Jonathan Hole Movies

Silhouette, an excellent made-for-cable thriller, is the story of a businesswoman who is stranded by car trouble in a small town and who is the only witness to a murder. Samantha Kimball (Faye Dunaway), while waiting for her car to be repaired, stays in a rundown hotel in a small town. There, unable to sleep, she watches through her window as a car drives up to the home of a local waitress. She sees the shadow of a man get out and a violent attack and murder take place inside the home. After having made her statement to the police, Samantha becomes increasingly frightened as the killer begins to stalk her and her daughter, afraid that he can be identified. Dunaway is terrific as the woman who must fight to protect herself and her child, and she gives a cool, nuanced performance in a somewhat cliched role. The identify of the killer, not revealed until the bloody finale of the film, is not much of a surprise, but Silhouette, fast-paced and nicely directed by Carl Schenkel, makes the most of its familiar material and delivers an exciting, suspenseful lady-in-distress thriller. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

"Mom" is Connie Stevens, who stars in this made-for-TV comedy. Stevens plays a small-town waitress who is appointed the housemother for a rambunctious fraternity house on the local college campus. The frat boys assume that freewheeling Stevens will allow them to party to their hearts' content, but "Mom" takes her job quite seriously and compels the students to behave themselves. She also becomes involved in a campus feminist movement that threatens to topple the college's male power structure (headed by dean Van Johnson). Call Her Mom was the pilot for a Connie Stevens TV series that found neither a sponsor nor a network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Most sitcoms of the '70s treated the Women's Liberation Movement with derision, and Green Acres was no exception. Having been fired up by feminist rhetoric, Lisa (Eva Gabor) decides that she is fully capable of doing "men's" work, and thus she insists upon performing all the farm chores. As for hubby Oliver (Eddie Albert), he is relegated to the humiliating position of househusband (or at least, it was considered humiliating way back when). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) may have finally gone too far when he arranges a race between the Hooterville Cannonball and a jitney bus (a glorified taxi). If Joe loses, he also loses the Shady Rest--and even worse, he will be forced to work as a bellboy at the Pixley Hotel. Hal Smith,better known as town drunk Otis Campbell on The Andy Griffith Show, appears as Jug Gunderson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Once again, Oliver and Lisa Douglas (Eddie Albert), (Eva Gabor) are at the mercy of blind, boneheaded bureaucracy. A boundary survey reveals that only half of the Douglases' farm is located in Hooterville; the other half resides in the neighboring community of Pixley. This results in miles upon miles of red tape and newly-imposed regulations -- and worst of all, Oliver and Lisa are now "foreigners" to their longtime Hooterville neighbors. Gordon Jump (future costar of WKRP in Cincinnati), is cast as the far-from-helpful surveyor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A pair of crooks conspire to rob the ticket booth at the Los Angeles Coliseum during a Rams game. Before they can perform the heist, the two must find precisely the right henchmen to join them. Each potential gang member must undergo a rigorous test of skill. Thanks to care and precise planning, the caper comes off smoothly and afterward the gang leader (Jim Brown) hides the money in the apartment of his ex-wife (Diahann Carroll). She only agrees to keep the money on the provision that he reform so they can get back together. Unfortunately, the wife's lust-crazed landlord (James Whitmore) busts into her house the next day and tries to rape her. During the struggle he kills her and then takes the loot. Later a crooked cop (Gene Hackman) investigates. Meanwhile, when the gang members learn that the loot is missing, they suspect a double-cross and engage in a huge battle. The cop finds the money and at first keeps it for himself. The head crook eventually figures out that the cop has it and so goes to him to make a little deal. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Abraham Sofaer makes his first series appearance as Haji, master of all genies, in this episode, which is also the first one directed by series star Larry Hagman. Tired of merely wishing that Tony (Larry Hagman) would ask her to become his wife, Jeannie (Barbara Eden) casts a "forbidden" spell on her Master, whereupon he instantly drops to his knee and proposes. This enrages the all-powerful Haji, who casts his own spell...resulting in an severely accident-prone Tony and a Jeannie completely stripped of her magical skills. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the concluding episode of a two-part story, Lucy's roommate Carol Bradford (Carol Burnett) is hired along with The Vagabonds to perform a musical act at an upcoming Palm Springs golf tournament. When she is invited to accompany Carol to the gig, Lucy (Lucille Ball) feigns illness so she can skip work. Upon her arrival at Palm Springs, Lucy is fixed up with a date with handsome movie actor Collin Grant (Dan Rowan)--who happens to be the golfing partner of Lucy's boss Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon). Carol, Lucy and The Vagabonds (including an uncredited Joe Pesci!) perform "Lazy River" and "The Hukilau Song." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story arc, the Stephenses are still playing host to Benjamin Franklin (Fredd Wayne), whom Aunt Clara has accidentally zapped into the 20th century. Fascinated with all the "new" technology around him, Ben decides to take a test ride on a fire engine and ends up arrested for grand theft. Despite the very real possibility that she will be exposed as a witch, Samantha serves as Ben's defense attorney in court. Written by James Henerson, "Samantha for the Defense" originally aired on December 15, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tim (Bill Bixby) may lose an inheritance because the lawyer handling the estate questions the authenticity of Tim's "Uncle" Martin (Ray Walston). This prompts Martin to utilize the CCTBS machine to go back in time for the purpose of creating an Earthbound identity for himself. Unfortunately, upon returning to the Present, Martin finds that he has "reinvented" himself as a notorious thief and murderer--and now he must go back even further in time to set things right! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A sudden flareup of sunspots wreaks havoc on Martin's metabolism, to say nothing of his special powers. As a result, Martin (Ray Walston) begins levitating, then shrinking, and finally disappears completely from view. Five days later, and Martin has still not reappeared--and worse, circumstantial evidence has begun to pile up suggesting that Tim (Bill Bixby) has bumped off his "Uncle" for his insurance money! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Maurice Chevalier plays Philip Dulaine, a supposedly dying millionaire, while Sandra Dee co-stars as Cynthia, the elderly man's granddaughter. To allow Dulaine to die happy, Cynthia promises to find a husband. Actually, Dulaine is only pretending to be at death's door to get Cynthia married off. Subsequent complications involve Cynthia's personal choice for a husband, Warren Palmer (Andy Williams), and Dulaine's selection, Paul Benton (Robert Goulet). Deanna Durbin fans will quickly detect that I'd Rather Be Rich is a remake of Durbin's It Started With Eve (1941), with a gender switch (in the original, Robert Cummings is the grandson, and Durbin is the instant fiancee) and with Maurice Chevalier filling the sizeable shoes of Charles Laughton as the foxy grandpa. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Hooterville bank will extend credit to Kate (Bea Benadaret only on one condition: That she stir up a lot of business for the Shady Rest Hotel immediately. Thus it is that Kate works overtime currying favor with her current guest Clara Watkins (Doris Packer), who if she likes the Shady Rest will recommend it to all her influential friends. Naturally, Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) and the girls are determined to help matters along by making it seem as though hundreds of customers are already clamoring to book themselves into the hotel--and this requires a lot of telephone activity, even though the Shady Rest doesn't have a telephone. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide