Patrick Dempsey Movies
Noted for playing quirky and charmingly shy young men, contemporary American actor Patrick Dempsey became a rising star in Hollywood during the late '80s and '90s. A state downhill skiing champion in high school, he began performing nonprofessionally as a juggler, magician, and puppeteer. In 1981, the multi-talented youth placed second at the 1981 International Jugglers Competition, leading to a stage career in which he worked with different troupes around the U.S. Dempsey made his feature film debut playing a bit part in Heaven Help Us (1985). This led to his being cast as a regular on the short-lived TV series Fast Times the following year (based upon the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High). Dempsey then returned to feature films, where he worked steadily for several years. Although primarily a comic actor, he showed considerable talent for drama in the 1991 film Mobsters, and later received an Emmy nomination for his performance as Sela Ward's schizophrenic brother on ABC's Once and Again in 2001. Returning to his comedy roots, he starred as Reese Witherspoon's big city fiancé in 2002's Sweet Home Alabama. ~ All Movie Guide
The second of two network-TV adaptations of Jules Verne's speculative 1868 novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, this two-part ABC version originally aired on May 11 and 12, 1997, some two months after CBS's shorter -- and infinitely more faithful -- version. The year is 1886, and an unknown "creature" is terrorizing the high seas, causing merchant vessels to vanish without a trace. Enlisted by the U.S. government to find out what's really going on, oceanographer Pierre Arronax (Patrick Dempsey) and rough-hewn whaler Ned Land (Bryan Brown) set sail for uncharted waters. Ultimately, they are captured by the insane but honorably motivated Captain Nemo (Michael Caine), the inventor of the high-teach submarine Nautilus. This much can be found in the original novel. The rest of the film has less to do with Jules Verne than its does with the popularity of such theatrical features as Star Wars and Titanic, not to mention the then-prevalent specter of political correctness. Because he wants nothing more out of life than to slaughter whales, Verne's nominal hero Ned Land is transformed into the main villain -- while Pierre Arronax comes off none too sympathetically himself, depicted in an early scene as a wanton womanizer who sleeps with his own father's mistress. Also, a bit of gratuitous romance is thrown into the proceedings, with Captain Nemo suddenly acquiring a daughter, and another woman joining the storyline when the Nautilus makes a side trip to the lost city of Atlantis. Finally, what with Verne's good guys turning bad and Captain Nemo clearly certifiable, a new "hero" is introduced in the form of African-American crewman Cabe Attucks (Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje). Oh, and did we mention that Nemo is actually a half-cyborg and a former Indian prince? This "new and improved" 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is only slightly less ridiculous than the 1916 silent film version, which also managed to add a love interest and a spectacular "flashback" sequence straight out of 1001 Arabian Nights. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Caine, Patrick Dempsey, (more)
- 1986
Originally telecast on The Disney Sunday Movie, A Fighting Choice stars Patrick Dempsey as an epileptic teen suffering from grand mal seizures. When the possibility arises that an experimental form of brain surgery may alleviate his agony, Dempsey wants to go for it. His parents (Beau Bridges and Karen Valentine were playing parents by 1986) are terrified that the operation will fail, and refuse permission. Dempsey is persistent, taking his case all the way to court. A few too many punches are pulled for Fighting Choice to be any more than a standard "disease of the week" TV movie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
A girl and her best friend hit the road in this family friendly comedy drama -- only the girl's friend weighs in at 4,000 pounds! Eddie (Remy Ryan) is a ten-year-old girl (her name is short for "Edwina") who has trouble communicating with her mother Sarah (Priscilla Barnes) and doesn't care for Sarah's layabout boyfriend, Jeffrey (Patrick Dempsey). A rag-tag circus comes to town, and Eddie finds herself bonding with Ava, the show's performing elephant. Slayton (Timothy Bottoms), the sleazy owner of the circus, learns that he's deep in debt to the IRS, and since Ava is insured for a large sum of money, he plots to kill the elephant in a way that will look like an accident in order to pay off his debts. Eddie, however, gets wind of Slayton's plan; she helps Ava escape, and runs away from home with her new pet at her side. As the hapless local sheriff (Kaye Ballard) and her staff try to find a missing child travelling with a two-ton elephant, Sarah learns that an escapee from prison is on the loose and she becomes afraid that the criminal will cross paths with her missing daughter. As it turns out, Eddie does meet Clayton (Georg Stanford Brown), the jailbird on the lam, but she soon finds that he means her no harm -- and he happens to know a few thing about Slayton and his business. Ava's Magical Adventure marked the directorial debut of actor Patrick Dempsey, who helmed the project in collaboration with Rocky Parker. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Timothy Bottoms, Georg Stanford Brown, (more)
- 1993
In this awful black comedy, an aging bank robber tries to pull off one final caper. Things go awry and he ends up staying in a raunchy hotel. The crime is well-publicized, but fortunately the equally seedy residents there keep mum. Unfortunately, they are determined to literally nickel and dime him to death by making him pay dearly for even the smallest favors. Things look bleak until a kindly hooker falls in love with him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Lisa Bonet, (more)
The remarkable life and tragic death of Marilyn Monroe has fascinated film fans for decades, but this two-part TV miniseries, based on a novel by Joyce Carol Oates, takes an unusual approach, using dramatic license (the film announces itself as a work of fiction using the names of real people) to look inside the minds of Monroe and those around her to ponder the circumstances of her rise and fall. Young Norma Jeane Baker (Skye McCole Bartusiak) is raised by single mother Gladys (Patricia Richardson), who is unstable, uncaring, and poorly equipped to deal with the responsibilities of parenthood. As Norma Jeane grows up without a father and with little affection from her mother, she suffers from a poor self-image and craves attention; when she grows into a beautiful young woman who is unusually attractive to men, she falls into a number of romances and a short-lived marriage in search of the approval she needs so desperately. When Norma Jeane (now played by Poppy Montgomery) turns 20, she meets a photographer, Otto (Eric Bogosian), who sees star potential in her beauty. Otto's cheesecake pictures catch the eye of I.E. Shinn (Wallace Shawn), an agent who in turned introduces her to Mr. R (Richard Roxburgh), the head of a movie studio, who offers to make Norma Jeane a star -- if she would be willing to have sex with him. Norma Jeane unenthusiastically agrees, and Mr. R proves good to his word; renamed Marilyn, she becomes an major film star and an international sex symbol. But the adulation proves to be a poor substitute for the love she craves, and as she falls into relationships with any man who treats her with a modicum of respect -- including a famous baseball player (Titus Welliver) and an acclaimed author (Griffin Dunne) -- her life begins to spiral out of control. Blonde also stars Ann-Margret, Kirstie Alley, and Patrick Dempsey; the series first aired May 13 and May 16, 2001, on the CBS television network. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Poppy Montgomery, Patricia Richardson, (more)
- 2006
- G
- Add Brother Bear 2: The Moose Are on the Loose to QueueAdd Brother Bear 2: The Moose Are on the Loose to top of Queue
An old friendship is renewed and new bonds are forged as Kenai and Nita set out on the adventure of a lifetime in this animated, direct-to-video sequel to the 2003 Disney hit Brother Bear. When Kenai emerges from his first hibernation with a hearty appetite and a craving for the best spring berries around, he takes his younger brother Koda to Crowberry Ridge for a delicious feast. As Rutt and Tuke scour the landside looking for some female companionship, Kenai is surprised to find his childhood friend Nita venturing into the wilderness with a pressing problem that only Kenai can solve. It appears as if the amulet given to Nita by Kenai has much greater power than either of them had previously thought, and in order to marry, the old friends must travel back to Hokani Falls to burn the amulet together. Now, as the pair travel over icy mountain ranges and down raging rivers, the plan set into motion by the Great Spirits for Nita and Kenai slowly begins to come into focus. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Mandy Moore, (more)
Borrowing a chapter from the John Hughes school of teen comedy, this likeable caper was a box office success. Patrick Dempsey stars as Ronald Miller, a high school nerd about to enter his senior year, who longs for acceptance as one of the "cool kids." His next-door neighbor Cindy Mancini (Amanda Peterson) is a cheerleader and one of the most popular girls in school, but she doesn't even know that Ronald exists. When she ruins an expensive outfit of her mother's, Ronald offers the $1,000 needed to replace it, if she will pretend to date him for one month. Although skeptical about Ronald's plan, Cindy agrees, and her "new boyfriend" turns out to be right about what he thinks dating Cindy will do for him -- he becomes accepted by the school's snobs because of his association with one of their own. At least, for a while. Originally titled "Boy Rents Girl," Can't Buy Me Love (1987) was the first production launched by former studio executive Thom Mount after leaving his high-profile post. His company went on to produce weightier material such as Bull Durham (1988), The Indian Runner (1991), and Natural Born Killers (1994). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Amanda Peterson, (more)
- 1990
- PG13
Three rebellious bickersome brothers reunite to drive their father's title car from their Detroit homes to Florida. The auto is to be a gift to celebrate their mother's birthday party. Along the way, their adventures are punctuated by pop tunes from 1963 that include "Louie, Louie," a song that inspires a hilarious debate as the three attempt to fathom the song's meaning. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Arye Gross, (more)
- 1998
- PG13
Dostoyevsky's socially conscious epic novel of morality and ethics comes to vivid life in this lavish version from Hallmark Entertainment. Originally aired on NBC and produced by Robert Halmi Sr. (known for such high-calibre and popular literature-based miniseries as Gulliver's Travels, The Odyssey and Merlin), its distinguished cast includes Ben Kingsley, Patrick Dempsey and Julie Delpy. Adhering close to the book, the story begins in 19th-century Russia and centers on an idealistic student who believes his intellectual superiority gives him the right to commit any crime, even murder, with impunity if he believes it will improve society. So convinced is he of this notion that the student coldly murders a crooked pawnbroker and her sister (who is innocent). But as years pass, and he learns more about life, his arrogance is replaced by an agonizing, relentless guilt that threatens to destroy him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Ben Kingsley, (more)
Classic Disney animation meets contemporary urban chaos when a frightened princess is banished from her magical animated homeland to modern-day New York City in a romantic comedy penned by Bill Kelly (Blast from the Past), directed by Kevin Lima (Tarzan), and featuring music by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. Princess Giselle (Amy Adams) lives in the blissful cartoon world of Andalasia, where magical beings frolic freely and musical interludes punctuate every interaction. Though Princess Giselle is currently engaged to be married to the handsome Prince Edward (James Marsden), her fate takes a turn for the worse when the villainous Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) banishes her to the unforgiving metropolis of New York City. As the cruelty of the big city soon begins to wear down the fairy-tale exterior of the once-carefree princess, the frightened Giselle soon finds herself falling for a friendly but flawed divorce lawyer (Patrick Dempsey) whose kind compassion helps her to survive in this strange and dangerous new world. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, (more)
- 1992
- PG
Tensions run high when a recently-divorced couple are given an offer they can't refuse. Once well-established movie songwriters, Dempsey and Ringwald are thrown together again when a movie producer offers them a rewarding contract to compose a new song. However, old wounds and new love interests guarantee that this job will be anything but easy money. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Molly Ringwald, Patrick Dempsey, (more)
- 1992
- PG
At the beginning of For Better and for Worse, the wedding plans for Robert (Patrick Dempsey) and Catherine (Kelly Lynch) are moving along smoothly. Alas, Robert has entrusted the responsibility of sending out invitations to his best friend, a notorious practical joker. Thus it is that an invitation is mailed to the Pope. Surprise of surprises, His Holiness accepts! Poor Catherine: she could handle a romantic rival, but how does one resign oneself to playing second fiddle to the Pope? Originally titled RSVP, this easy-to-take comedy is pretty mild stuff, even allowing for its PG-13 rating. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Kelly Lynch, (more)
Assigned the thankless task of teaching freshman English at a gang-infested Long Beach, CA high school, a 23-year-old teacher resorts to unconventional means of breaking through to her hardened students in director Richard LaGravenese's adaptation of Erin Gruwell's best-seller The Freedom Writer's Diaries: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them. Her students had been written off, and her chances of succeeding scoffed at, but Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank) wasn't about to go down without a fight. Long Beach is a place where a new war is waged with each passing day, and when the hardened students who walk those dangerous hallways sense an outsider attempting to understand their plight, their cynical resentment threatens to keep a deadly cycle in motion. Despite the initially hostile reaction she receives in the classroom, Gruwell uses the writings of Anne Frank and Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo to teach her students not only the basis of the English language, but compassion and tolerance as well. Later, when the time comes to tell their own tales in a project specially designed to explore the daily violence that the majority of students have grown numb to, the barriers that had once stood so strong gradually begin to crumble. When the only chance for survival is to befriend the person who was once your mortal enemy, the world is opened to a whole new realm of possibilities. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hilary Swank, Scott Glenn, (more)
Launched as a mid-season replacement on ABC in spring 2005, this sex-soaked medical soap opera quickly became a hit during its nine-episode inaugural run. Creator/executive producer Shonda Rhimes, who wrote the first three episodes herself, wasted no time in setting up the central conflicts at Seattle Grace. In taking an internship at the hospital where her mother once enjoyed great renown as a surgeon, beautiful Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) must suffer through not only heightened expectations, but also the terrible secret that her mother now suffers from Alzheimer's. As if that's not enough, Meredith also enters into an unlikely romance with her boss, Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), aka "Dr. McDreamy." Once word gets out, the affair irks most of Meredith's co-workers: no-nonsense senior resident Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), who toes the party line regarding resident/intern romance; nice-guy intern George O'Malley (T.R. Knight), who harbors a not-so-secret crush on Meredith; and ultra-competitive intern Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), who believes Shepherd is playing favorites with Meredith. Much to her own surprise, however, Cristina soon finds herself hooking up with Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington), who's not only her supervisor but also Shepherd's rival for chief resident. As for surgeons-in-training Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) and Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), they're too busy loathing each other to get caught up in any inter-office romance. Chief of Surgery Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.), too, remains above the fray -- until, during the cliffhanger season finale, he inadvertently affects the course of Meredith and McDreamy's relationship by hiring a new pediatric surgeon (guest star Kate Walsh) with a surprising link to Derek's past. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, (more)
Following its nine-episode inaugural season, the seriocomic medical series Grey's Anatomy returns with a full complement of episodes for its second year on the air--indeed, five of the unaired installments from Season One are added to the 22-episode manifest of Season Two, with even more to follow after the series begins offering two episodes per week at season's end. Picking up where the previous season left off, we find the romance between Seattle Grace Hospital intern Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and handsome neurosurgeon Derek Shephard (Patrick Dempsey) coming to an abrupt halt when Shepherd's estranged wife, neonatal physician Addison Montgomery, joins the staff. Likewise, intern Isobel "Izzie" Stevens (Katherine Heigl) leaves her boyfriend Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) in the lurch (despite the heating up of their romance during a "Code Black" emergency at the hospital) when she falls for heart-transplant patient Denny Duquette (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Meanwhile, another intern, Dr. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), deepens her relationship with cardiothroacic specialist Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington), but that doesn't constitute a full commitment by any means; and senior surgical resident Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), aka "The Nazi", also finds herself Great With Child, and as such is briefly replaced by a woman who is her temperamental polar opposite. Other season highlights include an earth-shattering visit from Meredith's celebrated surgeon mother Dr. Ellis Grey (Kate Burton); an emotionally disastrous one-night stand between Meredith and intern George O'Malley (T.R. Knight); and a bittersweet story arc involving premature quintuplets. As the season approaches its climax, both Alex and Izzie are serious questioning their dedication to the medical profession; and there may be a change in the weather so far as Chief of Surgery Richard Weber (James Pickens) is concerned. When Emmy Awards time rolled around in the spring of 2006, the producers of Grey's Anatomy went home with a stauette in the "outstanding casting for a drama series" category. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, (more)
Having proven that it could stand on its own two feet without Desperate Housewives as its lead-in, Grey's Anatomy remained in its new Thursday-night slot as the seriocomic medical series entered its third season. In addition to established stars Ellen Pompeo (intern Meredith Grey) Patrick Dempsey (Dr. Derek Shepherd), Katherine Heigl (intern "Izzie" Stevens), Isaiah Washington (Dr. Preston Burke) et. al.. former recurring players Eric Dane (as plastic surgeon Mark Sloan) and Sara Ramirez (Dr. Callie Torres) have now been promoted to "regular" status. The season begins as the Seattle Grace Hospital medical team's favorite bartender Joe (Steven W. Bailey) provides those who came in late with a quick run-down of the events of the previous two seasons. Meredith is now torn between two lovers, Derek Shepherd and Dr. Finn Dandridge (Chris O'Donnell). The prickly relationship between Derek and his estranged-wife Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) is made even more so by the reappearance of their daughter. Intern Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) has decided to remain with her current amour, Preston Burke. And after seriously considering giving up the medical profession after the death of her beloved heart patient Denny, Izzie changes her mind when the Denny Duquette Memorial Clinic is established. The first of the season's two most crucial story developments occurs when Chief of Surgery Richard Weber (James Pickens) announces his impending retirement, sparking a tense competition amongst Derek, Burke, Addison and Mark to take Weber's place. The apparent dark horse in this competition is Dr. Colin Marlow (Roger Rees), though Marlow makes his mark on the proceedings by coming between Cristina and Burke. Another major plot deveopment involves a disastrous collision between a cargo ship and a ferryboat, which threatens to claim the life of protagonist Meredith Grey (it also provides Izzie's former beau Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) the opportunity to become overly involved with an unidentified accident victim, played by Elizabeth Reaser). At season's end, Dr. Weber's successor is announced, Cristina and Burke are about to be wed, Callie demands that her husband George O'Malley (Sara Ramirez) make a commitment, and the interns sweat out the results of their first-year medical exams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, (more)
In the fourth season of ABC's popular medical drama, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), Cristina (Sandra Oh), Alex (Justin Chambers) and Izzie (Katherine Heigl) graduate to resident status, while George (T.R. Knight) must repeat his intern year after failing his exam. That's not George's only problem: He must also deal with the fallout of betraying his marriage vows to Callie (Sara Ramirez) as he and Izzie try to figure out if they truly are more than friends. Callie lets the stress of her marriage get to her, and it affects her ability to perform as chief resident, a position that Bailey (Chandra Wilson) coveted. Bailey's own marital woes come to a head when her little boy is hurt in an accident at home, while the Chief (James Pickens Jr.) makes strides in repairing his marriage after his ill niece returns to the hospital. Cristina deals with the pain of her failed wedding to Burke by throwing herself into her other love, cardiothoracic surgery. But much to her dismay, Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) is the new head of this department, and Cristina and Erica clash. Also new on staff is Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), George's fellow intern and Meredith's half sister, whom Meredith does her best to avoid. Meredith is on the outs with Derek (Patrick Dempsey), which leaves him free to pursue a nurse named Rose (Lauren Stamile). Meanwhile, a group of nurses whom Mark (Eric Dane) has dated band together to try and stop his promiscuous ways. This prompts Mark to want to change, but he's not the only one looking for self-improvement -- Meredith begins therapy with Dr. Wyatt (Amy Madigan). She then reconnects with Derek on a professional level as they work on clinical trials on patients with brain tumors. Alex also reconnects with someone as former patient and love interest Rebecca (Elizabeth Reaser) reenters his life. However, things with her eventually turn complicated, for reasons he doesn't see at first. ~ Jennifer Sankowski, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, (more)
- 1989
- PG13
A college student clashes with his co-ed roommate, then falls for her in this romantic comedy. Sheltered freshman Chris Wooden (Patrick Dempsey) arrives at his university ready to hone his writing skills. His hard-partying roommate, however, proves to be a distraction. Alex Page (Helen Slater) -- short for Alexandra -- has been placed on a guys' floor by mistake, and the aspiring actress/good-time girl drives Chris crazy. Eventually, as both students hone their respective crafts and spend more time together, they become friends and finally lovers. But Alex's freewheeling ways put a kink in things; Chris is an old-fashioned guy, and he wants a plain-vanilla girlfriend. Things come to a head when a random biker Alex promised to marry shows up looking to rearrange Chris' face. Happy Together is one of the few feature credits of Mel Damski, who has directed countless TV movies since the late '70s. Astute viewers will notice a pre-Thelma and Louise Brad Pitt in a small role. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Helen Slater, (more)
Charles Purpura scribed this semi-autobiographical tale about his experiences in a Brooklyn Catholic school of 1965. The film focuses on several Catholic school boys who get into ever increasing amounts of trouble with the presiding priests of the Catholic school, St. Basil's. Andrew McCarthy plays Michael Dunn, a newly arrived student who latches onto the class egghead Caesar (Malcolm Danare), who is constantly picked on by the class bully Rooney (Kevin Dillon). Rooney intimidates Michael and Caesar to become his erstwhile chums and, along with a few other quiet students, they receive corporal punishment for minor infractions, disrupting communion and confession and, ultimately, their antics inspire changes in the strict school hierarchy. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Sutherland, John Heard, (more)
Cult figure Robert Downey, Sr. directed this offbeat comedy set in the eccentric environs of Los Angeles. Hugo Dugay (Alyssa Milano) is a young woman who makes her living cleaning swimming pools when she isn't busy looking after her mother Minerva (Cathy Moriarty), who's hooked on gambling, and her father Henry (Malcolm McDowell), who's hooked on alcohol and a number of drugs. One day, Hugo finds herself with over 40 pools to look after, complicated by the fact that L.A. is in the midst of a drought and she's forbidden to use city water lines to fill them. This is especially unwelcome news for Chick Chicalini (Richard Lewis), a crime boss who is having a party and insists on having a clean pool with fresh water for the occasion. In hopes of easing Chick's anxieties, she cooks up a complicated scheme involving a tanker truck and a quick trip to the Colorado River. Hugo also encounters a mysterious hitchhiker (Sean Penn) who may have magical powers and deals with other customers, including overwrought filmmaker Franz (Robert Downey, Jr.), and Floyd (Patrick Dempsey), a handsome man with whom Hugo is falling in love, despite the fact that he's suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Robert Downey, Sr. co-wrote Hugo Pool with his wife Laura Downey, who herself died from ALS at the age of 36. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alyssa Milano, Patrick Dempsey, (more)
- 1988
- R
Garnet Montrose (Michael Beihn) returns home to West Virginia after suffering horrible facial disfigurement from wounds at the battle of Guadalcanal. He watches his former sweetheart Georgia (Maureen Mueller) from his farm down the road. Garnett is obviously socially withdrawn because of his injuries, and he soon enlists the help of itinerant young farmhand Potter Daventry (Patrick Dempsey) to deliver notes to Georgia. Garnet begins to open up to Potter before he suspects him of delivering more than letters. Potter quickly becomes a major focus in both Garnet and Georgia's lives in this drama taken from the novel by James Purdy. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Biehn, Maureen Mueller, (more)
- 1987
- PG13
This romantic comedy is based on a true story that happened in California in 1944. Sonny Wisecarver (Patrick Dempsey) is 15 year old who has an affair with his older neighbor Judy (Talia Balsam). The two run off and get married, but a stern judge has the union annulled. Sonny is hauled before the same judge when he gets involved with another older woman (Beverly D'Angelo), and the publicity makes him the object of affection for millions of young women who believe Sonny has something special. Michael Constantine and Betty Jinnett play Sonny's concerned parents. Carl Reiner is the uncredited narrator, and the real-life Elliott "Sonny" Wisecarver has a cameo appearance as a mailman. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Beverly D'Angelo, (more)
German filmmaker Katja von Garnier directs the HBO original movie Iron Jawed Angels, inspired by a pivotal chapter in American history. Hilary Swank plays Alice Paul, an American feminist who risked her life to fight for women's citizenship and the right to vote. She founded the separatist National Woman's Party and wrote the first equal rights amendment to be presented before Congress. Together with social reformer Lucy Burns (Frances O'Connor), Paul struggled against conservative forces in order to pass the 19th amendment to the Constitution of the United States. One of their first actions was a parade on President Woodrow Wilson's (Bob Gunton) inauguration day. The suffragettes also encountered opposition from the old guard of the National American Women's Suffrage Association, Carrie Chapman Catt (Anjelica Huston). The activists get arrested and go on a well-publicized hunger strike, where their refusal to eat earns them the title of "the iron-jawed angels." Iron Jawed Angels was screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004 before its television premiere on HBO. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hilary Swank, Frances O'Connor, (more)
Originally aired as a two-part miniseries, this biography looks at the early years of America's most dashing president from his early childhood through his nomination for Congress. It's based on Nigel Hamilton's best-selling biography. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Terry Kinney, (more)
