Emma Samms Movies
American audiences first became aware of dark-eyed actress Emma Samms when she was cast as the heroine in the 1979 film Arabian Adventure. Her American TV bow was as Holly Sutton, temporary girlfriend of Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary) and later full-time wife of ex-spy Robert Scorpio (Tristan Rogers), on the ABC daytime drama General Hospital. It was the beginning of a long association with soap operas, both daytime and prime time. In 1984, Samms went from the niceness of Holly Sutton to the deviousness of Fallon Carrington on the nighttime serial Dynasty. She carried this role over into the Dynasty spin-off The Colbys in 1985, then returned to Dynasty in 1986. In 1994, Emma Samms was brought in to "hypo" the flagging Fox series Models Inc., in yet another villainous characterization, as Grayson Louder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In the tradition of The Day After Tomorrow, Deep Impact, and Armageddon, Peter Fonda, Tia Carrere, Luke Perry, and Emma Samms star in Supernova, a three-and-a-half hour miniseries originally created and produced for The Hallmark Channel. In this special effects-laden sci-fi actioner, Fonda plays a Dr. Shepard, a famed astrophysicist who discovers -- all too late -- that the sun's age has been miscalculated, and that it will supernova in a matter of only days -- destroying the Earth and everything else in our solar system. As Dr. Shepard flees to Africa, his prophecy materializes: enormous solar particles careen toward the Earth, destroying its international landmarks. Meanwhile, a group of scientists begin to search for the missing Shepard and a paranoid government agent (played by Lance Henriksen) schemes to help a small group of civilians escape the coming disaster by furnishing underground bunkers to shield and protect them. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Wesley Snipes stars in this pulse-pounding thriller set in the former Soviet Union. A once high-ranking Soviet military leader has resurfaced in Chechnya, where he has been consolidating his power with remarkable success. United States intelligence discovers he's been able to construct a thermonuclear weapon from materials scavenged from an abandoned nuclear power plant, and he and his soldiers have taken a handful of powerful citizens hostage. In hopes of preventing a global catastrophe, the military brings in Painter (Wesley Snipes), a special agent known as "the Marksman" for his talent in focusing in on the key elements of a crisis and resolving it. Painter and his crew attempt to get inside the nuclear plant-turned-terrorist base and rescue the hostages before U.S. forces begin staging a full-scale attack. But Painter's plan soon backfires when the military's operations don't go as planned, leaving him to wonder who set him up -- and why. The Marksman also stars Tim Abell and William Hope. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wesley Snipes
- 2002
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The first of the PAX Network's several TV-movie adaptations of the novels of Mary Higgins Clark, Pretend You Don't See Her begins when real estate agent Lacey Farrell (Emma Samms) witnesses a murder. Not long afterward, Lacey is placed in the Federal Witness Protection program, along with her spunky young niece Bonnie (Kim Poirier). Danger rears its ugly head when professional hit man Curtis Caldwell Blake (Hannes Jaenicke) gloms onto Lacey's new identity. Will detective Ed Sloan (Beau Starr) be able to rescue her in time, or is it up to Lacey to extricate herself from this perilous dilemma? Former police officer Sonny Grosso of The French Connection fame functioned as the film's co-executive producer and research consultant. A British/German/Canadian co-production, the Toronto-filmed Pretend You Don't See Her made its American TV bow on January 12, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emma Samms
- 2002
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After being raised by a normal sized family, tiny Tom Thumb (voiced by Elijah Wood) sets out to find others of his diminutive stature. He happens upon Thumbelina (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a former circus performer, who is not only his size and age, but is also looking for others like her. But just as they meet Thumbelina is taken prisoner by the comically sinister Mole King (Peter Gallagher), who wants to make her his bride. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Love Hewitt, Elijah Wood, (more)
- 1995
In this sci-fi drama, eight deep-space astronauts awaken from a century of suspended animation to discover that the human race no longer exists. To make things worse, someone or something has murdered their captain. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Rachins, Emma Samms, (more)
Emma Samms stars as a photographer who finds out more than she bargained for when she investigates her brother's murder at a horse breeding farm. The cast also includes Catherine Oxenberg and Tippi Hedren. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emma Samms, Catherine Oxenberg, (more)
- 1993
Following the death of a pregnant woman undergoing routine surgery, an anesthesiologist is falsely accused of drug abuse and charged with murder. Desperate to prove his innocence, the doctor escapes and quietly launches his own investigation into the tragedy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Matheson, Emma Samms, (more)
- 1992
In this suspense film, a couple goes on a weekend vacation to get some much needed peace and quiet and instead find themselves entangled with murder and blackmail. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
The made-for-cable Bejewelled stars Emma Samms as a museum curator. Entrusted with collection of valuable jewels, she heads to London. Here she is obligated to fend off any number of potential thieves. It is also up to her to determine whom she can trust and whom she can not. Dennis Lawson, Jade Maigri, Aeryk Egan, Dirk Benedict costar. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
John Candy plays Jack Gable, a soap-opera writer who finds himself trapped inside his own television program with a magic typewriter in this toothless comedy. Jack finds himself embroiled in protecting his beloved Laura (Emma Samms), an actress who plays Rachel Hedison in Jack's show -- "Beyond Our Dreams" -- from having her character being killed off by the program's producers, the Sherwoods (Jerry Orbach, Renee Taylor). Laura has recently broken off with her co-star and lover Dennis (David Rasche) and is heading off for a weekend with Jack. As Jack unloads Laura's luggage, he conks himself on the head and knocks himself out. He awakens in a town bearing a name similar to the town in his soap opera. Dennis is on hand, but as his character in the show -- Dr. Paul Kirkland. Jack realizes that he has found himself in an alternative world made up of his soap opera world -- particularly apparent when he is recognized as Jack Gates, "the Wolf of Wall Street." Jack then meets Laura, who, in this soap opera world, is actually Janet Dubois, the daughter of a late biochemist who invented a pill that allows anyone to eat whatever they want and not gain any weight. The unscrupulous Hedison family (Raymond Burr, Charles Rocket, Dylan Baker) want to steal the formula for the pill and make a fortune for their pharmaceutical company. Jack then discovers that he can exit and re-enter the show at will and can alter the narrative of the show however he wants by typing up new plot points on his typewriter. In order to save Laura's character from the Sherwoods, Jack re-writes the show to save Janet by having his own character come to her rescue at the last minute. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Candy, Mariel Hemingway, (more)
- 1991
- R
In this convoluted melodrama, a young wife has a mental breakdown and spends time in a hospital. Eventually, she wants to go home, but her doctor is hesitant to release her. Still the woman, wanting to save her disintegrating marriage, insists. Upon her return, she and her hubby are visited by his seductive "sister." The poor wife is appalled by the chemistry between the two and shares her discomfort with her landlord and he has a peculiar reaction. Meanwhile, the hapless wife seems to becoming increasingly paranoid and strange. She has no idea that drugs are behind her odd behavior. Eventually, she goes over the edge and shoots her sister-in-law, and still the madness continues until the story's violent climax. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heather Locklear, Robert Carradine, (more)
- 1991
When the two-part Dynasty: The Reunion first aired, it rated a cover on TV Guide. The photo depicted Dynasty regulars Linda Evans (Krystal) and Joan Collins (Alexis) grinning at one another, while their true feelings were conveyed in comic-strip thought balloons reading "Hussy" and "Hag." This pretty much sums up the overall ambience of Dynasty: The Reunion. In part one, first telecast October 20, 1991, oil mogul Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) is released from prison. Hoping for a reunion with estranged wife Krystal -- and, incidentally, to recoup his financial empire -- Blake must now deal with a shady international consortium, headed by old nemesis Alexis. Part two, first telecast October 22, 1991, gets off to a good start with a desperate escape from the henchmen of an international consortium. The big money act, however, is the long-awaited catfight between Alexis and her longtime foe, goody two-shoes Krystal Carrington (Linda Evans). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this comedy, Carlos Munoz (Cheech Marin) travels from America to Australia to find work, and gets a job at a Mexican restaurant. While there, he meets up with poor little rich girl Alex Hobart (Emma Samms) who hires him to pose as her fiance to scare her father into approving of her marriage with her unappealing boyfriend, Bruce Woodley (Vernon Wells). ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cheech Marin, Emma Samms, (more)
- 1989
In this loose adaptation of Mark Twain's biting satire, a hip little girl from the 1980s somehow ends up in medieval England and there has many magical adventures. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Adaptation of Barbara Cartland's novel featuring a 17th century adventure romance between an aristocrat and an endangered noblewoman. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1988
Laid low by progressively weaker ratings, Dynasty discreetly left the scene at the end of its ninth season. But though viewership was down, the series' entertainment content was as high as ever, thanks in large part to a lengthy murder-investigation storyline. It all begins when the mummified body of Roger Grimes, former lover of the scheming Alexis Carrington Colby (Joan Collins), turns up on the estate of Alexis' ex-husband Blake (John Forsythe) and his current spouse, Krystle (Linda Evans). Investigating the case is detective Sergeant Zorelli (Ray Abruzzo), who like so many poor saps before him ends up in bed with Blake's predatory daughter Fallon (Emma Samms). Meanwhile, spiteful Alexis tries to frame Blake for the murder, only to be undermined by the vengeful hijinks of the vixenish Sable (Stephanie Beacham), an Alexis-like character first introduced on the Dynasty spin-off The Colbys. In a later development, Krystle abruptly lapses into a coma and is shipped off to a hospital in Switzerland -- as good a method as any to allow co-star Linda Evans to leave the series halfway through the season. Curiously, the series ends on another cliffhanger, without bothering to tie up any loose plot strands -- such as the ultimate fate of Alexis after she plunges from a high window. Fans would have to wait nearly three years before the "official," two-hour Dynasty denouement special in 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Forsythe, Linda Evans, (more)
- 1988
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is among the guests enjoying a skiing vacation at a mountain lodge. At least, she and the other guests were enjoying the vacation until they were all trapped in the lodge by a sudden blizzard. Among the others are a jealous husband, an outraged wife, a long-suffering agent and an abrasive champion skier. Before long, one of these characters is going to be murdered, and Jessica will try to figure out the killer's identity before he (or she) can strike again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Season eight of Dynasty finds two of the series' former regulars, Emma Samms as the predatory Fallon Carrington and John James as Fallon's ex-husband Jeff, returning to the series full-time after a brief stint on the Dynasty spin-off The Colbys. The two prodigal actors have no trouble jumping right into the series' many intrigues, most of which involve the efforts of scheming Alexis (Joan Collins) to ruin the lives of her former husband Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) and his present spouse, Krystle (Joan Collins). This year, however, Alexis has plenty of competition in the revenge department courtesy of series newcomer James Healey as Sean Rowan, Jeff's brother-in-law and the son of the Carringtons' former butler, who holds Alexis responsible for his father's recent suicide. Also added to the cast this season is Stephanie Dunnam as Karen Atkinson -- the birth mother of the adopted child of Adam Carrington (Gordon Thomson) and his wife, Dana (Leann Hunley) -- who goes to court in hopes of getting her baby back. Season highlights include a heated and very dirty gubernatorial campaign, pitting Blake against Alexis. And the season closes with the latest in a long line of classic catfights between mortal enemies Alexis and Krystle, who should know by now never to start duking it out anywhere near a mud puddle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Forsythe, Linda Evans, (more)
