Robert Carricart Movies

In this blend of fantasy and romantic comedy, a man isn't sure if he's stuck between past and present or if his imagination is simply working overtime. Edward (Jon Voight) is a prince in Medieval Europe, where his greatest rival is his brother Roni (Armand Assante). Roni wants to declare war on neighboring kingdoms, while Edward believes in keeping the peace, and both are in love with a beautiful gypsy named Dahlin (Eileen Davidson); only the frequent intervention of their father, the King (Wilford Brimley), keeps the two from killing each other. Or at least that's how it seems until Edward wakes up. It seems that his name is really James, he's the host of a talk show in Los Angeles, and he keeps having a recurring dream in which he and his co-workers are characters in a tale of knights in shining armor. Eric, his boss, looks just like the King, and Roni is a dead ringer for Sean, a high-powered businessman who is organizing a hostile takeover of James' company. However, things really start to get interesting for James when he meets Valerie, who is directing a television commercial at James' studio. She bears a striking resemblance to Dahlin the gypsy girl, and James can't help but tell her that she's the girl of his dreams. But are they really dreams, or memories of a past life? Eternity was Jon Voight's first film in three years; he also co-wrote the screenplay with director Steven Paul and Dorothy Koster Paul. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

It's advisable to know from the beginning of The Milagro Beanfield War that "milagro" is the Spanish word for "miracle". The scene is a rundown Hispanic community in New Mexico, bordering a posh housing development. In full control of the local water rights, the powers-that-be are secure in the belief that they'll be able to expand their development without resistance from the locals. No one can foresee that impoverished farmer Chick Vennera, during a burst of frustrated rage, will accidentally open a heretofore hidden sluice, thereby providing free water for his beanfield. At first, the locals are against Vennera's "insurrection", reasoning that the new housing development will provide jobs. But with the help of John Heard, a burned-out 60s activist who now runs the community newspaper, Vennera becomes the hero of the hour, the spiritual leader of an ever-growing "no development" movement. The evil land developers send their minions to intimidate or coerce Vennera; each time, however, he is seemingly protected from harm by Divine intervention. When Vennera is forced to shoot a trespasser on his land, it looks as though his luck has run out. Chased into the hills by private detective Christopher Walken, Vennera is once more rescued in the nick of time by what appears to be a miracle. And there are more wonders to behold before fadeout time! Whimsical yes, but thanks to its hand-picked ensemble cast (including Sonia Braga, Ruben Blades, James Gammon, Daniel Stern, Freddy Fender, M. Emmett Walsh and Melanie Griffith) the film remains totally credible throughout. Adapted by John Nichols and David Ward from Nichols' own novel, Milagro Beanfield War may be the most likeable "liberal-tract" film of the 1980s. Robert Redford's appropriately Capraesque direction is matched by Dave Grusin's vibrant Oscar-winning musical score. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This made-for-TV movie relates the true story of the infamous Donner Party, the group of unlucky pioneers who were stranded in the Rockies by a snowstorm and had to eat the bodies of the dead to survive. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

Made for television, The Mark of Zorro is virtually a scene-for-scene remake of the 1940 Tyrone Power theatrical film--the principal difference being that, where Power's version ran 93 minutes, the TV version blurs along at a mere 78 minutes. Frank Langella plays Don Diego, the supposedly foppish Spanish California nobleman who fights for the people's rights in the guise of Zorro. Ricardo Montalban appears in the Basil Rathbone role as the evil oppressor whom Zorro eventually bests with his sword. Gilbert Roland is cast as Zorro's father, allowed a bit of swashbuckling on his own (the 69 year old Roland is astonishingly athletic). Alfred Newman's pulsating score from the original Mark of Zorro is cleverly redeployed in this remake. What's missing in the 1974 Mark of Zorro is the freshness and virtuosity of the earlier film's director Rouben Mamoulien; and, in all due respect to his considerable talent, Frank Langella is no Tyrone Power. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The title of this Mission:Impossible episode refers to a Gypsy tribe indigenous to the European country ruled by youthful King Victor (Barry Williams). Intent upon seizing the throne, Regent General Aragas (Mark Richman) hatches a scheme to murder the young monarch and to frame Victor's uncle for the crime. To prevent this, the IMF kidnaps Victor and turns the boy over to a pair of gypsies--actually IMF agents Paris and Zorka (Margarita Cordova). Written by Laurence Heath, "Gitano" first aired on February 1, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This combination romantic comedy and political satire finds fashion photographer Ben Morris (James Garner) traveling to Latin American for an assignment with the beautiful model Alison (Eva Renzi). Their arrival in a small village draws suspicions from Colonel Ceyala (Fabrizio Mioni). The Colonel is out of favor with his superiors, and quickly tags the shutterbug as a CIA agent. The couple is stranded when the adventurer guide Ryderbeit (George Kennedy) hijacks their helicopter after shooting the pilot. Alison and Ben unwittingly buy a map to a lost diamond mine, and Ben is suspected of killing the copter pilot. Ryderbeit returns to get his hands on the map and finish off the lost couple, now comically lost in the dense jungle. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

In this romantic comedy, a rebellious East German athlete forgoes her dowdy uniforms in favor of daring miniskirts. Soon the leggy track star attracts a lustful villain. To escape, she pole vaults over the Berlin Wall. There she is befriended by a broke black marketeer who has secretly agreed to return her to the communists in exchange for badly-needed money. He hides her in the apartment of an old army buddy of his who secretly works for the CIA. The smuggler is preparing to turn the girl over when he realizes that he is in love. The fellow is still busted and so tries to convince his pal to let her work for the CIA. When the athlete learns about this, she is crushed and decides to return to East Germany. Later, to prove he does love her, the smuggler dresses in drag and sneaks into East Berlin to see her. The woman is bowled over and together, they creep back into West Germany. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this service comedy set during World War II, Capt. Cash (Dick Shawn) and Lt. Christian (James Coburn) are given orders to invade a small but strategically important village in Sicily. To their surprise, none of the natives offer the slightest resistance to the Americans taking over their town, who present only one stipulation -- the main event on the town's annual social calendar, a football match followed by a wine festival, is scheduled to happen in a few days. If the Americans would be kind enough to let them have their party, they'll hand over the town without a fight. Cash and Christian think that this plan sounds reasonable enough, and a few days later they and their men are drunkenly whooping it up with the townspeople when both German and U.S. surveillance planes spot the festivities. Thinking the wild party looks more like some sort of battle, both the Germans and Americans make plans to send in troops. Screenwriter William Peter Blatty would enjoy greater success a few years down the line with The Exorcist, a novel about a different sort of conflict. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this western, a world-weary bounty hunter begins working for an avaricious crook who wants to destroy the good name of a little town so that the railroad will be built across his land. To enact his plan he brings a notorious gambler to town. He also establishes a brothel in the saloon. The sheriff and the good townspeople protest, but the villain takes care of him. This angers the bounty hunter, who has come to like the lawman and he turns against his boss. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Lorelai Mason (Joanna Miles) is the only witness when two brilliant but unbalanced psychology students, Casey Nystrom (William Katt) and Bob Viliano (Jim Borrelli), murder their professor and dump his body into the harbor. To prevent Lorelai from talking, the two cunning killers begin playing "mind games" with the hapless girl, the better to drive her insane. But Lt. Kojak (Telly Savalas) knows a few psychological-warfare tricks of his own. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this adventurous chase film, three orphans head for the US. Unbeknownst to them, they carry with them important information--information the man who killed their father is desperate to retrieve. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this western, the sole survivor of an Apache ambush rides out to save a young boy who has been captured. The hero was a captured outlaw en route to his trial. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Hanley (Rick Jason) places his confidence in a Free French guide named Massine (Peter Whitney) when the platoon is assigned to a dangerous mission behind enemy lines. But Massine with fulfill his end of the job on one condition: that he and his fellow Underground members are allowed to raid a Nazi ammunition depot. It is a praiseworthy goal--and it is also strictly against Hanley's orders. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide