Robert Loggia Movies
Forceful leading actor Robert Loggia left plans for a journalistic career behind when he began his studies at New York's Actors Studio. His first important Broadway assignment was 1955's The Man with the Golden Arm; one year later, he made his first film, Somebody Up There Likes Me. In 1958 he enjoyed a brief flurry of TV popularity as the title character in "The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca," a multipart western originally telecast on Walt Disney Presents. His next weekly TV assignment was as a good-guy burglar in 1967's T.H.E. Cat. A fitfully successful movie leading man, Loggia truly came into his own when he cast off his toupee and became a character actor, often in roles requiring quiet menace. As Richard Gere's bullying father, Loggia dominated the precredits scenes of An Officer and a Gentleman (1981), and was equally effective as the villain in Curse of the Pink Panther (1982) and as mafia functionaries in Scarface (1983) and Prizzi's Honor (1985). He was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of a two-bit detective in The Jagged Edge (1985). The most likeable Robert Loggia screen character thus far is his toy manufacturer in Big (1988), the film in which Loggia and Tom Hanks exuberantly dance to the tune of "Heart and Soul" on a gigantic keyboard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Two sets of crooks -- one of beginners, the other old hands at the game -- are lured by the promise of the big heist in a comedy drama from writer and director James Hausler. Wilson (Robert Forster) has just been released from prison after serving 25 years for armed robbery. While Wilson is edging into retirement age, he still has an old score to settle with Mackey (Robert Loggia), a career criminal who helped put Wilson behind bars. Wilson teams up with Marvin (Richard Roundtree), a fellow ex-con who also has a beef against Mackey, and together they set up a heist in order to hit their rival where it hurts. Meanwhile, Buckely (James Hausler) is a slacker who thinks a life of crime might be easier than holding down a real job. With the help of his pals, Buckley maps out a robbery that should earn him a sizable payday, though it doesn't take long for his inexperience to become an issue. Also featuring Lucie Arnaz and Christopher Clark, Wild Seven received its world premiere at the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
A talented young pianist named Rain finds her future as a musician thrown into question due after an unfortunate encounter with a vicious street gang in a musical drama adapted from the book by V.C. Andrews and starring Robert Loggia, Faye Dunaway, and Brooklyn Sudano. When Rain witnesses her sister being killed by a murderous street gang, the thugs who pulled the trigger quickly set out to ensure that she never has a chance to turn them in. Subsequently placed in the care of a nurturing woman who seems determined to protect Rain by any means necessary, the frightened pianist gradually comes to realize that her benevolent guardian is in fact her long lost mother. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brooklyn Sudano, Faye Dunaway, (more)
- 2004
Veteran actor Robert Loggia narrates this officially sanctioned look at the life of boxing legend Rocky Marciano. An undefeated champion of the ring who rose through the ranks to make boxing history, the Italian-American pugilist takes on a variety of opponents in vintage fight clips and speaks openly about his career in a series of candid interviews. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Actress Julia Roberts was executive producer of Queens Supreme, a weekly, seriocomic look at the judicial system in the Big City. The setting was the Queens Supreme County Courthouse, where a motley crew of judges worked together while working apart. The dramatis personae included eccentric, cynical Judge Jack Moran (Oliver Platt), dignified and equitable Judge Thomas O'Neill (Robert Loggia), witheringly honest and outspoken Judge Rose Barnea (L. Scott Caldwell), and idealistic new apointee Judge Kim Vicidomini (Annabella Sciorra). The flippantly liberal stance of the series was established on the opener, in which a disgruntled smoker held a jury hostage out of frustration over recent multimillion-dollar court decisions against cigarette manufacturers. Queens Supreme debuted January 10, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oliver Platt, Annabella Sciorra, (more)
After smuggling a stolen multimillion-dollar shipment of Viagra into the United States from Mexico, Crazy Jose (Paul Rodriguez) is pursued by an angry New York Mafioso in this outrageous comedy from director Alex Wright. Though the big-city wise guys are determined to recover their profitable pills, their patience is soon put to the ultimate test in a series of rural mishaps. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Gregg Champion's heartwarming drama Dodson's Journey stars David James Elliott as James Dodson, a man attempting to salvage his relationship with his young daughter (Alicia Morton). James has been thrown off kilter when in quick succession his father dies and his marriage ends. He goes on a fishing trip with his daughter, attempting to bridge the substantial gap that has grown between them. The supporting cast includes Ellen Burstyn and Penelope Ann Miller. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David James Elliott, Brenda James, (more)
An ambitious high school senior who dreams of escaping his dreary small town and his depressive single father receives a visit from a disheveled senior citizen claiming to be the boy's older self in an intimate fantasy drama starring Robert Loggia, Craig T. Nelson, and John Amos. Seventeen year-old inventor Z.T. (Ean Mering) is athletic and creative, and seems to be headed for a bright future. Lately, Z.T. has been dreaming of getting out from under the protective arm of his gloomy father Cole (Nelson) and venturing out into the real world. Suddenly, sixty-eight year-old alcoholic named Zack (Loggia) shows up in town claiming to be the older incarnation of Z.T. Despite the fact that Zack can't quite remember the specifics about his mission, he claims to have arrived in order to stop Z.T. from making a single mistake that will send the boy's life into an irreversible downward spiral. Later, as Zack and Z.T. begin working together to avert disaster, the young boy falls for a beautiful local girl named Delena (Emilie Jacobs) and does his best to deal with the demands of his overbearing coach (John Amos). When Z.T.'s dad makes a devastating confession, Zack's time-traveling mission quickly takes on a newfound sense of urgency. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ean Mering, Craig T. Nelson, (more)
- 2000
Robert Loggia guest stars as Stefano, a popular chef as famous for his temper as his culinary accomplishments. Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) bends over backward trying to remain on Stefano's good side, even if it means pretending to like a caricature of himself that has been hung on the wall of Stefano's restaurant. Meanwhile, a nervous Daphne (Jane Leeves) continues preparing for her marriage to Donny (Saul Rubinek) -- and wrestling with her feelings toward Niles (David Hyde Pierce). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Robert Loggia guest stars as 102-year-old movie director Chandler Crowne, a specialist in dark, pessimistic films. Though due for a final rendezvous with Angel of Death Andrew (John Dye), Chandler will not be able to die in peace unless he takes care of some unfinished business in his distant past. At the same time, Chandler is being hounded by hero-worshipping film student Stevie Noonan (Noelle Parker), who demands to know why the director switched from making optimistic comedy films to turning out defeatist dramas. The inevitable flashback whisks us to Hollywood's Golden Era, as the young Crowne puts the finishing touches on his classic film "Redemption"--in which Monica (Roma Downey) is appearing as the ingenue! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
This made-for-TV drama is based on the autobiography of one of the most notorious figures in American organized crime, Joseph Bonanno. Bonanno (played by Bruce Ramsay) left Sicily as a young man, eager to escape the tyranny of Benito Mussolini, but when he arrived in America, fate led him to a career on the wrong side of the law with the Castellamarese crime family. After his mentor was killed in a bloody feud with cadres of the Gambino family, Bonanno became the youngest man to lead a major crime syndicate in America. Bonanno's battles with Lucky Luciano (Vince Corazza) and his secret dealings with Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Matt Norklun) helped cement Bonanno's reputation as one of the most powerful criminals in the world. It didn't take long, however, for the gangster kingpin to discover that power breeds treachery, and as the years passed, Bonanno (now played by Tony Nardi) learned that both the FBI and some of his most loyal allies were working to put him out of business. Martin Landau plays the elderly Bonanno, who tells much of his life story in flashback as he visits his hometown in Sicily for the first time in many years. The supporting cast includes Robert Loggia, Costas Mandylor, Patti LuPone, and Edward James Olmos. Bonanno: A Godfather's Story was originally produced as a two-part miniseries for the Showtime premium cable network, but was later edited down to 139 minutes for release on home video. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Landau, Costas Mandylor, (more)
Former Evening Shade costars Burt Reynolds and Charles Durning are reunited in this made-for-TV action thriller, the first entry in a three-picture deal between star-director Reynolds and the TNT cable network. Framed for murder after a botch stakeout, maverick cop Logan McQueen (Reynolds) escapes from maximum security and heads to Miami in search of the man who set him up. He is hotly pursued by the minions of a politically ambitious DA (Billy Dee Williams), who sees McQueen's capture as a stepping-stone to the governor's mansion. The film is so spectacularly violent that the cameo appearance by pro wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper seems a model of decorum in comparison. And Durning? He plays McQueen's ageing partner, as fast with a quip as with a gun. Originally telecast on December 13, 1998, Hard Time was followed by a brace of sequels. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Charles Durning, (more)
An angry cop literally kidnaps a court proceeding in a desperate bid for justice in this made-for-cable drama. Eddie Rios (John Seda) stands accused of the murder of two police officers, but he's found not guilty due to a lack of proper evidence. Steve Donohue (Bill Pullman), the detective who brought Rios in, is outraged by this decision, and in a burst of anger he pulls his gun and holds the defendant, the judge, and the jury hostage, demanding they immediately retry Rios, with Donohue presenting evidence he was forbidden to show the jury due to legal technicalities. Mistrial also stars Robert Loggia, Blair Underwood, and Roma Maffia. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Pullman, Robert Loggia, (more)
Madeleine Stowe, Mary Stuart Masterson, Andie MacDowell, and Drew Barrymore are the stars of this Western whose main gimmick is making heroes into heroines. They all start out as prostitutes, as Cody (Stowe) shoots a drunken colonel who attempts to molest Anita (Masterson). She is about to be lynched for defending her friend when the other "bad girls" ride in and rescue her, pursued by detectives. The rest of the film follows their adventures as they get caught up in hostage situations, bank robberies, shootouts, and romantic interludes with handsome young cowboys with never a hair out of place or an unsightly smudge of Western dust. Amazingly, all four former prostitutes are able to ride, shoot, rope, and fight as well. Bad Girls is not likely to be thought of as a realistic view of how women lived in the Old West. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Madeleine Stowe, Mary Stuart Masterson, (more)
A virulent strain of gonorrhea is loose in New Zealand and it is up to a nurse to find the carrier in this Kiwi thriller set in WW II. New Zealand was a popular shore-leave locale for battle fatigued American sailors. Kelly Towne is a nurse from the Hygiene Department. Her assignment is to help keep the spread of VD in check. She works with both the troops and the local brothels. In the film's beginning a Marine has been murdered and his girlfriend, a former hooker, has disappeared. Kelly becomes involved in the mystery after she finds out that both the missing girl and the wife of a local politician carry this new, deadly strain of gonorrhea. With the help of U.S. Marine Capt. Michael Starwood, she sets off to find the girl and is surprised that her trail leads to the highest ranks of the New Zealand government and the American military where a conspiracy is taking place. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kerry Fox, Tony Goldwyn, (more)
While heading towards a makeshift medical outpost deep into the Mexican jungle, one of three planes crashes, stranding a group of doctors and student nurses, some of whom are critically injured. This taut adventure follows the attempts of the others to locate the downed plane and save the lives of the survivors. Once the search party finds the injured medics, their next challenge is to get them to a proper medical facility. One in particular could die any moment. The searchers could have treated them on the spot had not local natives appeared and looted the downed plane of its drugs. A nearby landing strip promises a chance to get the injured passengers to safety, but unfortunately that would precipitate a night flight and recent anti-drug operations laws strictly prohibit flying after dark. One brave doctor volunteers to traverse the jungle to a nearby town in hopes of convincing authorities to make an exception. Meanwhile the rest of the entourage must somehow make it safely to the airstrip by daylight. Nurses On the Line: The Crash of Flight 7 features the acting talents of Robert Loggia,, Lindsey Wagner and Jennifer Lopez, ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lindsay Wagner, Robert Loggia, (more)
Actor Ron Silver made his directorial debut with this made-for-TV, futuristic retelling of Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat, in which the survivors of a sabotaged spaceship must face mounting evidence that the terrorist responsible for their plight is among them. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
Just after the turn of the 21st century in L.A., Harry (Belushi) works for a television station that uses a revolutionary technology, virtual reality projected for at-home viewers with 3-D holographic programs. A sinister group known as the Fathers, headed by Senator Kreutzer (Loggia), has a scheme to use it for mind-control. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1993
