Gunnar Hellstrom Movies
- 1994
This biography profiles the life and times of early 20th century Swedish painter Anders Zorn who gained notoriety for his nudes. His works are currently worth millions. The film is set in the time when Zorn, already respected for his art, was commissioned to paint a portrait of the Swedish king. Though an excellent painter, Zorn's personal life is dreadful. A boozer and a womanizer who frequently cheats on his wife, Zorn constantly seeks approval for his art. When he travels to the U.S. for a tour he meets Emilie Bartlett the wife of sculptor Paul W. Bartlett with whom he begins a sporadic affair. After Paul commits suicide, Zorn and Emilie move to Sweden. Zorn disregards his wife's feelings and openly displays his affections for Emilie. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gunnar Hellstrom, Linda Kozlowski, (more)
- 1983
The real Rakenstam, the subject of this fictional treatment of his life from 1942-1945 before his imprisonment, had romantic liaisons with hundreds of women over a three-year period and managed to scam large amounts of money from 120 of them, thriving off each one and somehow managing to make each believe she was the only woman in his life. He was 42 at the time he started these exploits, and even after he was caught because of a blackmailer, the women not only refused to sue him, but they filled his jail cell with roses. While his deception was a work in progress, there were many moments of anxiety (he had been engaged to two of the women) as he tried to juggle the women, pay off the blackmailer, and maintain his identity as a businessman or banker. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gunnar Hellstrom, Lena Nyman, (more)
- 1981
Director Vilgot Sjoman of I Am Curious - Yellow fame, has created this film of a director named Gunnar Sjoeman (Gunnar Hellstrom) making a movie in the Philippines that is based on Joseph Conrad's book "Victory." After arriving on location, the director finds that his leading man has shafted him and so he finds another (Larry Hagman playing himself), then his mistress (Bibi Andersson) gets involved with a movement to free a political prisoner, and the Philippine co-producer would like to transform the movie into a more commercial product. Amidst these developments, the director is still able to shoot some pretty bloody scenes of local color, and make broad jabs at the regional brand of foreign white dominance over underprivileged nationals. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gunnar Hellstrom, Bibi Andersson, (more)
- 1980
Based on Hal W. Painter's autobiography, Mark, I Love You stars Kevin Dobson as Painter. Recently and suddenly widowed, Painter is so emotionally distraught that he permits his in-laws (James Whitmore and Peggy McCay) to gain custody of his son Mark (Justin Dana). Now that he has recovered, found a good job, and entered into a serious relationship with a young woman (Cassie Yates), Painter wants his son back. But his in-laws refuse, and the whole unfortunate affair ends up with an emotional court battle. While it could have been dismissed as yet another TV-movie variation of Kramer vs. Kramer, Mark, I Love You stands up admirably on its own merits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Aided by Peruvian policeman, an overly zealous missionary priest in the Amazon jungle kidnaps two Campa-tribe children so that they can know the joys of the true faith. After the children are kidnapped back by their own people, the priest and his group go to "rescue" them, and are nearly killed en masse by the enraged tribespeople. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gunnar Hellstrom
- 1969
Written by Paul Playdon, "The Interrogator" opens as enemy submarines converged off the Atlantic Coast, poised to launch a nuclear attack against the United States. Racing against time, the IMF agents must persuade captured spy Novan Kruger (Henry Silva) to reveal his country's war plans. Utilizing a new and dangerous drug, the agents subject Kruger to a maelstrom of devilishly clever mind tricks to pry loose his secrets. First telecast on April 20, 1969, "The Interrogator" was the last episode of Mission: Impossible's third season, as well as the final joint series appearance of regulars Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1968
Grand Jury witness Charles Ball (James Patterson) is prepared to charge seven men with fraud-not out of any sense of civic duty, but because he has been paid off by Vandeman (Mark Richman a co-conspirator of the seven defendants, and the worst of the lot. With his life in jeopardy, Ball hides out at the Ponderosa, which rests not at all well with Candy. Meanwhile, the seven accused men align themselves with Vandeman to arrange a fatal "accident" for Ball. Others in the cast include Linda March as Harriet Ball, John Milford as Rodgers, and John Archer as Ludlow. Written by Preston Wood, "A World Full of Cannibals" first aired on December 22, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1968
Hawaii Five-O's Jack Lord stars in this odd little thriller directed by Gunnar Hellstrom. Lord plays a Hungarian man named Lipa who meets the beautiful Mickey (Susan Strasberg) while wandering the highways of Arizona. Mickey runs a gas station in the desert with her mother (T.C. Jones) and two sisters and invites Lipa to stay with them. He does, not knowing that the entire family is stark-raving mad. The usual psychological games ensue, with Lipa being attacked by a rattlesnake, seduced by the psychotic sisters, and run over with a car before figuring out the predictable truth -- that "Mom" is really a man. Gorgeous photography by Vilmos Zsigmond and some amusingly sadistic set-pieces accent this enjoyably trashy thriller. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Lord, Susan Strasberg, (more)
- 1968
Chad Everett guest stars as Daniel Sayres, a singularly despicable con artist. Decked out with a phony USAF uniform and a "borrowed" identity from the Vietnam casualty list, Sayres specializes in tricking gullible women into marrying him, whereupon he steals all their money. The FBI is alerted to Sayres' racket when one of his victims turns up murdered. Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) must act quickly before Sayres' latest bride, Margaret Caine (Kathleen Widdowes), meets the same grisly fate as her predecessor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
The IMF is assigned to infiltrate a South American stronghold, where a group of unregenerate Nazis have gathered in hopes of reestablishing the Third Reich. Much to the agents' amazement, the leader of the Nazis is the infamous Martin Bormann! Will the agents be able to convince the old but wily Bormann that Briggs and Rollin are former members of Hitler's inner circle? Written by Mann Rubin, "The Legend" first aired on February 11 1967, during the same week that the cast of Mission: Impossible appeared on the cover of TV Guide. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1966
When a thief attempts to steal one million dollars, the plan backfires and a shoot-out ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Sequestered in an observation post, a tiny band of German soldiers commandered by dedicated Nazi Kessler (Gunnar Hellstrom) holds off the efforts by Hanley's platoon to capture them. Declaring "the merciful are weak", Kessler threatens to kill his French hostages--including a female librarian named Annette (Denise Alexander) and five children--if Hanley (Rick Jason) makes a move. The only way to break this stalemate and save the hostages is for Annette to play upon Kessler's one and only weakness. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
A troubled young woman resists reform and pays the consequences in this drama. The new trouble begins after she is paroled from reform school and is sent to work in the country. She is not interested in working and so violates her parole and returns to Stockholm to hang out with members of her old gang. She begins a series of affairs after her ex-boyfriend rejects her. She then begins dating a drug dealer whom the police are watching. One night, she shows up drunk at his flat. There she is arrested and sent back to reform school. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Saunders (Vic Morrow) an his men are assigned to smuggle valuable French partisan Bresson (Eugene Borden) past enemy lines. En route, Bresson is shot in the back, and is in dire and immediate need of medical attention. Thanks to a series of tragic mishaps, the only doctor available to operate on Bresson is a German (Gunnar Hellstrom). This episode is full of characteristic Robert Altman touches, from the excellent use of mood lighting to the almost casual death of a familiar supporting character. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
If anything, this star-studded sequel is even sillier than the original, adding to its problems by completely recasting all the roles, combining several of them into existing characters. Carol Lynley is the heroine this time, and she leaves Peyton Place for New York to write a book about the hypocrisy of her hometown. The book causes lots of trouble back home, getting Mike (Robert Sterling) fired as principal, angering Lynley's mother (Eleanor Parker), and stirring such horrible memories in Selena (Tuesday Weld) that she brains her new boyfriend with a fireplace poker, thinking he is her dead rapist stepfather. The film really belongs to Mary Astor, in a hilarious turn as a smotheringly possessive mother. She tries to come between her son and his new bride (Luciana Paluzzi) in some unintentionally hilarious scenes, causing Paluzzi to fling herself down a ski slope in an attempt at a self-induced miscarriage. Overwrought and overblown, the film is still a treat for fans of campy "suburban sin" melodramas. Look for Bob Crane as an unctuous talk show sidekick. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carol Lynley, Jeff Chandler, (more)
- 1958
Synnove Solbakken (The Girl of Solbakken) stars Synnove Strigen as the title character. Set at the turn of the century, the story focuses on a drunken lout (played by director Gunnar Hellstrom) who takes out his frustrations on everyone around him. He relents only upon finding out that someone loves him regardless of his many faults. Alas, this turnaround may be too late to do anyone any good. Restraint is not the strong suit of Synnove Solbakken wherein everything is larger than life. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gunnar Hellstrom, Harriet Andersson, (more)
