Leonard Hoffman Movies
- 1992
The desperate ploys of unsuccessful salespeople provide the basis of this comedy that centers on "Iowa City" Bob as he tries to sell just one vehicle from his Church of the Used Car lot. The ever-optimistic Bob is sincere and caters absolutely to the opinions of the customers, but still, no one will buy his autos. Also involved in the story are two loud evangelists, Guitar Monte and Snakegirl, who sell salvation. They come to Bob's lot and a find a '78 Pontiac, which they desperately want to own. Unfortunately, they haven't a dime between them, so Bob makes an arrangement with them. They begin working together, and along the way, Bob finds salvation and is compelled to "Sell the Truth." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In this documentary-inspired thriller, P.J. McNeal (James Stewart) is a reporter who is asked by his editor to look into a potential story: their newspaper has been carrying an ad offering a substantial reward for information regarding the murder of a policeman that occurred eleven years ago. It turns out the ad was placed by a cleaning woman named Tillie Wiecek (Kasia Orzazewski); her son Frank (Richard Conte) was convicted of the crime, but she is thoroughly convinced her son had nothing to do with the killing. McNeal doesn't believe for a moment that Frank could be innocent, but he sees a good human interest story in Tillie and writes a piece that receives a great deal of favorable attention. Brian Kelly (Lee J. Cobb), McNeal's editor, thinks there might be more to this story and asks P.J. to look into the original murder case. To McNeal's surprise, Frank passes a lie detector test in which he proclaims his innocence, and the more he digs into records on the case, the more he finds wrong with the original investigation; some evidence is missing, much is inconclusive, and the reporter begins to wonder if Frank might have been railroaded after all, or if the police might be trying to keep something quiet. Call Northside 777 was based on a true story. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Stewart, Richard Conte, (more)
- 1939
In his feature film debut, Glenn Ford plays a department-store clerk who saves up enough money to buy a small patch of land in Arizona. Unable to afford a car, Ford hitchhikes to his new home, and along the way teams up with a transient (Richard Conte) and an illegal alien (Jean Rogers). The girl is torn between both men, but ultimately opts for the clerk. To save the girl from deportation, the clerk marries her, and together they make a new life for themselves in his tiny Arizona homestead. Adapted from a story by Dalton Trumbo, Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence was directed by former silent film star Ricardo Cortez. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Rogers, Raymond Walburn, (more)
- 1939
In this comedy, newlyweds soon discover that life in the fast lane is not as fun as it seems. As they both work for the same advertising agency, they can well afford the high life. They joyfully spend all their money on fast cars, country clubs, and booze. They begin to change their lifestyle after they encounter three social freeloaders who proceed to suck the newlyweds dry. Realizing that their life has caused them to fall deeply in debt, the lovers adopt a saner, slower lifestyle. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stuart Erwin, Marjorie Weaver, (more)
