Eric Gethers Movies
The storytelling device of the flashback gets an intense workout in this tragic coming of age drama. Mark Harmon stars as washed-up baseball player Billy Wyatt, who is shocked when he receives news that his childhood sweetheart and friend Katie Chandler (Jodie Foster) has committed suicide and left the disposal of her ashes to his judgment. Although Billy and Katie have not kept in touch through the years, he has always carried a torch for her, his first love. On his way home, Billy recalls his past associations with the free-spirited Katie: their first meeting, the time they made love, and conversations they had, mostly during summers at the New Jersey shore. Billy also remembers the adolescent mischief he got into with his best friend Alan Appleby (played by Jonathan Silverman in the flashbacks, Harold Ramis in the present-day), like when each of them ended up sleeping with other's prom date. Billy finally decides to cast Katie's ashes to the wind in the place where they were happiest, by the seashore. Stealing Home was reportedly based on the real-life experiences of its writers, former Second City troupe members and WKRP in Cincinnati writers Steven Kampmann and Will Aldis. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Harmon, Blair Brown, (more)
- 1982
Originally filmed under the title One Starry Night, this CBS TV movie stars Melissa Sue Anderson as 19-year-old University of Washington volleyball champ Molly Rush. In danger of flunking out of school, Molly turns to a tutor for help. Her "mentor" turns out to be 14-year-old math genius Harry Woodward (Doug McKeon), who has been enrolled in the university under a special early entry program. Much to the surprise of both protagonists, Molly and Harry fall in love -- a state of affairs that does not please Molly's otherwise easygoing jock boyfriend, Dunc Widdoes (Steven Bauer, here billed as Rocky Bauer). An Innocent Love initially aired on March 2, 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
