Robert Guillaume

Tim Burton directs the fantasy drama Big Fish, based on the book Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Southern writer/illustrator Daniel Wallace. Billy Crudup plays William Bloom, a young man who never really knew his dying father, Edward (Albert Finney) outside of the tall tales he told about growing up, making his way, and meeting his mother (played as a young woman by Alison Lohman and in older age by Jessica Lange). During Edward's last days, William and his wife Josephine (Marion Cotillard) hold bedside vigil as the old man recollects elaborate memories of his youth (in which he is played by Ewan McGregor). Still doubting the the legends and folklore, William makes a journey to meet a mysterious woman (Helena Bonham Carter) from whom Edward had bought property. Steve Buscemi and Danny De Vito also star. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Among the tasks undertaken by the WPA's Federal Writers' Project in the 1930s was to transcribe the memories of those former African-American slaves who were still living. The result was a massive collection of notes, documents, and recordings, all of which found their way into the Library of Congress. Co-produced by the Library and the HBO cable channel, Unchained Memories: Readings From the Slave Narratives features a truly impressive array of black actors and actresses verbally recreating the reminiscences of those who lived under the yoke of slavery. The performers themselves appeared in modern dress, standing before a neutral background as they read from the transcripts, while directors Ed Bell and Thomas Lennon complemented the words with vivid and disturbing images culled from contemporary photographs of the years 1850-1935. Tied in with a traveling museum exhibit of photos and recordings, Unchained Memories was telecast during Black History Month, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hal Linden hosts this musical special and salute to the American way of freedom and liberty. Many special guest stars appear in this video, including performances by The Beach Boys, Tony Danza, John Denver, and Martin Sheen. Also featured are Lee Greenwood, best known for "God Bless the USA", Curtis Mayfield, the immortal Woody Guthrie, The Young Rascals, and footage of other performers. Robert Guillaume, Stanley Kramer, and Mike Love also appear. ~ Leslie Birdwell, All Movie Guide

Jonathan Quint stars in this tale of corporate crime and espionage directed by Serge Rodnunsky. Charlie Cook (Quint) suddenly finds himself promoted to an executive level position at Silicon Towers, only to receive a frightening anonymously-sent E-mail a short time later. The letter reveals a highly unlawful scam Silicon Towers has been conducting that involves hacking into banks around the world thanks to a top-secret computer chip the company created and planted into the equipment it sells. When the powers that be at Silicon Towers learn of Charlie's inside knowledge, the corporate security force is unleashed to track him down. Charlie is thus forced to run for his life, while attempting to unveil the scam to the authorities. Brian Dennehy, Daniel Baldwin, and Robert Guillaume, while not starring in the film, are featured in minor roles. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide

Along with Hush Puppy, Charlie Horse, and Lamb Chop, Shari Lewis offers children an introduction to the history and traditions of the Jewish holiday Passover in Shari Lewis: Shari's Passover Surprise. Guest star Dom DeLuise cooks the traditional Seder per Charlie Horse's request, while Lamb Chop rehearses her Four Questions. Hush Puppy, meanwhile, is busy trying to sniff out the hidden matzo bread. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

When an airborne lightning strike kills the entire flight crew of a Europe-bound Boeing 747 during take-off, it is up to a brave senior flight attendant and a host of people on the ground to see the passengers to safety. The stewardess finds assistance from a passenger, and together they figure out that their best hope lies with the plane's sophisticated autopilot system. Unfortunately, it is working indiscriminately and guiding the crippled jet towards airports not large enough to safely land the giant craft. They are on the own when radio contact is lost. While the two them try to handle the jet and keep passengers calm, federal officials on the ground are faced with a horrendous decision. With no working autopilot and no experienced person to land the jet, the loss of life could be disastrous if the plane goes down in a heavily populated area. The officials are therefore faced with the prospect of shooting down the jet before that happens. But what about the passengers on board? ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Some say that to be the leader of a country is one of the loneliest jobs in the world. But being the child of a world leader can be doubly so. Constantly surrounded by security officers, restricted in movements and having almost every waking moment carefully monitored makes normalcy an impossibility. No one knows this better than young Luke Davenport, the son of U.S. President Davenport. He vents his loneliness, frustration and feelings of isolation from family and friends by being a brat to his private Secret Service agent. When the agent snaps from the strain in front of the First Lady, a new agent is assigned to Luke. He turns out to be the enormous Sam Simms, a bit of a rogue who managed to rise through the ranks by sheer determination rather than strict adherence to Secret-Service protocol. At first, Luke tries all his old tricks upon Sam. But instead of getting angry, Sam seems to actually understand. This touching comedy follows the eventual friendship that forms between the two misfits. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The first of several sight gag and slapstick-rich comedies he produced without the team of Jerry Zucker, David Zucker, and Jim Abrahams, this lowbrow comedy from executive producer and star Leslie Nielsen suffers by comparison to his work with the "ZAZ" team. Nielsen plays Dick Steele, secret agent WD-40, called out of retirement to stop the world-conquering plans of his old nemesis, General Rancor (Andy Griffith), an armless madman determined to avenge himself upon Steele (who is responsible for Rancor's lack of appendages). With the help of Russian agent Veronique Ukrinsky (Nicolette Sheridan), Steele prepares to battle Rancor at his tropical island lair, where the daughter of Steele's long-ago love is being held captive. Along the way, such films as True Lies (1994), Speed (1994), Jurassic Park (1993), Pulp Fiction (1994), and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) are spoofed. Director Richard Friedberg had previously directed Nielsen in a series of automobile rental commercials and goofy "how-to" golf videos. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Friendship and racism in 1880s America is explored in this made-for-television drama. Sidney Poitier stars as Gypsy Smith, a bounty hunter who, much to the chagrin of the local white population, leads a group of black settlers to Oklahoma to form their own free community. The film shows how racial tensions erupt between the black and white homesteaders. The Native American experience of racism is intertwined into the plot as well, with the story of a young Cheyenne boy who has lost his roots. Sidney Poitier and Regina Taylor were nominated for Image awards for their performances. Based on the novel by Clancy Carlile, the film originally aired in two parts. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide