Susan Murdoch Movies

A father (Andrew McCarthy) and son (Evan Williams) set out on a cross-country trip to deliver their prized Sitka Spruce to Washington, D.C. after it's selected as the official White House Christmas tree. Along the way, they discover the true meaning of Christmas, and forge memories that will last a lifetime. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A young girl learns some important lessons about life, love, friendship, and death from her ailing grandfather in this affectionate family drama starring Tom Bosley and Jordy Benattar. 12-year-old Casey Baker (Benattar) may be generations removed from her loving grandfather Charlie (Bosley), but they have so much in common that they're the very best of friends. They've been together since Casey was four years old and her mother died in a car accident. In the aftermath of that tragedy, Casey's father Jeff withdrew into his work, leaving his precocious daughter in the care of the aging widower. Then, one day, as Jeff is en route to Beijing on a business trip, Charlie suffers a massive heart attack and Casey's life changes forever. Later on at the hospital, the distressed girl does her best to convince Dr. Robert Graham not to subject Charlie to emergency surgery. When the doctors insist in consulting with an adult on the matter, Casey lies and tells them that she has consulted with her father on the matter, and that by no means is Charlie to be operated on. The decision ultimately turns out to save Charlie's life, as his body would have been too week to sustain the trauma of such an operation. As Jeff returns and Charlie recuperates, Dr. Graham's girlfriend Dr. Fran Gilford forms a close bond with the Bakers. A few weeks later, Charlie is healthy enough to take a brief vacation with his granddaughter, during which he takes the time to help Casey overcome her fear of public speaking, and eases her fears with a frank yet thoughtful discussion on death and the grieving process. Meanwhile, back home, Jeff summons the courage to ask Fran out on a date. Fran has grown tired of Dr. Graham's tactless bedside manner, and happily accepts. Jeff is doing his best to get back into the swing of fatherhood, and knowing that Charlie and Casey love to pass the time playing chess, he begins brushing up on his game so they can play together when Charlie is gone. Eventually, the inevitable happens and Charlie passes away, but not before having a heart-to-heart with Casey in which he insists that she limit her grieving time to just one month, and then move on with her life. Though at first it isn't easy, Casey does just that, eventually deciding to enter into a career as a cardiologist under the mentorship of her old friend Dr. Graham. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Nero Wolfe (Maury Chaykin) is the world's greatest detective, and like any genius, he has his share of idiosyncrasies -- he loves orchids with an unnatural passion, he weighs a seventh of a ton, and--oh yeah--he never leaves his New York brownstone. Instead, he is aided by an army of foot soldiers headed by Archie Goodwin (Timothy Hutton). The film opens when Pete, a young windshield washer, is begged by a woman to call the police. She is then ushered into a car and whisked away. Thinking that she has been kidnapped, Pete gives Nero the scoop in exchange for half the reward money. When Pete later turns up dead, Nero kicks his investigation into high gear. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

A real-life murder story that commanded headlines for several months in 1990 served as the basis for the tense but unsatisfying cable-TV movie Judgment Day: Ellie Nesler Story. Christine Lahti stars as Ellie Nesler, who cannot help but notice that her seven-year-old son Brandon (Andrew Ducote) has been sullen and withdrawn since returning from summer camp. Eventually it is revealed that Brandon had been sexually molested by camp counselor Daniel Driver (Robert Bockstael)--and that Driver has had a history of such repellant behavior, but has managed to remain out of prison thanks to the loopholes of the legal system. Driven over the edge when Driver beats the rap once more, Ellie confronts the man outside a courtroom and shoots him dead! The rest of the film recounts Ellie's murder trial, and the spectacular outpouring of public reaction--both pro and con--in its wake. Though it is uncompromising in detailing the long-range consequences of the actions by both Ellie Nesler and Daniel Driver, the film refuses to take a definite stance of its own in the controversy, and thus its dramatic impact is muted. Judgment Day: The Ellie Nesler Story made its USA cable network debut on June 23, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on actual events from the early '90s and first aired on the Family Channel, this exciting drama centers on the attempts of one small town to keep the Mississippi river from destroying it. The leaders in this seemingly impossible quest are widower farmer Herb and the Army Corps of Engineers woman he loves. Despite their efforts to shore up the town's levees, the water keeps rising, and the town is increasingly at risk. When a levee up-river breaks, Herb's kids are caught in the flood and a massive search ensues. Finally, just as the town is about to be inundated, Herb finds himself forced to make a difficult decision between the town's welfare and his own. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Rising business executive Jake Peterson (Tim Matheson) is given a make-or-break assignment when he is sent to a small town for the purpose of severely downsizing the local tractor factory. Upon his arrival, Jake is mistaken by the townsfolk as the man sent to save rather than destroy their community, and is treated as such, much to his discomfort. Making his task even more difficult is Jake's blossoming romance with factory employee Emma Murphy (Melissa Gilbert), whose daughter Noelle (Michelle Trachtenberg) regards our hero as Santa Claus Incarnate. Made for the CBS TV network (and filmed under the title A Holiday for Love, Christmas in My Hometown premiered December 10, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In yet another modern-dress version of The Prince and the Pauper, Joey Lawrence plays Ricky Prince, a famous pop star who has grown tired of the spotlight and the pressures of fame. Ricky makes the aquaintance of Ralph Bitondo (also played by Joey Lawrence), a pizza delivery boy who looks almost exactly like Ricky -- so much so that the two decide to trade identities for a while. Ricky enjoys being able to live like an average guy for a change, and Ralph gets a kick out of the perks of stardom, but predictably enough they both learn the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Also known as The Prince and the Pizza Boy, Prince for a Day also stars Richard Belzer and Khrystyne Haje. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi