F. William Parker Movies
- 1991
She Stood Alone is the fact-based story of Prudence Crandall, described by her admirers as "the bravest woman in America." In Connecticut in the 1830s, Ms. Crandall establishes a school for young woman. Upon her acceptance of a black girl for admission, Prudence endures racism, threats, renunciations and mob violence. When the white parents pull their children out, Prudence defiantly opens the doors of her school exclusively for African-American girls. Mare Winningham is excellent, and scrupulously accurate in her period costumes and mannerisms, as Prudence Crandall. Produced by Disney, She Stood Alone was originally telecast as part of NBC's "Education 1st" week in April of 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Set in a busy inner-city emergency room, this made-for-cable television drama follows the struggles of a world-weary surgeon who takes on the hospital administrators whose budget-cutting is affecting his ability to adequately care for his patients. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Lynn Whitfield, (more)
Director Blake Edwards departed from his customary sex farces to direct an unusual satirical Western comedy-thriller. In 1927, legendary lawman Wyatt Earp (James Garner) comes to Hollywood to serve as an advisor to a film studio making a movie about Earp's life. He meets silent screen cowboy star Tom Mix (Bruce Willis). The two stumble upon a murder that has apparently occurred on the set but is linked to a renowned bordello. The aging cowboy and the young actor set off on a series of time-warp misadventures to try to solve the mystery. Along the way, they encounter the shady Alfie Alperin (Malcom McDowell) and the intriguing Cheryl King (Mariel Hemingway). ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, James Garner, (more)
Ellen Barkin stars in this mystical comedy about a detestable male chauvinist temporarily reincarnated into the body of a woman. Steve Brooks (Perry King) foolishly accepts an invite for an evening of debauchery from three former girlfriends, and thinks he's got it made when he shows up to find them waiting for him in a hot tub. Eager to exact revenge on the scoundrel, the women proceed to drown him, and Steve is cast into a purgatory in which two unseen voices are deciding whether to send him to heaven or hell. Steve is given one chance to save himself from damnation -- if he can find a woman alive who actually liked him. To complicate his task and teach him a lesson, Steve is reincarnated as a sexy woman (Barkin), just the type who would have been the target of his cheesy advances. Sloppily adjusting to his new body, Steve (now Barkin) tells people he is the sister of the missing Steve Brooks, and begins working at his old advertising agency as a means toward completing his arduous task. As Steve's sister, he also enlists the help of his best friend, Walter (Jimmy Smits), despite the complication that Walter is noticeably attracted to the woman he has become. Steve's homophobia -- and several of his other hateful traits -- are put to the test. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen Barkin, Jimmy Smits, (more)
- 1982
The chances of burned-out cabbie Reverend Jim (Christopher Lloyd) passing any sort of competency test is roughly equivalent to a snowball's chance of surviving in hell, but that's just what he must do in this episode. Upon learning that his late father has left him three-and-a-half million dollars in his will -- but with certain very rigid conditions: Jim must prove he is of sound mind, and fast! He must also dress and act like something resembling a normal human being, and for help in this matter he turns to the most "normal" people he knows: Alex (Judd Hirsch)...and Louie (Danny DeVito)? ~ All Movie Guide
Terms of Endearment covers three decades in the lives of widow Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter Emma (Debra Winger). Fiercely protected by Aurora throughout childhood, Emma runs into resistance from her mother when she marries wishy-washy college teacher Flap (Jeff Daniels). Aurora is even more put out at the prospect of being a grandmother, though she grows a lot fonder of her three grandkids than she does of her son-in-law. Flap proves that Aurora's instincts were on target when he enters into an affair with a student (Kate Charleson). Meanwhile, Emma finds romantic consolation with an unhappily married banker (played by John Lithgow, who registers well in a rare "nice guy" performance). As for Aurora, she is ardently pursued by her next-door neighbor, boisterous astronaut Garrett Breedlove (Jack Nicholson). After 75 minutes or so of pursuing an episodic, semi-comic plotline, the film abruptly shifts moods when Emma discovers that she has terminal cancer. Terms of Endearment won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay for TV veteran James L. Brooks making his first feature film, Best Actress for MacLaine, and Best Supporting Actor for Nicholson. It was followed by a sequel, The Evening Star (1996), which again featured MacLaine as Aurora. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, (more)
- 1977
It seemed like only yesterday that Bob and Emily celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary (actually, it was in an episode which aired approximately ten months earlier, in February of 1977). And now here they are, blowing out the candles on their tenth anniversary cake. On this momentous occasion, both Bob and Emily wonder what life would have been like had they married other people -- and a brace of fantasy sequences shows them what life would have been like. The supporting cast features Morgan Fairchild as Linda Bianca and E. William Parker as Marcus. Written by Lloyd Garver, "Grand Delusion" first aired on December 17, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1983
- PG
A cautious single mom and a frustrated writer dance around the prospect of getting together in this romantic comedy. Caustic, difficult Emily (Susan Sarandon) lives with her potty-mouthed son, Tim (Wil Wheaton), and her obnoxiously bossy mother (Jean Stapleton). Her social life consists of afternoon dalliances with a total cad. When part-time writer/inventor and full-time school security guard Joe (Richard Dreyfuss) passes up the chance to turn Tim in for not meeting the school's residency requirements, a paranoid Emily accuses him of masterminding a blackmail scheme. Unbeknownst to Emily, though, the friendless, fatherless Tim strikes up an unlikely friendship with Joe. Eventually, against her better judgement, so does Emily herself. But when one of Joe's inventions begins to take off, his sadistic ex-girlfriend, Carrie (Nancy Allen), shows up to spoil things. Directed by TV vet Glenn Jordan, The Buddy System was written by future Beaches scribe Mary Agnes Donohue. The film marked the feature debut of future Stand By Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation star Wheaton. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, (more)
- 1982
Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) oversteps his bounds once too often when he arranges for a new state highway to bypass three nearby counties. Outraged over being denied the opportunity to shake down passing drivers for ill-gotten gains, a trio of rival country bosses--Sharkey (Earl Montgomery), Hopkins (F. William Parker) and Bowman (William Bramley)--target Boss for extermination, forcing him to hide out on the Dukes' farm. The outcome of the story hinges on a covert tape recording, courtesy of Vance Duke (Christopher Mayer). Singer Mel Tillis, who'd previously shown up in character role in the episode "The Rustlers", herein appears as himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Steve McQueen's last film concerns a modern day bounty hunter who searches for bail jumpers. Based on real life bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson, the film details his exciting life, traveling from one city to another, trying to track down fugitives and continually risking his life in the process. Buzz Kulik directed the confusing mish-mash that, nevertheless, features stunt work that anticipates the Lethal Weapon series. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, (more)
- 1980
While celebrating their wedding anniversary, George and Louise Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford) have another of their legendary arguments, this time over the subject of George's honesty. After George angrily storms off to spend the night in a hotel, Louise begins to suspect that her husband is up to some extramarital hanky-panky. Her worst fears seem to be confirmed when she heads to George's hotel room -- only to be met by her hubby's secretary. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1977
Working as a volunteer at a neighborhood help center, Louise (Isabel Sanford) tries to find a worthwhile job for ghetto youth Marcus Garvey Henderson. Much against his will, Louise's husband, George (Sherman Hemsley), hires Marcus for one of his dry-cleaning establishments. Not long afterward, a costly suede jacket turns up missing. Ernest Harden Jr. makes his first series appearance as Marcus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1976
When the editor shuts down the newspaper where he works, John-Boy is given the opportunity to start up a periodical of his own. But before he can issue the first edition of the "Blue Ridge Chronicle", he must purchase the old paper's printing press--and thus he takes a full-time job to raise the money. His new responsibility cut into his study time at college, and it seems as though John-Boy's journalism teacher Professor Parks (Paul Jenkins) has no intention of cutting the boy any slack. . .but Parks may not be quite as cold-hearted as he seems. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
The inaugural episode of The West Wing finds the staff concerned with Cuban refugees, and the fact that President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) has injured himself riding a bicycle. Rumors are swirling that Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) will be fired due to heated remarks he made during a television appearance that angered the religious right. Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) is quite concerned about the political ramifications when he discovers that the woman he slept with the night before is a high-priced call girl. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 1985
This made-for-TV drama was inspired by the real-life Toughlove program, set up to help parents of kids with severe alcohol, drug and behavior problems. Lee Remick and Bruce Dern star as a middle-aged couple who have completely lost control of their teen-aged son Jason Patric. When all else fails, the couple joins Toughlove, adhering to the organization's policy of being cruel (but not abusive) in order to be kind. Their story alternates with the travails of Toughlove member Piper Laurie and her suicidal daughter DeDee Pfeiffer (sister of Michelle). Toughlove was originally telecast October 13, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Joe (Tim Daly) insists that he does not want the gang to throw him a birthday party. Evidently everyone takes this insistence as gospel, but Joe still suspects that they intend to spring a surprise on him. When Fay (Rebecca Schull) asks him to remain in the terminal after hours to await a crated shipment of airplane seats, Joe convinces himself that everyone intends to jump out of that selfsame crate and shower him with presents. As it turns out, a surprise has indeed been planned -- albeit for the wrong night! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
In this syrupy drama, a terminally ill priest continues trying to keep his orphanage from closing. Fortunately, a rousing soccer game (featuring the legendary player Pele) saves the orphanage ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
