Dick Haynes Movies
When the drug craze of the '60s invades the straight-laced world of a military academy, a group of young cadets turn the school upside down. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
Albert Brooks made his feature-length debut as a writer and director with this wickedly funny satire, in which Albert Brooks plays "Albert Brooks," an arrogant and self-centered comedian who has decided to make a documentary film. Following the lead of the infamous pre-Real World PBS series An American Family (in which a "typical" family was filmed during most of their waking hours and eventually self-destructed on camera), Brooks moves in with the Yeager family of Phoenix, Arizona and chronicles their lives, with the support of a battery of psychiatrists and sociologists. He arrives at the Yeagers' doorstep with a two-man crew, wearing high-tech cameras that look like space helmets from a grade-B sci-fi movie, and it quickly becomes obvious that he is incapable of being unobtrusive. The Yeagers are driven to distraction by Brooks, who repeatedly ignores the advice of his team of experts and wishes there were some way to make the family's life more interesting (leading to perhaps the least expected homage to Gone With the Wind in film history). Of all Brooks' features, Real Life most resembles his cutting but deadpan short subjects for Saturday Night Live; Brooks never fails to cast himself in an unflattering light, and the supporting cast does admirable work in reacting to him, especially Charles Grodin and Lee McCain as Mr. and Mrs. Yeager. Harry Shearer contributed to the screenplay and plays a small role. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Grodin, Frances Lee McCain, (more)
- 1974
This comedy western is the failed pilot for a TV series based on the 1971 feature film Skin Game. Like the original, this tells the story of two bungling con artists, one white the other black, who ride around trying to collect an outlaw bounty and outsmart slave traders. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
James Garner is a nothing short of a delight in this western spoof that stands western clichés on their ears. The film takes place in the small western town of Calender, a town that experiences a gold rush when gold is discovered in an open grave by Prudy Perkins (Joan Hackett). As gold prospectors flood in and out of town, the Danby clan, anxious to take advantage of the situation (since their ranch blocks the main road out of town) levies a 20% tribute on every gold shipment that passes through. Three sheriffs have been dispatched by the Danbys, and they control the town. Into this situation, on his way to Australia, rides Jason McCullough (Garner). McCullough is an easy-going sort who just happens to be a crack shot. The town rapidly makes him sheriff. His first line of business is to break up a fight and to arrest Joe Danby (Bruce Dern) for murder. As McCullouch settles down in the Perkins boarding house, Pa Danby (Walter Brennan) plots to spring his son from jail. But when all his mechanizations fail to gain Joe's release, Pa Danby gathers together all the Danbys in the surrounding countryside to head into Calender to get rid of McCullough. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Garner, Joan Hackett, (more)
- 1968
This musical chronicles the rise to fame of C&W singer Grady Dodd (Hank Williams Jr.). The tale begins as the talented young man defies the uncle who raised him and tries to break into the music business. As a result of the conflict, the boy learns that his mother, whom he doesn't remember, was a singer who died after she ran away with another musician. Songs include: The Humming Bird, It's All Over But the Crying, Rock in My Shoe (Hank Williams, Jr.), A Man Is On His Own (John Scoggins, Williams, Jr.), Money Can't Buy Happiness, Old Before My Time (Steve Karliski), Next Time I Say Goodbye, I'm Leaving (Larry Kusik, Eddie Snyder), and A Time to Sing (Scoggins). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hank Williams, Jr., Shelley Fabares, (more)
- 1967
Erstwhile standup comedian Howard Sprague scores a big hit on the TV variety show "Colonel Tim's Talent Time." Unfortunately, the citizens of Mayberry do not take kindly to being the butt of Howard's jokes. For a while, Howard is persona non grata amongst the Mayberryites-but human nature proves to be a very curious and changeable thing. Dick Haynes guest-stars as Colonel Tim. Written by Michael Morris and Seaman Jacobs, "Howard the Comedian" first aired on March 20, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
A teenage boy, the son of a recently widowed policeman's wife, accidentally witnesses a wrestler killing his girl friend in a domestic dispute involving a robbery he just committed on her behalf. The boy had been delivering papers at the time and when the wrestler, who has a weak heart, finds out he begins searching for him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Knowing that syndicate errand boy Smiley Barris (Frank Sutton) has enough information to send him to the chair, Joe Kulak (Oscar Beregi) orders his hired torpedoes to bump Smiley off. When his plans are thwarted by Elliot Ness (Robert Stack), Kulak brings in an out-of-town assassin named John Quist (John Larkin). Now on the lam from both Ness and Quist, Smiley seeks protection from high-rolling gambler Johnny Templar (a "Bugsy Siegel" clone played by Harry Guardino). Both Johnny and his girlfriend Jeanne (Gloria Talbott) take a liking to Smiley and do everything they can to help him--which turns out to be a fatal miscalculation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this off-beat sci-fi adventure an astronaut must make a forced landing upon a remote asteroid. His ship is damaged and he must breathe the planet's atmosphere. Soon he begins shrinking and once he gets down to six inches discovers the place populated by diminutive people who have turned the flying rock into a ship. He soon joins forces with the little people to defeat the monstrous solarites, terrifying creatures out to eat them. The leader of the wee-folk is Francis X. Bushman who was once a popular romantic lead in silent movies. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1957
Coproduced by actress Jane Russell and her husband Robert Waterfield, The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown represented Russell's final starring film of the 1950s--and her last movie appearance until 1964. Decked out in an unbecoming blonde wig, Jane is cast as Hollywood starlet Laurel Stevens. On the eve of her latest picture,"The Kidnapped Bride", Laurel is kidnapped for real by Runyonesque crooks Mike (Ralph Meeker) and Dandy (Keenan Wynn"). She assumes it's a publicity stunt staged by her studio, but soon figures out what's what. When the kidnappers fall for Laurel and decide to set her free, she insists that they go through with their ransom demands, lest she be accused of faking the abduction for publicity purposes. Based on a much funnier novel by Sylvia Tate, The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown was an enormous flop which not even the combined comic expertise of supporting players Fred Clark, Una Merkel and Benay Venuta could salvage. Thanks to constant TV showings in the 1960s, however, the film finally posted a profit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Russell, Keenan Wynn, (more)
