Jimmie F. Rodgers Movies
- 2009
- PG13
An aging farmer fights to keep the home that is rightfully his after fleeing from a nursing home and discovering that his son has leased the family farm to his old nemesis. Placed in a nursing home by his son and promptly forgotten, Abner Meecham (Hal Holbrook) realized that waiting to die was no way to live. Determined to enjoy his last days, Abner packed his bags and set his sights on the family farm. At least there he could die on his own land, in familiar surroundings. But Abner is in for a rude awakening, because upon returning home he discovers that his son has leased the farm to Lonzo Choat. Abner never cared much for Lonzo, and when Lonzo refuses to leave, Abner takes up residence in an old tenant shack on the property. Before long, their dispute becomes volatile, each man believing himself to be in the right, and refusing to back down from his position. Betrayed by his son and haunted by dreams of his beloved deceased wife, Abner draws a line in the sand in an attempt to reclaim his life. As threats are made and tension begins to brew, it's only a matter of time before the situation turns savage. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hal Holbrook, Ray McKinnon, (more)
This poignant and carefully researched documentary takes a stark look at the harsh realities behind the oft-romanticized view of the train-hopping Depression-era hobo. Of those habitual rail riders, 250,000 thousand were children and adolescents, many of whom were forced to hit the road not for fun and adventure, but out of brutal necessity. The filmmakers got their stories from the reminiscences of 10 former vagabonds (including a female, an African American, and one 72-year-old who continues hopping trains) and archival government and newsreel footage to create an accurate, at times wrenching, view of the wanderers's struggle to survive. The soundtrack includes period folk music from such artists as Woody Guthrie. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary on one of the most famous cult figures of the 1960s is the debut feature of writer-director Paul Davids. It chronicles the last days of the famous counter-culture advocate of LSD and other mind-altering drugs. As Timothy Leary learns that he has inoperable prostate cancer and makes preparations for what he describes as the "ultimate trip," the film features recollections of Leary's bizarre odyssey, primarily by the former Guru Ram Dass, Richard Alpert. Poet Allen Ginsberg is also featured. Leary himself spins bizarre conspiracy theories about the 1960s while telling the press that he is planning to broadcast his death over the Internet and have his head cryogenically frozen. The grisly ending actually shows the decapitation of the dead man's head, but it's not clear whether it really took place or was staged for the camera. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
John Waters does a quirky spin on '50s nostalgia in Cry-Baby, his musical homage to Rebel Without a Cause and Romeo and Juliet. Set in Baltimore in 1954 at the birth of rock & roll, the film features Johnny Depp as Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker. Depp is pure charisma as a juvenile delinquent with a permanent tear slithering down his cheek, a reminder of his state-executed parents. In the depths of his despair appears goody-goody girl Allison (Amy Locane), who has a sexual crush on Cry-Baby. But Allison's Pat Boone-like boyfriend, Baldwin (Stephen E. Miller), the leader of the squares, is dead set against Cry-Baby and the rest of the juvenile delinquents and leads a revolt against them. In the resultant riot, the juvenile delinquents are blamed for the chaos, and Cry-Baby finds himself dispatched to reform school. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Depp, Amy Locane, (more)
In this WW II actioner, three soldiers are assigned to gather desperately needed information about Japanese occupation in the Philippines as the US prepares a major attack. During their arduous jungle journey, the soldiers lose their radio transmitter. Now totally on their own, the two not only succeed with their mission, they also manage to capture a Japanese outpost. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1961
John Fox Jr.'s popular 1906 novel has been filmed several times, and converted into a number of theatrical presentations. The 1961 edition of Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come stars singer Jimmy F. Rodgers as a confused young man growing up in 1860s Kentucky. Sheltered from his brutal guardian by a friendly schoolmaster, Rodgers learns to love the tiny village of Kingdom Come and has no inclination of leaving. But when the Civil War breaks out, Rodgers finds himself at odds with most of his friends by joining the Union Army. His wartime experiences force Rodgers to grow up in a hurry, and he returns to Kingdom Come with a whole new outlook on his future existence. Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come was elaborately produced, but failed to establish Jimmy Rodgers as a movie star. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jimmie F. Rodgers, Chill Wills, (more)
