James Quinn Movies
- 2003
The detectives are skeptical when Tim Grayson (Robert Stanton), a self-proclaimed psychic, insists that he has envisioned the murder of his attractive neighbor, who is found beaten to death outside a sex club. The fact that Grayson is the archetypal misfit loner, coupled with the discovery of his shoe print at the crime scene, is enough for the DA's office to draw up murder charges against him. But though Assistant District Attorney McCoy (Sam Waterson) is confident of a conviction, it turns out that just appearing to be guilty as hell isn't quite enough -- and that there are radically different degrees of "guilt." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
The devastating big business scandals of the early 21st century served as inspiration for this episode. An investment analyst is murdered, and his body left near a ferry terminal. The detectives are faced with a surplus of suspects, most of them disgruntled investors in a failing corporation. Ultimately, however, the trail of evidence leads to the conclusion that money may not have been the primary motive. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
A body fished out of the East River turns out to be that of Karen Hall, a criminal investigator with the State Attorney General's office. Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Greene (Jesse L. Martin) launch their investigation by questioning Hall's boss Conroy (Nestor Serrano), who theorizes that Karen was kidnapped and killed while on a case. Things change dramatically when the facts surrounding Conroy's tempestuous private life (and his hold over three different women) come to light. Writer Fran Lebowitz makes the first of several cameo appearances as Arraignment Judge Goldberg. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
A TV reality series, in which several contrasting personalities share the same apartment, suddenly turns ugly when one housemate apparently kills another. The DA's office not only goes after the likely perpetrator, but also the series' producers and the TV network executives who might have deliberately fomented bad feelings amongst the housemates for the sake of ratings. All too appropriately, the outcome of the case hinges on a hidden-camera videotape. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
A woman living in a rent-controlled apartment on New York's fashionable Upper West Side is murdered. Inasmuch as the victim had been holding up the sale of the apartment building, the landlord appears to be the most likely suspect. But further investigation reveals far more personal and deep-rooted reasons for the killing. Onetime Avengers leading lady Linda Thorson is a standout in a key supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Several "wilding incidents" occur during a Hispanic Pride festival in Central Park. When a woman's body is found in the park's lake, the detectives at first believe that she was a victim of random violence. Slowly but surely, however, the suspect field narrows down to those closest to the woman -- especially her very rich and very powerful husband. Due to complaints from a number of ethnic organizations, this episode was withdrawn from the Law & Order rerun package. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Ron Leibman and Jessica Walter, husband and wife in real life, play a married couple in this episode. A man who served as a juror in a mob trial is found murdered. When the chief suspect is brought to trial, Assistant D.A. Sam McCoy finds himself locked in a volatile courtroom battle with a longtime friend, defense attorney Mark Paul Kopell (Leibman). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
A pedestrian is struck and killed by a truck. An accident? Not so, insist the detectives and the D.A.'s office, especially when evidence reveals a link connecting the victim, a prominent baby food manufacturer, and the Russian mafia. Assistant D.A. Stone (Michael Moriarty) promises that no harm will befall an important witness -- a promise which he is tragically unable to keep. This final fourth season episode of Law & Order also represented the series swan song of co-star Michael Moriarty. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
The emphasis is more on law than order as the viewer follows detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Logan (Chris Noth) through an extremely eventful 24 hours. Their unusually heavy case load includes five murders -- all unrelated -- and a violent, domestic quarrel, in which the husband gets the worst of it. Evidently, this episode made quite an impression on the series' producers; not only was it referred to in the tenth-season Law & Order episode "Entitled," but its memory was also invoked in a first-season episode of the spin-off series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
We wish we had a nickel for every time some producer cleverly titled his film Blind Man's Bluff -- then offered us a sightless hero or heroine. This time around, Robert Urich plays a blind professor, who finds himself the main suspect in a murder case. Investigating on his own, Urich comes to the inescapable conclusion that the killer is his own former girlfriend (Lisa Eilbacher). The suspense slackens only towards the end, when the film seems to be racing uncontrollably to a predictable dénouement. Made for TV, Blind Man's Bluff first aired on the USA cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Summoned to an expensive Upper West Side elementary school, detectives Greevey (George Dzundza) and Logan (Chris Noth) find a young pupil in a semi-comatose state. The investigation leads to prominent therapist Jacob Lowenstein (David Groh), a chronic philanderer, and Lowenstein's wife Carla (Marcia Jean Kurtz), who shows signs of being severely battered. After the death of the Lowensteins' daughter, assistant D.A. Stone (Michael Moriarty) realizes that the only way to find out who was responsible is to turn the defiantly protective Mrs. Lowenstein against her control-freak husband -- or vice versa. Clearly inspired by the infamous "Steinberg Case," this was the Law & Order telecast which prompted the series' producers to include a disclaimer at the beginning of each subsequent "based on fact" episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
- PG
A remake of Pigeon by Mario Monicelli, but set on the streets of San Francisco in a contemporary America instead of Italy in the '50s, this comedy about a conspiratorial heist of a greedy pawnbroker has excellent acting and good light fun but not much in the way of character motivation. Weslake (Donald Sutherland) is unemployed and has reason to frequent the pawnshop of his money-hungry friend Garvey (Jack Warden). People come and go around the shop (almost the only setting for the action): an aspiring musician of sorts (Sean Penn), the eccentric meter-maid Maxine (Christine Baranski), a safe-cracker (Irwin Corey), and others. Then one day Weslake gets the idea to break into Garvey's safe and make off with a few valuables just for the fun of it. Everyone agrees, and the plot goes on unhindered by motivation or ethics. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Sutherland, Jack Warden, (more)
Robert Mulligan directed this Americanized re-make of the successful Brazilian comedy Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands. Sally Field stars as Kay Villano, a lonely widow of three years who can't forget the memory of her dead husband, Jolly (James Caan). Jolly was a selfish and unfaithful Broadway choreographer who still managed to win Kay over with his charm. But Kay has fallen in love again with Rupert Baines (Jeff Bridges), a stuffy professor of Egyptology. As her wedding day approaches, Kay receives a visit from Jolly's ghost, who taunts and harasses her, clearly upset that Kay is marrying someone so dull. Kay goes ahead with the marriage and Jolly refuses to disappear, resulting in a bizarre menage-a-tois. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sally Field, James Caan, (more)
Two women find their friendship tested when one rises from obscurity to success in this glossy remake of Old Acquaintance. Liz Hamilton (Jacqueline Bisset) and Merry Noel (Candice Bergen) are close friends who met while they were freshmen at Smith College in the 1950s. Liz has become a highly respected novelist, while Merry wed Doug Blake (David Selby) and raised a family. While Merry is happy, she can't help but envy Liz for her glamorous career as an author. Merry decides to write a novel of her own, and with Liz's help, the book soon finds a publisher. While Merry's trashy potboiler earns few positive reviews, it's a massive best-seller, and Merry's fame and wealth soon outstrips that of Liz, leading to jealousy between the old friends and problems in Merry's marriage. Rich and Famous was the final picture directed by Hollywood legend George Cukor; the guest list at the party sequences include such literary and cinematic notables as Christopher Isherwood, Ray Bradbury, Paul Morrissey, and Roger Vadim. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacqueline Bisset, Candice Bergen, (more)
Martin Scorsese's documentary of the 1976 final performance of the legendary Sixties rock group The Band is at once a show featuring some of the greatest rock performers of their generation and a bittersweet look back at an era that was just beginning to fade. As Scorsese guides the group through interview segments discussing their 15 years together, these relatively young men sound like battle-weary survivors. But The Band were in splendid form for this show, and their multiple guest stars pulled out all the stops, especially Muddy Waters, whose "Mannish Boy" is so powerful it nearly burns a hole in the screen; Van Morrison, with a rousing performance of "Caravan;" and Bob Dylan, whose "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" displays the brilliant cockiness of his barnstorming days with this band. The all-star camera crew and superb stereo sound mix create what is considered to be of the best-looking and sounding rock films ever (as the opening credit says, play this movie loud!), and two studio-shot sequences with Emmylou Harris and The Staple Singers stand on their own. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, (more)
