Ellen Weston Movies

The true story of one of the most unlikely love stories and show biz successes of the '60s is reenacted in this made-for-cable comedy drama. Sonny Bono (Jay Underwood) is a guy determined to get his foot in the door of the Los Angeles music business; he pitches his songs to artists and producers when he's not busy with his day job, and will do nearly anything to climb the ladder of success. In time, Bono makes his way into the session band for famous record producer Phil Spector (Christian Leffler) and gets a job signing acts and producing sessions for a small independent label. But Bono gets his biggest break when he's fixed up on a date with one Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPierre (Renee Faia), who, as it turns out, is a singer struggling to make it in Hollywood. Sonny sees talent in the girl called Cher for short, and he puts his money and career on the line to make a duet record with her. The two also fall in love and are happily married by the time "I Got You Babe" makes them pop stars. But as their career goes through peaks and valleys, so does their relationship, and as their act reaches a crossroads they divorce, forcing both to reestablish themselves on their own. And the Beat Goes On: The Sonny & Cher Story was first broadcast on February 22, 1999. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Professional nurse Rebecca Dubrovich (Shannen Doherty) is swept off her feet by charming millionaire Dick Strang (Tim Matheson), and the two begin a passionate romance. Only when it is too late does Rebecca discover that Strang has, to put it mildly, a dark side: He's a bigamist, a control freak, a pathological liar, and a vicious sadist. Breaking off the relationship, Rebecca is subsequently stalked by the obsessive Strang, who ultimately injures her so severely that she is confined to a wheelchair. During her painful recovery period, Rebecca falls in love with orthopedic surgeon Jerrold Petrofsky (David Bowe), and ultimately dedicates her life to helping other victims of abusive relationships. Based on a true story previously dramatized on the television anthology Unsolved Mysteries and then released in book form, the made-for-TV Sleeping with the Devil originally aired April 22, 1997 on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Country-western singer LeAnn Rimes plays herself in this made-for-TV adaptation of her autobiographical novel. The film charts LeAnn's Nashville childhood, her rise to fame on the nightclub and honky-tonk circuit, and the fulfillment of her lifelong dream: To sing at the Grand Ole Opry. Alas, on the eve of this triumph, LeAnn is forced to make a difficult decision: Should she perform at the Opry as scheduled, or should she remain at the bedside of her dying grandmother? It is up to legendary country vocalist Faith Shawn (Bernadette Peters to help LeAnn sort out this troublesome dilemma. Naturally, LeAnn Rimes does a lot of singing, including an unforgettable duet with Bernadette Peters. Also known as The LeAnn Rimes Story, Holiday in Your Heart first aired December 14, 1997, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This made-for-TV thriller stars Ben Gazzara as a publishing magnate framed for murdering the call girl with whom he was having an affair. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

According to the NBC publicity packet, the made-for-TV Revenge of the Stepford Wives was "based on characters created by Ira Levin" -- specifically, those characters created by Levin for his fantasy-suspense novel The Stepford Wives, which was transformed into a theatrical film in 1975. On this occasion, plucky TV journalist Kay Foster (Sharon Gless) is stranded in the "idyllic" New England community of Stepford, populated exclusively by chauvinistic males and their eerily submissive and subservient wives. With the help of Megan Brady (Julie Kavner), a new arrival to the community who hasn't yet been "conditioned," Kay tries to learn the terrible secret behind the robotic Stepford wives -- and to foment a rebellion against the wicked menfolk. Revenge of the Stepford Wives first aired on October 12, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Queen is a luxury cruise ship, "played" by the Queen Mary in this made-for-TV thriller. The villain has it in for one of the ship's millionaire passengers. Accordingly, he (or she-we're not telling) plans to destroy the vessel and everyone on board. The producer of this all-star disasterfest was-drum roll, please-Irwin Allen. TV movie "regulars" John Gay and David Lowell Rich served as scripter and director, respectively, for Adventures of the Queen, which first sailed into American homes on February 14, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

During a tense hostage crisis, Hondo (Steve Forrest) sustains a slight bullet wound near his temple. At first he insists upon continuing his duties, but before long he is plagued with headaches, dizziness, and near-blindness. Forced to take a leave of absence, Hondo reluctantly leaves the SWAT team in the hands of prickly Lt. Purcell (Frank Aletter), whose methods serve only to alienate the team members. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cameron Mitchell guest stars as police officer Bo Pritchard, a Vietnam War buddy of SWAT team leader Hondo Harrison (Steve Forrest). When team member Deacon Kay is sidelined by an injury, Bo begs Hondo to let him join the unit. Hondo agrees, even though he hasn't forgotten that Bo was a reckless hotshot back in Nam, whose insistence upon being a lone warrior frequently imperiled the lives of his fellow soldiers. What Hondo doesn't know, until it is almost too late, is that the troubled Bo is an emotional ticking bomb. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The S.W.A.T. team is saddled with Meredith Cooper (Darleen Carr), a beautiful but obnoxious reporter from an anti-establishment alternative newspaper. Intent on exposing examples of police brutality, she wangles departmental approval to tag along with the team during the next few days. This, of course, does not sit well with team leader Hondo (Steve Forrest), who is having enough trouble tracking down a particularly vicious band of thieves and kidnappers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Murder in the Slave Trade stars Jimmy Stewart as lawyer/sleuth Billy Joe Hawkins. A sports mogul has been murdered, and the most likely suspect--a washed-up football pro--has been collared. For reasons that Hawkins can't quite fathom, the suspect's courtroom defense is being paid for by the victim's widow. Ellen Weston and Peter Mark Richman are among the guest stars in this 90-minute TV film. Murder in the Slave Trade was originally produced for the Hawkins TV series, and first telecast on January 22, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The 1947 film comedy Miracle on 34th Street starred Edmund Gwenn as a bearded gentleman named Kris Kringle, who was convinced that he was the genuine Santa Claus. The earlier Miracle was good enough as it stood, so why remake it? Still, the full-color 1973 Miracle on 34th Street has the considerable advantage of Sebastian Cabot, his trademarked beard dyed snowy white, as Kringle, so it isn't as bad as expected. The story, which involves the commercial and legal ramifications of the "real" Santa taking a job as a department store Santa at Macy's, was barely updated for the 1970s, meaning that several of the plot devices--including a nasty psychiatrist who has Kringle committed--were somewhat anachronistic. The uplifting final scene, wherein a cynical little girl becomes a true believer of Santa Claus (as do the adults in the story), still works well in the remake, even though Suzanne Davidson isn't in the same league as the original Miracle's Natalie Wood. The TV-movie version of Miracle on 34th Street wasn't too successful, but that didn't stop John Hughes from churning out a second remake in 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Worried that she's losing her powers, Samantha's lookalike cousin, Serena, decides to settle down to mortal-hood. So that she won't have to bother herself with such exigencies as finding honest work, Serena aims to wed Darrin's wealthiest client, Harrison Woolcott (Peter Lawford). Realizing that such a union would be disastrous, Sam tries to break up the romance, only to be beaten to the punch by one Contessa Piranha (Ellen Weston). Written by Michael Morris, "Serena's Richcraft" first aired on January 22, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide