S. Lee Pogostin Movies
- 1983
O'Malley (Tom Selleck) is a heavy-drinking, tough biplane pilot flying the skies of China for fun and profit when Eve (Bess Armstrong) seeks him out to help her find her father before he is declared dead and she loses an inheritance to the evil Bentik (Robert Morley). O'Malley does not really want Eve around, but adventure and the challenge beckon. If only their journey together had been sparked by a little excitement, clever humor, snappy dialogue, and seductive romantic chemistry, this bland film would be a different trip altogether. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Selleck, Bess Armstrong, (more)
- 1974
- PG
This martial arts film has an interesting twist. The conflict is over a mythical 30-inch-tall statue with very special properties. Protruding from the sculpture are seven golden needles. If the needles are inserted into a man's body in the precisely right positions, he will become a sexual superman. If the position is incorrect, the man will instantly die. Despite the risks, several men begin fighting over the precious object. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1973
- PG
Originally released as Nightmare Honeymoon, this lurid thriller stars Dack Rambo and Rebecca Diana Smith. Rambo plays a Vietnam vet (he's certainly got the right name for it), while Rebecca is cast as his new bride, an heiress. While on their honeymoon, the newlyweds witness a murder and Rebecca is raped. Rambo's killer instinct quickly rises to the surface. Based on a novel by Lawrence Block, Deadly Honeymoon was to have been directed by Nicolas Roeg, but he ankled the project after less than a week and was replaced by Elliot Silverstein. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
- PG
John Cunningham (James Coburn) is a cold-blooded assassin sent by his superior Ramsey (Burgess Meredith) to murder three people in Europe. He takes off for Spain where he meets a foursome of jet-setting socialites. Sheila (Lee Remick) is a wealthy divorcee who falls for John. Alexi (Patrick Magee) is a former Nazi weasel who has eyes for Sheila. Adrianne (Lilli Palmer) is a social butterfly who plays Cupid for John and Sheila. Sterling Hayden and Claude Dauphin also star in this romantic story of how love can soften a man's stone-cold heart. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Coburn, Lee Remick, (more)
- 1965
The difficulties faced by drug addicts attempting to kick their habits provide the basis of this gritty, realistic drama that was filmed at a real rehab house in Santa Monica, California. The story centers on Zankie (Alex Cord), an ex-con who is having trouble following the strict rules of the house. Soon he finds himself involved in an affair with another inmate, an ex-hooker (Stella Stevens). She is only supposed to monitor and assist with his recovery, not get emotionally involved. When Zankie gets into a fight with another patient (Chuck Connors) both he and the girl leave the center. Soon after leaving, he begins looking for more drugs and dies of an overdose in a cheap hotel. The ex-hooker then returns to the rehab house to resume her own treatment. Synanon, the model for the rehab-house of this 1965 feature, was a large ex-addict-run (and ex-con-run) enterprise which expanded its operations steadily over the next decade. It was famous for its harsh "tough-love" policies and its high success rate and would have continued its high-profile role in the rehab industry except that it became embroiled in several scandals in the late 1970s, effectively closing its doors well before the Reagan era. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edmond O'Brien, Chuck Connors, (more)
Unable to get through to a particularly hostile patient, psychiatrist Peter Falk goes to gray-haired senior shrink Sidney Poitier for advice. This prompts Poitier to recall his experiences during World War II. While working on behalf of the government, Poitier was assigned the case of psycho Nazi sympathizer Bobby Darin. A complex flashback structure reveals the various influences that led to Darin's warped state of mind and to his life of crime. Poitier perceives that Darin is potentially dangerous, and insists that he needs further treatment. The government sees things differently, and allows Darin, who on the surface shows signs of recovery, to leave the hospital. The horrible results of this decision serve to convince Poitier to follow his own gut feelings no matter what his fellow "experts" might advise, and to continue probing even the most recalcitrant or deceptively "cured" of patients. Essentially a conformist psychological melodrama, Pressure Point truly comes to life whenever Bobby Darin is on the screen. His performance was outstanding, far better than his Oscar-nominated turn in 1963's Captain Newman MD. Unfortunately, the critics were aligned against Darin, possibly because of the singer/actor's well-publicized arrogance; Judith Crist went so far as to compare Darin to Dr. Samuel Johnson's walking dog, quipping that the most remarkable aspect of Darin's performance was not that he did it well, but that he did it at all. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sidney Poitier, Bobby Darin, (more)
