Shadow on the Sun (1988)

Synopsis: Stefanie Powers stars as famed aviatrix Beryl Markham in this made-for-TV version of her life, which the actress also produced. She, her mother, and her brother join her father, Charles Clutterbuck... Stefanie Powers stars as famed aviatrix Beryl Markham in this made-for-TV version of her life, which the actress also produced. She, her mother, and her brother join her father, Charles Clutterbuck (Timothy West), in Kenya in 1902, where has has been working a farm. Her mother cannot adapt to this new life and her brother becomes seriously ill, so both return to England. Beryl remains with her father, enjoying learning about Africa and the mores of the local tribe. The girl grows up playing polo and going to the parties of wealthy friends, but when drought forces her father to sell their property, she makes a marriage of convenience with Jock Purves (Brian Cox), whose brutality soon causes her to leave him. Much like her father, she becomes a horse trainer, then meets her next husband, the wealthy Mansfield Markham (James Fox), after her horse wins a race. She goes on to have a number of affairs, one with Denys Finch Hatton (Trevor Eve), which ignites an interest in learning to fly. Soon a well-known aviatrix, she's dared by Jack Carberry (Peter Bowles) to be the first person to make the east-west transatlantic flight. This well-shot biopic is capably directed by Oscar winner Tony Richardson. [More]

Starring: Stefanie Powers, Claire Bloom, Frederic Forrest, James Fox

Starring: Stefanie Powers, Claire Bloom, Frederic Forrest, James Fox, John Rubinstein, Jack Thompson

Director: Tony Richardson

Director: Tony Richardson

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