John Bell Movies
- 1992
For many years, comedian John Candy was a staple of the prestigious Second City comedy troupe where he was known for creating such unforgettable characters as Johnny La Rue and Dr. Tongue. He was also a noted impressionist who had audiences rolling in the aisles with his take on such figures as Jake LaMotta, Divine and even Julia Child. This video presents only but a few of the most hysterical moments of the show. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Jodie Foster made her directorial debut (with a script by Scott Frank) in this tale of a child prodigy's search for social acceptance. Fred Tate (Adam Hann-Byrd) is a precocious fourth grader who has no problem with the most complex mathematical problems or in banging out a Rachmaninoff concerto on the piano, but is totally inept at playing baseball or dealing with children his own age. His mother Dede (Jodie Foster) is a cocktail waitress who acts more like a child than Fred, but cares passionately about her son. Fred comes to the attention of child psychologist Jane Grierson (Dianne Wiest), who runs a summer camp for child prodigies called Odyssey of the Mind. She invites Fred to attend the summer session, creating a rift between Fred and Dede. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jodie Foster, Adam Hann-Byrd, (more)
Mr. and Mrs. Bridge (played by real-life "Mr. and Mrs." Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward) are well-to-do residents of Kansas City in the 1940s. So far as the Bridges are concerned, however, it's the 1920s, with Mr. Bridge treating his wife like property, regarding his grown children as if they're still adolescents, and habitually voting against that upstart Roosevelt. Though the underlying painfulness of such an archaic arrangement is never ignored, Mr. Bridges' obstinancy is for the most part amusing. The scene that seemed to please the audience most was the one in which Mr. Bridge orders Mrs. Bridge not to leave their table at their country club despite tornado warnings (they sit quietly in the deserted dining room while the building shakes and shudders). As for Mrs. Bridge, her "life" is totally defined by those around her--which in any other film would be a tragedy, but which here seems a logical extension of all that's gone before. Based on two separate novels by Evan S. Connell, Mr. & Mrs. Bridge is a rare excursion into Americana by the Ismail Merchant-James Ivory team. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, (more)
Bette Midler stars as Stella Claire, a working class, fun-loving barmaid in northern New York State. A brief affair with handsome Stephen Dallas (Stephen Collins) produces a daughter, Jenny (Trini Alvarado), who Stella insists upon raising alone, despite Dallas' marriage offer. As the years pass, Stella and Jenny are a happy pair. Stella gives up bartending to sell cosmetics, supported by her friend Ed (John Goodman), a bartender developing a crush on her and a problem with alcohol. Dallas has stayed involved with his beloved daughter from afar and is now a urologist in New York City, engaged to a book editor (Marsha Mason). As Jenny reaches adulthood, Stella becomes aware that life with her father would provide her daughter with opportunities that she'd never have otherwise, so she devises a painful, self-sacrificing scheme to drive Jenny from the nest. Although functional as a tearjerker, many of the themes in Stella simply don't make as much sense in a modern age of healthy, fractured families, muting the drama of the tale's earlier versions, specifically Stella Dallas (1937). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bette Midler, John Goodman, (more)
On the occasion of wealthy patriarch Burt Lancaster's 77th birthday, his Long Island home is invaded by well-meaning family members. Lancaster is bored by the well-meaning interference of his grown children, but he thrives on the company of his grandchildren, especially 5-year-old Macaulay Culkin (in a terrific pre-star performance). To the kids, Lancaster reveals what he really wants as a birthday present: an old-fashioned Viking funeral! From this point on, the ending of Rocket Gibraltar is a "done deal", but getting there is all the fun. A superb, hand-picked cast--including Suzy Amis, Sinead Cusack, John Glover, Bill Pullman and Kevin Spacey -does full justice to Amos Poe's whimsical, often deeply touching script. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Lancaster, Suzy Amis, (more)
- 1983
Funnyman Bobby Bittman (Eugene Levy) quits showbiz after being upstaged by his opening act, Ben Vereen -- but he makes a comeback upon realizing that nobody cares that he's gone. Former "Sammy Maudlin Show" sidekick William B. (John Candy) disastrously launches his own talk show, and is coached in the fine art of telling a McLean Stevenson joke by venerable songwriter Irving Cohen (Martin Short) of "Gimme a C, a bouncy C!" fame. Bernadette Peters (Andrea Martin) blows up real good for Billy Sol (Candy) and Big Jim (Joe Flaherty). "Masterpiece Theater" offers a full palate of "alternative lifestyle" dramas, all starring butchy Dutch Leonard (Martin). And it's episode nine for "Days of the Week." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Vereen, Mary Charlotte Wilcox, (more)
- 1983
In this Emmy-winning episode, poltergeists from the great TV shows of the past haunt the studios of SCTV while the network mounts an insipid all-star variety special with Linda Lavin (Andrea Martin), Jamie Farr (Martin Short), Merlin Olsen (John Candy), and Gavin MacLeod (Joe Flaherty). Throughout the evening, studio janitor Ed Grimley (Martin Short) is confronted by the spirits of such video icons as Ralph Kramden, the cast of What's My Line, and the Mouseketeers. Meanwhile, SCTV serves up more sweeps-week bilge, including "The Dallas Cowgirls Salute Copeland," "The Long Hard War," "Jumping for Dollars" and Episode ten of "Days of the Week." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Charlotte Wilcox, Kathleen Laskey, (more)
- 1983
With this episode, Mary Charlotte Wilcox becomes an SCTV: Network 90 regular. Highlights include the return of the lugubrious soap opera "Days of the Week"; Jerry Lewis (Martin Short) in Ingmar Bergman's "Scenes From an Idiot's Marriage"; and musical guest Crystal Gayle teaming up with Kris Kristofferson (Joe Flaherty) for yet another film version of "A Star is Born." Also: Dustin Hoffman (Short), dressed as Tootsie, blows up real good for Billy Sol (John Candy) and Big Jim (Flaherty); "Aritisans and Their Art" host Bradley P. Allen (Short) invites viewers to the opening of Tommy Shanks Hall; Monster Chiller Horror Theater presents "Tip O'Neil's 3-D House of Representatives" (Ooh! Scary!); and game show MC Alex Trebel (Eugene Levy) is driven into a furious frenzy by the idiot panelists on "Half Wits." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Crystal Gayle, Mary Charlotte Wilcox, (more)
- 1983
An offer by Guy Caballero (Joe Flaherty) to accept low-rent "spot" ads on SCTV segues into the '50s private eye show "Vic Arpeggio," a black-and-white spoof of the vintage TV series Johnny Staccato starring Vic Hedges (also Flaherty). Pop culture maven Brock Linehan (Martin Short) introduces three representative clips from the long-running TV show "Oh, That Rusty," which, through the decades, undergoes a number of startling -- and idiotic -- format changes. Also on the docket: "Koffler and Meltzer," a Jewish-American-Princess version of Starsky & Hutch starring Andrea Martin and Mary Charlotte Wilcox; talk show host Sammy Maudlin (Flaherty) explains that his co-host William B. has walked off the show as he welcomes guest stars Sandler and Young (Short, Eugene Levy) and Luciano Pavarotti (John Candy); "Days of the Week" reaches its eighth episode; and a panel of Canada's foremost philosophers debate over whether The Flintstones was stolen from The Honeymooners. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Charlotte Wilcox
- 1983
This final episode of SCTV: Network 90 features such classic sketches as "Whatever Happened to Baby Ed," with Ed Grimley (Martin Short) suffering torment at the hands of his brother Skip (John Candy); and the 3-D Firing Line production of "Midnight Cowboy II," hosted by Count Floyd (Joe Flaherty), starring Woody Tobias Jr. (Eugene Levy) as Ratzo Rizzo and Dr. Tongue (Candy) as Joe Buck -- and mercilessly skewered by critic Pauline Kael (Mary Charlotte Wilcox). Also, musical guest Joe Walsh and his band perform "I Can Play That Rock 'N' Roll All Night" on "The Fishin' Magician." Billy Sol (Candy) and Big Jim (Flaherty) goad Neil Sedaka (Levy) into blowin' up real good. "Mel's Rock Pile" offers a tribute to punk, featuring The Queenhaters' big hit "I Hate the Bloody Queen." And, at long last, it's the 12th and last episode of "Days of the Week" -- with a truly surprising cameo appearance. (A "real" one, not an imitation this time!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Walsh, Mary Charlotte Wilcox, (more)
