Sam Weston Movies
- 1982
- R
This is the R-rated version of the hardcore sex film Dixie Ray, Hollywood Star. It's of somewhat historical significance as being one of the few porno films to feature a name Hollywood actor: Cameron Mitchell. Mitchell doesn't have any sex scenes (thankfully), but he plays a gangster boss (much like his role in My Favorite Year) in this 1940s-set period film. Star John Leslie (who doeshave sex scenes) plays a detective who is hired by a former movie star to find some "indiscreet" photographs of her. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1969
In the conclusion of a two-part story arc, Oliver (Eddie Albert) has dusted off his law diploma and opened a practice in Hooterville with his young and eager partner Brian Williams (Rick Lenz). Their office is Spartan but serviceable: all the partners need now is a good legal secretary. Naturally, Lisa (Eva Gabor) volunteers for the job -- and thus is set in motion a series of misunderstandings that bid fair to set back the legal profession 200 years! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rick Lenz, Bob Hastings, (more)
- 1964
Filmed in Ohio, One Potato, Two Potato was a "critic's darling" film of 1964 dealing with the then-daring topic of miscegenation. White Barbara Barrie divorces her husband Richard Mulligan, then falls in love with and marries African-American Bernie Hamilton. When the ex-husband sues for custody of Barbara's child, arguing that a mixed household is an improper place to raise the girl, Hamilton fights for his parental rights in court. But the judge is driven by the prejudices of the era, and the child goes back to its natural father. At the time of its release, One Potato, Two Potato was praised beyond all proportion for its realistic and progressive dissection of race relations. Only a few renegade critics like Judith Crist dared to note that sociologically, the film was still mired in the patronizing Pinky era. Instead of concentrating on the injustices heaped upon black Bernie Hamilton, the film's sympathies are almost totally directed towards poor, put-upon, snow-white Barbara Barrie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Barrie, Bernie Hamilton, (more)
Toward the end of Jerry Lewis's Paramount studio period, Lewis slapped together this bitter comedy about Hollywood phoniness and fame that has to be the most rancid portrait of the Hollywood star system in the Rat Pack era this side of Clifford Odets. When a famous entertainer suddenly is killed in an airplane crash, his team of flunkies -- producer Caryl Fergusson (Everett Sloane), writer Chic Wymore (Phil Harris), press agent Harry Silver (Keenan Wynn), director Morgan Heywood (Peter Lorre in his final film role), valet Bruce Alden (John Carradine), and secretary Ellen Betz (Ina Balin) -- decide to continue their life style by finding a complete unknown and manufacturing him into a Hollywood star. That unknown turns out to be the nervous and inept bellboy Stanley Belt (Jerry Lewis). They train Stanley to become an over-night singing sensation, and despite a disastrous recording session and a failed nightclub performance, the public relations blitz makes Stanley's recording of "I Lost My Heart in a Drive-In Movie" a smash single. So much so that Stanley is given a shot at appearing on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Expecting the worst, Stanley's management team abandons him right before his performance. But Stanley musters up enough confidence to go on the live program alone and manages to surprise his pessimistic ex-staff. A collection of Hollywood celebrities circa 1964 --George Raft, Ed Wynn, Ed Sullivan, Mel Torme, Rhonda Fleming and Hedda Hopper -- make cameo appearances. High spots include an apocalyptic music lesson with voice teacher Dr. Mule-rrr (Hans Conried), Ed Sullivan performing a bizarre impersonation of himself, and an ending that would make even Jean-Luc Godard blush. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jerry Lewis, Ina Balin, (more)
- 1962
Two-bit evangelist Robert Evans (Peter Falk) attaches himself to a wealthy elderly woman named Naomi Freshwater (Patricia Collinge). Evans hopes to inherit Naomi's mansion and convert into a temple -- and to expedite this, he sends her into the next world a bit ahead of schedule. Unfortunately for Evans, he may not be able to enjoy his ill-gotten gains for long: Naomi's niece Laura (Dina Merrill) has arrived in town with plans of her own. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Falk, Dina Merrill, (more)
- 1958
Mark Stevens doubles as star and director of the compact western Gun Fever. Lucas (Stevens) and his partner Simon (John Lupton) set about to capture the renegade white man who caused the deaths of Lucas' parents in an Indian raid. The villain turns out to be Simon's own father Trench (Aaron Saxon), setting the stage for reams of quasi-Freudian dialogue. Larry Storch does a nice semicomic turn as a laconic Mexican, while Jana Davi supplies the love interest. The European prints of Gun Fever were augmented with several steamy sex scenes, with Jana Davi displaying far more than her acting skills. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Stevens, John Lupton, (more)
