shows a good point,an has a great lesson!

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT ROCKS
I am in this play (in Anchorage, Alaska) And it is awsome! I am probably watch the movie tonight after our performance!!!!Its a great play and probably movie. (lets just hope that we don't see the noisy "little kids"(back stage) in the movie.
Any way its a play/movie with a lot of laughs and if they messed up as many times as us it would be even funnier.
I TELL YOU WATCH IT!!!
i bid you A-due

I was in the play!!!
I have never seen the movie, but if it is anything like the play or the book, then you will love it. I played Beth Bradley, the narrator. Our Director, Patrick McBride, helped us with our charachters and had us look at things from the herdman's point of veiw.If the movie is anything lke the play, you will love it. (in our version, the wise men brought spam instead of ham)

Best Christmas Pageant Movie Ever
The Herdmans are the worst kids ever!They cuss, they smoke, they torture animals and people.AND they want to be in the church Christmas pageant, even though they have never heard the story of Christmas.This movie truly captures the true meaning of Christmas.See Faruza Baulk as a little girl as she narrates the story.I highly recommend reading the book first.It's a fast and easy read.It makes the movie SO MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE.

Very Good Family movie
This movie really displays the true meaning of Christmas. I remember seeing this movie as a child- it was good then - and it is good now. I encourage anyone and everyone to view it. ... Read more