Brian Dennehy Movies
After majoring in history at Columbia University, brawny Brian Dennehy took a string of odd jobs to pay his way through Yale Drama School, and to afford private acting lessons. His first professional break came with the Broadway production Streamers. In films and TV from 1977, Dennehy is a most versatile actor, at home playing Western baddies (Silverado), ulcerated big-city cops (F/X), serial killers (John Wayne Gacy in the made-for-TV To Catch a Killer), by-the-book military types (General Groves in Day One, another TV movie), and vacillating politicos (Presumed Innocent). One of his most rewarding film assignments was as dying architectural genius Stourley Kracklite in Peter Greenaway's The Belly of an Architect (1987).In addition to his many TV-movie roles (one of which, good-old-boy Chuck Munson in 1993's Foreign Affairs, won him a Cable Ace Award), Dennehy has starred in the weekly series Big Shamus, Little Shamus (1977), Star of the Family (1981), and Birdland (1994), as well as the sporadically produced Jack Reed feature-length mysteries. It was in one of the last-mentioned projects, Jack Reed: A Search for Justice (1994), that Dennehy made his directorial debut. Aside from his work in film and television, Dennehy has also had considerable success on the stage, particularly with his Tony-winning portrayal of Willy Loman in the 1998 Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Gunfighters of the West: John Wesley Hardin, part of the acclaimed Gunfighters of the West series, recalls the murderous reign of the hard-hearted Texan gunslinger who made his reputation by shooting to death Texas Ranger Charlie Webb. At age 14, Hardin stabbed a kid at school. As a cowboy on the Chisolm Trail in 1871, he murdered seven people and continued killing throughout his life. In between his vicious murder sprees, Hardin found time to marry, start a family, and become a lawyer. Just when he finally seemed to have his life straightened out, Hardin began an affair with one of his married female clients. When her husband discovered the fling, Hardin hired several law officials to assassinate the jealous man. One of the hired men, however, Constable John Selman, turned the tables and shot shoot-'em-up Hardin instead. ~ Betsy Boyd, All Movie Guide
- 1998
This video traces the story of perhaps the most famous gunfighter of the West: Billy the Kid. Born in 1859 in the East, much of the gunman's short life is shrouded in mystery. Even his true identity is the subject of debate. But it is certain that the man who became Billy the Kid was a sharpshooter with many deaths notched on his gun belt. He became involved in the cattle baron wars in Lincoln County, NM, where the killings began. At the same time, he was known for his courtesy and loyalty to friends. He outsmarted the law for a long time until his nemesis, Pat Garrett, tracked him down. The film shows why this legendary figure is forever linked with the romantic image of the Wild West. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- 1998
This film tells the story of Bat Masterson: gunfighter, army scout, buffalo hunter, and lawman. The film chronicles the adventures of the debonair Bat Masterson, who became a deputy marshal in Dodge City. Later, after some drunken episodes, he left town rather than surrender his firearm. President Theodore Roosevelt appointed Masterson to the position of U.S. Marshal in the state of New York. He then went on to do lawman's work in the Oklahoma Territory. His reputation as a gunman obscured the fact that he spent his later years as a sports writer for the Daily Telegraph. Archival photographs, reenactments, and historic commentary tell the tale of one of the most famous gun men in the West. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Reuniting several China Beach talents, this three-hour, fact-based TV miniseries dramatizes the apparent government cover-up of the after-effects of the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Exposure to toxic agents by some 100,000 men and women led to skin rashes, respiratory infections, and cancer, but the Department of Defense claimed the Gulf War Syndrome was psychosomatic. When Vietnam veteran and retired U.S. Secret Service agent Jim Tuite (Ted Danson) begins work with Sen. Donald Riegle (Brian Dennehy), he sees vets denied proper medical benefits and concludes billions in payouts would result if the government admitted that toxic chemicals were sprayed about during the war. Healthy Chris Small (Matt Keeslar) comes back from the Gulf War in only a few months with digestive and respiratory problems, while his wife Teri (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and baby daughter both experience rashes from contact with Chris. In the post-war operations, Waco farmer Jared Gallimore (Steven Weber) stumbles across uranium dust and has brain tumors by the time he goes home to his sister Jerrillyn Folz (Marg Helgenberger). Interview footage with real soldiers and officers is intercut into the drama, filmed in Toronto and the California Mojave Desert. Premiered May 31, 1998 on Showtime. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, (more)
Fast-talking, fast-thinking, fast-living -- oh to be a career dishwasher, without a care in the world other than getting the grime and grease off other peoples' dinner plates. Morgan (Sean Astin) and Jason (Matthew Lillard) have found the Zen in their chosen profession as itinerant dishwashers, scrubbing pots and pans at restaurants at night and by day chasing their dream of finding the perfect wave to surf. They travel up and down the West Coast, insouciantly eschewing a more staid and steady lifestyle, choosing instead to move from one eatery to the next. They brag about what little money and earthly things they possess, and they revel in their romantic freedom. Their peripatetic dishwashing comes to a bubbly stop once Morgan meets topless dancer Anne (Shannon Elizabeth) and decides to make her his -- although she refuses to have anything to do with him. Naturally, a conflict arises with Jason, as this courtship goes against their shared philosophy of rootless rebellion. Can the boys come to a mutually beneficial agreement, or is this the end of the proud "dish dogs"?
~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Astin, Matthew Lillard, (more)
- 1997
Brian Dennehy not only stars in this made-for-TV drama, but also serves as director and executive producer. Accused of raping his associate Rebecca Daly (Alice Krige), powerful attorney Eddie Brannigan (Brian Dennehy) elects to defend himself in court. Dismissing Rebecca's charges, Eddie insists that he merely "seduced" the willing woman, and that she is trying to make a name for herself at his expense. As the litigation proceeds, Eddie and Rebecca each build up a strong and vocal army of public supporters--while Brannigan's son Eddie Jr. (Reed Diamond) finds himself uncomfortably caught in the middle. Its title tinged with irony considering the outcome of the story, Indefensible: The Truth About Edward Brannigan was originally telecast November 25, 1997, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Dennehy, Reed Diamond, (more)
- 1996
- PG13
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The classic Shakespearean romantic tragedy is updated by director Baz Luhrmann to a post-modern Verona Beach where swords are merely a brand of gun and bored youths are easily spurred toward violence. Longtime rivals in religion and business, the Montagues and the Capulets share a page from the Jets and Sharks of West Side Story when they form rival gangs. Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) is aloof toward the goings-on of his Montague cousins, but after he realizes that Juliet (Claire Danes) is a Capulet at the end of one very wild party, the enmity between the two clans becomes the root of his angst. He relies heavily -- and with serious consequences -- on his rebel gender-bender of a friend, Mercutio (Harold Perrineau Jr.), and Father (not Friar) Lawrence (Pete Postlethwaite) for protection and support. Romeo is, of course, exiled, and it looks like Juliet will be forced into an arranged marriage with the bland Paris (Paul Rudd). It ends, as Romeo and Juliet must, when Romeo hears a tragic piece of misinformation and brings his suicide wish to what was meant to be Juliet 's temporary tomb. This time, though, the turf and the weapon of choice have taken a turn toward the surreal. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, (more)
In this fifth TV movie based on the character of incorruptible Chicago detective Jack Reed, Brian Dennehy once again wears two hats as both star and director. A multiple murder has occurred in a suburban cemetery in broad daylight. Most of the victims are Russian immigrants, whose friends and relatives refuse to cooperate in the investigation conducted by Jack Reed (Dennehy). As he pursues the case, Reed learns that the central figure in the mystery is a militant Russian who is organizing several of his fellow émigrés into his own army. Meanwhile, Reed must also contend with influential mayoral candidate Gordon Thomas (Joe Morton), whose minions are strong-arming the department to drop vehicular homicide charges against his son. Despite his tawdry surroundings, Reed retains his patented wicked sense of humor, especially when reciting the required Miranda rights while cuffing perpetrators ("You've got the right to cable TV, and the right to free counseling by Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins.") Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance made its NBC debut on November 17, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Dennehy, Charles S. Dutton, (more)
In this episode of the Jack Reed saga, the Chicago cop takes over where his recently slain partner left off and protects a women from those who would kill her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Dennehy, Charles S. Dutton, (more)
Author Larry McMurtry revisits Gus and Woodrow, the aging lawmen from his bestselling Western novel Lonesome Dove, in their early days as young men determined to make a name for themselves as Texas Rangers in this made-for-TV prequel. Gus (David Arquette) and Woodrow (Jonny Lee Miller) join up with a ragtag band of Rangers determined to take Santa Fe away from Mexico, but they soon find they've walked into a dangerous but forbidding territory of populated by hostile Indians and dangerous opportunists. Dead Man's Walk also features Brian Dennehy, F. Murray Abraham, Keith Carradine, and Edward James Olmos. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Just in case the title didn't spill the beans, this made-for-TV nail-biter was based on a novel by Steve Martini. In the midst of a bitter child-custody battle with her former husband, Jack (Richard Masur), Laurel Vega (Patricia Richardson) is accused of murdering Jack's new, pregnant wife, Melanie (Allison Mackie). Although he knows Laurel is innocent, Jack lies to the police, using his clout as a senator to rid himself of Laurel once and for all. She, in turn, could clear herself in a minute by revealing the name of the real murderer -- but she can't without ruining the life of her 16-year-old son, Danny (Eric Michael Cole). Caught in the middle of this intrigue is Paul Madriani (Brian Dennehy), Laurel's defense attorney -- and, incidentally, her brother-in-law. With more twists and turns than a mountain trail, the two-part, four-hour Steve Martini's Undue Influence pleased the crowd when it first aired over CBS on September 15, and 17, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Dennehy, Patricia Richardson, (more)
- 1996
Brian Dennehy pulls triple duty as writer, director, and star of this TV movie based on Dennehy's familiar "Jack Reed" character. The city of Chicago is up in arms over a deadly drive-by shooting apparently committed by someone who despises all women. City hall sends out the dogged, thoroughly incorruptible Cook County deputy sheriff Jack Reed (Brian Dennehy) to hunt down the killer, whose sphere of hatred also encompasses children and cops. The trail of clues leads to a murder-for-hire scheme and a nasty case of corruption in the highest judicial circles -- and the fallout promises to spell trouble for Reed and everyone he cares about, especially when a cleverly constructed frame-up evolves. Dennehy's deft directorial touches include an almost ritualistic avoidance of overt violence, utilizing suspense and suggestion instead. Reportedly inspired by a true story, Jack Reed: A Killer Among Us initially aired January 7, 1996, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Saturday Night Live star Chris Farley had his first starring role in this frankly lowbrow comedy, which teamed him with fellow SNL cast member David Spade). Big Tom Callahan (Brian Dennehy) is the street-smart owner of a company that makes auto parts, and one day he'd like his son Tommy Callahan III (Chris Farley) to take over the business. Trouble is, Tommy Boy is a fat, dim-witted slob who took seven years to get a business degree and has no idea how to run a business. His father's sudden death unexpectedly puts Tommy Boy in charge, with his dad's weasely assistant Richard (David Spade) trying to guide him. However, what no one knows is Big Tom's wife, the young and beautiful Beverly (Bo Derek), married him only for his money while holding on to her lover, Paul (Rob Lowe), whose presence she explains by telling people he's her son. Beverly and Paul are waiting for Tommy Boy to run the company into the ground so they can take over, sell it off and earn a quick payoff. However, what Tommy Boy lacks in smarts (and hygiene), he makes up for in determination, and he hits the road with Richard for a long sales trip in a last ditch effort to rescue his father's legacy. Tommy Boy was a major hit that turned Chris Farley into a screen star; sadly, died a little over 2 1/2 years later. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Farley, David Spade, (more)
- 1995
- PG
This character drama follows the exploits of an aged oil seeker, known only as Mr. Cox, as he roams across Texas in search of black gold. He has a special gift for it and has helped many wildcatters strike it rich. Unfortunately, he has yet to find his own gusher. In 1935, Cox has only a suitcase and a cat to his name. During a tremendous windstorm, he is forced to seek shelter in a farmhouse, owned by Don and Cora Day. The Days have three daughters and must scramble to eke out a meager existence on their dusty farm, located near the town of Henrietta. While there, Mr. Cox begins getting that old feeling that tells him that there is a lot of oil on the Day's farm. They think he is plumb loco and ask him to leave, but Cox wants to find out if it is true. He goes to an old friend, Big Dave, who thanks to Cox, has become an oil tycoon, to help him do some test drilling, but Big Dave has a short memory and brushes Cox off as a "hopeless loser." The determined Cox then devises a scheme to force Big Dave to provide him with financial backing. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Duvall, Aidan Quinn, (more)
- 1995
An alcoholic lawyer has to prove more than just his case in this made-for-television crime drama. Brian Dennehy stars as Charlie Sloan, a defense attorney with a drinking problem. When his old flame Robin Harwell (Bonnie Bedelia) asks him to defend her teen daughter (Fairuza Balk) who is accused of murdering her rich father, Sloan agrees. The prosecution then takes on not only the murder case, but Sloan's life as well, and the lawyer must prove himself both in court and to Robin. The movie is based on the book of the same name by William J. Coughlin and the score is by jazz artist Jane Ira Bloom. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1994
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Chicago's most dedicated police officer Jack Reed (Brian Dennehy) returns in this police drama to solve a murder and to clean up his own corrupt department. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Dennehy, Charles S. Dutton, (more)
- 1994
This British parody is the last film of famed television writer Dennis Potter. The story centers upon a terribly tacky British horror film "Smoke Rings," which featured the screaming talents of the ambitious, sexy model and starlet Mandy Mason, who mysteriously died soon after the film was produced. U.S. producer James Boyce and his wife Amber, a Cockney fluffhead, are staying in a rented home in England. Amber's mother is Mandy Mason. Harris is the lawyer who found the rental for the Boyce's. His favorite film is "Smoke Rings," and he still has a crush on the late Miss Mason. When he attends a dinner with the Boyce's he is delighted to find that his favorite film is the midnight feature on the television. A few days later, Amber begins to exhibit disturbing behavior--behavior which parallels that of her mother, and of her mother's character in "Smoke Rings." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Carter, Louise Germaine, (more)
- 1993
Based on actual events, this drama centers on an abused wife who stands accused of murdering her husband. With no one else to help her, she desperately begs her alcoholic brother, a lawyer who has fallen on hard times, to represent her in court. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Dennehy, JoBeth Williams, (more)
- 1993
The miserable life and long-overdue death of thrill killer Charles Starkweather is the basis of the two-part TV movie Murder in the Heartland. Over a bloody few months in 1958, Starkweather (Tim Roth), a 19-year-old high school dropout, embarked on a killing spree, snuffing out 11 victims. Along for the ride was Charlie's 14-year-old girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate (Fairuza Balk). The debate still goes on as to whether Caril Ann was a willing accomplice or a reluctant prisoner; as played by Ms. Balk, she comes off as dumb as mud. A shorter, fictionalized account of the Starkweather killings was offered in the critically acclaimed 1973 theatrical feature Badlands, starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. Murder in the Heartland originally aired May 3 and 4, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Roth, Fairuza Balk, (more)
- 1993
Foreign Affairs was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alison Lurie. Joanne Woodward plays Vinnie Miner, a college professor on sabbatical in England. While still on the plane, Vinnie makes the acquaintance of hard-hat tourist Chuck Mumpson (Brian Dennehy). Though she isn't too fond of Chuck's coarse, vulgar behavior, she finds him somehow fascinating. Likewise, Chuck is turned off by Vinnie's nose-in-the-air sophistication, but he's turned on by her. By the time the two of them have hit London, their mutual attraction has blossomed into love--much to the horror of their respective friends and family. Eric Stolz, Stephanie Beacham and Ian Richardson co-star in this made-for-cable confection, which first aired March 17, 1993, over the TNT channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joanne Woodward, Brian Dennehy, (more)
- 1993
In this sequel to the 1992 made-for-TV crime drama Deadly Matrimony, police detective Reed (Brian Dennehy) returns, this time to bring in a murderous sociopath. He soon discovers, however, that this routine case is complicated by the U.S. government as they are using the killer as an informant and are therefore willing to go to great lengths to protect him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Dennehy, Susan Ruttan, (more)
- 1992
In this lively caper film, an ex-con with uncommon expertise in understanding the workings of high-tech security systems begins preparing to steal a rare diamond that is worth over $5 million. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
