Anne Jackson Movies

Always his own best audience, celebrated author, social critic, and self-described political "nag" Gore Vidal also proves the ideal master of ceremonies (via film clips from an extended interview) for this biographical documentary. From the vantage point of his villa in Ravello, Italy, Vidal recalls his own tempestuous life and career, all the while dispensing caustic barbs aimed at the country of his birth, "The United States of Amnesia." The author's most famous literary works are touched upon, notably his Broadway plays Visit to a Small Planet and The Best Man; his iconoclastic historical novels Burr and Lincoln; and, of course, his once-scandalous best-seller Myra Breckenridge. Also given ample airspace are Vidal's many plunges into the political arena (a natural outgrowth of his heritage, coming as he did from a long line of Tennessee public servants), including his unsuccessful run for office; his ceaseless verbal assaults on the nation's Founding Fathers ("hucksters who were posing for history"); his shocking comments on the Kennedy clan during a 1973 telecast of The Dick Cavett Show; and his notorious 1968 TV confrontation with William F. Buckley, which degenerated into a vicious name-calling session, a lawsuit, and a public apology from Buckley. Several of Vidal's friends, associates, and admirers appear on camera, notably actors Eli Wallach, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Tim Robbins, and Susan Sarandon, all of whom read passages from his novels. All in all, this is a fascinating glimpse into the psyche of a man described by one associate as a "nasty, witty, shrewd, contemptible fellow," and by other acquaintances as a warm, personable, caring gentleman. Previewed at the Sundance Film Festival January 20, 2003, The Education of Gore Vidal made its TV debut six months later as part of PBS' American Masters anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A young woman learning to make her own way in the world has to deal with the disapproval of her family -- who, as it turns out, have some secrets they haven't been sharing -- in this independent drama. Mel (Lauren Stamile) is a law student whose father Harrison (Daniel J. Travanti) insists that she take a job working as a clerk at his legal firm. Harrison is at the home of his mother (Anne Jackson) recovering from a recent illness, so Mel doesn't have the heart to tell him that she's losing interest in the law and would prefer to take up cooking as her profession. Without telling Harrison, Mel quits her position at the firm and takes a job as a chef at a restaurant run by Lee (Nick Chinlund). When Harrison finds out the truth about Mel's new situation, he's not at all happy, but Mel soon learns that her father has been keeping an even bigger secret from her. Something Sweet was the first feature from writer and director Olivia Pi-Sunyer; the film was shown at the 2000 American Film Institute Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A young girl from a wealthy family is killed in a suspicious fire. Confronted with an incriminating answering-machine message, the teenaged stepbrother of the victim confesses. Things take an even more sinister turn when D.A. Schiff (Steven Hill) tangles with the wealthy and well-connected grandfather of the accused. Robert Vaughn makes his first Law & Order appearance as powerful, paranoiac millionaire Carl Anderton. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this comedy, stockbroker Jon Aldrich (Tom Selleck) is the man who has it all, until his ill, aging parents (Don Ameche and Anne Jackson) move in with him. As his perfect life begins to disintegrate bit by bit, Jon becomes more and more depressed and disillusioned. Finally, broke and friendless, Jon begins to listen to his addled parents' insistence that he do away with them and use their insurance money to start again. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi

This informative discussion looks into the thoughts of a mother and daughter and they discuss and remember their deceased Father/Grandfather. ~ Rovi

Actress/author Shirley MacLaine described her 1983 book Out on a Limb as the tale of her "personal spiritual quest." In this two-part TV-movie adaptation of the book, MacLaine plays herself, meeting the emotional challenge of passing 40 by entering into an affair with a Socialist member of the House of Commons (fictionalized as "Gerry Stamford" and played by Charles Dance). She also forms a unromantic but deep friendship with an unusual fellow (John Heard) who introduces her to the metaphysical world. Also in the cast are Anne Jackson as feminist Bella Abzug, and real-life "trance channellers" Kevin Ryerson and Sture Johanssen. Part two of this fascinating project finds MacLaine seeking further answers to the riddle of life in the Peruvian Andes. Out on a Limb premiered on January 18 and 19, 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this grim drama, a young woman is brutally gang-raped and her boy friend murdered by a hunting party. The girl's father goes out and gets bloody revenge against every single one of them. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Mickey Rooney stars in this made-for-TV docudrama as circus clown Jack Thum, who aids his wife (Anne Jackson) in raising dozens of orphans; despite learning he is dying, Jack still struggles to earn money to support his growing brood. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

A Private Battle was adapted by the ubiquitous John Gay from the posthumously published memoirs of historical author Cornelius Ryan. At the height of his fame, Ryan (Jack Warden) is stricken with prostate cancer. During his last four deteriorating years, Ryan keeps a secret record of the events leading up to his inevitable demise. Anne Jackson costars as Ryan's wife Katie, who discovered the notebook and published it on the occasion of Ryan's death. A Private Battle also delves into Ryan's personal problems with his alienated teenaged son (David Stockton)--a fact which gave the publicity boys an excuse to misleadingly advertise this TV movie, suggesting that Ryan's illness was treatable but his family troubles were not. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A middle-aged husband must choose between his wife and family, and the younger woman he is having an affair with in the made-for-TV movie. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Historical overview of the events and personalities involved in the creation of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi

Veteran husband and wife acting team Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson return to the roles that they created in the 1963 Off-Broadway musical in Kultur video's release of playwright Murray Schisgal's The Typists. As a married man and a spinster resign themselves to a fate of mindless duplication in a small copy shop, their conversations over the months and years help them to learn a few things about each other, and even more about themselves. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Bernard Malamud seldom saw his works faithfully transferred to the screen (take a look at The Natural sometime), but he issued no complaints over the cinemazation of his Angel Levine. Zero Mostel plays an elderly Jew named Morris Mishkin, whose life experiences have left him an embittered agnostic. Into Mostel's life floats Alexander Levine (Harry Belafonte), who must convince the old man that life has value, else he'll never earn his wings. The Angel Levine was lovingly adapted for the screen by Bill Gunn and Ronald Ribman. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi