Mort Nathan Movies

Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj collaborators Mort Nathan and Kal Penn team up once again for this comedic tale of two office workers who transform their once-stuffy workplace into the most happening hot-spot in town after sending their uptight boss on a sordid sex cruise. When business takes a turn for the better and unprecedented profits begin to roll in, the raucous duo quickly learns that you don't necessarily need to kiss up to the boss to get ahead in corporate America. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Two guys looking for a respite from their bumpy romantic lives find themselves in the midst of a very confusing situation in this broad comedy. Jerry (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is a guy who thinks he's found the love of his life in Felicia (Vivica A. Fox), his beautiful longtime girlfriend. Jerry decides to propose to Felicia, and arranges for a hot-air balloon ride in order to create the ideal setting to pop the question. However, Felicia not only turns him down, she announces that she's leaving him for another man. Jerry sinks into a deep depression, until his best friend Nick (Horatio Sanz), who has been having his own romantic problems, suggests they take a vacation cruise on an ocean liner, forgetting their troubles while they make time with bikini-clad babes. Jerry is game, but after an angry misunderstanding with a travel agent, Nick and Jerry discover they've been booked on a tour specifically for gay men. Jerry and Nick are forced to pose as lovers to ward off the indefatigable advances of aging playboy Lloyd (Roger Moore), which cramps their style when the ship's captain rescues a boatload of buxom Swedish swimsuit models. Jerry's spirits rise when he meets Gabriella (Roselyn Sanchez), a beautiful dancer who is part of the ship's entertainment staff. Jerry, however, now has to walk a fine line between maintaining his cover and convincing Gabriella that despite outward appearances, he's not gay. Boat Trip was the first feature film from director Mort Nathan, best known for his work as a writer for television. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In the '70s, Roy Munsen (Woody Harrelson) was a bowling phenomenon. He was none too sharp about picking friends, though, and the champion he had to beat, "Big Ern," takes him under his supposedly friendly wing. Big Ern (Bill Murray) shows him the high-living lifestyle, and induces him to go on the road with him, hustling small-town bowlers. A couple of the men he bilks take exception to the scam, and show their displeasure with Roy by mangling his hand. Twenty years later, Roy (who now has a hook in place of his hand), earns his living as a salesman. On a visit to a bowling alley, he cannot help but notice the incredible talents of an Amish boy, Ishmael (Randy Quaid). Bowling is not part of the Amish lifestyle, but Ishmael occasionally sneaks into the bowling alley and plays a frame or two. Roy takes Ishmael under his wing, and together they begin a quest for bowling success. This comedy is directed by Peter and Robert Farrelly, who also directed Dumb and Dumber. Like those comedies, it contains a lot of gross-out jokes and bathroom humor. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

While preparing a birthday party for one of Sophia's (Estelle Getty) friends, the girls reminisce about past birthday celebrations of their own. Highlights in this flashback episode include the tumultuous 50th birthday party for Sophia's dear departed husband, Sal (played by Sid Melton, best remembered as Charlie Halper on the old Danny Thomas Show), and Rose's (Betty White) surprise bash for Dorothy (Bea Arthur) at Mr. Ha Ha's Hot Dog Hacienda. But the fondest memories are recalled by Blanche (Rue McClanahan), as she conjures up visions of several big birthday surprises -- all of them wearing pants. ~ All Movie Guide

Nancy Walker returns in the role of Sophia's sister Angela. Announcing plans to settle in Miami as soon as she can find an apartment, Angela is invited by her niece Dorothy (Bea Arthur) to stay with the girls for a while. This does not sit well with Sophia (Estelle Getty), who not only distrusts Angela, but is certain that her sister is planning to steal her current beau. Cleverly woven into this storyline is a character by the name of Count Bessie, who turns out to be a piano-playing chicken -- and who may well end up being served for dinner. ~ All Movie Guide

The girls plan to leave Miami for Christmas and spend the holidays with their individual families. Alas, a series of near-surrealistic delays and disasters befall our heroines as they try to carry out their plans -- and a hostage-taking Santa Claus (Terry Kiser) is only part of the scenario. One of the best moments occurs near the beginning of the episode, when Blanche (Rue McClanahan) receives a very special gift, "celebrating" her long and ever-growing list of gentlemen callers. ~ All Movie Guide

Having emerged from its first season as the seventh highest-rated program in America -- and one of four NBC sitcoms in the Top Ten -- The Golden Girls waltzed into its second season on NBC's Saturday-night lineup with the greatest of ease. Virtually no changes were made with the basic cast and format: the setting was still the Miami home of flirtatious fiftysomething widow Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan) and her housemate contemporaries, outspoken substitute teacher Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur) and naïve, timid widow Rose Nylund (Betty White). Also sharing the girls' home was Dorothy's peppery mother, Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty), whose lack of "tact cells" (the result of a stroke) had given her carte blanche to say the most outrageous and embarrassing things imaginable. Also carried over from season one were the girls' efforts to make ends meet on their pooled incomes, and to find true romance with a steady stream of eligible middle-aged bachelors. Additionally, Dorothy's unreliable ex-husband, Stan (Herb Edelman), continued in his efforts to re-insinuate himself in his former wife's life. Some of the recurring characters introduced in the first season -- Dorothy's daughter, Kate, Blanche's flamboyant father, "Big Daddy" -- returned to the series, though not played by the same actors as in season one (this season they were played by Deena Freeman and David Wayne, respectively). Of the newer semi-regulars, the foremost was Sophia's estranged sister, Angela, a role that earned an Emmy nomination for guest actress Nancy Walker. Moving up from seventh to fifth place in the ratings (and joining three other popular NBC sitcoms in the Top Five), The Golden Girls also added to its ever-growing list of Emmy awards with honors for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Directing (Terry Hughes), and Outstanding Lead Actress (Rue McClanahan, winning an award that had gone the previous season to her co-star Betty White). As bonus, the final episode of The Golden Girls' second season performed double duty as the pilot for the soon-to-be equally popular sitcom Empty Nest -- though by the time that series made its official debut in 1988, the entire cast had been changed and the format considerably altered. ~ All Movie Guide

The city wants to widen Richmond Street, meaning that a 200-year-old oak tree will have to be cut down. The girls petition to save the tree, only to run afoul of the neighborhood's most hated resident: Frieda Claxton (Nan Martin), who owns the property on which the oak resides. Out of frustration, Rose (Betty White) tells the "miserable, vile, scum-sucking" Frieda to drop dead -- whereupon the old woman promptly obliges. Consumed by guilt, Rose arranges the old battle-ax's funeral...with ironic results. ~ All Movie Guide

In this Emmy-winning episode, Rose (Betty White) is attracted to Dr. Jonathan Newman (Brent Collins), a big man in a small body -- in fact, he's technically a dwarf. The attraction is mutual and may result in marriage, but Rose wonders if her roommates will be able to see beyond Dr. Newman's tiny stature. As it happens, however, the differences that separate the two sweethearts have nothing to do with size. Featured in the cast are legendary dwarf actor Billy Barty and famed psychic Jeane Dixon. ~ All Movie Guide