Douglas Barr Movies

This inspirational drama from writer-director Douglas Barr brings back a number of the characters originally introduced in Christian author Angela Hunt's 2001 novel The Note - notably advice columnist Peyton MacGruder (Genie Francis). This outing finds Peyton and husband King Danville (Ted McGinley) en route to a romantic getaway when a mysterious stranger leaves an infant on their doorstep. Drawing on her experience as a journalist, Peyton sets out to uncover the true story of the baby's past and the identity of its parents. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

A columnist still haunted by her past mistakes hesitates to accept the love of a good man until one of her loyal readers offers some sage advice. Peyton MacGruder (Genie Francis) may have all the answers for everyone else, but when it comes to her own love life she simply can't commit to the man she loves (Ted McGinley). When a reader warns Peyton not to deny her own passion, the sleuthing columnist discovers that her adviser was involved in a doomed romance. But if there's still hope for her reader, perhaps there's still hope for Peyton as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A struggling human interest columnist finds a simple scrap of paper with a profound message may be the key to saving her column from cancellation in this inspirational, made for television drama starring Genie Francis and Ted McGinley. Peyton MacGruder (Francis) is the "Heart Healer" columnist for the local Middleborough Times newspaper. It's Christmas time, and just as the crew of Flight 848 reports a minor electrical problem, Peyton is summoned to her editor's office for a serious discussion about the future of the "Heart Healer" column. According to the results of a recent reader's survey, the "Heart Healer" column was voted the least interesting item that the paper had to offer, and as a result Peyton is about to get the axe. Just as Peyton's editor warns the writer to improve her standing with readers of hit the pavement, word breaks in the newsroom that Flight 848 has crashed, killing everyone aboard. King Danville, Peyton's friend and colleague at the paper, has lost a dear friend in the crash. Pondering whether or not the passengers realized they were going to die while drowning his sorrows at the local sports bar, King wonders aloud whether they had time to say goodbye to their loved ones, half-jokingly suggesting that Peyton work the concept into her failing column. The following day, Peyton is jogging along the beach when she spies smarmy television reporter Truman Harris interrupting a memorial service for the victims, all the while struggling to find an angle that doesn't seem exploitative. That angle arrives in the form of a note that Peyton finds during another walk along the coast. Sealed inside a small plastic bag half filled with cookie crumbs is a note to "T" from "Dad." Peyton is deeply moved by the heartfelt note, and vows to use the "Heart Healer" column as a means for getting the note to its intended recipient. In order to do so, however, Peyton will be forced to contend with her television counterpart Harris, a tactless reporter whose penchant for sensationalizing a story is only matched by his willingness to resort to underhanded tactics in order to take sole credit for all of Peyton's hard work. And while tracking down "T" proves no easy task, Peyton quickly discovers that her latest story truly resonates with readers upon being informed by her publisher that her "Heart Healers" column has gained a loyal following across the country. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Full-figured Broadway actress Marissa Jaret Winokur, who won an Emmy award for her performance in the musical version of Hairspray, is felicitously (if somewhat incongruously) teamed with slender soap opera heartthrob Mark Consuelos in this uplifting made-for-cable comedy. Although she's not what one could call beautiful or svelte, Becca Wasserman (Winokur) possesses a beauty that emanates from within: she also happens to be great singer, with a great career as a teacher and a super-great fiancé named Adam (Consuelos). All Becca lacks is the money to afford her dream honeymoon to Hawaii. Partly to get even for being snubbed by the gorgeous Libby (Reagan Pasternak), and partly just to prove that she can do it, Becca enters the The Miss Squirrel Hill beauty pageant, the first prize of which is two free tickets to the Aloha State. But though everyone is pulling for Becca, the plain cold fact of the matter is that no "super-sized" woman has ever won the pageant--and even Becca's mom Amanda (Fran Drescher), hitherto her daughter's biggest booster, is certain that Becca is going to make a fool of herself. Beautiful Girl originally aired October 19, 2003 on the ABC Family channel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The scene is the small Missouri town of Silver Shade in the mid-'60s. Despite deeply ingrained prejudice, black lawyer Daniel Webster Stewart (Louis Gossett Jr.) has managed to achieve success, and is now on the verge of winning an important political race. Things take a startling turn when Stewart's friend Curtis Gallegher (Sterling Macer) is accused of killing the wife of Daniel's white political opponent, Horton Roundtree (Robert Urich). Fearing accusations of "conflict of interest," Stewart at first refuses to defend Curtis in court, but a hitherto unrevealed secret in the past of his own wife Olivia (Lonette McKee) forces him to change his mind. Meanwhile, someone in town is determined to prevent Daniel from taking up Curtis' defense -- and that someone is clearly willing to stop at nothing. A sequel to the 1997 TV movie To Dance With Olivia, which also starred Louis Gossett Jr. and Lonette McKee, For Love of Olivia was telecast by CBS on March 18, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on Jill Gascoyne's novel Just Like a Woman, the made-for-TV Love Lessons stars Patty Duke and Ronny Cox as Sonya and Mick Andrews, a middle-aged married couple. Having long looked forward to an early retirement, followed by an idyllic round-the-world cruise, Mick is none too pleased when his 50-year-old wife Sonya unexpectedly announces that she is pregnant. As the couple wrestles with the decision whether or not to keep the baby, several other interested parties become involved in the debate, among them Mick and Sonya's estranged grown son. In a neat bit of stunt casting, New York mayor Rudy Giuliani's ex-wife Donna Hanover appears as Sonya's wise, all-knowing best friend, who dispenses endless advice about love and happiness. After making its CBS network debut on November 22, 2000, Love Lessons was released theatrically in Europe as A Time to Decide. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on a true story, the made-for-TV Half a Dozen Babies stars real-life married couple Melissa Reeves and Scott Reeves as Indiana couple Becki and Scott Dilley. Unsuccessful in their many attempts to have children, the Dilleys willingly undergo a new, experimental infertility treatment. As a result, in the Summer of 1993 the Dilleys become the proud parents of America's first surviving sextuplets: Julian, Claire, Brenna, Quinn, Adrian and Ian. Now Becki and Scott must not only endure the trials and tribulations of first parenthood, but they must do it six times over--and in full view of a voracious media! Reportedly, the actual members of the Dilley family were none too pleased with the liberties taken in the film, but audiences in general were satisfied. Half a Dozen Babies made its ABC network debut on May 17, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The authorities have given up, but Elizabeth (Shelley Long) has not. Someone has kidnapped Elizabeth's 13-year-old daughter, and she is determined to find both the girl and the abductor. Even when the existing evidence points to Elizabeth's death, Elizabeth refuses to relinquish her quest, hounding the police into taking action upon the slightest of clues. Things of it is, the villain of the story has been hiding in plain sight all along. Made for television, Vanished Without a Trace was originally telecast by NBC on February 1, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Throughout her life, young gymnast Andie Burton (Amy Jo Johnson) has dreamed of going to the Olympics, and there isn't anything she wouldn't do to achieve that goal -- even if it means wreaking havoc upon her health. Reprimanded by her coach for being on the "heavy" side, Andie goes to great lengths to lose weight. Finally, her teammate Leslie (Tara Boger) clues Andie in on a surefire method to drop pounds: eat all you want, then purge yourself. As a result, Andie develops a serious eating disorder, fluctuating wildly between anorexia and bulimia -- and there seems to be no way to reverse the damage, nor halt the pressures brought to bear by those supposedly looking out for her best interests. Real-life gymnast Cathy Rigby makes a brief appearance in this cautionary TV movie, which first aired September 8, 1997, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this tense police thriller, a routine investigation into a gambling operation becomes personal for a policewoman and her partner when the latter's pregnant wife is brutally murdered and he is accused of the crime. His partner's further investigation leads her to the dangerous conclusion that the killing is somehow connected to the gambling and even worse, to corruption in her own precinct. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The made for TV Menu for Murder was first telecast December 4, 1990. An unpopular PTA leader is murdered with a poisoned croissant sandwich during a gala luncheon. Though practically every woman on the committee had expressed a desire to kill the victim, the principal suspect is housewife Julia Duffy. Detective Ed Marinaro conducts an intense investigation of Julia-much to the discomfort of her husband. Joan van Ark and Morgan Fairchild also star, the latter incrongrously cast as a PTA treasurer. Originally titled Murder at the PTA Luncheon, Menu for Murder was reportedly withheld from view until a few legal matters could be smoothed out with the Parent-Teacher's Association. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This slapstick parody of space movies chronicles the riotous exploits of a group of dim-bulbed, misguided aliens under the mistaken impression that they are supposed to invade the Earth after they hear a rebroadcast of Orson Welles' notorious "War of the Worlds" one Halloween night. Thinking they are late, they rush in with their ramshackle spaceship and end up in Big Bean, Illinois, a peaceful midwestern town. Naturally after they announce they want to kill the "Earth scum," the residents want to kill them. Fortunately, the town sheriff and his daughter try to keep the moronic Martians safe and help their captain get them safely back in space. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi