James McGowan Movies

Successful LA attorney Terry McQuinn (Gary Sinise) returns to his Maine home town, intent upon settling the estate of his late, long-estranged father Mac (Michael Rhoades), then returning home as soon as possible. But once he has arrived, Terry finds that he is inexorably bound to his old house by vague and fragmentary memories of a horrendous tragedy in his childhood. Figuring into Terry's plight is Katherine Wentworth (Joely Richardson), a girl from his past who, unbeknownst to either one of them, is also a key player in that tragedy. The story then takes a number of surprising turns, especially with the arrival of a "dead" man who isn't, and a wintertime pilgrimage to a most unusual parking garage (where, incidentally, the viewer finally learns the significance of the film's title. Adapted by Don Snyder from his own novel, Fallen Angel was produced for the CBS "Hallmark Hall of Fame" TV series, and was originally telecast on November 23, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the 1920s, the rights of American workers to join a labor union was still considered an open question, and African-Americans were routinely denied their civil and economic rights. So in 1925, when journalist and political activist Asa Philip Randolph and railway car porter Ashley Totten formed the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, it was a bold gesture which proved to have a major impact in both labor and race relations in America. 10,000 Black Men Named George is a made-for-cable feature which dramatizes the struggle of Randolph (played by Andre Braugher) and Totten (Mario Van Peebles) to organize railway porters -- a demanding and sometimes dangerous job which was held almost exclusively by black men, who were paid low wages for demanding hours -- against the staunch opposition of Barton Davis (Kenneth McGreggor), head of the Pullman railway company and a fierce opponent of both unionization and civil rights initiatives. 10,000 Black Men Named George (the title refers to the fact Pullman porters were often called "George" by white passengers, which was considered a racial slur) also features Charles S. Dutton as Milton Webster, a veteran porter who joined the fight to organize; Carla Brothers as Lucille Randolph, Asa's wife who would play a major role in the early years of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters; and Brock Peters as Leon Frey, an early member of the who would in time betray their cause. Directed by Robert Townsend, the film was produced for the Showtime premium cable network, where it first aired on February 24, 2002. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Also known as Scent of Murder, this made-for-TV thriller stars Sherilyn Fenn as Brenna Shaw, professional dog trainer and search-and-rescue expert. While exploring a wooded area with her faithful K-9 dog team, Brenna witnesses the latest crime of a vicious serial kidnapper-murderer (James McGowan). Managing to rescue the villain's youthful captive, Brenna and her team return to home base, where her boss Chris Milos (Costas Mandylor) is anxiously waiting. Before long, the deranged kidnapper embarks upon a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, intending to add Brenna and Chris to his long list of victims. Adapted from a novel by Cynthia G. Alwyn, Scent of Danger first aired by the Animal Planet cable network on October 20, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi