Maxwell Caulfield Movies

The art of the geisha dates back seventh century Japan, in which women served as both entertainers and attendants to men in small private performances. While the geisha is often thought of as a romantic relic of Japan's history, the truth is that women still practice the geisha art today, though it has changed with the passage of time and due to the often mistaken perceptions of the West. Documentary filmmaker Miyuki Sohara examines the role of the geisha in 21st Century Japan in Hannari: Geisha Modern, which captures performances from a handful of contemporary geisha that attest to the skills as a dancer and vocalist that are demanded by their repertoire. While focusing on several modern performers (some of whom use the internet to market themselves), the film also features interviews with a handful of veteran geisha who explain the subtle but significant ways in which the nature of the performance and its place in Japanese culture has evolved. Hannari: Geisha Modern features narration by actor Maxwell Caulfield. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Based on Atticus, a novel by Ron Hansen, this Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation stars James Coburn as widowed Colorado rancher Atticus Cody. In the months since Atticus' wife was killed in a car accident caused by his artist son Scott (Paul Kersey), the boy has ached for his father's forgiveness. Alas, though he still loves his son, Atticus is by nature taciturn and distant, and is unable to reach out to the grieving Scott. Upon discovering that his father has kept the wreckage of the "death car" on his ranch, the confused Scott decides that no closure is possible, whereupon he returns to the dusty Mexican village that has long been his home. Later, Atticus receives word that Scott has committed suicide--and upon arriving in Mexico, it is his turn to suffer the pangs of guilt, thanks to the relentless remonstrations of Scott's girlfriend Renata (Lisa Zane). But nothing is quite what Renata makes it out to be, as Atticus discovers to his astonishment upon hearing a cache of "audio letters" recorded by Scott just before his death. A delicate blend of domestic drama and "whodunit", Missing Pieces debuted February 6, 2000, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The uneasy relationship between a naive shrink and the psychotic husband of one of her patients forms the basis for this thriller. After poor Veronica runs screaming hysterically from a theater she is placed in an asylum. Dr. Marcia Stevens who did the initial observations of Veronica places the distraught woman under the care of Dr. Lisa Kelner, an innocent young psychiatrist in the midst of her residency. Dr. Kelner soon learns that Veronica is being abused by her husband Adam Cestare. Despite strict hospital regulations forbidding personal contact the intrigued young Dr.. visits the husband. Lisa is entranced by the charismatic Adam. For a psychiatrist she is incredibly gullible and masochistic. When Adam sees Dr. Lisa accidentally murder someone, he begins to blackmail her and mold her to suit his will. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara becomes this sprawling historical epic. As in Shaara's novel, director Ronald Maxwell focuses on a handful of major players to dramatize the events of July 1863, when the armies of the Union and Confederacy clash at the small Pennsylvania town of the title. Among them are Martin Sheen as General Robert E. Lee, who disagrees with his top advisor, General James Longstreet (Tom Berenger) over battle strategy, and Jeff Daniels as Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a college professor whose unorthodox techniques save the day (and possibly the war) for his beleaguered army. Other cast standouts include Richard Jordan in his final film appearance as the ill-fated General Lewis Armistead, and cameo roles for Civil War buff Ken Burns and media mogul producer Ted Turner. Filmed on-location at Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg was shot as a television miniseries for Turner's TNT cable channel, but earned a limited theatrical release. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Jerry Orbach makes a return appearance as Boston private eye Harry McGraw. Deep in Kentucky Horse Country, Harry investigates the murder of horse owner Randolph Sterling (Kevin McCarthy), who had been embroiled in a feud with his neighbor Lamar Morgan (Gregory Walcott) concerning a stud fee and two unexpected foals sired by one of Sterling's thoroughbreds. Real-life attorney Melvin M. Belli is appropriately cast as a judge. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

From director Tim Hunter and writer Darren Star, this is the feature-length pilot episode of the popular Fox teen drama Beverly Hills 90210. For the first time, viewers are introduced to Brandon Walsh (Jason Priestley) and Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty), 16-year-old brother and sister twins who've just moved to Southern California from suburban Minnesota. Initially culture-shocked, the pair soon find comfort in new friends Steve Sanders (Ian Ziering), Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth), Andrea Zuckerman (Gabrielle Carteris), and Donna Martin (Tori Spelling). But after the gang attends a party together, trouble abounds. Brandon is suspected of sleeping with nice-girl Marianne (Leslie Bega), Brenda falls for a 25-year-old who is unaware of her age, and Steve's car is wrecked by naïve freshman David Silver (Brian Austin Green). ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Alfre Woodard plays a Los Angeles DA who moves back to her home town of New Orleans. She does this so that her teenaged son (Keith Williams) can be nearer to his estranged dad (Mario van Peebles). No sooner has Woodard arrived in "The Big Easy" than she is swept up in a local sex scandal. While the main plot is resolved, several secondary story lines are left unresolved, suggesting that Blue Bayou was the pilot film for an unsold series. The film was written by LA Law's Terry Louise Fisher and directed by Cagney and Lacey's Karen Arthur. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth-season opener of Murder She Wrote, mystery writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), who has sent so many murderers to prison in the past, finds herself behind bars with a murder rap hanging over her head. Naturally, Jessica is innocent: she merely witnessed the assassination of a Bulgarian spy. Even so, is locked up as the Number One Suspect--but it's actually a clever ruse concocted by Jessica's nephew Grady (Michael Horton) and redoubtable British secret agent Haggerty (Len Cariou) to keep our heroine out of harm's way so that they can hunt down the actual miscreant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A WWI film made more as an anti-war protest than as a glorification of the joys of war, this film sees an officer during WWI crack up because of the responsibilities of leading soldiers into war and possible death. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide

This romantic comedy from writer and director Tom DiCillo follows some New York City pals seeking authenticity with the real blonde, a symbol of amorous perfection. Joe (Matthew Modine) is an out-of-work actor struggling for even bit parts in Madonna music videos by groveling in front of a high-powered agent (Kathleen Turner), while his makeup artist girlfriend Mary (Catherine Keener) pays the bills. After six years of cohabitation, Joe's lack of success is wearing on their relationship. In the meantime, Joe's friend and fellow actor Bob (Maxwell Caulfield) has finally hit the jackpot with a role on a soap opera opposite the beautiful Kelly (Daryl Hannah), who just might be the real blonde of his dreams. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

A cut-rate actor tires of trying to boost his career through normal channels and so decides to murder his way to the top in this lurid melodrama. Stand-in Victor Brandt, starts out by killing the rising international star Werner Soehnen during the filming of a historical romance. Sure enough, he gets the lead and ends up on a European estate learning horseback riding tricks from stunt coordinator/aspiring actress Tammy Brandon. She is angry that the part she was to play in the film was stolen by the pill-popping blonde, Crista Kelly. Victor is attracted to Tammy, and simultaneously woos her while continuing to murder the producer and his girl friend. Meanwhile, the mistress of the estate, Greta begins to suspect that something is horribly amiss with Victor. She tries to warn Tammy, but Tammy, thinking that lesbian Greta is only saying this out of jealousy, disbelieves her. Poor Greta doesn't live too long after that. Eventually Crista arrives and is immediately suspicious of the recent deaths. This suspicion leads Victor to tell Tammy the truth, leaving her to decide whether to join or stop his killing spree. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In the sequel to Waxwork, young Mark Loftmore (Zach Galligan) and his girlfriend Sarah (Monika Schnarre) manage to escape the deadly wax museum before it is destroyed. However, one deadly wax hand escapes destruction and follows Sarah home, murdering her stepfather before she manages to destroy it. When Sarah is accused of the murder, she and Mark must travel back in time to stop the still-present evil. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide