Dawn Greenhalgh Movies
- 2001
"Bailey's Mistake" is the apt cognomen for a dismal, virtually uninhabitable island off the coast of Maine. Upon finding that the island was secretly purchased by her late husband, impoverished widow Liz Donovan (Linda Hamilton) heads "down east" to discover just what it was about Bailey's Mistake that compelled the deceased Mr. Donovan to squander all of his money on it. Before long, Liz and her two children are plunged into a mystery of Gothic dimensions, involving such elements as a man with a tail, a woman who calls herself "the Other Mrs. Donovan," a demonic land-grabber, airborne youngsters, eccentric Irish faith healers, a voracious goat, and a drunken cat. Originally aired by ABC as a two-hour episode of the Wonderful World of Disney anthology, Bailey's Mistake premiered on March 18, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Linda Hamilton, Kyle Secor, (more)
- 1999
Canadian filmmaker Christine Richey directs this documentary about the shadowy netherworld of sadomasochism. The film opens with a historical overview ranging from profiles of such notorious figures as Marquis de Sade, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch and Richard von Kraftt-Ebing. Insights include details of the summation of Hitler's bizarre kinks and discussions of S&M's place in the commodity-capitalistic culture of the mid-to-late 20th century. Also featured are a run down on the tools of the trade along with interviews of hardcore devotees, including Toronto native Robert Dante who bitterly complains about his last slave. Tops & Bottoms was screened at the 1999 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dawn Greenhalgh
- 1998
Adapted by Richard Vetere from his own play, the made-for-TV The Marriage Fool served to reunite Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett, the stars of the 1972 theatrical feature Pete 'n Tillie. Matthau is cast as widowed septuagenarian Frank Walsh, whose sedentary lifestyle is shifted into third gear by the arrival in his life of flamboyant, sixtyish widow Florence (Carol Burnett). Falling in love, Frank and Florence try to convince Frank's son Robert (John Stamos) to tie the knot with his own girlfriend, Susan (Teri Polo). Robert not only resists the entreaties of his father, but he also refuses to give his consent to Frank and Florence's planned marriage. Charles Matthau, son of star Walter, directed the film and has a cute cameo role. First telecast on CBS on September 20, 1998, The Marriage Fool has since been released on cable and video as Love After Death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Walter Matthau, Carol Burnett, (more)
- 1997
As she approaches her 40th year, all Viv wants is to have a baby. But despite her many efforts with her husband Paul, she cannot conceive. One day, they meet a mysterious immigrant who pleads for their help. Unable to turn away from his need, Viv brings the poor Markus home. Paul too feels pity and offers Markus food and a place to stay until his life gets better. Meanwhile, Viv struggles harder to get pregnant. Unfortunately, Paul, who is not sure he wants a family so late in life, is hedging. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1997
29-year-old defense lawyer Nick Donahue (Rick Schroder) is still tied to the apron strings of his possessive mother Diana (Judith Light)--so much so that, when he tries to move out of the family home, Diana is able to bind him even tighter by attempting suicide. While visiting Diana in the hospital, Nick meets and falls in love with Abby (Sarah Trigger), his mother's nurse. Ultimately, Nick and Abby marry, much to Diana's dismay. When Abby announces she is pregnant, it is too much for the unbalanced Diana to bear--and thus she promptly begins plotting her daughter-in-law's murder. This fact-based melodrama culminates in an intense courtroom scene, in which accused killer Diana is defended by--guess who? Made for the CBS TV network, Too Close to Home originally aired April 29, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Yasmine Bleeth stars in this "drawn from the headlines" TV movie as Diane Shepherd, the idealistic producer for the bomb-throwing talkfest "The Howard Grant Show." At present, Howard's most controversial guest is Kelly Reilly (Jenny Lewis), a drugged-out prostitute and single mom. Taking a protective interest in Kelly, Diane endeavors to redeem the girl and put her on the right path--an act of largesse that is coldly vetoed not only by the Springer-esque Howard Grant (Peter Scolari), but also by Diane's ratings-driven boss Sadie (Veronica Hamel), who subscribes to the philosophy that "Everyone in this business is a whore--but we're highly paid whores." Like so many other films which try to "expose" the seamier side of the talk-show industry, Talk to Me exudes an air of smug superiority, but Yasmine Bleeth's surprisingly forceful performance compensates the script's self-righteous shortcomings. The film made its ABC network bow on October 20, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yasmine Bleeth, Veronica Hamel, (more)
Victoria Principal stars as a woman twice-victimized in this made-for-TV drama. Principal stars as Anna Forbes, a married woman who is raped by her father-in-law. Traumatized, Anna keeps this secret to herself until she summons the courage to reveal the truth to her family. Instead of sympathy or understanding, she encounters vehement denial from her husband and family who refuse to believe the accusation. Her troubles only worsen when her husband decides to commit her to a psychiatric ward for treatment, where she not only must fight for justice, but also for her freedom. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Victoria Principal, Nicholas Campbell, (more)
- 1994
This Canadian drama assumes the style of a documentary as it follows a bitter custody battle between a mother and grandmother over a little girl. Monika, a blues singer and pianist from Toronto, aspires to fame and fortune. She also aspires to reclaim her 12-year old daughter Andrea whom she left with her mother Anna. Anna has legal guardianship and is regarded by Andrea as her birth mother. When the truth comes out, the girl becomes a pawn in the ugly, battle between two self-serving women. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marnie McPhail, Janet-Laine Green, (more)
The tragic and true story of a family dealing with AIDS is re-told in this heart-wrenching made-for-cable drama. Amy Madigan and Dennis Boutsikaris star as Roxy and Vinnie Ventola, a successful television screenwriting couple. After struggling to become pregnant and finally conceiving a child, the couple learns that their newborn has AIDS. Soon afterward, the two parents are also diagnosed with the fatal virus. The film follows the family as they struggle to deal with the social, spiritual and physical tolls that the disease exacts on its sufferers. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Madigan, Dennis Boutsikaris, (more)
- 1991
This made-for-TV movie was first seen in the United States on February 2, 1992. Simon Reynolds plays Bruce Curtis, teenaged product of a troubled Canadian home. When Bruce's parents turn up murdered, the evidence trail leads to the boy's closest friend, Scott Franz (Jaimz Woolvett). The question: did Scott act alone, or did Bruce participate? Question two: was this an "In Cold Blood" or Leopold/Loeb situation, wherein two seriously disturbed young men teamed up to become one unstoppable killing machine? Kenneth Welsh costars as the boys' defense attorney. Based on an explosive real-life case, Deadly Betrayal was originally produced for Canadian television, where it ran under the title Journey Into Darkness: The Bruce Curtis Story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
First shown on Canadian television in 1991, the two-part A Conspiracy of Silence premiered in America in the Summer of 1992. In 1971, a Cree woman is murdered in a small Manitoba community. Protecting their "own", the white townsfolk choose to close ranks around the four killers and protect them with a cloak of silence. Only after 16 years have passed and the case is reopened by young constable Stephen Ouimette are the witnesses to the murder emboldened enough to speak out. The cast of Conspirary of Silence is dotted with some of Canada's finest character actors, including leading man Ouimette, Jonathan Potts, Neil Munro, Dawn Greenhaigh and Maury Chaykin. Part one was telecast over the CBS network on July 26, 1992; Part two followed on July 28. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Ouimette, Michael Mahonen, (more)
- 1986
Sitcom star Tony Danza made his dramatic debut in the made-for-TV Truth or Die. Danza plays Jerry Rosenberg, real-life "jailhouse lawyer." A lifelong criminal, the Brooklyn-born Rosenberg utilized his knowledge of legal maneuvers to save himself from the electric chair. In 1971, Rosenberg became a worldwide celebrity when he attempted to mediate during the infamous Attica uprising. Filmed in Canada by the same producer-director team responsible for several of the best M*A*S*H episodes, Truth or Die was originally telecast September 23, 1986, under the title Doing Life. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Lucy Maud Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables, previously filmed in 1934, was afforded a TV-movie treatment in 1985. Megan Follows stars as 13-year-old Anne Shirley, an orphan girl sent to live with a foster family on Canada's Prince Edward Island. Though she has great difficulty controlling her temper, impulsiveness and vivid imagination, Anne eventually wins over her new guardians, domineering Marilla Cuthbert (Colleen Dewhurst) and Marilla's shy brother Matthew (Richard Farnsworth). Anne's secondary adventures concern her "bosom friend" Diana (Schuyler Grant) and her supposed enemy Gilbert Blythe (Jonathan Crombie). Anne of Green Gables was offered on American television as a 3-part presentation on PBS' Wonderworks; it aired from February 17 through March 3, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Megan Follows, Colleen Dewhurst, (more)
- 1972
Sometimes it seems as though all the character roles in Canadian films have been played by Al Waxman, Chris Wiggins and Gordon Pinsent. It is Pinsent who functions as both star and coscripter of the modest character study Rowdyman. He plays a roustabout, libinous middle-ager who accidently causes the death of an old friend. At first refusing to allow this tragedy to affect him, Pinsent slowly accepts the fact that he needs to make a general housecleaning of his life. While many independent Canadian films tend to trot out the usual Ontario and Alberta locations, Rowdyman makes excellent use of the underexploited vistas of Newfoundland. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
- PG
This '70s eco-thriller involves the rapidly shrinking amount of farmland in the world, due to over-industrialization. Several groups become desperate to control food, and a vicious fight breaks out between rural areas (which control grain supplies) and urban centers (which contain most of the world's population). ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
