Barnard Hughes Movies
Character actor of stage, screen, and television, Barnard Hughes specializes in playing authoritarians and lovable old curmudgeons. During the 1970s, Hughes won a Tony for his portrayal of a dead but still intrusive Irish father whose memory bedevils his son in the drama Da. He reprised the role in the 1988 film version starring opposite Martin Sheen as the tormented playwright/son. Though he has worked in many films, Hughes may be most recognizable for his television filmography. Over his career, he has been a regular on four soap operas, including Dark Shadows, and starred in series such as Doc (1975-1976) and The Cavanaughs (1986-1989), as well as guest starred on such series as Cannon (1971-1976), The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978), and Lou Grant (1977-1982), where Hughes won an Emmy for playing a senile judge. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In this comedy, an ordinary woman finds herself sharing both her home and her body with a ghost who has a pronounced wild streak. Jan (Glenn Close) and Nick (Mandy Patinkin) are a couple moving into an apartment in an old Victorian house in San Francisco. Jan is a straight-laced secretary working for a Catholic bishop, while Nick deals in used books. While stripping some old wallpaper in their new home, they discover a message written on the wall, which their flaky landlady Mrs. Lavin (Ruth Gordon) informs them was written by Maxie, a high-spirited flapper who had a career in silent films before dying in a car wreck on her way to audition for D.W. Griffith. Out of curiosity, Jan and Nick rent a video of one of Maxie's films to see her in action, but it just so happens that Maxie's ghost still lives in the house -- and is looking for a human host. Maxie's spirit enters Jan's body and makes her presence known at the most inconvenient times; suddenly mild mannered Jan is kicking up her heels, swilling gin, starting arguements, and acting like a flaming youth straight out of the 1920s. Nick finds Maxie a good bit more exciting than Jan and even tries to launch Maxie back into a movie career by having her audition for a remake of Cleopatra opposite Harry Hamlin; Jan, however, just wants to have her body to herself again. Maxie proved to be one of the last screen appearances for veteran actress Ruth Gordon, who died several weeks before the film was released. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Close, Mandy Patinkin, (more)
- 1985
1985's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the only filmed version of the Mark Twain classic to cover every episode in the original novel and not merely such familiar vignettes as the "King and the Duke" business. Presented in four parts, Finn opens in 1844, with young Huck (Patrick Day) being kidnapped from the home of the Widow Douglas (Sada Thompson) by his brutal, drink-sodden Pap (Frederic Forest). Huck escapes by faking his own death and rafting down the river in the company of escaped slave Jim (Samm-Art Williams). Part two offers the seldom-dramatized scene in the novel wherein an abolitionist is lynched; part three recounts the Shepardson/Grangerford feud; and part four culminates with the chicanery of the King (Barnard Hughes) and the Duke (Jim Dale) and the capture of Jim. Featured in the huge cast are Lillian Gish, Geraldine Page, Butterfly McQueen, Richard Kiley, and Eugene Oakes as Tom Sawyer. Originally clocking in at 240 minutes, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was first telecast in February and March of 1986 on PBS' American Playhouse; it is currently available in a 105-minute videocassette version. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Day, Frederic Forrest, (more)
- 1985
- R
In this melodrama that emphasizes emotion and a convoluted plot, Nancy Eldridge (Jill Clayburgh) has remarried after her divorce and is trying to recuperate from the tragedy of the deaths of her two children during her previous marriage. That means when her children by current husband Clay (Max Gail) are kidnapped, she is particularly distraught. When the identity of the kidnapper becomes clear, more facts about the past and the present are revealed, as events carry emotionally charged scenes to a larger-than-life ending. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jill Clayburgh, Max Gail, (more)
- 1984
Little Gloria...Happy at Last is the two-part TV adaptation of Barbara Goldsmith's 1980 best-seller. The film concerns the true-life custody battle over the daughter of millionaire Reggie Vanderbilt (Christopher Plummer) and his "child bride," Gloria Morgan (Lucy Gutteridge). When the over-imbibing Reggie dies, Gloria enjoys the high life as a wealthy widow, leaving her daughter in the care of her sister-in-law, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (chillingly portrayed by Angela Lansbury in her TV-movie debut). Gloria's personal income, predicated on the child's inheritance, is severely cut, whereupon Gloria sues the indomitable Vanderbilts for custody of her daughter. We won't tell you the outcome, but we can tell you that "Little Gloria," the ten-year-old focus of the custody fight, grew up to be the same Gloria Vanderbilt who went into the designer jeans business. Little Gloria...Happy at Last was originally telecast October 24 and 25, 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Helen Hayes plays Agatha Christie's amateur sleuth Miss Jane Marple in A Caribbean Mystery. Recuperating from an illness at a resort in the Bahamas, Miss Marple makes the acquaintance of a genial British major (Maurice Evans). When her new friend is murdered, Miss M takes on the case herself. She certainly has a carload of suspects this time, ranging from the near-bankrupt owners of the resort to a secretive hotel doctor. Originally titled Agatha Christie's The Caribbean Mystery, this TV movie first aired October 22, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
This drama chronicles the experiences of three women as they endure the rigors of NASA training and compete with each other to become the first female astronaut in US history. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
One of the earliest feature films to reflect the video-game craze of the 1980s, Disney's Tron stars Jeff Bridges as computer programmer Kevin Flynn, who becomes part of the very game that he's programming. Flynn's principal antagonist is his glory-grabbing boss, Ed Dillinger (David Warner), who likewise metamorphoses into a video-game character. The title character, a computer-generated superhero, is played by Bruce Boxleitner. Though antiquated by 1990s standards, Tron represented the last word in special effects back in 1982. Surprisingly, despite its long-range influence on the movie industry, the film was a box-office disappointment when first released. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, (more)
We'd rather not speculate over how much of Best Friends is autobiographical. We'll just note that this story of a male-female screenwriting team was written by real-life married scenarists Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin. Lovers as well as collaborators, scriveners Richard Babson (Burt Reynolds) and Paula McCullen (Goldie Hawn) decide to make their union legal. Predictably enough, they discover that their relationship goes straight downhill after they say "I do." The stars are far less interesting than the supporting cast, including Jessica Tandy and Barnard Hughes as Hawn's parents, Audra Lindley and Keenan Wynn as Reynolds' folks, Ron Silver as an avaricious producer (no names, please!), and Richard Libertini as a Mexican justice of the peace. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Goldie Hawn, (more)
The election of Sandra Day O'Connor to the Supreme Court rendered the premise of First Monday in October anachronistic before the picture was even released; ignoring this, however, the film is supremely entertaining (no pun intended). Jill Clayburgh stars as Ruth Loomis, the first lady justice ever appointed to the Court. She's a conservative, while her principal foe on the bench, Dan Snow (Walter Matthau), is an old-line liberal. The film glides along on a predictable Tracy-Hepburn course until Snow comes to Loomis' defense when her late industrialist husband is accused of improprieties which might compromise Loomis' effectiveness. First Monday in October was adapted by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee from their own Broadway play, which starred Henry Fonda. Actress Martha Scott co-produced the film, while several other Hollywood veterans, including Herb Vigran and Ann Doran, dot the supporting case. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Walter Matthau, Jill Clayburgh, (more)
- 1980
Homeward Bound is the story of a dying teenager who spends the summer with his divorced father, who has been estranged from his own father for many a year. All three spend the summer at the grandfather's vineyard, learning about love and life. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Barnard Hughes plays Father Brown, the crimesolving cleric created by G. K. Chesterson. In this made for TV movie, Father Brown tends to a parish in the heart of Manhattan--and delights in using his intellectual resources to solve baffling mysteries. He tackles the case of a frightened young actress (Kay Lenz) subjected to a seemingly unfounded campaign of terror; aiding in the investigation is Father Brown's young and somewhat straitlaced assistant (Robert Schenkkan). Though this 2-hour pilot did not graduate to a series, the "Father Brown" concept would later be reworked into a moderately successful TV weekly, Father Dowling Mysteries, starring Tom Bosley in the title role. Father Brown, Detective has been reissued to home video and TV under two alternate titles: Sanctuary of Fear and Girl in the Park. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
A Manhattan priest with a fondness for dabbling in detective work investigates a series of unnerving, mysterious attacks, seemingly designed to terrify a young actress. This made-for-television film, retitled for its video release, is inspired by the books of mystery author G.K. Chesterton. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- 1978
The made-for-television See How She Runs is the story of a 40-year-old divorced teacher (Joanne Woodward) whose life is changed by her decision to enter the Boston Marathon. Woodward won an Emmy for her performance, while her daughter Lissy Newman made her acting debut in the film. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Emily intends to "bond" with Bob and his father, Herb (Barnard Hughes), by accompanying them on a fishing trip. But before long, the old rules are set in place: Bob and Herb get to do all the rugged "men's stuff," while Emily is saddled with the cooking and cleaning. Laura Levine's teleplay is so on-target that one suspects she was drawing from her own experiences. "Grizzly Emily" originally aired on January 14, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1977
Valerie Mahaffey plays a 19-year-old girl who nervously knocks at the door of middle-aged housewife Barbara Barrie. Barrie had given Valerie up for adoption at birth, and the girl wants to know why. By her mere presence, Mahffey threatens to tear apart Barrie's family, most of whom have no knowledge of her earlier indiscretion. Arthur Hill costars as Barrie's husband, while Barnard Hughes appears as her uncle, who is the only one who shares her secret. Tell Me My Name was originally telecast as a 90-minute GE Theater Special on December 20, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
The story of "red light bandit" Caryl Chessman, previously dramatized in the 1955 film Cell 2455, Death Row (based on Chessman's own book), was adapted for television as Kill Me If You Can. In a radical departure from his usual duties as MASH's Hawkeye Pierce, Alan Alda plays Chessman, who in 1948 was found guilty of robbery, kidnapping and sexual assault. Under the laws of the era, Chessman was sentenced to die in the gas chamber. But by studying the law and publishing four books on his plight, the brilliant (albeit still repugnant) Chessman managed to forestall his execution for 12 years. Though no effort is made in the film to make the sociopathic Chessman any better than he was, John Gay's script comes out squarely in opposition of capital punishment. Kill Me If You Can first aired on September 25, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Alda, Talia Shire, (more)
- 1977
Ransom for Alice was the pilot film for the unsold series The Busters. The protagonists are not narcotics agents as might be assumed, but instead a male-female team of government undercover agents (Gil Gerard, Yvette Mimieux) operating in Seattle in the 1890s. Their current assignment is to rescue a teenaged girl (Laurie Prange) who has been abducted by a white slave ring. The male agent has plenty of opportunity to pose as a gunslinger (with a vast array of creative weaponry), while the female agent is consigned to pose as a dance hall girl. Ransom for Alice is an uncertain blend of cop drama, western, and espionage caper; it had all been done earlier, and better, as The Wild Wild West. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Adapted by Larry Gelbart from the novel by Avery Corman, the film stars John Denver as Jerry Landers, the assistant manager of a grocery store who is chosen by God (George Burns) to spread the Word to the rest of the world. Not surprisingly, Jerry is soon labelled a basket case: even his loving wife Bobbie (Teri Garr) doubts her husband's sanity. But there's enough evidence on Jerry's side for a panel of prominent clerics to demand that the hapless fellow prove in court that he's the agent of God. Donald Pleasence was supposed to have an extended supporting role in the film, but the first cut ran too long, and Pleasence's dialogue was eliminated -- but not Pleasence himself, who retains his prominent billing and is seen doing precisely nothing in several scenes. Netting $30 million on its first run, Oh God was followed by two lesser sequels, both featuring Burns. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Burns, John Denver, (more)
- 1976
In the conclusion of a two-part story arc, Bob is still fretting over the breakup of his parents' marriage. Counting on the holiday spirit to heal old wounds, Bob invites both his mother and father to Christmas dinner at the Hartley apartment, hoping to bring them back together (provided, of course, they aren't too busy to attend). Martha Scott and Barnard Hughes repeat their roles as Martha and Herb Hartley. Written by Gordon and Lynne Farr, "Making Up Is the Thing to Do" originally, and appropriately, aired on December 25, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1975
Long before Dr. Richard Kimble's one-armed man, there was Dr. Sam Sheppard's "curly-headed man." On July 4, 1954, Dr. Sheppard's wife was found murdered in their Cleveland home. Sheppard, the prime suspect, insisted that he'd seen a man with curly hair fleeing from his home. No matter: he was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. His road to salvation was paved by columnist Dorothy Kilgallen, who revealed that the presiding judge was convinced of Sheppard's guilt before the trial even started. Further revelations proved that Sheppard's trial was, in the words of one Federal Court, a "mockery of justice." After 10 years, thanks to the efforts of attorney F. Lee Bailey, an embittered Sheppard was set free. But Sheppard, who'd had a reputation as a "short fuse" even before his wife was killed, was unable to adjust to freedom, nor was his reputation restored in the eyes of those who still believed him guilty. After a disastrous second marriage, Sheppard tried to eke out a living as a professional wrestler. He died in 1970 at the age of 46. The 150-minute TV movie Guilty or Innocent: The Sam Sheppard Murder Case does not presume to decide the guilt or innocence of Sheppard; rather, it traces the disintegration of an already troubled man, as well as his infamous "trial by publicity". George Peppard stars as Sam Sheppard, while Walter McGinn plays F. Lee Bailey and Nina VanPallandt is seen as Sheppard's second wife Ilse Brandt. Guilty or Innocent originally aired on November 17, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
The UFO Incident is a TV movie based on the true-life story of Betty and Barney Hill, the biracial married couple whose alleged abduction by extraterrestrials made headlines. The film is careful not to present the Hills' reminiscences as cold facts; both "remember" the ordeal only when probed under hypnosis by doctor Barnard Hughes. The alien abduction is presented in flashback form, adhering strictly to the Hills' description of the space vessel and crew. Essentially a dual monologue, The UFO Incident is kept alive by the virtuoso performances of stars James Earl Jones and Estelle Parsons. Particularly compelling is the fact that Jones' character resists the memory of his experience because he is afraid of suffering a fatal heart attack--which, we are informed in the epilogue, was indeed the ultimate fate of Barney Hill. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Bob and Emily's parents converge at a Thanksgiving dinner at the Hartley apartment. Though Emily is certain that the oldsters will get along, Bob does not share her confidence. True to Bob's predictions, a war of words breaks out between Bob's intractable mother (Martha Scott) and Emily's bullheaded father (John Randolph). Ann Rutherford and Barnard Hughes are cast respectively as Emily's mom and Bob's dad. Its title based on a celebrated PBS miniseries of the period, "An American Family" was written by Charlotte Brown, and first aired on November 23, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
Set in early 20th century America, this production of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing was originally performed at the New York Shakespeare Festival. It was also broadcast on CBS during the '70s. Television actress Kathleen Widdoes plays proto-feminist Beatrice and Sam Waterston plays her wealthy verbal opponent Benedick. Don Pedro (Douglas Watson) and his men are reinvented as Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders, while Dogberry (Barnard Hughes) and his Watchmen are portrayed like the Keystone Kops. This film was released on DVD by the Broadway Theatre Archive. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Set in 1947, The Thanksgiving Treasure takes place on the small Nebraska farm of the Mills family. 11-year-old Addie Mills (Lisa Lucas) is of the opinion that the purpose of Thanksgiving is to turn an enemy into a friend--just as the Pilgrims and the Indians did back in 1620. Addie hopes to mend the long-entrenched differences between her father (Jason Robards) and a cranky, lonely old man (Barnard Hughes) who lives down the road a piece. Thanksgiving Treasure was first telecast November 18, 1973. It was written by Eleanor Perry as a sequel to her Emmy-winning TV special The House Without a Christmas Tree. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Fans of the 1970s cartoon series The Littles may enjoy its live-action spiritual ancestor The Borrowers. Dennis Larson plays an eight-year-old boy living in Victorian England. While exploring his aunt's (Dame Judith Anderson) mansion, Larson peeks under the floorboards...and what should he see but a family of inches-high humans (Eddie Albert, Tammy Grimes, Karen Pearson), who survive by "borrowing" bits and pieces from the Big People. Discovered, the Borrowers scramble to avoid being captured and displayed as curiosities. First telecast December 14, 1973, The Borrowers was based on the novel by Mary Norton (of Bedknobs and Broomsticks fame). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
