Ray Walston Movies

Inasmuch as Gunsmoke star James Arness was the protégé of movie luminary John Wayne, it is altogether fitting and proper that Arness step into Wayne's role in the 1988 TV-movie remake of the film classic Red River (1948). The remake follows the original slavishly, at least during the first half. Taciturn, no-nonsense trail boss Arness, in charge of a major cattle drive, runs roughshod over his hired hands. The trail boss' adopted son (Bruce Boxleitner playing the role essayed by Montgomery Clift in the original) finally rebels against the old man's tyranny and signs on with a rival outfit. Gregory Harrison, who also co-produced the film, co-stars as the hot-headed character played by John Ireland back in 1948. Incredibly, Arness is largely absent in the closing scene of the TV version of Red River (1988), thereby weakening the story's fabled showdown denouncement. The film pales in comparison to the original, though TV fans will find compensation in the presence of several former western-series stars (Guy Madison, Ty Hardin, Robert Horton, John Lupton) in supporting roles. Red River (1988) first rode over the TV horizon on April 10, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The sequel to Saturday the 14th, this horror-comedy traces the adventures of nice-guy teen Eddie Baxter (Jason Presson) as he saves the world from the brink of supernatural destruction. After moving into a decrepit, inherited mansion with his family -- a collection of oddballs who eat nothing but junk food yet cling to a Leave It to Beaver sense of normalcy -- Eddie is the only one to notice the mysterious mists that spill up from the basement and engender odd behavior in everyone but himself and lovable old Gramps (Ray Walston). The entire family, from Eddie's dad (Avery Schreiber) to his freeloading Aunt Alice (Rhonda Aldrich), soon begins conducting late-night chocolate-fudge sculpture classes in the kitchen. Chairs begin eating people, Aunt Alice spouts werewolf-style facial hair, and monsters begin issuing forth from a crack in the basement floor. Soon, a leggy blond vampire named Charlene (Pamela Stonebrook) has taken up residence in the Eddie's room; she tells the boy he's set to inherit the mantle of darkness from a fiend known as The Evil One (Leo V. Gordon) at the stroke of midnight on Saturday the 14th. As signs and portents proliferate, Eddie must decide whether to reject temptation or bask in his newfound powers. Help arrives unexpectedly in the form of Leonard Cavendish (Phil Leeds), Gramps' deceased best friend. Saturday the 14th Strikes Back co-star Avery Schreiber spent much of the '80s being distracted by the hearty crunch of Doritos snack chips in a long-running series of TV commercials. Audiences will remember Ray Walston from his role as Uncle Martin in the '60s TV show My Favorite Martian, while veteran comedy player Phil Leeds would go on to play tooth-obsessed Judge Happy Boyle on the '90s Fox comedy Ally McBeal. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

