Cynthia Gibb Movies

Sprightly American actress Cynthia Gibb has been in a handful of films since her debut in Youngblood (86), but her celebrity rests primarily on her TV work. From 1983 to 1987, Gibb appeared as teenaged showbiz hopeful Holly Laird on the syndicated TV drama Fame. She essayed the title role in the made-for-TV biopic The Karen Carpenter Story (1987) and was also the recurring character Suzie Martin Wyatt on the enduring daytime drama Search for Tomorrow. In 1995, Cynthia Gibb was a regular on the Dabney Coleman sitcom Madman of the People. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
2001  
 
Add A Colder Kind of Death to QueueAdd A Colder Kind of Death to top of Queue
A woman coming to terms with her husband's death discovers his killer has run afoul of a violent crime in this detective drama. Joanne Kilbourn (Wendy Crewson) is a former police detective who left the force to teach criminology after the unsolved murder of her husband, Ian (Edward Jaunz). The investigation into Ian's death gets taken off the back burner when a suspect is arrested, Kevin Tarpley (Christopher Bolton); while Kevin claims to be innocent, he knows enough about the case to have raised the suspicions of police. Just when Joanne thinks her husband's killer may finally be brought to justice, Kevin is killed by a gunman as he's brought to the police station. After a strange visit by Kevin's wife Maureen (Kari Matchett), Joanne begins looking into Kevin's life and death, and discovers not all of her late husband's friends are willing to help her with her private investigation. Criminal Instincts: A Colder Kind of Death also stars Victor Garber, Teri Garr, and Robin Dunne. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Wendy CrewsonRobin Dunne, (more)
1993  
 
Dick Van Dyke stars as a doctor-turned-detective in this made-for-television medical thriller. Van Dyke stars as Dr. Mark Sloan, the ring leader of a small group of doctors who investigate the death of a U.S. Senator (David Richards) during surgery. Sloan has his own interest in finding out the cause of death -- his ex-lover (Suzanne Pleshette) is the prominent heart surgeon who was at the helm. Unfortunately though, Dr. Sloan gets more than he bargained for and stumbles onto a plot of revenge and murder. This two-hour movie was one of several which introduced viewers to Van Dyke's character and led to the popular TV-series Diagnosis Murder. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Dick Van DykeSuzanne Pleshette, (more)
2007  
 
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A disturned nineteen year old girl sets out to take revenge on the uncle she deems responsible for her father's recent suicide in this thriller from prolific Perfect Marriage director Douglas Jackson. Christie Coleman (Dani Kind)'s father is gone, and now the directionless teen will be forced to find her own way in a cruel and uncaring world. But Christie won't have to wander aimlessly for long, because now she's crafter a plan to make her Uncle Ray pay for the transgressions that drove her dad to suicide. Innocently moving in with Ray, his wife Miranda (Cynthia Gibb), and their teenage daughter Haley, Christie gradually ingratiates herself with the family while setting into motion a diabolical plan. They say we only hurt the ones we love, and in Christie's case that sentiment couldn't ring any truer. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Dani KindCynthia Gibb, (more)
1990  
R  
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Canadian Mountie Louis Burke (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is assigned to a bizarre case where prison inmates are being murdered. Sent to the jail to investigate while undercover as a prisoner, Burke is hot on the trail until one of his former busts, the Sandman (Patrick Kilpatrick), is transferred to the same prison. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Jean-Claude Van DammeRobert Guillaume, (more)
2007  
 
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Allison (Alexandra Paul) has spent years behind bars after being accused of a crime she didn't even commit, and now that she's been released the time has come to take revenge on the men who made her do the time for their horrific crime. Years ago, a young boy was murdered, and the men responsible for the reprehensible act got off scot free. Now, as Allison prepares to prove her innocence and hold the true killers accountable for their murderous transgression, she's about to discover that they aren't afraid to kill again in order to remain free men. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Alexandra PaulMichael Woods, (more)
1992  
 
In a 1991 episode of Jake and the Fatman, Dick Van Dyke guest-starred as Dr. Mark Sloan, who couldn't seem to keep his nose out of a murder investigation. Diagnosis of Murder is the two-hour TV-movie spin-off of that episode. This time, Dr. Sloan tags along with his police-sergeant son (Barry Van Dyke, the real life son of you-know-who) on another homicide case. The victim is a powerful business magnate whose questionable ethics have given plenty of people plenty of motive for the killing. Somehow or other, Dick Van Dyke finds time between his hospital rounds and his clue-hunting to perform a brief soft shoe. Diagnosis of Murder was the pilot for a potential series, which was sold under the slightly truncated title Diagnosis Murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Dick Van DykeMariette Hartley, (more)
1992  
 
In this road drama, a depressed ex-daredevil is hired to drive an experimental stunt car across the country to L. A. He is accompanied by a country-singer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

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1998  
 
In this exciting thriller, a massive quake razes the Big Apple. Amidst the rubble and chaos, a policeman desperately searches for his family. At the same time, a serial killer stalks him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

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1983  
 
Cancelled by NBC after two seasons in the spring of 1983, the musical drama series Fame was nonetheless extremely popular amongst American teenagers and with fans all over the rest of the world. Accordingly, its producers decided to keep the property alive with a third season 24 new episodes, filmed for off-network syndication. Virtually the entire cast of the NBC Fame was retained for the syndicated version, except for Lori Singer as cello student Julie Miller; it was explained that Julie had decided to leave school to get married. And while the popular Erica Gimpel was seen in the first handful of syndicated episodes as ambitious singer-dancer Coco Hernandez, she too had exited the show by the middle of its third season, her character having dropped out to pursue her professional career (oddly enough, Gimpel continues to receive billing throughout the season). Also, this is Lee Curreri's last year as Bruno Martelli. New to the cast are Cynthia Gibb as energetic drama major Holly Laird, and Billy Hufsey as cocksure dance student Christopher Donlon; also, chubby tuba player Dwight (David Greenlee), previously a recurring character, is now one of the regulars. And, since it was decided that the series needed a strong adult menace, Ken Swofford was hired to play Quentin Morloch, new vice principal at New York's High School of the Performing Arts. A self-important, anal-retentive "rules are rules" type, Morloch will spend much of his screen time cooking up methods to instill his own brand of discipline on the kids, often denying them the opportunity to show off their talents (which is rather like not allowing students in an industrial arts class to make cabinets!). Episodes like "Hail to the Chief" and "Rules" are prime examples of Morloch's blinkered approach to education; indeed, he would not come to fully understand that his students were uniquely gifted and not just a bunch of noisy kids until he was on the brink of leaving the series two years later. The first of the "syndie" episodes is the two-part "I'm Gonna Learn How to Fly", in which arrogant keyboard student Bruno faces the possibility of leaving school when his dad dies. Later episodes this season include "Consequences" wherein the students are put in charge of the school to teach them a lesson about responsibility; "Break Dance", a contemporary West Side Story in which Christopher mediates a turf battle between two street gangs; "Lisa's Song", a semi-fantasy in which Holly makes contact with the ghost of a disgruntled former student; and "Sheer Will", which finds ebullient would-be comic Danny (Carlo Imperato) coming to grips with the fact that he has been diagnosed with leukemia. Of the series' many guest stars this season, Chorus Line principal Donna McKechnie is cast as Holly's mother in "Stages", impressionist George Kirby is featured as a former nightclub headliner turned wino in "Catch a Falling Star", blind actor-composer Tom Sullivan plays a substitute teacher who falls for dance instructor Lydia (Debbie Allen) in "A Friend in Need"; Melissa Manchester shows up as a once-famous torch singer who is afraid to return to performing in "Home Again", and veteran gangster-movie heavy Lawrence Tierney shows up in "The Deal", which turns out to be nothing more nor less than an old Mickey Rooney "Let's raise money by putting on show!" musical. And as in the previous season, highlights from the real-life musical tours undertaken by the cast members are featured in a brace of special episodes: "The Kids from 'Fame' in Israel" and "'Fame' Looks at Music 83" (with Irene Cara). In addition to accumulating even more local stations and a bigger audience than it had ever enjoyed as a network series, Fame earned yet another Emmy award, this one going to film editor Howard Brock. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Debbie AllenErica Gimpel, (more)
1984  
 
