Charles Randall Movies
Anna's early scenes concentrate upon Czech refugee Krystyna (Paulina Porizkova), who arrives in New York in search of her idol, famed actress Anna (Sally Kirkland), who was denied reentry to her native country after the 1968 communist invasion. Unable to recapture her celebrity in New York, Anna is forced to go through a series of humiliating auditions conducted by insensitive directors who have no inkling who she is. She must also endure marriage to a self-involved music video director (Robert Fields). When Krystyna and Anna finally meet, each draws strength from the other, enabling both women to survive whatever indignities life has to offer. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sally Kirkland, Robert Fields, (more)
- 1987
- R
In this violent crime drama, the residents of a New York City housing project live in fear of The Vampires, the brutal gang that continually terrorizes them. Things change after an insurance agent and a telephone repairman end up trapped there. Perhaps things would not be so desperate had the fellow not accidentally offended one of the gang members. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gary Frank, Ray Parker, Jr., (more)
- 1979
- R
The bizarre premise for this often remote and uninvolving drama is that an otherwise apparently normal man can become so alienated from his own feelings and his own wife and children that he plans their murder. Paul Steward (Hal Holbrook) and his wife (Louise Fletcher) are about as interesting as a TV test pattern. Although Paul has realized the American Dream -- that it to say, he has money and is successful in business -- he finds the dream hollow and meaningless. Instead of waking up, he decides that his family is to blame for everything and begins to make elaborate plans for killing them off, talking it over with others and disguising it as a fictional story for his magazine. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hal Holbrook, Louise Fletcher, (more)
- 1977
After a long estrangement, Lt. Kojak (Telly Savalas) is reunited with his tenement-dwelling godson, 17-year-old Theo Kojak Moore (Todd Davis). But it is hardly a joyous reunion: Young Theo is now in charge of a street gang specializing in shaking down shopowners and pensioners. Even so, Kojak believes it is not too late to redirect the boy to the right path--while at the same time, a high-profile hoodlum intends to use Theo as an accomplice in a diamond heist. Appearing in this episode are stars-to-be F. Murray Abraham and Brian Dennehy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Audiences loved him as a Berber sheik in the historical saga The Wind and the Lion, so who better to play a Saudi Arabian minister of state who wants to make peace with Israel during the Arab oil embargo of 1976 than Sean Connery? Connery plays Khalil Abdull-Muhsen, a peace-mongering diplomat who wants to sign a mutual assistance pact with Israel and sell Saudi oil to needy nations at cost. The object of his pipe-dream plan is to free those needy nations from the East-West conflict. Unfortunately, the world is not ready for such starry-eyed idealism, and before you can say "Tiger in your tank," Khalil finds himself the victim of choice for a network of Arab terrorist groups. The terrorists clearly have the pick of the litter at the casting office, for Khalil finds himself pursued by the frisky and beautiful Bryn Mawr graduate and cool-as-a-cucumber terrorist Nicole Scott (Cornelia Sharpe). ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sean Connery, Cornelia Sharpe, (more)
- 1969
A Florida numbers racket is Ground Zero for a bitter turf war between two mob families. Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) hopes that the battle will result in a rift in Mob security that will enable the FBI to smash the racket and bring several elusive criminals to justice. The guest cast is a 1960s TV buff's dream, ranging from veteran tough guys Harold J. Stone and Don Gordon to voluptuous starlet Francine York. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1968
A gang of hoodlums ambush a messenger and a guard for a Wall Street brokerage firm, stealing $400,000 in securities. The guard is killed, but the crooks allow the messenger to go free, and for good reason: The messenger is Paul Thorpe (Robert Walker Jr.), the nephew of a powerful Mafia boss. Refusing to come forward as a witness for fear of being implicated in the crime, Paul succeeds only in causing a lot more trouble for himself and his fiancee Charlene (Patricia Harty). Watch for future Brady Bunch star Barry Williams in a minor role. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1966
Coleen Dewhurst guest stars as Amy Doucette, a deranged woman who is hired sight unseen as a babysitter by a young couple (Davey Davison, Geoffrey Horne). Kidnapping the baby, Amy enlists the aid of her neurotic sister Stella (Collin Wilcox) in her efforts to elude the authorities. Armed with the knowledge that Amy is morbidly obsessed with the date "April 2", Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) literally races against time to save the life of the abducted child. (Trivia note: costars Collin Wilcox and Geoffrey Horne were husband and wife at the time). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