In this suspenseful drama, a medium sized plane en route from the U.S. to New Zealand gets hopelessly lost over the vast Pacific after his companion plane crashes. Now his only hope for salvation is the small commercial jet liner with whom the lost pilot is in radio contact. As his plane runs out of fuel, the larger plane must somehow find him before it is too late. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Loggia, Scott Bakula, (more)
- 1990
This made-for-TV thriller stars Robert Loggia as a onetime CIA agent who defected to the Soviet Union to join the KGB. Discovering he has just months to live, the agent wants to return home to America; Scott Glenn plays the U.S. agent assigned to retrieve him. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1989
The made-for-TV The Dream Breakers harks back to all those Pat O'Brien and Spencer Tracy "fighting priest" films of the 1930s and 1940s. Kyle MacLachlan plays an idealistic young cleric who opposes a powerful real-estate broker (Hal Linden) with mob ties. Complication One: MacLachlan's father (Robert Loggia) is the broker's ex-partner. Complication Two: MacLachlan's brother (D.W. Moffett) is on the broker's staff. As The Dream Breakers enters the home stretch, the film has boiled down to a B-picture extortion scheme. It's best just to watch the stars and ignore what they're required to say and do. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Loggia, Kyle MacLachlan, (more)
- 1988
A spy is tracked down in this made-for-television espionage thriller. When a secret agent goes in search of his former mentor -- who has since defected -- he finds that the man wants come back to the United States. They go on the lam and try to escape the KGB and CIA, who aren't through with the master spy just yet. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
More than anything else, 13-year old New Jerseyite Josh (David Moscow) wants to be "big". That's the wish he makes at an odd-looking amusement pier fortunetelling machine. The next morning, Josh wakes up-only to discover that he's grown to manhood overnight! (At this point, the part is taken over by Tom Hanks). Still a 13-year-old mentally and emotionally, Josh decides to hide out in New York City until he can figure out what to do next. He lucks into a job with a major toy company run by kid-at-heart McMillan (Robert Loggia). By cannily bringing a child's eye view to McMillan's business, Josh rises to the top-and in process, he falls in love with fellow employee Susan (Elizabeth Perkins). But he's still a kid, and he'd like to go back to his own world and own body. Written by Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg, Big proved a crucial success for budding director Penny Marshall, who'd work harmoniously with Hanks again on the radically different A League of Their Own. The cinematography was by Barry Sonenfeld, who went on to become a director himself with The Addams Family. That Big was heavily reliant upon the input of Tom Hanks and Penny Marshall was proven by the failed attempt to turn the property into a Broadway musical. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, (more)
This animated musical retells Dickens's Oliver Twist amongst animals in New York City, with Oliver as an innocent kitten who joins a gang of law-breaking dogs. When Oliver is adopted by a wealthy young woman, the gang's evil human owner hatches a kidnapping scheme to tap into the girl's fortune. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joey Lawrence, Billy Joel, (more)
A police psychologist and his school-age son become embroiled in the machinations of a mysterious cult religion in this thriller from director John Schlesinger. After his wife is electrocuted in a freak accident, Dr. Cal Jamison (Martin Sheen) and his son, Chris (Harley Cross), move back to Manhattan, where Cal went to school. When not spending time with his son and surrogate extended family -- husband-and-wife anthropologists Kate (Elizabeth Wilson) and Dennis Maslow (Lee Richardson) -- Cal settles into his new job and romances his landlady, Jessica Halliday (Helen Shaver). Soon, though, a series of brutal murders of young children begins to take over Cal's life. Through the ravings of policeman Tom Lopez (Jimmy Smits), who believes the killers have supernatural power over him after stealing his badge, Cal learns of Santeria, a voodoo-like Latin American sect that mixes elements of Christianity and pagan mysticism. Although the religion turns out to have ties to some of the richest men in the city and even Cal's well-meaning maid seems to be a practitioner, he can't get any straight answers as to whether the cult is responsible for the murders. But after a sinister African shaman (Malick Bowens) places a curse on Jessica, Cal finally begins to understand the danger that faces him -- and his son. The Believers was very loosely adapted from Nicholas Conde's 1982 novel The Religion. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Sheen, Helen Shaver, (more)