Far more popular in syndication than it had ever been on the NBC network, the weekly musical drama series Fame returns with a fourth season of 25 hour-long episodes. New to the student body of New York's High School of the Performing Arts this season are a young, pre-superstardom (and pre-"wardrobe malfunction"!) Janet Jackson as multitalented Cleo Hewitt; Nia Peeples as singer-dancer Nicole Chapman; and Jesse Borego as Jesse Velasquez, ex-street gang member, gifted dancer, and soon to be the protégé of senior student Leroy Johnson (Gene Anthony Ray). This season also introduces a new after-school hangout for the kids: Lou's Lanes, owned and operated by genial Lou Mackie, played by B-picture cult figure Dick Miller. In the season opener, the school's two zaniest students, aspiring playwright Doris (Valerie Landsburg) and would-be comic Danny (Carlo Imperato), begin dating. Later on, stalwart recurring player Ann Nelson is elevated to costar status in the role of ditsy school secretary Mrs. Berg. Also, officious vice principal Morloch (Ken Swofford) continues to mold the school's gifted pupils into his antiquated idea of "perfect" students, most memorably by introduced ROTC classes to the curriculum in the episode "Tomorrow's Children", inasmuch as Joan Baez is guest star on this occasion, and the musical numbers include highlights from "Hair", guess how long ROTC remains on campus! In other episodes, Anthony Newley guests as Doris' childhood idol, TV actor Trevor Kane; the teachers strut their stuff in the obligatory faculty variety show; Jesse is revealed to be an illegal alien, requiring an "instant" marriage to the pliable Doris; chubby tuba student Dwight (David Greenlee) falls hard to Holly; Danny goes the "Cyrano de Bergerac" route with Nicole on behalf of Jesse; Holly has a bout with anorexia due to problems at home; and former series regular Erica Gimpel returns to the role of Coco Hernandez--just long enough to qualify for her diploma in an episode that also features Milton Berle (NOT as one of the students!) As in seasons past, two of the Season Four episodes are comprised of footage from recent live "Kids from 'Fame'" concerts: "Heart of Rock and Roll" and "Heart of Rock and Roll". And with "School is Out", the series' only "clip show" comprise of highlights from past episodes, the fourth season of Fame comes to a close. Oh, and did we mention that the series managed to pick up yet another Emmy award, this one for Jim McElroy's videotape editing? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Debbie AllenCarlo Imperato, (more)
1994  
 
Alexandra's life becomes a living hell when she discovers the undercover policeman she loves is actually a dangerous serial killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Cynthia GibbJohn Stamos, (more)
1985  
PG  
Add Girls Just Want to Have Fun to QueueAdd Girls Just Want to Have Fun to top of Queue
On her first day at an all-girls Catholic High School in Chicago, shy and reserved Janey Glenn (Sarah Jessica Parker) meets the wild and wacky Lynne Sands (Helen Hunt). Even though her oppressive dad, Col. Glenn (Ed Lauter), won't let her go, Lynne talks her into sneaking out to try out for a spot on the beloved show Dance TV. Janey wows the judges with her gymnastic ability and makes first cuts, conveniently assigned to a cute dance partner: blue-collar bad boy Jeff Malene (Lee H. Montgomery). They compete against the bratty rich girl Natalie Sands (Holly Gagnier), who sabotages them because she wants Jeff and the contest for herself. Janey and Lynne get revenge by inviting punks and street kids to crash her debutante ball. Natalie then resorts to making her wealthy industrialist dad, J.P. Sands (Morgan Woodward), threaten Jeff; If he doesn't let Natalie win, his dad (Biff Yeager) could lose his job at the factory. It all leads up to the live television broadcast of the Dance TV contest, right when Janey's dad races to the studio to stop her. Also starring Shannen Doherty as Jeff's little sister, Maggie. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Sarah Jessica ParkerLee Montgomery, (more)
1993  
 
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Based on a Broadway play and featuring the Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim score, this is a remake of the 1962 movie which was based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, a stripper, depicting her life growing up in "show biz." ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Bette MidlerCynthia Gibb, (more)
1997  
 
Finding her new life as a housewife and mother unfulfilling, an ex-radio-news-reporter starts doing a little gambling, just for some excitement. Unfortunately, it isn't long before her need for thrills becomes a craving and the craving a full-blown addiction that threatens to destroy her life. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Cynthia GibbRobin Thomas, (more)
1996  
 
Produced for the USA cable network, Holiday Affair is a remake of the classic 1949 theatrical film of the same name, which in turn was inspired by John D. Weaver's short story "Christmas Gift." Cynthia Gibb and David James Elliott step into the roles of widowed mother Jodie Ennis and department store salesman Steve Mason, the characters originally played by Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum. "Meeting cute" while Jodie's son Timmy (Curtis Blanck) enthuses over a model train set, Jodie and the raffish but likeable Steve immediately hit it off, but she is already engaged to conservative lawyer Paul Davis (Tom Irwin, taking over from the original's Wendell Corey). The days between Christmas and New Year's Eve, Jodie finds herself in the unenviable position of choosing between two men whom she adores equally--a job not made easier by the well-meaning interference of son Timmy. The remake faithfully recreates most of the familiar setpieces from the 1949 version, including the Christmas-dinner sequence with Timmy's grandparents and a climactic confrontation in a courtroom over a case of mistaken identity. The presence of Al Waxman in the cast is a sure tipoff that, despite its New York City setting, the film was actually made in Canada. Holiday Affair first aired December 15, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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1987  
R  
The "Jack" who's "back" in this contemporary chiller is none other than Jack the Ripper. The scene is Los Angeles: the time is August of 1988, exactly 100 years after the Ripper's original reign of terror in Whitechapel. When several LA prostitutes turn up murdered and disemboweled, young physician James Spader is accused of emulating Spring Heel'd Jack. Before the film is half over, Spader is killed, and so far as the police are concerned, the case is closed. But then, Spader's twin brother appears on the scene, determined to track down the genuine culprit (if it doesn't turn out to be him, that is!). Handled with restraint, Jack's Back covers much of the same ground as the classic Robert Bloch tale Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper," though its crucial plot twist is a tad more clever (if a bit silly out of context). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
James SpaderCynthia Gibb, (more)
1987  
R  
Malone (Burt Reynolds) has been a "wet" operative for the CIA for many years, serving his country by performing assassinations. He is tired of his job and wants to get out of "the company" (as it is called) and live a normal life. He is looking along the Pacific Northwest for a place to settle down when his much-cherished classic Mustang breaks down outside the town of Comstock. He manages to get to a small gas station and is treated like family by a Vietnam veteran, who is the station's owner, and his daughter. They are suffering from the nefarious activities of a local bigwig (Cliff Robertson) to take over all the land in the city in a hare-brained development scheme. He soon runs afoul of the town sheriff, who is basically an employee of the developer, but eventually wins his respect. Meanwhile, the CIA is none too pleased to hear of Malone's intended retirement and send a succession of hit-men after him to ensure that he divulges none of their dirty secrets. Malone destroys the first two killers at some cost to his own well-being. The next assassin turns out to be a woman who is susceptible to his charms. Meanwhile, he has a thorough-going local scoundrel to put out of business. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Burt ReynoldsCliff Robertson, (more)
2002  
 
John Schneider serves as both director and star of this heartwarming made-for-TV film. It all begins when a cute little girl named Felicia Wallace (Jenna Boyd) writes a letter to Santa asking for a "new mommy" as a Christmas present. No-nonsense TV reporter Mary Maloney (Cynthia Gibb) is assigned to spend the Christmas holidays with Felicia and her wealthy widowed father Joel Wallace (Schneider). Though this set-up would seem to automatically guarantee a happy ending, it turns out that the "real" Santa Claus really has his work cut out for him. Tom Bosley rounds out the leading players as an enigmatic old duffer named Les Turner. Mary Christmas premiered November 29, 2002 over the PAX network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
John SchneiderCynthia Gibb, (more)
2003  
 