- 1983
Sammy Maudlin (Joe Flaherty) generously welcomes back his repentant sidekick William B (John Candy), whose own starring series literally went up in flames the previous week. Sammy's guest this evening is Hill Street Blues star Betty Thomas, who brings along clips from her new picture "South Sea Sinner" -- a devastatingly accurate spoof of the 1949 Shelley Winters film of the same name. Other highlights include "The Women Donahue Forgot"; James Whitmore (Flaherty) in "Give Em Hell, Larry," a one-man show celebrating the comedy genius of The Three Stooges' Larry Fine; "Jackie We Hardly Knew Ye," with Jackie Rogers Jr. (Martin Short) as Jackie Rogers Sr.; Episode 11 of "Days of the Week," and the Schmenge Brothers (Eugene Levy, Candy) celebrating "Miss Leutonia Pageant Week" with plenty of coffee, cabbage rolls, and polka tunes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Betty Thomas, Mary Charlotte Wilcox, (more)
- 1982
Season two of SCTV Network finds regulars John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin and Martin Short back on the job for more irresistible irreverence; missing this season are Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis and Catherine O'Hara, though O'Hara will return in time for a special guest appearance. In the opening episode, SCTV is closed down by a strike, forcing disreputable station head Guy Caballero to "borrow" some programming from rival Canadian network CBC. Unfortunately, the new program choices are none too compelling: "Canadian Gaffes and Practical Amusements," "Monday Night Curling," "Hinterland Who's Who: The Woodchuck," "Headline Challenge" "Hello Metric, Au Revoir Avoirdupois," and "Magnum PEI," the latter featuring a Prince Edward Island cop on the prowl for a mad potato thief. While all this is going on, SCTV proceeds with its scheduled 23rd anniversary telecast of "The Sammy Maudlin Show," with clips of the notorious 1959 rock-throwing incident with Lon Chaney Jr. (Eugene Levy) (a takeoff of Ed Ames' Tonight Show tomahawk toss), Lorna Minelli's (Martin) performance of "Ring Them Bells" from 1973, and Bobby Bittman (Levy)'s musical tribute to the Falkland Islands From a Few Months Back. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
Former SCTV regular Harold Ramis makes a return appearance as Allan "Crazy Legs" Herschman, chairman of the SCTV Network's board of directors, who decides the time has come to fire station owner Guy Caballero (Joe Flaherty) for writing bad checks (one of Guy's victims is guest star Fred Willard). Also: Jerry Lewis (Martin Short) is transformed into musical guest John Cougar in "The Nutty Lab Assistant." Shallow showbiz personality Jackie Rogers Jr. (Short again!) makes his first series appearance in clips from his 1970 special "Swingin' With Mother Nature." And the dotty hostess (Andrea Martin) of "Mrs.Falbo's Tiny Town" shows the kids at home how to build a nuclear reactor on a rainy day. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Mellencamp, Harold Ramis, (more)
- 1982
SCTV's new studios are located in the world's tallest building -- so guess what happens next, especially with Towering Inferno star Charlton Heston (Joe Flaherty) on hand. In other sketches, Divine (John Candy) and David Steinberg (Martin Short) star in a revival of "Peter Pan." Anchorman Earl Camembert (Eugene Levy) exposes urban transit (bicycles included) on "One on the Town." Musical guests Banda Brava show up on "Words to Live By With Mr. Mambo." And in the new game show "Let's Find Jerzy," contestants search for novelist Jerzy Kosinski (Flaherty) in his own living room. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Banda Brava, John McAndrew, (more)
- 1982
