Smooth Operator

At sam neill's boutique winery outside Queenstown, New Zealand, his beloved pinot noir grapes are handpicked, gently pressed and aged in barrels for 10 months. The resulting wine's flavor "is always just beyond your grasp," Neill once said. "If you do manage to get hold of it, it's only for a fleeting moment." What's true of the wine is true of the actor. In the 25 years since My Brilliant Career launched him and co-star Judy Davis onto the world stage, Neill has suggested many things to movie-goers: from smooth leading man (Reilly: Ace of Spies) to robust action hero...