Marian Gibson Movies
Newly divorced Emma Moriarty (Sally Field) moves herself and her young son to a small Arizona town, hoping to establish a horse farm. Town pharmacist Murphy Jones (James Garner), the town's most eligible bachelor, develops a platonic friendship with Emma, but he decides to keep his distance when her ex-husband Bobby Jack (Brian Kerwin), who claims he's changed his irresponsible ways, moves back in with her. At a party at Emma's ranch, Murphy and Bobby Jack get into a verbal row, but nothing is settled until Wanda (Anna Levine) shows up with two babies in tow, claiming that Bobby Jack is the father. Once rid of her ex, Emma commisserates with her friend Murphy at his drug store--and is quite surprised to discover that she's fallen in love with the older man, and he with her. Murphy's Romance is a very gentle romantic comedy; even Murphy's cast-away lady friend (Georgann Johnson) behaves like a civilized human being instead of a woman scorned. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sally Field, James Garner, (more)
- 1983
Prominently displaying red-white-and-blue title colors, this subtly patriotic fact-based movie about kids who succeed is dated by the fact that all these daring youngsters are white, without any discernible ethnicity. Dickie (Scott Schwartz) is an enterprising kid on a ranch in southern California who puts his business tendencies to practical use in several successful ventures, aided and abetted by his siblings and other friends. When Dickie & Co. become too successful, they are taken to court by their adult business rivals, but they refuse a lawyer and defend themselves. The kids win their case against their adult competitors and their lawyers, leaving the courtroom to cheers and upraised fists from a sea of youngsters outside. Three years of law school at exorbitant costs, plus a two-year internship and years of moving up a densely-runged ladder -- just to lose to an 11-year old, amazing. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Schwartz, Cinnamon Idles, (more)
Penned by Dan Greenburg, Private Lessons details the plight of a rich, fifteen-year-old boy (Eric Brown) whose French maid (Sylvia Kristel of the Emmanuelle series) is hired to teach him the finer points of l'amour. A contrived subplot involving a blackmail scheme complicates matters but really only serves as padding between the erotic scenes. In the end, the boy ends up wiser for the wear in more ways than one as he learns all the sordid details. Typical of many early '80s adolescent-oriented T & A films, this entry includes plenty of leering nudity and debauchery, although it seems comparatively tame compared with many others. Surprisingly, Private Lessons was a box-office hit at the time of its release; presumably, many film-goers had seen Kristel in her role as Emmanuelle, although they would have been disappointed to learn a body-double stood in during her love scenes in this case. A similarly-themed film, My Tutor, was released soon after. ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvia Kristel, Howard Hesseman, (more)
- 1977
A Southern big shot (Mitch Ryan) runs his local community like a personal fiefdom. His despotism extends to his abusive marriage to Maggie (Jaclyn Smith). Denied her basic rights as a woman and a human being, Maggie tries to file for divorce, only to run up against a corrupt, good-ole-boy legal system. Her only recourse is to escape from Bogen County without attracting the attention of the paid-off police force. The film's feminist trappings do not entirely compensate for the exploitational nature of the script. Made for TV, Escape from Bogen County first aired October 7, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
