Stanley G. Weiser Movies

James Woods is uncannily convincing as the title character in this all-inclusive cable TV biopic. The script -- which incidentally was concocted by a trio of writers from all parts of the political spectrum -- uses the tragedy of September 11, 2001, as the framework for a series of flashbacks, following Rudy Giuliani (Woods) as he gains prominence in the New York Attorney General's office vis-à-vis his battle against the Mob in 1984. After an abortive bid for the mayor's office in 1989, Giuliani finally gets elected four years later -- but no sooner has he settled into the job than he is beset with controversy involving the alleged racial profiling of New York City's police force. As the years roll on, Giuliani is loved by millions (primarily due to his successful effort to clean up the Big Apple's image) and hated by millions more. Much is made if Hizzoner's domestic travails with second wife Donna Hanover (Penelope Ann Miller), his extramarital affair with Chrystine Lategano (Michelle Nolden), and his bout with prostate cancer. Then come the cataclysmic events of 9/11, from which the beleaguered Giuliani emerges as a larger-than-life heroic figure at a time when his city desperately needs heroes (the film seamlessly blends actual footage of the World Trade Center collapse with re-enactments of the frenzied activity at ground level). Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story was first telecast March 30, 2003, on the USA network. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The key figure in this two-part TV mob miniseries is Mafia snitch Sammy "The Bull" Gravano (Nicholas Turturro). Gravano ratted on John Gotti (Tom Sizemore), who manipulated the 1985 murder of mob boss Paul Castellano (Abe Vigoda). Gravano is seen rising in the mob ranks through various blood-brother ceremonies, coercions, threats, family meetings, and confrontations over loyalties. In part two, informant Gravano blows the whistle on Gotti. Turturro, as Gravano, also narrates the drama, which manages to alter accuracy and bend history behind this disclaimer: "Certain events in this film that are based on fact are interpretive, certain characters are composites or have been fictionalized, and some names and locations have been changed." Premiered May 10, 1998 on NBC. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

"Greed is Good." This is the credo of the aptly named Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), the antihero of Oliver Stone's Wall Street. Gekko, a high-rolling corporate raider, is idolized by young-and-hungry broker Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen). Inveigling himself into Gekko's inner circle, Fox quickly learns to rape, murder and bury his sense of ethics. Only when Gekko's wheeling and dealing causes a near-tragedy on a personal level does Fox "reform"-though his means of destroying Gekko are every bit as underhanded as his previous activities on the trading floor. Director Stone, who cowrote Wall Street with Stanley Weiser, has claimed that the film was prompted by the callous treatment afforded his stockbroker father after 50 years in the business; this may be why the film's most compelling scenes are those between Bud Fox and his airline mechanic father (played by Charlie Sheen's real-life dad Martin). Ironically, Wall Street was released just before the October, 1987 stock market crash. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Comedy falls as flat as a blowout in this film by Joseph Sargent about a down-to-earth trucker (Robert Blake) and the rich and looney witch (Dyan Cannon) he is forced to take on a haul from New York to L.A. Madie (Cannon) is running away from her money-grubbing husband who is conniving to get the most inexpensive divorce he can. Charlie (Blake) the trucker is under pressure from a ruthless creditor and is in desperate need of cash. As the mismatched duo continues in a stressful journey across country, sparks fly but fail to ignite much of anything along the way. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi