At 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television – and culture – forever. Directed by Jason Reitman, written by Gil Kenan & Reitman and told in real time, Saturday Night is based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live. Full of humor, chaos, and the magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, we count down the minutes until we hear those famous words…
Read MoreGenre: History
Lee tells the story of Lee Miller (Kate Winslet), American photographer. Determined to document the truth of the Nazi regime, and in spite of the odds stacked against female correspondents, Lee captured some of the most important images of World War II, but they came at an enormous personal price.
Read MoreFrom dusty small-town roots, to the glitter of Hollywood, and then on to commanding the world stage, REAGAN is a cinematic journey of overcoming the odds. Told through the voice of Viktor Petrovich, a former KGB agent whose life becomes inextricably linked with Ronald Reagan’s when Reagan first caught the Soviets’ attention as an actor in Hollywood, this film offers a perspective as unique as it is captivating. Dennis Quaid brings to life a story that transcends the boundaries of a traditional biopic, offering a profound exploration of the enduring impact of the power of one man who overcame the odds, sustained by the love of a woman who supported him in his journey.
Read MoreAn Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film in 1971, The Garden of the Finzi-Continis follows a wealthy Jewish family in WWII-era Italy as their estate becomes a refuge for young friends amidst rising Fascism. Directed by Vittorio De Sica, the film captures the tragic unraveling of relationships against a backdrop of increasing political hostility. Presented in Italian with English subtitles.
Space is limited. A wine reception is open to all ticket holders starting at 6pm.
Read MoreIn 1858, in the Jewish quarter of Bologna, the Pope’s soldiers burst into the home of the Mortara family. By order of the cardinal, they have come to take Edgardo, their seven-year-old son. The child had been secretly baptized by his nurse as a baby and the papal law is unquestionable: he must receive a Catholic education. Edgardo’s parents, distraught, will do anything to get their son back. Supported by public opinion and the international Jewish community, the Mortaras’ struggle quickly take a political dimension. But the Church and the Pope will not agree to return the child, to consolidate an increasingly wavering power.
Read MoreOn the eve of WWII, one man did the impossible. ONE LIFE tells the incredible true story of Nicholas “Nicky” Winton, a young London broker who helps rescue hundreds of predominantly Jewish children from Czechoslovakia in a race against time before Nazi occupation closes the borders on the verge of World War II. Fifty years later, Nicky (Sir Anthony Hopkins) is haunted by the fate of those he wasn’t able to bring to safety.
Read MoreArriving in New York City in 1889, Italian immigrant Francesca Cabrini is greeted by disease, crime and impoverished children. She soon sets off on a daring mission to convince the mayor to secure housing and health care for society’s most vulnerable. With broken English and poor health, Cabrini uses her entrepreneurial mind to build an empire of hope unlike anything the world has ever seen.
Read MoreThe Bedford Playhouse is pleased to present one of the most honored films in cinema history, William Wyler’s 1959 Ben-Hur. Ben-Hur is one of those productions that can not only be shared by the entire family, but passed down from generation to generation as a cinema-going event. For those who have never seen this epic on a huge screen, this will be an amazing experience.
Read More4pm showing. In 1972, the Uruguayan Air Force flight 571, chartered to transport a rugby team to Santiago, Chile, experiences an unexpected incident and crashes into a glacier in the heart of the Andes. Of the 45 passengers on board, only 16 manage to survive. Trapped in one of the most inaccessible and hostile environments on the planet, they are forced to resort to cannibalism to stay alive. Their survival will depend on the decisions they make in the midst of this desperate situation. Admission is free but space is extremely limited. Please send a message to rsvp@bedfordplayhouse.org to reserve seats.
Read MoreAnnouncing the winner of our Best Picture Survey – chosen by our community! In this Academy Award winner for Best Picture, two very different men on the same team vie to win Olympic gold to demonstrate to the world the worth of their deeply held–and strongly opposing–convictions. Yet a friendship builds between the two in this true story that is as strong as their desire to win in Chariots of Fire. Paris Olympics, 1924. Scotsman Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson–Gandhi) competes to prove the superiority of this Christian faith, while his teammate, Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross–Exorcist: The Beginning), a Jewish Englishman, is driven to win to show the world that Jews are not inferior people. But as different as they two competitors are, the bond that develops between them reveals to both how complex their true motives are . . . and how much they really have in common.
Read More