While taking a train trip from L.A. to Chicago, mild-mannered George Caldwell (Gene Wilder) makes the acquaintance of Hilly Burns (Jill Clayburgh). As they indulge in a brief bit of spooning, Hilly tells George that her boss is on the verge of exposing a group of vicious art forgers. Later that evening, George sees the body of Hilly's boss being thrown off of the train. Detective Sweet (Ned Beatty) agrees to investigate, but he too is bumped off. The instigator of these outrages is master forger Roger Devereau (Patrick McGoohan), who, with his crony Mr. Whiney (Ray Walston) is planning a particularly diabolical crime. Worse still, they take Hilly prisoner so she can't tip off the cops. When George is also targeted for elimination, he manages in slapstick fashion to elude the killers. Falling off the train, he ends up being arrested on some trumped-up charge or other by a local sheriff. He makes his escape in the company of petty thief Grover Muldoon (Richard Pryor) -- and that's only the beginning. A box-office smash, Silver Streak paved the way for the equally successful 1980 Wilder-Pryor vehicle Stir Crazy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Producer/director Joshua Logan's long-awaited filmization of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Pulitzer Prize winning musical South Pacific was not the classic that everyone hoped it would be, principally because of some curious creative choices made by the production personnel. Adapted from James A. Michener's best-selling novel Tales of the South Pacific, the film stars Mitzi Gaynor as WAVE officer Nellie Forbush, who while stationed overseas during World War II falls in love with wealthy French planter Emile De Becque (Rosanno Brazzi). The Navy would like DeBecque to help them in a reconnaissance mission against the Japanese, but he refuses; having run away from the outside world after killing a man in his home town, De Becque sees no reason to become involved in a war which he did not start and in which he has no interest. But when Nellie, her inbred bigotry aroused when she discovers that Emile has two mixed-race children, refuses his proposal of marriage, DeBecque, having nothing to lose, agrees to go on the mission. His partner in this venture is Lt. Joseph Cable (John Kerr), who like Nellie is a victim of prejudicial feelings; Cable has previously thrown away a chance at lasting happiness by refusing to marry Liat (France Nuyen), the dark-skinned daughter of Tokinese trader Bloody Mary (Juanita Hall). When Cable is killed and DeBecque is seemingly lost in battle, Nellie, realizing the stupidity of her racism, prays for Emile's safe return. The dramatic elements of South Pacific are offset by the low-comedy antics of "Big Dealer" seabee Luther Billis (Ray Walston). Outside of Walston and Hall, both repeating their stage characterizations, South Pacific suffers from a largely noncharismatic cast. Mitzi Gaynor never rises above cuteness in the difficult role of Nellie Forbush, while Rosanno Brazzi (whose singing is dubbed by Giorgio Tozzi) seems to be striking poses rather than acting as Emile DeBecque. These casting deficiencies might have been ignored had not South Pacific been laboring under an additional handicap: director Joshua Logan's decision to use colored filters in several key scenes, representing the emotions experienced by the actors. The constant color shift is more unsettling than attractive, drawing attention to Logan's technique and thereby taking the audience "out" of the picture. With all this going against it, however, South Pacific has much to be treasured. For one thing, all of Rodgers & Hammerstein's immortal songs--"Some Enchanted Evening," "Bali H'ai," "There is Nothing Like a Dame," "I'm in Love With a Wonderful Guy," "Younger Than Springtime" etc.--are retained, and, as a bonus, a song cut from the original stage production, "My Girl Back Home," is revived herein. In addition, the film is a bonanza for movie buffs who enjoy playing "spot the bit player:" among the supporting-cast ranks are Tom McLaughlin, Ron Ely, Doug McClure, John Gabriel and James Stacy (rumors persist that Joan Fontaine shows up unbilled as a nurse, but we've yet to spot her). Though artistically disappointing, South Pacific ended up one of the biggest box-office gold mines of the 1950s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this courtroom drama set in the near future, the U.S. Supreme Court has recently overturned the Roe vs. Wade decision and thrown the issue of abortion rights back to the individual states. Alabama has subsequently outlawed abortion on demand and has prosecuted Virginia Mapes (Lisa Gay Hamilton) for first degree murder after she opted to terminate her pregnancy. Mapes and her attorney have taken the case to the Supreme Court in hopes of keeping her out of prison, and with the court evenly divided on the issue, newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Joseph Kirkland (Andy Garcia) looks to be the man who will cast the deciding vote in a case that could reinstate a woman's right to choose. Kirkland, however, finds himself surrounded by proponents of both the pro-choice and pro-life agendas, with his fellow justices, his secretary and even his wife trying to influence his vote. Produced for ABC Television, Swing Vote boasts a distinguished supporting cast, including Harry Belafonte, Robert Prosky, Milo O'Shea, Kate Nelligan, Albert Hall, and Bob Balaban. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This performance video is a tribute to the American musical theatre. Includes a collection of memorable songs from various Broadway shows. ~ All Movie Guide

A maddened Roderick Usher (Martin Landau) and his dying sister Madeline (Dimitra Arliss) are the only surviving members of the ancient race of the Ushers in this rendition of the classic Edgar Allen Poe tale. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

When a sex scandal threatens to blow the top off Washington politics, celebrated madame and advice columnist Xaviera Hollander (Joey Heatherton) is drawn into the fray. The hooker at the center of the controversy is a friend, and when the girl conveniently disappears, Xaviera is outraged. Meanwhile, a group of senators attempts to deflect public attention from themselves by holding a series of hearings on sexual excesses in American society. They decide to scapegoat "The Happy Hooker" for her well-publicized exploits, and she is subpoenaed as a hostile witness in their crusade against loose values. Though Xaviera isn’t concerned, her attorney (George Hamilton) warns her that vital issues of censorship and personal freedom are at stake. They fly to Washington D.C., where Xaviera’s irreverent testimony breathes some life into the stuffy proceedings. She tweaks the sensibilities of the senators (David White, Phil Foster, Jack Carter and Ray Walston) and holds their hypocrisy up to the daylight. Halfway through the hearings, Xaviera is kidnapped by an undercover CIA agent (Billy Barty) and pressed into service for her country. She is secretly sent to Miami to seduce a politically important (and impotent) Arabian sheik (Jerry Fischer), and while doing her duty discovers the missing hooker among his harem. Xaviera returns to Washington and triumphantly discredits the senate sub-committee by exposing its members as perverts and white slavers, thus saving erotic freedom for Americans everywhere. Joe E. Ross, Larry Storch and Rip Taylor are among the celebrities who make cameos in this mild ribaldry. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide

Gary Coleman stars as a teen-age angel who must return to Earth to help out three troubled families in order to earn his wings. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

This animated adventure tells of Ralph the talking and motorcycle riding mouse. Episodes include "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" and "Runaway Ralph." ~ All Movie Guide