Frank Latimore Movies

Written by Loring Mandel, Breaking Up stars Gena Rowlands as a middle-aged housewife who, after 16 years of marriage, is asked for a divorce by husband Granville van Dusen. Once overcoming the shock and the bitterness, Rowlands must determine the future course for herself and her two children. Her efforts to set up her own fashion design business and to enter the dating pool are almost as traumatic as the initial separation. Adding to the dilemma is an increasingly large rift between Rowlands and her teen-age daughter, who holds her mom responsible for the marital discord. Breaking Up was telecast January 2, 1978 as an ABC Theatre presentation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In 1943 North Africa, George Patton (George C. Scott) assumes command of (and instills some much-needed discipline in) the American forces. Engaged in battle against Germany's Field Marshal Rommel (Karl Michael Vogler), Patton drives back "The Desert Fox" by using the German's own tactics. Promoted to Lieutenant General, Patton is sent to Sicily, where he engages in a personal war of egos with British Field Marshal Montgomery (Michael Bates). Performing brilliantly in Italy, Patton seriously jeopardizes his future with a single slap. While touring an Army hospital, the General comes across a GI (Tim Considine) suffering from nervous fatigue. Incensed by what he considers a slacker, Patton smacks the poor soldier and orders him to get well in a hurry. This incident results in his losing his command-and, by extension, missing out on D-Day. In his final campaign, Patton leads the US 3rd Army through Europe. Unabashedly flamboyant, Patton remains a valuable resource, but ultimately proves too much of a "loose cannon" in comparison to the more level-headed tactics of his old friend Omar Bradley (Karl Malden). Patton won 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Scott, an award that he refused. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Don't confuse this 1970 Italian/Yugoslav Operation Snafu with the 1962 British comedy-drama of the same name. While the earlier film boasted an engaging story and a boisterous early appearance by Sean Connery, the 1970 film is a witless mess. Even star Peter Falk fails to raise a laugh in his role as an American officer assigned to whip a troop of Algerian soldiers into shape during World War II. Their mission is an all-but-suicidal attack on a Sicilian enemy stronghold. As bad as Falk looks in this thing, his fellow "distinguished" American actors Jason Robards and Martin Landau look worse. The film's official title is Situation Normal, All Fouled Up; after five minutes, everyone in the audience will shout in unison the word for which "Fouled" is the accepted euphemism. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Long before "don't ask, don't tell," this melodrama made a mishmash of the issue of homosexuality in the military. Rod Steiger stars as Master Sergeant Albert Callan, a hero of WWII who is stationed at a U.S. Army base in France in 1952. A gruff, tough taskmaster, Callan turns the base from a shambles run by the alcoholic Captain Loring (Frank Latimore) into a model of efficiency and discipline -- though the lazy troops resent Callan for his efforts. Callan's been hiding his attraction to men for some time, and his eye is turned toward his attractive clerk, PFC Tom Swanson (John Phillip Law). Callan jealously refuses to grant Swanson permission to visit his French girlfriend (Ludmila Mikael) -- and even orders the younger man to stop seeing her. At first, Swanson interprets Callan's odd behavior as loneliness and forgives it, but after Callan kisses him, Swanson understands that his superior's attentions are sexual. Rebuffed, Callan tortures Swanson with unfair punishments and criticisms, earning his subordinate's animus. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Cast a Giant Shadow is a big-budget, glossy action/adventure story set at the time that Israel became a nation. American Army officer Colonel David Marcus is recruited by the yet-to-exist Israel to help form an army. Marcus is conflicted because of his sudden appreciation for his Jewish heritage. Realizing that each of Israel's Arab nations has vowed to invade the poorly prepared country once the partition has been made, Marcus is made commander of the Israeli forces just before the war begins. The all-star cast includes Kirk Douglas, Senta Berger and Angie Dickinson. Aldo Tonti provides the beautiful photography by Aldo Tonti, and Melville Shavelson directs. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

In this western, a bad guy finds the tables have turned and that he is now being pursued by vengeful townsfolk. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

When it became clear to actor Frank Latimore that he wasn't getting anywhere in Hollywood, he packed his bags and headed for Europe. That was in 1949; by the early 1960s, Latimore was one of the Italian film industry's premiere action stars. In Balboa: Conquistador of the Pacific, Latimore plays the title role. Told episodically, the film details the 16th century explorer's various conquests, capped by his "claiming" of the Pacific Ocean. Pilar Cansinos costars in this splashy costume adventure. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Mexican Zorro is given another go-round in this Italian-produced opus. American actor Frank Latimore, a 1940s leading man who bears a dim resemblance to Tyrone Power, stars in the dual role of foppish Don Jose and his dashing, Z-carving alter ego Zorro. This was one of a series of European productions in which Latimore appeared in the twilight of his career; he does his best, but is ultimately defeated by cloddish direction and patchy production values. Filmed in Spain with an Italian production crew and a multilingual cast, Shadow of Zorro is just that: a shadow of a once-mighty literary property. The film was originally released as La Vengaza del Zorro. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

René Clément's thriller Purple Noon stars Alain Delon as Tom Ripley, an American who travels to Europe on an all-expenses-paid mission to convince his friend, the errant playboy Philippe Greenleaf (Maurice Ronet), to travel to San Francisco at the request of the wealthy Greenleaf family. Initially, the pair enjoy the good life in Italy, often to the anger and dismay of Philippe's much put-upon fiancee Marge (Marie Laforet). However, as Tom's funds begin to run dry, it becomes more and more apparent that Philippe has no intentions of returning to the U.S., forcing Tom to consider more nefarious means of maintaining his extravagant lifestyle. Purple Noon is adapted from Patricia Highsmith's novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, and like Alfred Hitchcock's classic Strangers on a Train, also based on Highsmith's work, the theme of identity transference is dominant. The subject even extends to the homoerotic undercurrents which simmer below the surface of Tom and Philippe's relationship, setting into motion a love/hate tension which explodes during a high seas journey. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

Robert Stack stars in this sea-faring historical epic as John Paul Jones, the first great hero of the American Navy. While originally a loyal soldier of the King's army, Jones in time becomes a fervent supporter of the American Revolutionaries, and he volunteers to lead the colonists' ragtag fleet to impressive victories against the British Navy; during a battle against the British ship Serapis, Jones utters the deathless words "I have not yet begun to fight." While his brave and intelligent leadership helps win America its freedom, his appeals to Benjamin Franklin (Charles Coburn) and the other leaders of Congress to strengthen the United States Navy fall on deaf ears; Jones is eventually branded a troublemaker, and in time, he is ordered to Russia, where he is to help guide the fleet of Catherine The Great (Bette Davis). Jones leads the Russian Navy to stunning victories in the Black Sea, reestablishing his reputation as one of the great military minds of his day. John Paul Jones also features a rousing score by the great film composer Max Steiner. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide