Anne Gee Byrd Movies

Tom Welles (Nicolas Cage) is a surveillance expert on the rise. He's living the American dream with a wife, Amy (Catherine Keener), infant daughter, and a house in the suburbs of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. After the completion of an assignment for a U.S. Senator, Welles is summoned to the house of a recently deceased captain of industry. His widow, in settling his estate, has discovered an 8MM film in her late husband's private safe. The silent short depicts the apparent murder of a young woman by a large, masked figure, what is known as a "snuff" film. Greatly disturbed by the film's contents, the widow hires Welles to find the identity of the woman and determine if she is still alive. Welles finds the girl's identity and follows her trail from the time she ran away from home to Hollywood. Once there, Welles meets adult bookstore clerk Max California (Joaquin Phoenix) to act as Virgil to Welles' Dante. As the two begin their descent into the world of underground pornography, the detective grows more and more distant from his family, as if he cannot shake the taint of the world in which he now walks. Tom and Max eventually meet pornographers Dino Velvet (Peter Stormare) and Eddie Poole (James Gandolfini). By this time the detective finds he can no longer walk out of the inferno. ~ Ron Wells, All Movie Guide

This made-for-television drama first aired on NBC and was made shortly after the tragic stand-off in Waco, Texas when a conflict between the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and a group of cultist led by charismatic leader and self-proclaimed messiah David Koresh turned into a bloody battle that left the believers' compound burned and many dead. Soon after the dust settled, investigations revealed that the bloodshed may have been unnecessary. Filmed on location, near Tulsa, Oklahoma, the film recounts events before, during and after the catastrophe. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this finale episode of the fourth season of Roseanne, the Conners once again are faced with a grim financial situation. Roseanne loses her job when Rodbell's diner goes out of business and Dan is out of work when he is forced to close his bike shop, Lanford Custom Cycle. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

The press, the police and a neighborhood watch group are swept up in a tsunami of controversy thanks to the actions of an unknown vigilante. Twice in the past week, someone has taken the law into his (or her) own hands--and in the second instance, an innocent black teenager was savagely beaten. Hunter (Fred Dryer) is determined to find the truth of the matter and avert a citywide riot (and incidentally, this episode takes place long before the Rodney King debacle!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Set in a small Maine town in 1883, this made-for-TV production tells the tale of an honest physician's attempt to warn his community about a public hazard that politicians and investors want to hide. The story begins with Thomas Stockman, M.D. (John Glover), who is awaiting results of the university's analysis of a water sample he took from a local spa. The spa promises to bring the town a windfall of tourist dollars, but he suspects that illnesses among the first users of the spa resulted from contaminated water. When the university confirms the presence of "infectious organic matter," Dr. Stockmann proposes to publicize the report and close the spa in order to make improvements that will purify the water. He believes the public will embrace him as a hero for discovering the pollution. But his brother, Mayor Peter Stockmann (George Grizzard), insists that the spa remain open, calling his brother a niggling busybody who would ruin the town with a false report. Besides, it would cost an enormous sum to rectify the problem. At first, a reform-minded newspaper editor, Hovstad, backs the doctor, saying his report will not only disclose the problem at the spa but will also expose corruption among local power brokers who back the spa. But Hovstad withdraws his support after the mayor tells him the loss of tourism would force merchants to curtail their newspaper advertising. Meanwhile, the townspeople turn against the doctor because the mayor claims the spa improvements would force a substantial tax increase. At a town meeting, almost everyone sides against Dr. Stockmann and agrees to boycott his medical practice. That evening and into the following morning, angry citizens stone the doctor's house as the film moves toward its conclusion. ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide

Kate Jackson had intended to both produce and star in the made-for-TV A Child's Cry, but her busy Scarecrow and Mrs. King schedule forced her to relinquish the leading role to Lindsay Wagner. Wagner plays Joanne Van Buren, a sensitive social worker whose latest charge, young Eric Townsend (Taliesen Jaffe), shows signs of being abused. Running up against several walls of resistance, Joanne nonetheless continues to investigate. She ultimately unearths a shocking truth involving Eric's father, played in image-busting fashion by James Brolin. A Child's Cry debuted February 9, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Young Early McLaren (Steve Shaw) is too shy and withdrawn to make friends. He is also a championship runner, who has never lost a track meet for his school. Despite this athletic accomplishments, Early remains aloof and arrogant, refusing to let anyone get close to him. But when the boy suffers a debilitating accident, he must learn how to stop running -- stop running away from other people, and stop running away from himself. ~ All Movie Guide

The children of Walnut Grove pool their Sunday school funds to purchase an expensive Bible for Reverend Alden's (Dabbs Greer) birthday present. Entrusted with the money, Laura (Melissa Gilbert) and Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson) attempt to double the amount by purchasing, then selling, a supply of patent medicine. Alas, the scheme backfires, and the girls are left without a cent -- and the reverend's birthday is rapidly approaching. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide