Bob Hoffman Movies
- 1974
This TV-movie spin on "Lenningen vs. the Ants" not only features predatory locusts, but grasshoppers as well. The insect invasion threatens the harvest of a small rural community. Ben Johnson plays the father of one of the imperiled farm families. Ron Howard plays Johnson's son, who is considered something of a coward and therefore must prove himself as the locusts close in. Locusts premiered the same October week in 1974 that The Last Picture Show, which featured Ben Johnson in his Oscar-winning performance as Sam the Lion, made its network TV bow. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Tennis star Pancho Segura makes a guest appearance in this episode, the plot of which predates Ground Hog Day by nearly three decades. When Tony (Larry Hagman) shows signs of working too hard, helpful Jeannie (Barbara Eden) arranges a long rest for her master, by changing every day into Sunday. Thing of it is, only Tony is aware that the entire world is reliving the same day, over and over...and it's driving him bonkers! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Rob (Dick Van Dyke) and Buddy (Morey Amsterdam) are dying with curiosity about the handsome stranger Sally (Rose Marie) met on a Caribbean cruise. Instead of prattling on and on about her latest "fella," Sally refuses to reveal anything about Anthony Stone (Richard Angarola) -- and that includes what Anthony does for a living. Playing detective, Buddy and Rob make a startling discovery about the mystery man. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Deacon, Richard Angarola, (more)
- 1950
Union Station is a tense crime thriller in the tradition of The Naked City that unfolds in Los Angeles. William Holden plays railroad worker Lt. William Calhoun. Calhoun goes into action when Lorna Murchison (Allene Roberts), the sightless daughter of millionaire Henry Murchison (Herbert Heyes), is kidnapped by ruthless Joe Beacon (Lyle Bettger). The abduction is witnessed by Joyce Willecombe (Nancy Olson), Murchison's secretary. Using the handful of clues provided by Joyce, Calhoun and his associate, Inspector Donnelly (Barry Fitzgerald) do their best to second-guess the kidnapper. The film's most harrowing scene finds Beacon abandoning the blind and helpless Lorna in a deserted car barn in the deepest recesses of the titular station. Jan Sterling co-stars as Marge, Beacon's conscience-stricken moll. Former cinematographer Rudolph Mate does a nice, neat job as director, seamlessly matching location shots with studio mockups. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Holden, Nancy Olson, (more)
- 1948
All of his life, Danny Hawkins (Dane Clark) has been taunted and mistreated by most of the people around him, enduring innumerable beatings and other humiliations as a boy because his father was a murderer who died on the gallows. He finds it not much better as an adult, living with his aunt in the small Virginia town of Woodville -- especially when he is contending for the attentions of young schoolteacher Gilly Johnson (Gail Russell) with his boyhood tormentor Jerry Sykes (Lloyd Bridges), whose bullying and arrogance are made worse (and more galling) by the fact that he's the son of the town banker (and its richest man). Sykes picks a fight with Danny and loses for the first time, but he dies in the process. Knowing how the town thinks of him because of his father, Danny tries to hide the body. But for all of his bitterness over how he's been treated, he can't truly escape the feelings of guilt over what he's done -- nor can he escape his fear of what people will probably think. For a time, his new romance with Gilly distracts him, but he's unable to put it out of his mind for long, especially when he's forced to join his good friend Mose (Rex Ingram) on a raccoon hunt that takes them right to the pond where the body is hidden. Soon the sheriff (Allyn Joslyn) is investigating, and he can't help but confer with the one man in town whose judgment he respects nearly as much as his own -- Danny. And when Danny's deaf-mute friend, Billy (Harry Morgan), unknowingly uncovers a key piece of evidence, Danny is pushed almost to the breaking point. He's driven by his own instincts to run away, and invite almost certain capture or death, but Gilly and the sheriff see this as a chance for Danny not only to free himself of the torment over what he's done but from the past that has haunted him and blighted his life -- if only they can reach him and make him understand. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dane Clark, Gail Russell, (more)
- 1940
Despite the title, the Cisco Kid (Cesar Romero) doesn't feel too lucky at the beginning of this film. It seems that someone else has been committing crimes while passing himself off as Cisco. The scheme was cooked up by a corrupt judge (Willard Robertson), who hopes to drive the settlers off the land and buy it up himself, all the while placing the blame for the reign of terror on the Kid's shoulders. But with the help of his paunchy pal Gordito (Chris-Pin Martin), our hero puts an end to the skullduggery. As a bonus, he finds time for romance in the arms of gorgeous widow Mrs. Lawrence (Evelyn Venable). Mary Beth Hughes has one of her better earlier roles as a brassy dance-hall doxie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cesar Romero, Mary Beth Hughes, (more)