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When Frederica Dumay (Cynthia Gibb) inherits her father's winery, she has no idea of the sort of intrigue that awaits her at her dad's fabulous estate. A murder occurs soon afterward, and Frederica's best friend is the victim. She suspects that the culprit is the beautiful but spiteful Arabella Young (Alexandra Kamp-Groenveld), but cannot determine if the crime was the result of passion or greed. This being a Mary Higgins Clark adaptation, not everything is as obvious as it seems -- except for the fact that Frederica herself is the number one candidate to be the murderer's next victim. One of several two-hour Clark adaptations broadcast by the PAX network A Crime of Passion was originally slated to air on April 11, 2003, but was bumped back to May 9 of that same year. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Cynthia GibbGordon Currie, (more)
1986  
PG13  
This is teen drama concerns three friends, Margo (Daphne Zuniga), Kelly (Virginia Madsen), and Cece (Cynthia Gibb) whose only pursuit in life is men. The three young women go out to night spots to see what action they can pick up, and one evening Kelly's discarded date Clifford (Clayton Rohner) is conned into driving Margo and Cece to their favorite clubs. Meanwhile, Kelly is close to getting herself into serious trouble. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Daphne ZunigaVirginia Madsen, (more)
1986  
R  
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While Salvador wasn't Oliver Stone's first film (a pair of offbeat horror stories preceded it), it defined his style of fiercely dramatic, politically oriented filmmaking, staked out his territory as one of the major directors of the 1980s and 1990s, and remains one of his strongest works to date. Veteran photojournalist Richard Boyle (James Woods) has been taking his camera to the world's trouble spots for over 20 years; while he does good work, Boyle's fondness for booze and drugs, and his colossal arrogance, have given him a reputation that's left him practically unemployable. Broke and with no immediate prospects, Boyle and his buddy Doctor Rock (Jim Belushi), an out-of-work disc jockey, head to El Salvador, where Boyle is convinced that he can scare up some lucrative freelance work amidst the nation's political turmoil. However, when Boyle and Rock witness the execution of a student by government troops just as they enter the country, it becomes clear that this war is more serious than they were expecting. Increasingly convinced that El Salvador is a disaster starting to happen, Boyle eventually decides that it's time to get out; but he has fallen in love with a woman named Maria (Elpidia Carrillo), and he doesn't want to leave her behind. James Woods gives one of his best performances as Boyle; and the passion of Stone's message, aided by the power of its truth (the film is based on actual events), propels the film forward. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
James WoodsJames Belushi, (more)
1988  
PG  
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Fisher Stevens reprises his role of Ben Jahrvi, the co-inventor of the cute robot Number Five, in this sequel to Short Circuit. Since the last film, Ben has moved to the city, where he lives in a truck and sells toy Number Fives as a street vendor. Ben plies his trade until one day luck strikes in the form of Sandy (Cynthia Gibb), a toy buyer in dire straits who offers Ben $50,000 if he can quickly churn out a thousand toy robots. Offering to help the naive Ben is street con man Fred (Michael McKean), who becomes Ben's partner and finances the burgeoning enterprise through a loan shark. Ben and Fred begin to manufacture the toys in a warehouse; unfortunately, they soon find the building also houses the entrance of a tunnel dug by thieves, preparing to rob the bank across the street. With things appearing their bleakest, a crate arrives from Montana. Inside is the new and improved Number Five, who now insists on being called Johnny Five. Johnny Five has even learned to talk in a litany of phrases gleaned from television shows, and now helps Ben get started in the toy business. In the process, Ben and Johnny Five contend with the temptations and corrupt business practices of a big city environment. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Fisher StevensMichael McKean, (more)
1994  
 
A mother's happiness is shattered when she learns an awful truth about the man she married shortly after she had been brutally raped and left pregnant by a stranger. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Cynthia GibbRichard Grieco, (more)
1980  
PG  
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Woody Allen's tenth film as writer/director, Stardust Memories opens with a scene reminiscent of the opening of 8 1/2 and continues to use that film for inspiration. Sandy Bates (Allen) sits in a train at a train station, the car filled with very unhappy looking people. In a train on another set of tracks, Bates sees a wonderful party going on. A beautiful woman blows him a kiss as the happy train pulls out of the station. Bates is a famous film director who has been invited to attend a festival of his work being held at the Stardust hotel. He attends the event, but is ceaselessly harassed by fans who accost him and repel him in equal measure. While consistently hearing the complaints from fans, critics, and even space aliens that his earlier comedies are superior to his dramatic work, Bates juggles a trio of women in his private life. His encounters during the course of the retrospective force Bates to take a long look at himself. Sharon Stone makes one of her first film appearances as the woman who blows Sandy a kiss. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
Woody AllenCharlotte Rampling, (more)
1992  
 
A physician--an amateur sleuth--decides to investigate the suicide of a former student of his and begins to suspect that it was murder. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide

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