Paul Gleason Movies
Wiry character actor Paul Gleason attended Florida State University before making his first off-Broadway appearance in a 1973 revival of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Gleason's inaugural movie role was Long Tom in Doc Savage (1975), after which he worked extensively in Roger Corman productions. He is best known for his scowling, obstreperous portrayals of minor authority figures: the principal in The Breakfast Club (1985), the police chief in Die Hard (1988), and so on. He was at his most abrasive--and his funniest--as FBI agent Clarence Beeks in Trading Places (1982). A familiar TV presence since his days as David Thornton on the ABC serial All My Children, Paul Gleason has had recurring roles on such nighttimers as Spooner, Supercarrier and One West Waikiki. Throughout the '90s Gleason continued to work steadily as a character actor appearing in films as diverse as National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1, Running Cool, Maniac Cop 3, and Nothing to Lose. Like his Breakfast Club co-star Molly Ringwald, Gleason willingly spoofed his most iconic performance in the 2001 comedy Not Another Teen Movie. In May of 2006, at the age of 67, Gleason perished from mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer often suffered by people exposed to asbestos. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Paul Newman stars as an essentially decent cop patrolling that decimated, drug-and-gang-ridden borough known on the city maps as the Bronx, but known to its denizens as "Fort Apache". While Newman tries to hold on to his basic humanity and to treat even the sorriest of the people on his beat with dignity, he can't do much to convince his superiors that blind brutality is not the answer to social blight. When he witnesses fellow-cop Danny Aiello cold-bloodedly murdering a crime suspect, Newman is advised to sweep the whole incident under the rug. He refuses to do so, and as a result becomes "persona non grata" to his former friends on the force. Ed Asner co-stars as the beleaguered captain who has given up trying to treat his job as anything but a necessary evil, while Rachel Ticotin is Newman's love interest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Newman, Ed Asner, (more)
The ads for Arthur suggested that this was an obnoxious film about an obnoxious man, an eternally drunken millionaire indulging his every whim. Instead, Arthur (Dudley Moore) is a sweet, somewhat pathetic character whose millions have left him lonely and with no motivation in life. When the film opens, Arthur is on the threshold of an arranged marriage with simpering socialite Susan (Jill Eikenberry), whom he does not love. Everyone expects Arthur to behave himself, but nobody truly cares for his well-being, with the exception of father-figure butler Mr. Hobson (John Gielgud, who won an Oscar for his performance) and blue-collar shoplifter Linda (Liza Minnelli). Arthur would prefer to marry the lowly Linda, but his iron-willed grandmother (Geraldine Fitzgerald) threatens to pull the plug on his huge inheritance if he doesn't honor his position in life and go through with his marriage to Susan. A sequel, Arthur 2: On the Rocks, followed in 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, (more)
In this fairly frightening slasher-horror film, sweet young Amy Jensen (Caitlin O'Heaney) and her friends decide to all get married together. Unfortunately, all the guys go on vacation, leaving the women at the mercy of a psychotic killer (Tom Rolfing) who goes after brides with a big knife. Amy must seek help from an obsessed cop (Lewis Arlt) and her nerdy friend (Don Scardino) who works at a morgue. The familiar supporting cast includes Tom Hanks in his big-screen debut, and '80s standbys Russell Todd, Paul Gleason, and Dana Barron. This one has some scary moments despite the clichéd plot and the obligatory severed head in a fishbowl, especially a stalking scene in a tailor's shop and the tense morgue chase at the end. The most memorable sequence, involving a murder at a movie theater, was later restaged almost shot-by-shot in Scream 2 (1997). ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Don Scardino, Caitlin O'Heaney, (more)
Bull Meechum (Robert Duvall) loves fighting almost as much as he loves the Marine Corps. Profane, cocky, and arrogant, he's a great fighter pilot -- and he knows it. His boss hates his guts, but knows that if he's going to straighten out his lagging squadron, Meechum is the man to do it. The story and irony of The Great Santini is in Meechum's total intolerance of family life and fatherhood. Meechum has a lovely, supportive wife, Lillian (Blythe Danner), an earnest, likeable son, Ben (Michael O'Keefe), three smaller children, and a good home, but Meechum finds the pastoral nature of peacetime totally incompatible with his gung-ho nature. So he begins to drink. He drills his family unmercifully, like recruits. He hammers his son relentlessly until, in a basketball game, his son fights back, and the family cheers Ben's efforts. Tension builds in the household until, during one drunken night, Meechum breaks down. Based on a best-selling novel by Pat Conroy, The Great Santini earned critical raves but fared poorly at the box office. Duvall's performance as Meechum is generally regarded as one of his greatest. ~ Nick Sambides, Jr., All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Duvall, Blythe Danner, (more)
- 1979
Women at West Point is a close-order-drill soap opera inspired by the Point's first women cadets, who entered the school as "plebes" in 1976. Unable to dwell upon the lives and times of all 119 women, the film concentrates upon ever-victimized plebe Linda Purl. What could have been an entertaining, informative film spirals downward quickly to the usual "Freshman Hell Week" stuff. The script continually condemns the sexism of the male upperclassmen, but the lascivious dialogue exchanges about underwear, "plumbing" and mammary glands is annoying sexist in itself. More disheartening is the fact that Women at West Point was directed by Hollywood veteran Vincent Sherman, who in happier times had directed some of the best "independent female" films of the 1940s, starring the likes of Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Ida Lupino. The biggest disappointment of all: Women of West Point falls to mention that of the original 119 female plebes, 64 made it to graduation--a fact infinitely more inspiring than anything in this TV movie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Robert Duvall stars as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower in this made-for-TV biography, which focuses on his career in the military during World War II as he helped to guide Allied forces to victory. Along with Eisenhower's military exploits and political aspirations, Ike: The War Years also offers a perspective on his person life, in particular his relationship with Kay Summersby (Lee Remick), the driver who later claimed to have had a long-term romantic relationship with him. First broadcast as a multi-part miniseries, Ike: The War Years also stars Dana Andrews, Darren McGavin, Laurence Luckinbill, and Steve Roberts as Franklin D. Roosevelt. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Duvall, Lee Remick, (more)
- 1976
- PG
In this exciting adventure, the residents of a remote California community grow tired of having their lives disrupted by growing groups of rowdy oilworkers who have no respect for law and order. In desperation they hire a Vietnam veteran to clean up the town. The ex-fighter brings in a band of other vets and does just that. Unfortunately, the veterans then begin controlling the town until the leader's brother and his friends manage to oust him and restore peace to the sleepy little town. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kris Kristofferson, Jan-Michael Vincent, (more)
- 1975
George Pal's final film is a kiddie action saga based on the popular comic strip and action book series by Kenneth Robeson. Ron Ely is all flash and charmless brawn as the blonde-haired superhero Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze. When his father is mysteriously murdered, Savage gathers together five of his cronies -- The Amazing Five -- to head off on an expedition to South America to find some answers. There he battles Captain Seas (Paul Wexler) and "the green death." Along the way, he charms native girl Mona (Pamela Hensley), who immediately falls for the blonde chiselhead. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ron Ely, Paul Gleason, (more)
- 1974
Flying in the face of his police training, Officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) takes an intensely personal interest in the search for a missing six-year-old girl. Catching up with a suspected child molester, Pete reacts violently when the prisoner makes a snide remark. Now Malloy is facing charges of using excessive force--and a depraved criminal may go free as a result. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
- R
A pair of outlaws find both love and danger on the road in this period crime drama. John Ashley (pop singer-turned-actor Fabian Forte) grew up in a small town in the swamps of Florida, and carried a torch for his childhood sweetheart, Laura (Karen Black). However, in the '20s there wasn't much work to be had, and John turned to poaching to make money for Laura and himself. When John accidentally killed a man, he found himself facing a long stretch in prison, but with the help of his brother he escaped, and John and Laura hit the road, making a living robbing bands and bootlegging liquor until they became minor celebrities for their criminal exploits. The sole directorial credit for Luke Moberly, Little Laura & Big John was inspired by the real-life story of John Ashley, a Florida-based criminal who earned a certain fame in the Deep South during the depression. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Syndicate boss Charles Rogan (Robert Webber) has salted away $5,000,000 in order to finance a mob-benefiting political coup in the Carribean nation of Camagua. Commandeering a Navy patrol boat, the IMF stages a characteristically elaborate scam (including the "murder" of agent Barney) in order to locate the key to Rogan's hidden millions. Barbara Anderson makes her second appearance as temporary IMF agent Mimi Davis. Originally telecast on September 30, 1972, "The Deal" was scripted by George F. Slavin and Stephen Kandel, from a story by Slavin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Greg Morris, (more)
- 1972
This episode focuses on one of Adam-12's most stalwart supporting players, William Boyett as Sergeant "Mac" MacDonald. While on assignment, Mac knocks down a pedestrian in his squad car. Although Officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) testifies that it was an unavoidable accident, Mac is accused of reckless driving by four different eyewitnesses. "Back-Up One L-20" was written by a young Stephen J. Cannell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) cover familiar ground when they climb into the front seat of Adam-12 to chase down a car thief. But they're in far less familiar surroundings when they are assigned to an experimental LAPD bicycle patrol. Doing their best to hide their discomfort, our heroes mount a pair of two-wheelers in order to round up a gang of auto-accessory thieves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
- R
This is the second entry in Roger Corman's "Nurse" series. More serious and more sympathetic to Vietnam War veterans than the others, it tells how the buxom caregivers rally together to stop racism at a hospital. When not being serious, the women have plenty of time to frolic on waterbeds (a major craze during the '70s). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1971
One of the title characters in this episode is played by veteran comic actress Florence Lake, best remembered for her appearances as Mrs. Edgar Kennedy in a series of popular two-reelers of the 1930s and 1940s. This "grandmother" is but one of several civilians encountered by Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) as they conduct a search for a drug dealer. A priest proves to be of great help to the two officers in their mission. A high-speed car chase caps this installment, which features a rare dramatic appearance by Ozzie Nelson--who also served as the episode's director. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Arriving in the US under the alias "Paul Sieger", Nazi war criminal Helmut Probst (Charles Korvin) hopes to avoid capture with the aid of American fascist leader Mark Dryden (Ralph Bellamy). Although he idolizes Probst, Dryden becomes disillusioned when the Nazi starts making advances towards his daughter Karen (Anne Helm). It is now up to Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) to prevent Dryden from assassinating Probst so that the Feds can grab the Nazi themselves. It is no small irony that the episode's climax takes place in a Jewish synagogue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
