Lark Geib Movies

Director James Ivory has disowned this Hollywood drama, inspired by the Fatty Arbuckle/Virginia Rappe case and based on a satirical poem by Joseph Moncure March, which was heavily cut by American International Pictures from two hours to 90 minutes. The story concerns Jolly Grimm (James Coco), whose career as a famous silent film comic is coming to an end with the advent of talking pictures. He plans a last hurrah by making one more silent film and invites a collection of Hollywood big shots to his mansion in hopes of convincing one of them to distribute the picture. His mistress, Queenie (Raquel Welch), encourages him, but it quickly becomes apparent the film is a bomb. As Jolly Grimm keeps drinking, his mood becomes less jolly and more grim, particularly when movie star Dale (Perry King) starts getting quite familiar with Queenie. Meanwhile, young starlet Nadine (Annette Ferra), after finding her sister in bed with a guest, seeks out Jolly for solace. When Jolly tries to comfort her by kissing her full on the mouth, a drunken party guest, thinking Jolly is trying to seduce the girl, begins to beat Jolly senseless. Dale halts the fracas, but when Jolly doesn't thank Dale properly for saving him from a shellacking, Dale retreats with Queenie to the boudoir. Jolly, already keyed up to a dangerous level, awaits their emergence from the bedroom with a gun in his hand. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Pint-sized sixth-grader Mouse Fawley (Christian Juttner) is tired of being picked on by school bully Marv Hammerman (Jim Sage). Out of frustration, Mouse labels Hammerman as a "Neanderthal" -- and alas, word of this insult quickly reaches our hero's tormentor. Advised that Hammerman is coming after him, Mouse spends the bulk of this ABC Afterschool Special trying to run away from a dire fate -- until he finally realizes that he can't run away from himself. Ultimately, Mouse learns a valuable (if somewhat painful) lesson in self-respect. ~ Rovi