Dennis Murphy Movies
- 1990
Three close friends begin to obsess about infants, breast-feeding, disposable diapers and the like in the made-for-TV Babies. Lindsay Wagner plays a thirtysomething career woman who'd like the responsibilities of motherhood without the complication of a man in her life. Dinah Manoff is a married lady who can't conceive; she tries to convince husband Alan Arkin that adoption is the way to go. And Marcy Walker is carrying a baby who may require delicate prebirth kidney surgery. Babies was first telecast September 17, 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Executive-produced by actor Anthony Edwards, the made for TV Border Line is a showcase for Edwards' ER costar Sherry Stringfield, cast as attorney and single mom Allison Westlin. As the representive of the LA-based Fuller Adoption Agency, Allison has never had any reason to question the integrity of her employers--until she stumbles upon the murder of an Asian woman. Investigating, Allison unhappily concludes that the Fuller Agency has been using illegal strongarm tactics abroad, literally snatching babies from the arms of poor and helpless Asian mothers to service their customers. Working hand in glove with Private Eye Mariano (Christopher Reid) and immigration officer Macivers (James LeGros), Allison puts her own life on the line--not to mention those of her daughter and her Hispanic nanny (Elizabeth Pena)--to see that justice is served. Border Line debuted February 22, 1999 on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Originally aired as a two-part miniseries, this biography looks at the early years of America's most dashing president from his early childhood through his nomination for Congress. It's based on Nigel Hamilton's best-selling biography. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Terry Kinney, (more)
- 2000
A seen-it-all cop takes a walk on the weird side on this offbeat weekly comedy series. Daniel Henderson (Brian McNamara) was a Los Angeles police officer who enjoyed his work with the vice squad (especially when his work required him to dress like a woman) until his wife, an environmental activist, died while trying to save a school of dolphins. Not sure about what to do with his life now that he's a single parent, Henderson is offered a job as the sheriff of Manhattan, AZ, a town so small it doesn't even show up on the map. Henderson takes the position, and along with his teenage son (whose hobbies include looking for porn on the Internet) heads to Manhattan, only to find that the town's mayor, Jake Manhattan (Chad Everett), wasn't quite telling the truth about the full extent of his job; the town has enough eccentrics to make Los Angeles seem like Mayberry. Manhattan, AZ made it's premiere on the USA network on July 23, 2000. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian McNamara, Chad Everett, (more)
- 1994
This black comedy about "keeping up with the Joneses" pits a sophisticated college professor and his schoolteacher wife against their next-door neighbors, a loutish beer-drinking butcher, his wife and their son. As each family's pranks against the other escalate, they also start to get crueler and more destructive. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Based on a true story, the made-for-television movie Runaway Father is about a husband who fakes his death so he can abandon his family. After surviving 20 years of poverty, his wife discovers he is still alive, and she sues him to collect 17 years of back child support. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donna Mills, Jack Scalia, (more)
- 1997
Los Angeles district attorney Jess Kostner (Lori Laughlin) inaugurates her own personal descent into hell when she agrees to prosecute an accused rapist named Sean Ferguson (Tracey Walter). Having just recovered from a nervous breakdown brought about by the mysterious death of her mother, Jess is in no mood to discover that Sean's defense attorney is her own ex-husband Don Shaw (Bruce Greenwood). Things get really dicey when Ferguson's victim Connie (Lauren Tom) refuses to appear in court. Jess manages to persuade Connie to testify, only to be plunged into the abyss of guilt and self-loathing when Connie is "mysteriously" killed just before her testimony. The only positive aspect of this sordid affair is Jess' growing relationship with amiable courtroom spectator Adam Stiles (Joe Flanigan). Ultimately, the trial--and acquittal--of Sean Ferguson is revealed to be an elaborate charade, designed as a prelude to a uniquely perverse form of vigilante justice! Boasting so many plot twists that one virtually needs a scorecard to keep abreast of new developments, Tell Me No Secrets debuted January 20, 1997 on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lori Loughlin, Bruce Greenwood, (more)
Rutger Hauer plays a blinded Vietnam vet who also happens to be an expert swordsman. Twenty years after the war, Hauer finds himself waist-deep in gangsters when he tries to help the son (Brandon Call) of an old army buddy. Along the way, he reforms an ex-comrade in arms (Terrance O'Quinn) who was responsible for the accident that blinded him. Based on a series of Japanese films about a blind samurai (released under the blanket title of Zatoichi). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rutger Hauer, Brandon Call, (more)
- 1977
- R
If there's any validity to the auteur theory, then Alex E. Goiten qualifies. Goiten was producer, director and writer of Cheerleaders' Beach Party, and he's welcome to all the credit. Anticipating the self-mocking Troma Films, this bosom-and-bottomfest plays as much for laughs as for leers. The cheerleaders of the title are so loyal to their team that they romance the rival football players, hoping to undermine them sexually. The stars include Lynn Hastings, Jamie Jensen and Gloria Upton. A gold star to anyone who can tell these ladies apart. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Written by playwright Bill Bozzone, Full Moon in Blue Water stars Gene Hackman as Floyd, the owner of a small bar in a coastal Texas town. Floyd's emotional baggage is awesome: he has never recovered from the death of his wife, he is saddled with his senile father "The General" (Burgess Meredith), and creditors hound him at his fireside. Good-hearted bus driver Louise (Teri Garr) tries her best to offer moral and financial support, as does Floyd's right-hand man, former mental patient Jimmy (Elias Koteas). Strange and unexpected events follow, the upshot of which may leave Floyd even worse off than before. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Hackman, Teri Garr, (more)
- 1991
- R
This semi-spoof of the Orpheus legend stars Chad Lowe and Kristy Swanson as newlyweds whose car is pulled over by Beezelbub (Patrick Bergin), who kidnaps the girl and takes her to Hell. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Bergin, Chad Lowe, (more)
The idea of fusing teen sex-comedy and horror genres into a boffo box-office bonanza seems like classic braindead Hollywood-think... but somehow, beyond all reason, the makers of this film manage to pull it off. Much of the credit goes to director Fran Rubel Kuzui (Tokyo Pop) who chooses wisely to let the jokes and action rip by so quickly that viewers won't have time to realize there's practically nothing going on. Also excellent is Kristy Swanson as the bubble-headed cheerleader who learns from a Van Helsing-ish stranger (Donald Sutherland) that she's, like, the reincarnation of this pure female warrior and stuff, destined to rid the world -- or at least the Valley -- of vampires. No sooner is the Buffster being schooled in the ways of vampire butt-kicking (much to the consternation of meek pretty-boy beau Luke Perry) than the lead vampire (Rutger Hauer) and his leering cronies show up -- and leading up the pack is none other than Pee-Wee Herman himself, Paul Reubens. Fans of this film's popular TV offspring will appreciate the fang-sharp humor but may be surprised to find little evidence of the spooky atmosphere that permeates the series -- though there are some inspired moments, particularly the ridiculous death-by-ruler scene. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, (more)
A Cinderella story turns into a nightmare when a former waitress' perfect marriage gives way to adultery and physical abuse in this combination of domestic drama and revenge thriller. Motherless young woman Slim (Jennifer Lopez) works in a San Francisco diner with her best friend, Ginny (Juliette Lewis). After almost succumbing to the slick flirtation of an insincere customer (Noah Wyle), she is rescued by another dashing diner named Mitch (Bill Campbell). A few years later, the now happily married couple seem to have it all -- a perfect house, a precocious daughter (Tessa Allen), and a comfortable life. Then, Slim discovers that Mitch is actually a lothario who has been sleeping with other women behind her back. When she protests, he slaps her around and uses daughter Gracie as leverage to keep her in line. Slim enlists the help of her friends to escape with her child, though Mitch attacks and very nearly kills her in the process. Going on the lam, Slim adopts a series of new identities, wigs, and residences to avoid the goons Mitch has sent to retrieve her. Along the way, she receives help from Joe (Dan Futterman), a friend and old flame from college. Ultimately, Mitch and his unexpected allies so terrify Slim that she must turn the tables and transform herself from hunted to hunter. In doing so, she receives some surprise assistance of her own -- from Jupiter (Fred Ward), the rich father who abandoned her mother years ago. Although the soundtrack to Enough features the music of star J. Lo, the title song was written especially for the film by Magnolia tunesmith Aimee Mann. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Lopez, Bill Campbell, (more)
Sarny (Allison Jones) is born into slavery and separated from her mother at an early age. She's raised by Dealey (Lorraine Toussaint), who promises early on that "nuthin' too bad" will happen to her young charge. Clel Waller (Beau Bridges), who owns the plantation, is a cruel man, who sees the slaves only in terms of their monetary value. Life on the plantation changes when Clel buys Nightjohn (Carl Lumbly), a hulk of a man, with scars across his back from the whip. Branded as a troublemaker, Nightjohn has trouble earning the trust of the other slaves. But one night when their work is done, he offers to make a trade with Sarny to get some tobacco. In exchange, he begins to teach her the alphabet. Sarny is fascinated and takes to learning with passion, but when the other slaves find out, they are afraid. Old Man (Bill Cobbs) shows Nightjohn how he's been punished for his own literacy; his thumb and forefinger have been chopped off. But Nightjohn explains that he gave up a chance to escape to the North so that he could teach. "Words are freedom, Old Man," he explains. "That's all slavery is: words." Sarny reads the love letters that she delivers from Clel's wife (Kathleen York) to an educated doctor who lives nearby, and she reads Clel's ledger, in which he lists the monetary value of all the slaves. She soon learns that knowledge, for all its dangers, brings a certain power. Nightjohn was directed by venerated independent filmmaker Charles Burnett (To Sleep With Anger) for the Disney Channel. It's based on the young adult novel by Gary Paulsen. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carl Lumbly, Beau Bridges, (more)
This '80s teen comedy involves a youth (Robert Leonard), who is seduced by a sexy schoolgirl and then transforms into a blood-sucking vampire. Instead of fighting his affliction, he tries to cope with the change. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Sean Leonard, Evan Mirand, (more)
