Mercedes McCambridge Movies

In this drama, a poor family used to living on a quiet and remote farm, find their lives disrupted when a freeway is slated to run through their property. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The made-for-television western The Sacketts combines the plotlines from two seperate Louis L'Amour novels, The Daybreakers and The Sacketts. In this film, the three Tennessee-raised Sackett brothers migrate to the West following the conclusion of the Civil War. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

In this comedy based on a play by Herb Gardner, a zany, disparate couple tries to beat the odds and stay together. The man runs a posh private school and cannot see why his lover prefers teaching in the Lower East Side where they were raised. The two temporarily split, and each of them has an affair. The experience teaches them that they are meant to be together. Unfortunately, when the humbled two return to their luxurious apartment, they again begin arguing. In the heat of anger, the man grabs the gun her father gave him and fires three shots into the ceiling. With the police sirens encroaching, the woman realizes that inside, he is still the wild and crazy guy she fell for years before, and romantic bliss ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Made for television, Girls of Huntington House stars Shirley Jones as schoolteacher Anne Baldwin. Working at a school for unwed mothers, Anne finds she can't keep her professional life and personal life separate. With no children of her own, she becomes deeply involved in the trials and tribulations of her students. This leads to profound emotional difficulties for all concerned. Adapted from a novel by Blossom Elfman, The Girls of Huntington House first aired February 14, 1973, as an ABC Movie of the Week. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Also released under the title Like a Crow on a June Bug, this film follows the adventures that befall a rural country girl when she is enchanted by the promise of excitement that the wide world holds. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi

A crisis ensues when Air Force One crashes while on a flight out west, apparently killing all those aboard, including President Jeremy Haines (Tod Andrews). The United States is in the midst of a confrontation with China that could lead to a nuclear war between the two countries, and the government is now in the hands of Vice President Kermit Madigan (Buddy Ebsen), a not too intelligent or sophisticated man, who was deliberately kept out of the loop. His confidence on foreign policy issues virtually nil, Madigan seeks to carry out Haines's intended policy in confronting the Chinese but gets two completely different accounts of what that policy was to be. Secretary of State Freeman Sharkey (Raymond Massey), a career diplomat, claims that Haines was pursuing firm but peaceful containment of the problem, while National Security advisor George Oldenburg (Rip Torn) says that Haines was ready to go eyeball-to-eyeball with the Chinese and go to war if necessary -- and Oldenburg quickly picks up on how to gain Madigan's confidence. As if Madigan doesn't have enough problems, the stunned Washington community cannot help but openly doubt his competence, while his ambitious wife (Mercedes McCambridge) sees this unfolding tragedy as a way for herself and her husband to finally get some respect and settle a few scores with those who belittled the Second Couple. Even more troubling, as the search teams comb the wreckage, another mystery ensues -- they can't seem to find the president's body. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi

Killer by Night is reminiscent of such early 1950s film noir exercises as The Killer That Stalked New York and Panic in the Streets. The police of a large city are plagued with two crises at once: A diphtheria epidemic and a triple murderer. With the help of health officials Robert Wagner and Diane Baker the authorities narrow down the source of both the disease and the murders as being the selfsame person. The problem: To track him down with only a skeleton police force at hand. Killer by Night manages to create a claustrophobic, paranoid atmosphere with only a minimum of 1970s-style camera trickery. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Making her second Bonanza appearance, Mercedes McCambridge is cast as wealthy widow Matilda Curtis, who helps Ben Cartwright establish a free school for the children of Ponderosa's employees and tenant farmers. When the schoolmaster is murdered, troublesome student Billy Burgess (a pre-Partridge Family David Cassidy) angrily confesses to the crime. To save Billy from being hanged, Matilda insists that he be placed in her custody without the formality of a court trial. But Ben, unconvinced by Billy's confession, demands that the boy get his day in court-even if it may cost him his life. Comedian Foster Brooks, aka "The Lovable Lush", plays the stone-sober role of Judge Rogers. Originally telecast on February 15, 1970, "The Law and Billy Burgess" was written by Stanley Roberts. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Mercedes McCambridge guest stars as ancient witch Carlotta, an old "friend" of Samantha's mother, Endora. Years earlier, Endora had promised that Sam would marry Carlotta's namby-pamby warlock son, Juke (Steve Franken). Now, Carlotta threatens to utterly destroy Darrin if the promise is not honored. Written by Lila Garrett and Bernie Kahn, "Darrin Gone! And Forgotten?" first aired on October 17, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

One of cult director Jesus Franco's most popular films, this uneven adaptation of the Marquis de Sade's notorious Justine stars Romina Power, daughter of actor Tyrone Power, in the title role. Justine and her sister Juliet (Maria Rohm) are poor orphans in 1700s France forced to leave school and find a way to survive in Paris. Juliet soon becomes a prostitute, while Justine is employed as a maid by Scrooge-like innkeeper Mssr. de Harpin (Akim Tamiroff). Eventually, Justine is falsely arrested for stealing a brooch and sentenced to death. Escaping prison with the murderous Mme. Dubois (Mercedes McCambridge), Justine becomes a fugitive. In her efforts to hide from the law, Justine finds herself captured first by a perverse gay Marquis (Klaus Kinski), who subjects her to various tortures, then by a group of sadistic monks led by Brother Antonin (Jack Palance in an amazingly bizarre performance). Rosemary Dexter was originally intended to portray Justine, and might have done a better job than the wooden Power, but appears only briefly in a lesser role. Heavily censored, various prints run 120, 105, 93, and 90 minutes. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

In this strange western a woman enlists the aid of her two brothers and her sister-in-law and begins a series of bank robberies to get revenge upon the banker who refused her father a loan for the medical treatment he desperately needed to survive. Frank Zappa wrote the soundtrack for this interesting western. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi