Nola Augustson Movies

This powerful, politically charged cable TV movie was based on the memoirs of Hungarian gynecologist and Holocaust survivor Gisella Perl. Having spent the WWII years in charge of the woman's infirmary at Auschwitz, Perl (played by Christine Lahti) hopes to leave her living nightmare behind when the Allies liberate Europe. But when she applies for American citizenship in 1946, she is hauled into military court to explain the extent to which she "collaborated" with the Nazis during the war. The U.S. officials are especially disturbed by the number of illegal abortions Perl performed at Auschwitz without her superiors' knowledge. But as Perl struggles to explain to her relentless interrogators (the explanation taking the form of extended flashbacks), she terminated the lives of the unborn to save thousands of pregnant women from the Nazi gas chambers. Filmed on location in Canada, the U.K., and Lithuania, Out of the Ashes made its Showtime network debut on April 13, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This weekly,hour-long crime drama made its Canadian network bow on February 25, 2002, under the title Tom Stone. Set in Calgary, the series starred Chris William Martin as the titular Tom Stone, a former cop, former rig worker and former convict sprung from prison and recruited as an undercover detective for the RCMP by "commercial crime" specialist Cpl. Marina Marina Di Luzio (Janet Kidder). It was Kidder's aim to entrap those "untouchable" white-collar criminals who used money and connections to escape prosecution, and to that end Stone was obliged to orchestrate elaborate sting operations with himself as the central character. The only reason that Stone went along with these plans was that he needed the money to reclaim his family's land and start life anew. At the same time, Marina hoped that her work with the RCMP Commercial Control Unit would enable her to escape the boonies of Calgary and return to the "big city" environs of her native Toronto. Thus, a much as they disliked each other, Stone and Marina needed each other even more. Others in the cast included Di Luzio's all-purpose assistants, Sgt. Grant Davidson (Tim Webber) and police clerk Amy Matuziak (Natascha Girgus). Seen on the CBC for two seasons, Stone Undercover was syndicated to the US beginning September 15, 2006, its package including three never-before-seen episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This made-for-TV drama was inspired by a true story that occurred in Carleton, Ontario during Christmas Week of 1999. Disguised as a nurse, a bipolar woman named Margaret Wheeler (Nola Auguston) kidnaps a premature infant, the first male child of Karen and Phil Lewis (Marnie McPhail, Hugh Thompson). Though profoundly disturbed, Margaret has covered her tracks well, and has even secured the silence of her boyfriend Darryl (Alan Van Sprang), a former convict who can't go to the authorities without casting blame upon herself. As the Lewises anxiously await news of their missing baby, dedicated police sergeant Jane McKinley (Leslie Hope) follows the trail of clues and ultimately attempts to break down Margaret's wall of lies. The film also brings into play the not inconsiderable domestic problems endured by McKinley herself as she endeavors to bring hope to the biological parents. Despite the grimness of its subject matter, Stolen Miracle is a heartwarming, life-affirming firm which proved ideal Holiday fare when it first aired in Canada on December 18, 2001. It was subsequently picked up for US cable play (again as a "Christmas picture") by the Lifetime channel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on a true story, the made-for-TV God's New Plan essentially begins at the end, as Ellen Young (Katey Sagal) prepares to die from cancer. While Ellen is more or less resigned to her fate, she worries about what will happen afterward to her husband Brian (Tom Irwin) and her children. Luckily, Ellen has become close to Claire Hutton (Annabeth Gish), the nurse hired to care for Ellen's premature infant. Even from the grave, Ellen seems to be pulling the strings of the situation, as Claire slowly, cautiously falls in love with the grieving Tom, and vice versa. Ultimately it falls to the children to stage-manage the happy ending. Blessed with a marvelously feeling of time and place, not to mention the superlative performances by the principal players, God's New Plan debuted February 16, 1999, and has since become a fixture of cable TV under the title No Higher Love. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Angela Fischer (Barbara Mandrell) is put in a very uncomfortable position when her son Steve (Jonathan Scarfe), who has recently weathered a number of emotional difficulties, returns home with his new girlfriend Kelly Garner (Zoe McLellan) in tow. Although Steve is entranced by Kelly, Angela has a bad feeling about the girl, whose past is a matter that clearly disturbs her. As it turns out, "mother knows best," as the seemingly angelic Kelly precipitates deadly havoc throughout the Fischer household. With this made-for-TV film and the previous Stranger in the House, actress Zoe McLellan inarguably cornered the market in playing baby-faced psychos! The Wrong Girl debuted January 4, 1999 on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi