Jessica Myerson Movies
Robin Williams learns that keeping in touch with his children can be a drag in this hit comedy. Daniel Hillard (Williams) is an eccentric actor who specializes in dubbing voices for cartoon characters. Daniel is a kind man and a loving father, but he's a poor disciplinarian and a shaky role model. After throwing an elaborate and disastrous birthday party for his son, Daniel's wife Miranda (Sally Field) reaches the end of her patience and files for divorce. Daniel is heartbroken when Miranda is given custody of the children, and he's only allowed to visit them once a week. Determined to stay in contact with his kids, Daniel learns that Miranda is looking for a housekeeper, and with help from his brother Frank (Harvey Fierstein), a makeup artist, Daniel gets the job disguised as Mrs. Iphegenia Doubtfire, a stern but caring Scottish nanny. Daniel pulls off the ruse so well that neither his ex-wife nor his children recognize him, and in the process, he learns how to be the good parent he should have been all along. However, Daniel also has to deal with the little matter of Miranda's new boyfriend, Stu (Pierce Brosnan). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robin Williams, Sally Field, (more)
- 1985
In this prison drama, two adolescent girls are incarcerated with adults by an obsessive judge. There they are terribly exploited and abused. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Emily accepts a full-time job with the Board of Education. Not keen on the idea in the first place, Bob becomes even more disapproving when he is left at the mercy of temporary maids and is forced to cook his own dinners. But how can he tell Emily to quit her job when she clearly finds her new responsibilities so fulfilling? Edward Winter guest stars as Professor Trainer. Written by Martin Cohan, "Emily, I'm Home...Emily?" was first telecast on February 17, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
In this counter-culture caper comedy, directed by Alan Myerson (whose work with The Committee and Second City gives the film a quirky sketch comedy freshness), Donald Sutherland plays Veldini, a sad-eyed demolition-derby driver, serving time for larceny. He also possesses a millennial desire to wreck every car manufactured in the United States from 1940 to 1960. After being released from jail, Veldini hatches a scheme to restore an old U.S. World War II amphibian plane to escape conventional society and fly off to a new nonconformist world. Searching for spare parts to complete the restoration, Veldini realizes that a particular electrical circuit is available only at the local Navy base, and he decides to rob the base to steal the circuit. Involved in the caper with him is Iris (Jane Fonda in a burlesque of her performance in Klute) as a 100-dollar-a-night call girl who is sick of being humiliated; Veldini's kid brother (John Savage); and Eagle (Peter Boyle), a schizophrenic out-of-work circus performer. Standing in the way of Veldini's scheme is Frank Veldini (Howard Hesseman), his older brother and a politically ambitious district attorney. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, (more)
- 1972
- R
In this comedy, young Donald Beeman (Tom Smothers) becomes disillusioned with his business career and quits to become a tap-dancing magician. However, the grass isn't always greener, and Donald soon discovers that the money-oriented aspects of his former career are starting to creep into his new life. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1971
To silence the taunts of his young friends, Jamie tries to prove that he's a "real Cartwright" by showing up at school with Ben's rifle-and without Ben's permission. Inevitably, the rifle is broken, and a reluctant Ben punishes Jamie for lying about the incident. Embittered, Jamie runs away from the Ponderosa, unwilling to accept the notion that Ben is being harsh only because he truly loves the boy. Lou Frizzell makes one of his earliest appearances as ranch hand Dusty Rhodes. Written by Preston Wood, "The Gold Plated Rifle" was first telecast on January 10, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1969
This comedy was banned in Mexico and plagued by vandalism and threats of violence during film production in San Antonio, Texas. General De Santos (Peter Ustinov) organizes a ragtag group of Mexican nationals for the purpose of retaking the Alamo. Using the Washington's Birthday Parade in Laredo as a guise to enter the United States, the group continues towards San Antonio ignored and unchallenged. With the help of Sergeant Valdez (John Astin), the unlikely invaders manage to raise the Mexican flag over the old mission for 24 hours. General Billy Joe Hallson (Jonathan Winters) is a colorful redneck called on to lead the National Guard to the site of the occupied landmark. Keenan Wynn, Alice Ghostley, Pamela Tiffin and Harry Morgan also star in this film farce. During filming, one irate Texan was arrested after waving a rifle in protest over the raising of the Mexican flag over the Alamo, long a symbol of Texas' pride and history. Electric cables were cut during the filming of this production, as some Texans could not even tolerate the fictional premise of the plot. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Ustinov, Pamela Tiffin, (more)
- 1969
The San Francisco theater group The Committee satirize topics like race relations, politics, sex and the media in this comedy montage of skits. A game show called Greed is one of the presentations. Another concerns a group of housewives who gather to discuss soap operas over coffee and cannabis. A hilarious presentation shows two businessmen, waiting in an office to see a client, who take to performing ferocious drum solos with their hands on their briefcases. Peter Bonerz, who would later star in the 1970s comedy "The Bob Newhart Show" is one of the main characters and introduces the feature. The performances range from 10 seconds to 14 minutes and end in blackouts. In other skits, a draft dodger tries to evade his induction into the military by pretending to be a frog, and a Caucasian dyes his skin to become "black." ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- 1969
- R
Christine (Jacqueline Bisset) is the young bank teller who is bored with her job and her husband. She leaves for Las Vegas where she scores a job as a chorus girl. The beautiful Christine does not have the talent to parlay the job into an upwardly mobile career. She marries an older man and becomes a "kept woman." Tommy Marcott (Jim Brown) is the greeter at a casino who poses for pictures with the guests and marries Christine. When Christine is invited to dinner by Roosevelt Dekker (Ramon Bieri), she is beaten up by her host. Tommy tracks down the construction magnate at a local golf course and beats him to a pulp. Danny (Corbett Monica) is the comic who gives Christine her first tour of Vegas and his bedroom. Christine hires a pilot to skywrite an obscenity that sums up her feelings about her experience. Joseph Cotten also appears in this drama of a naive young woman nearly swallowed up by the seamier side of the Las Vegas nightlife. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacqueline Bisset, Jim Brown, (more)
