Dorothy Lyman Movies

Three families living in a rural Vermont community struggle with loss while allowing the delicate hands of time to gradually ease their sorrows in director Dorothy Lyman's poetic drama. Sgt. Claire Rodman (Ed Blunt) has just returned home from the Iraq War suffering a permanent hand injury, and as he slips into a helpless state of self-pity, his sister dutifully cares for their dying mother. In time, Sgt. Rodman's despondence drives a bitter wedge between the two siblings. Meanwhile, housekeeper Kathy McClellan struggles to maintain her relationship to her two grown children, Carissa and Glen. But while Glen's paranoid rants about the war seem like nonsense to many, the truth is they contain an explosive secret. Over on a neighboring farm, Nan (Dorothy Lyman) and her partner Sandra (Dey Young) find their regular routine interrupted by the sudden appearance of Sandra's daughter Enid, who isn't her usual self following a recent encounter with "the light." As the snow continues to fall, each family will confront their issues while discovering that nature really can ease sorrow. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A tranquil Arizona community is being terrorized by a series of robberies staged by an elusive truck-stop bandit. In addition, a number of disreputable-looking strangers have descended upon the community in search of buried treasure. Fortuously visiting a friend who lives near the town in question, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) ends up helping the new, inexperienced sheriff handle the onslaught of trouble--which of course is capped by a murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Popular comedienne Joan Rivers and her real-life daughter Melissa portray themselves in this made-for-television movie about their family's trials and tribulations in the 1980s. After suffering through some public blows to her career, Rivers' husband Edgar (often the butt of her jokes) committed suicide. The film shows how the mother and daughter struggled to save their already troubled relationship in the wake of the devastating death. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide

Find out how celebrity parties and dinners differ from those attended by most people. Hosts Bernard Erpicum of Spago and Paula McClure introduce the viewer to such basics as the Elegant Winter Meal, the Festive Holiday Dinner and the Afternoon or Evening Get-Together Meal. Tasty recipes for such culinary treats as Rack of Lamb with White Wine Sauce and Glazed Turkey with Rice and Nut Stuffing are shared. A variety of other tips are provided by such celebrities as Rod Steiger, Jon Voight, Dudley Moore and Ed Begley, Jr. Viewers are even shown the proper way to carve a turkey and which dinnerware and wine glasses should be used for various occasions. There's even a special tip on what type of lighting is best for different meals. ~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide

Marshall Herskovitz directed this tearjerking schizophrenic combination of The Wonder Years and To Kill a Mockingbird. It is 1972, and John Leary (Danny De Vito) and his two sons Jack (Robert J. Steinmiller Jr.) and Dylan (Miko Hughes) have just moved to Oakland, California. John is a television celebrity who has been fired from one station after another, appearing now on a cheap local station as the Saturday night host of a horror-film showcase. But John spends most of the time drinking and grieving over the loss of his wife, who was recently killed in an accident. The children try to adapt to their new school, and the family tries to adapt to the collection of kooks that populate their neighborhood. Foremost among them is Norman Strick (Gary Sinise), a sinister neo-Nazi who lives across the street. When Strick circulates a petition for the local white-supremacist candidate, John gets drunk and attacks him on his television show. As a result, Strick takes his revenge by abducting one of John's children. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Police dispatcher Carol Lane (Dorothy Lyman) is approached by several shady characters who threaten dire consequences to her son Bobby (Christopher Stone), who is heavily in debt to a gambling ring. In order to save Bobby's life, Carol agrees to delay reports of a burglary in progress--and as a result two men end up dead. Guilt-ridden over her complicity in the crime, Carol insists upon bringing the criminals to justice herself...while Hunter quietly remains a step or two behind, just in case of trouble! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dorothy Lyman guest stars as Maura Norris, an old friend of Kate Tanner (Anne Scheeden)--and an alcoholic. Though Maura insists that she's cured, ALF realizes that this is far from the truth. To save Maura from herself and make her face up to her problem, ALF pretends to be a "DT" vision--specifically, the ugliest pink elephant in history! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bikinis and rippling, manly muscles abound in this lively, youth-oriented Southern California-set adventure that chronicles the experiences of a curvaceous high school graduate who decides to work as a life guard for a summer before going to med school. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

An drug-rehab encounter group has a 24-hour marathon in this melodrama. As each patient begins discussing his or her life and the reasons each of them turned to drugs, the attending psychologist finds himself becoming increasingly involved until he too begins to share. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide