Vincent Beck Movies
The excessive violence in this action thriller makes New York City look like the site of a civil war -- or rather, a nauseatingly uncivil war fought between factory workers allied with neighborhood citizens against their enemies: drug pushers and other low-lifes. At first the worker Eddie Merino (Robert Forster) refuses to join a vigilante movement, but when his wife is stabbed and his son killed by a Puerto Rican gang, Eddie eventually opts for his own right to kill. His decision is not allowed to come quickly, he is made to agonize a bit longer. When the gang leader (singer Willie Colón) who killed Eddie's son is caught and brought up for trial, he gets off with a suspended sentence because of a corrupt defense lawyer and an inept judge. Eddie attacks the judge in court and is sent to jail for contempt. When he gets out of jail, he becomes a vigilante, out to kill the guilty or those he sees as protecting the guilty in the death of his son. From then on, a non-stop bloodbath takes over as the star of the film. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Forster, Fred Williamson, (more)
- 1979
- R
Set in the Caribbean, Firepower is one of those "celebrity salads," featuring a glittering all-star cast. Sophia Loren heads the ensemble as Adele, the widow of a murdered chemist. Believing that a multimillionaire industrialist is the culprit, Adele determines that she can expect no help from the authorities. Thus she engages the services of retired professional assassin Jerry Fanori (James Coburn), who in turn enlists the aid of troubleshooter Catlett (O.J. Simpson). Watch for Jake LaMotta, the ex-prizefighter whose life was dramatized in Raging Bull, in a supporting part. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sophia Loren, James Coburn, (more)
Norman Jewison's blackly satirical look at the American justice system has gained in stature as one of the more incisive social commentaries of its time. Al Pacino plays Arthur Kirkland, an incorruptible attorney who attempts to initiate reforms in the Maryland justice system. Kirkland is haunted by the fates of two past clients, one of whom committed suicide in jail; the other is still alive but is locked up on a trumped-up traffic violation. The ability of power and money to distort the pursuit of justice becomes all too clear as Kirkland finds out how deeply the rot has spread. He finally retaliates by representing a repulsive judge (John Forsythe) accused of rape. Pacino's and Forsythe's performances are intense and powerful. Many critics found the film biting and almost painful in its razor-sharp indictment of the justice system, while others declared the script too outrageous. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Jack Warden, (more)
- 1974
A young Harvey Keitel chews the scenery as Ernie Cahn, an arrogant hoodlum who aspires to emulate his movie idols Cagney, Bogart and Robinson. To this end, Ernie masterminds the biggest robbery of his career, first stealing explosives from a National Guard Armory, then hijacking an armored car. Needless to say, Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) intends to show Ernie the error of his ways. Featured in the cast is former "Playboy" model and future action-film icon Claudia Jennings. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1972
Syndicate loan sharks Ollie Shanks (Paul Koslo) and Rudy Blake (Lou Antonio) must be intercepted before they can transfer $10 million from Hawaii to California. Assigned to put Shanks and Blake out of business, IMF agent Willy ends up being captured himself. As the villains inject Willy with near-fatal doses of truth serum, his fellow agents race against time to complete his mission before their cover is blown. Scripted by Jackson Gillis and Laurence Heath from a story by Gillis, "Double Dead" originally aired on February 12, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Greg Morris, (more)
- 1971
Theodore Bikel guest stars as Armenian immigrant Arschag Divinian, who--conveniently for plot purposes--is the uncle of a friend of police officer Eve Whitfield (Barbara Anderson). A tobacco dealer, Divnian is being blackmailed by his two disreputable nephews to allow them to prepare synthetic marijuana in the back of his store. What secret in Divinian's past can be so horrible that he is willing to risk arrest and disgrace? That's the question that Eve's boss Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr) wants answered--immediately! Featured in the cast are Star Trek alumnus Walter Koenig and famed exotic dancer Magda Harout. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1970
The FBI suspects a trucking firm of being the front for a sophisticated hijacking ring. To get to the truth, Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) goes undercover as a truck driver, while Colby (William Reynolds), posing as an ex-con, lands a job with the firm as dispatcher. Inevitably, Colby's cover is blown--but this may prove less dangerous to him than to the head hijacker (Edward Binns), who has been set up for murder by one of his own "pals". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1968
On today's docket for officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) is a tense kidnapping situation, as a deranged young man (played by future soft-core filmmaker Zalman King) holds a baby at gunpoint while the child's terrified mother (Barbara Baldavin) looks on helplessly. And elsewhere, the two cops come to the aid of a homeowner who is being harrassed by a nasty neighbor. Incidentally, this is the episode in which we learn Jim and Pete's badge numbers. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1968
This combination romantic comedy and political satire finds fashion photographer Ben Morris (James Garner) traveling to Latin American for an assignment with the beautiful model Alison (Eva Renzi). Their arrival in a small village draws suspicions from Colonel Ceyala (Fabrizio Mioni). The Colonel is out of favor with his superiors, and quickly tags the shutterbug as a CIA agent. The couple is stranded when the adventurer guide Ryderbeit (George Kennedy) hijacks their helicopter after shooting the pilot. Alison and Ben unwittingly buy a map to a lost diamond mine, and Ben is suspected of killing the copter pilot. Ryderbeit returns to get his hands on the map and finish off the lost couple, now comically lost in the dense jungle. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Garner, Eva Renzi, (more)
- 1968
This comedy finds American writer Lawrence Colby (Robert Wagner) augmenting his scribing income by smuggling Swiss watch parts into France. Martine (Mary Tyler Moore) enlists his help to find her friend Sabine (Glynis Johns), an author of erotic novels. Sabine is vacationing in Greece, but crooks kidnap her beautiful ghost writer (Barbara Rhoades) by mistake. Sabine's nervous agent Merriman Dudley (Harvey Korman) feels the pressure from the book publishers for the deadline on the new book, still unfinished. Martine and Lawrence help the ghost writer escape, but she is accused of murdering a notorious gangster. The thug conveniently appears and is promptly arrested, as the writers all try to get back to work. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Wagner, Mary Tyler Moore, (more)
- 1968
A veteran cast gives the 1968 cheapie The Bamboo Saucer what little credibility it has. In his last role, Dan Duryea plays the head man of an expeditionary force in search of a missing UFO. Since the craft was last sighted in the mountains of Red China, the search takes on political significance. Duryea's American team is eventually forced to align itself with a similarly-purposed group of Soviet researchers (this being a 1968 film, the real bad guys are the Red Chinese). Lois Nettelton has some wonderfully campy moments as a Russian scientist. Bamboo Saucer was produced by Jerry Fairbanks, of "Speaking of Animals" and "Crusader Rabbit" fame. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dan Duryea, John Ericson, (more)
- 1968
In the best of his many Monkees' guest appearances, Monte Landis is cast as the devilish Mr. Zero. When he sees a lovely harp for sale, Peter wishes that he had the talent to play the instrument. Suddenly, Mr. Zero appears, offering to grant Peter the ability to play the harp in exchange for his soul. When the time comes for Mr. Zero to collect on his unholy bargain, Mike demands that Peter be given a fair trial. Unfortunately, the jury is comprised of Zero's former "clients," including Billy the Kid (Peter Canon, Attila the Hun (Lee Kolima), and Blackbeard (Ted de Corsia), and presiding over the proceedings is the infamous Judge Roy Bean (Vincent Beck). Songs: "Salesman" and "No Time". Scripted by Robert Kaufman from a story by Kaufman, Gerald Gardner, and Dee Caruso, "The Devil and Peter Tork" was originally telecast on February 5, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1967
None the worse for having been "killed" in the previous episode, John Robinson (Guy Williams) slays a space monster that was threatening his family. As a result, John himself becomes the quarry in a bizarre big-game hunt conducted by gigantic humanoid sportsman Megazor (Vincent Beck). In fine "Most Dangerous Game" tradition, John spends the rest of the episode desperately trying to elude the relentless Megazor, with only a single weapon to defend himself! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1967
A Victor Canning novel was the launching pad for this consummately produced TV spy movie. Alex Cord is an American secret agent reluctantly employed by British secret service for a life and death mission. Teamed with the beauteous Shirley Eaton (the "golden girl" of Goldfinger), Cord is expected to locate the head of an international blackmail ring. The villain is known only by the code name "Scorpio," which could under the circumstances be a masculine or feminine monicker. Produced and directed by Richard Thorpe, The Scorpio Letters was given an overseas theatrical run after its American TV debut. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1966
Peter is kidnapped by a band of gypsies who are angry over losing a singing job to the Monkees. If they ever want to see the friend again, the other Monkees must agree to steal the legendary sculpture "The Maltese Vulture." Vincent Beck and Vic Tayback, both frequent Monkees' guest stars, appear as gypsies Marco and Rocco, while director James Frawley pops up in an unbilled bit during the climactic chase sequence. Songs: "I'm a Believer", &Let's Dance On", and "Last Train to Clarksville". Originally broadcast on December 26, 1966, "Son of a Gypsy" was written by Treva Silverman, Gerald Gardner, and Dee Caruso, from a story by Silverman. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1966
In this episode from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. series, the two good guy spies must stop a criminal mastermind from altering the course of the Gulf Stream. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1966
In Part Two of "The Pursued", Mormon rancher Heber Clawson (Eric Fleming) is burned out of his home and shot to death by a bigoted mob, spurred on by a demented self-ordained minister. It is up to the Cartwrights to provide safe passage for Heber's two wives Susannah (Dina Merrill) and Elizabeth Ann (Lois Nettelton)-and to secure emergency medical attention for the seriously injured, and very pregnant, Elizabeth Ann. The story takes a positive turn when a new minister tries to undo the damage wrought upon the Mormon women. Written by Thomas Thompson and Marc Michaels, Part Two of "The Pursued" originally aired on October 9, 1966. Both Parts One and Two were removed from the Bonanza syndicated package when the series aired on the Family Channel cable network, reportedly because the story's religious message did not jibe with the beliefs of network chairman Pat Robertson. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1966
Written by Thomas Thompson and Marc Michaels, "The Pursued" was the second of Bonanza's two-part stories. In Beehive, Nevada, the Cartwrights arranged to buy horses from Mormon rancher Heber Clawson (Eric Fleming). Soon they become involved in Clawson's stubborn determination to remain in Beehive with his two wives Susannah (Dina Merrill) and Elizabeth Ann (Lois Nettleton), despite religious persecution from the townsfolk in general and a fanatical self-ordained minister (Booth Colman) in particular. Things go from bad to worse when ruthless town boss Grant Carbo (Vincent Beck) falls in love with Elizabeth Ann. Part One of "The Pursued" originally aired on October 2, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1965
Danny Klega and Vincent Beck portray a pair of Russian Cosmonauts whose space capsule has crash-landing on the island (and who speak exclusively in thickly accented English for the benefit of the folks at home). The good news is that the Cosmonauts are willing to rescue the Castaways: the bad news is that they intend to take the Castaways back to the U.S.S.R as prisoners. A great deal of suspicion, mistrust and ill-will follows before everyone involved has learned a valuable lesson about their Fellow Man (though, of course, not everyone leaves the island at episode's end!) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Danny Klega, Vincent Beck, (more)
- 1964
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Alien invaders kidnap everyone's favorite right jolly old elf in this low-budget mixture of children's comedy and sci-fi adventure. Christmas is not far away, and countless children are glued to their family's TV sets, watching reports about Santa Claus (John Call). However, this is happening on Mars, and leaders of the Red Planet aren't sure what to do for their kids who are pining away for a visit from the gift-bearing earthling. Martian leader Kimar (Leonard Hicks) dispatches two of his emissaries, the chronically grumpy Voldar (Vincent Beck) and the moronically cheerful Dropo (Bill McCutcheon), to Earth to bring Santa back for a visit. After arriving on Earth, Voldar and Dropo abduct two children, Betty (Donna Conforti) and Billy (Victor Stiles), and order the kids to show them the way to Santa's workshop, from which all three are taken to Mars against their will. As Santa, Betty, and Billy try to find a way back to Earth, Voldar becomes enraged with the Earth kids, while the children bond more comfortably with the intellectually-challenged Dropo. Shot on a shoestring budget on Long Island, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians has developed a rabid cult following over the years, and yes, it's true, Kimar's daughter Girmar really is played by a ten-year-old Pia Zadora. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