Johnny LaRue (John Candy) has his camera crane taken away again, the first significant crisis in Johnny's own very special version of "The Christmas Carol." Former SCTV regular Catherine O'Hara guest stars as singing sensation Lola Heatherton, showing clips from her dysfunctional 1965 Christmas special. In one of his first TV appearances, über-nerd Ed Grimley (Martin Short) stars in the Yuletide classic "The Fella Who Couldn't Wait for Christmas." Count Floyd (Joe Flaherty) welcomes Lucille Ball (O'Hara), Ed Garvey (Eugene Levy), and the kid from Deliverance to his "Scary Little Christmas" special. "Happy Wanderers" Stan and Yon Schmenge (Levy, John Candy) explain such beloved Leutonian Christmas rituals as putting the hat on the tree and the exchanging of the socks. Musical guest Andrae Crouch performs at the Melonville Men's Mission. And via the magic of satellite technology, Bobby Bittman (Levy) and Jackie Rogers Jr. (Short) co-host "The SCTV SuperSpecial Christmas: That's All." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Catherine O'Hara, Andrae Crouch, (more)
- 1982
This year's SCTV election coverage focuses on the Melonville mayoral battle between incumbent Tommy Shanks (John Candy) and washed-up celebrity Vic Hedges (Joe Flaherty). In another hotly contested race, feminist chat show host Libby Wolfson (Andrea Martin) becomes "one with the people" in her race against opponent Robert Wellesly (played by a pre-Sledge Hammer! David Rasche) Elsewhere, The Happy Wanderers -- aka Stan and Yosh Schmenge (Eugene Levy, John Candy) -- don Superman costumes and shark masks for their musical tribute to "John Villiams." And musical guest Linda Hopkins promotes her latest picture "Balconies of Paradise" and fields irrelevant and largely idiotic questions from host Brock Linehan (Martin Short) on "Stars in One." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Linda Hopkins, David Rasche, (more)
- 1982
Robin Williams guest-stars as a flamboyantly gay Slip Mahoney in "The Bowery Boys in the Band.," which also manages to wedge in a brief spoof of The Deer Hunter." Elsewhere on the schedule, BBC Classics' "Jane Eyerhead" finds the airheaded Jane (Andrea Martin) accepting a job from Mr. Rochester (Joe Flaherty) -- who sounds more like Jack Benny's Rochester! Also: Curly Howard (John Candy) sings the Great Movie Love Themes; disco star Danny Terrio (Martin Short) blows up real good for Billy Sol (Candy) and Jim Bob (Flaherty); Count Floyd (Flaherty) introduces "Smell-O-Rama" for his latest Monster Horror Chiller Theater attraction "Dr. Tongue's 3-D House of Slavechicks"; and in a running gag featuring musical guest stars America (performing "Right Before Your Eyes"), SCTV security guard Gus Gustofferson (Eugene Levy) falls in love with station manager Edith Prickley (Martin). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robin Williams, America, (more)
- 1982
When a political reporter disappears in Southeast Asia, it is up to his wife to find him. She enlists the help of a former boyfriend, who is still coping with his unresolved feelings for her. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bryan Brown, Helen Morse, (more)
- 1977
- R
This Australian drama, set in 1915, follows a restless ex-soldier's journey through self discovery. He is currently the editor of a small town newspaper. Though once a thriving gold-mining town, his home is now rundown and sleepy. The editor lives with his pregnant wife. He walks with a limp as he was crippled while serving in the Australian army. He was part of the Gallipoli landings in 1915. His disability is the source of his difficulties at home and in the community. He seldom talks meaningfully to his wife. Instead, he prefers to hobble off to the river every morning before work. There he remembers his childhood. At the river he meets a beautiful painter; they soon become involved. He goes to a picnic with her and her urban pals, but he feels intimidated by them. He gets drunk and stumps off sans cane. He falls into an old mine shaft, and there, relives Gallipoli. He remembers that he crippled himself, and he also sees that the painter can live without him. He therefore, comes to a certain peace and returns to his normal life. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sara Kestelman, Andrew McFarlane, (more)
