José Ferrer Movies

This, the second of 1992's 500th anniversary Christopher Columbus films (the first being Warner Bros. Christopher Columbus: The Discovery), adheres to the historical facts of Columbus's (Gerard Depardieu) possessed quest to discover the New World, and his solicitation of Queen Isabella (Sigourney Weaver) to gain the necessary funding. Despite travelogue-quality footage replete with beautiful scenery of Caribbean islands and a massive cast, this film tends to plod along with too predictable a plot and a mis-cast Columbus. Depardieu -- a very capable French actor speaking English and playing an Italian -- becomes perhaps the movie's bright spot (even if at his own expense) as he laughably struggles with line after line. Michael Wincott puts forth a worthy performance as a nasty Spanish nobleman whose mistreatment of the natives results in an open rebellion. ~ All Movie Guide

Jason Robards, who portrayed Abraham Lincoln in a 1964 Hallmark Hall of Fame production of Abe Lincoln in Illinois, reprised the role 27 years later in the made-for-TV The Perfect Tribute. The film intertwines two separate plot threads. In one, Lincoln, plagued by the war and the conduct of his generals, prepares to deliver a speech at Gettysburg. In the secondary story, 13-year-old Lukas Haas leaves his Atlanta home to find his brother Campbell Scott, who has been mortally wounded at Gettysburg. Filmed in Georgia, The Perfect Tribute was based on a 1905 story by Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews (that's all one person). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ingrid Bergman was both one of Hollywood's most sought after stars and a controversial public figure. Her bright and acclaimed acting career came to a halt after a very public scandal caused her to leave the country and live in Europe for a time. Resilient and strong, Ingrid Bergman did not let her public humiliation end her career or prevent her life from moving on. She came back to America determined to put her past behind her and succeeded with her performance in Anastasia, for which she won a Best Actress Oscar. This documentary on her life, narrated by Sir John Gielgud, includes clips from 25 of her films and interviews with friends and people who worked with her, including Liv Ullmann, Angela Lansbury, Anthony Quinn, and Jose Ferrer. Also included are rare early screen tests, home movies from the 1940s, and footage from her press conference after she returned from Europe. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide

An aging pair of long-time friends look forward to their weekly visit in which they whittle away the hours spinning fantastic yarns about the many adventures they never had. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Mother's Day was the first made-for-TV movie produced for the CBN Cable Service (now known as the Family Channel). Given CBN's religious track record and the film's innocuous title, it comes as a mild shock that Mother's Day concerns itself with drug dealers, murder charges and "women in jeopardy." Malcolm Jamal-Warner stars as an urban African-American teen convicted for a drug-related murder. He didn't do it, or so he says. The police don't seem to be concerned over this potential miscarriage of justice, so Malcolm's mother, played by Denise Nicholas, investigates the murder herself--putting her own life on the line in the process. The script's plot hinges on the fact that the teenager and the killer bear a striking resemblance to one another--a fact underlined in broad, blunt strokes by having Malcolm Jamal-Warner play both roles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This children's biopic offers a Disneyfied excerpt from the life of infamous Harry Houdini, who apparently ran away from home at age 12 to join a wandering medicine show so he could fulfill his dream of becoming a magician. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This independently-produced feature concerns a New York woman (Mila Burnette) who's fed up with her marriage and her life. Leaving her comfortable mid-town environs, she takes up residence in the far less attractive South Bronx. Here she falls in love with a Puerto Rican attorney (Joaquim de Almeida) and becomes swept up in social activism. Jose Ferrer is the most recognizable cast member, at least so far as American audiences are concerned; in Portugal, Joaquim de Almeida was considered a much bigger star than Ferrer -- or practically anyone else. Director Kevin Conway shows up in a brief supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Leading man Gabriel Byrne adds a "Harlequin Romance" dash to the two-part, six-hour TV movie Christopher Columbus. Seeking out a swifter route to the lucrative Indies, Genoa-born Columbus begs King John of Portugal (Max Von Sydow) to finance a westbound expedition. Failing this, he turns to Spain's Queen Isabella (Faye Dunaway), who is entranced by Columbus' near-religious fervor. After the famous 1492 expedition, Columbus is bankrolled for future forays into the New World, which win him both adulation and vilification. Originally telecast May 19 and 20, 1985, Christopher Columbus was filmed on location in Spain, Malta and the Dominican Republic, making full use of a $15 million budget. It isn't an earth-shattering cinematic experience, but is lots more worthwhile (and less ponderous) than the brace of Columbus biopics inflicted upon movie audiences in 1992. Those concerned with political correctness should be satisfied with the film's second half, which explores the more sinister elements of chauvinistic colonization. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this horror film an influential family, whose wealth comes from Nazi gold, in San Francisco must preserve an ancient evil rite that enables them to keep a supernatural power under their control. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

David Lynch wades through dark waters in his adaptation of Frank Herbert's cult science fiction novel. In condensing Herbert's rambling and complex book by eliminating characters and compacting events, Lynch succeeds in rendering the story incomprehensible to those unfamiliar with the novel and making the film look like a sketchy greatest hits collection of the book for Herbert fans. The story takes place in the year 10,191. The universe is governed through a system of feudal rule, presided over by Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV (José Ferrer), who appears to take his marching orders from something that resembles a talking vagina. In the kingdom are two rival houses -- the House of Atreides and the House of Harkonnen. Each house is trying to gain dominion over the universe, but that dominion can only be gained by the house that controls the Spice, a special substance that permits the folding of time. The Spice is only available on the desert world of Arrakis, or Dune. Shaddam, tired of the feuding between the two houses, permits the Atreides to take over the Spice production on Dune, while secretly working with the Harkonnens to launch a sneak attack on the Atreides and destroy them. The leader of the Atreides is Duke Leto (Jürgen Prochnow), who rules with the help of his concubine Jessica (Francesca Annis) and son Paul (Kyle MacLachlan). The rival Harkonnens are headed by the pus-oozing degenerate Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Kenneth McMillan, in a thoroughly through-the-roof performance) and his two unsavory nephews, Rabban (Paul L. Smith) and Feyd (Sting). When his father is murdered by the Harkonnens, Paul escapes to Dune, where he is greeted by the Fremen (the desert dwellers on Dune who prepare the Spice) as the messiah foretold in Fremen legend. Paul assumes the mantle of messiah and leads the Fremen in a revolt that topples the balance of power in the universe. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Barry Bostwick plays the Father of Our Country in this 3-part, eight-hour TV miniseries. The Richard Fielder/Jon Boothe teleplay, based on a book by James Thomas Flexner, covers the years 1743 through 1783, tracing Washington from age 11 to his farewell to the troops at Valley Forge. A great deal of screen time is devoted to Washington's alleged early romance with Sally Fairfax (Jaclyn Smith), the wife of George's best friend (David Dukes). Martha Washington, who never goes anywhere near a candy store during the film, is played by Patty Duke Astin. Filmed on the actual locations where the Washington saga occurred, the production earned five Emmy Award nominations. Originally telecast April 8, 10 and 11, 1984, George Washington was followed in 1986 by George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation (see entry 82309) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This lavish retelling of the story of the Hebrew strong man and history's most famous lady barber was based in part on the Old Testament, in part on Eric Linkletter's book Husband of Delilah, and in great part on the same-named 1949 Cecil B. DeMille movie epic. Newcomer Anthony Hamilton stars as Samson, who uses his awesome strength--not to mention the jawbone of an ass--to safeguard his fellow Hebrews from the persecution of the Philistines in the 11th Century BC. Fascinated by Samson, Philistine harlot Delilah (Belinda Bauer) pretends to fall in love with him so that she may learn the source of his muscle power. Upon discovering that his mightiness stems from his flowing mane of hair, Delilah drugs Samson's wine and pulls out the shears. Bald and blinded, Samson is transformed from the savior of his people into an enslaved object of Philistine ridicule. But redemption is at hand, and by film's end practically the entire cast has been entombed in the rubble wrought by Samson's final, desperate feat of strength. Victor Mature, who of course played Samson in the 1949 film, was coaxed out of retirment to portray Samson's father, while Max Von Sydow, who Biblical-movie credits include the part of Jesus in The Greatest Story Ever Told, delivers an impressively subtle performance as the Philistine governor. Filmed in Mexico, Samson and Delilah originally aired April 1, 1984, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide