Maggie Blye Movies

A handful of characters, each at emotional crossroads, find their paths leading to Atlanta in this independent drama. Agnes (Clementine Ford) is an actress currently starring in a successful television series. She was born and raised in Atlanta and has come back to town for a role in a film directed by Sean (Faye Dunaway), who is determined to convince her to do a nude scene in the movie. Also in town is Peter (Liam O'Neill), a rock singer whose band is doing a massive homecoming show after enjoying huge success with their latest album. Peter used to date Agnes and still carries a torch for her, even though he's currently occupied with his underage girlfriend, Jen (Sara Stanton), and the local television producers who want him to change his lyrics for a live broadcast of his show. Roland (Chris Rydell), meanwhile, works for Jen's father and has a terrible crush on her, but only knows her from a photo on her dad's desk. Roland also finds his attitudes and perceptions take a sudden detour when he experiences a brush with death. Last Goodbye features an unusual bit of stunt casting -- most of the leading roles are played by young actors who are related to famous stars. Clementine Ford is the daughter of Cybill Shepherd, Liam O'Neill's mother is Faye Dunaway, Susan Stanton is the niece of Harry Dean Stanton, and Chris Rydell's father is the celebrated director Mark Rydell. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Marcello Mastroianni marks his English language film debut in this featherweight caper film directed by first-time director Christopher Morahan. Mastroianni plays the owner of a London boutique who also happens to be the fourth in line to succeed the Russian throne. Mastroianni, feeling that the collection of Russian imperial jewels actually belongs to him, determines to steal them and return them to their rightful owner -- himself. To carry out his plan, he puts together a cadre of pulchritudinous female crooks and arranges for his gal gang to model the imperial jewels at a fashion show. But, as usual, complications set in to mess up his plans. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Tennessee Williams' Broadway play Summer and Smoke (expanded from his one-act piece Eccentricities of a Nightingale) was brought to the screen by adaptors James Poe and Meade Roberts and director Peter Glenville. Geraldine Page repeats her stage role as minister's daughter Alma Winemiller, who lives a spinsterish existence in her WWI-era Mississippi home town. Though her hateful mother (Una Merkel) has nothing but nasty things to say about men, Alma carries a torch for her handsome next-door neighbor and lifelong friend, Dr. John Buchanan (Laurence Harvey). The doctor prefers the companionship of Rosa (Rita Moreno), a "wrong side of the tracks" girl who is as open and freewheeling as Alma is shy and repressed. Desperate for Buchanan's attention, Alma begins behaving with uncharacteristic affection towards him. He misreads her signals and attempts to seduce her. Already on the edge, Alma goes ballistic, literally running out of Buchanan's life. When the doctor throws an engagement party for himself and Rosa, the neurotic Alma tells Buchanan's father (John McIntire) that a wantonly immoral get-together is taking place in the doctor's home--an act of vengeance that has long-range tragic consequences. By film's end, the previously strait-laced Alma, unhinged by previous events, has become as misguidedly passionate as her spiritual sister, A Streetcar Named Desire's Blanche DuBois. Summer and Smoke earned Academy Award nominations for both Geraldine Page and Una Merkel; while Merkel would never win an Oscar, Ms. Page finally collected her statuette for 1985's A Trip to Bountiful. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide