Alan Oppenheimer Movies

The 8-hour TV miniseries Blind Ambition was originally telecast May 20 through 23, 1979. This 105-minute feature-film version, prepared in 1982, seems a bit rushed at times, but overall does a credible and coherent job of storytelling. Based on John Dean's book Blind Ambition, with elements of Maureen Dean's Mo woven in by screenwriter Stanley R. Greenberg, this is the saga of the Watergate affair, as experienced by Dean (Martin Sheen) and hia wife Maureen (Theresa Russell). As the Nixon administration goes down in flames, the Deans' marriage is sorely tested-as is Dean's success-at-any-price credo. Rip Torn plays Nixon like something out of a Greek Tragedy; some viewers accepted his interpretation, others found it jarringly inaccurate. Others in the cast of "usual suspects" include Michael Callan as Charles Colson, Lonny Chapman as L. Patrick Gray, William Daniels as G. Gordon Liddy, Fred Grandy as Donald Segretti, Christopher Guest as Jeb Magruder, Lawrence Pressman as H. R. Haldeman, William Windom as Richard Kleindienst, James Greene as E. Howard Hunt, Logan Ramsey as J. Edgar Hoover, and Al Checco as judge John Sirica. Also known as The John Dean Story, Blind Ambition earned two Emmy nominations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Long before obesity became the "cause du jour" for pediatricians, the ABC Afterschool Special series tackled the issue head-on with the riveting drama Dinky Hocker. The title character, played by Wendie Jo Sperber, is the daughter of Helen Hocker (June Lockhart), a committed community activist and drug counselor. Unfortunately, Helen is far too busy with her "outside" activities to notice that her daughter Dinky has an addiction of her own -- to junk food and sweets. Only when she turns to her equally overweight friend Tucker for help does Dinky make an effort to lose her excess weight. But, alas, her mom and dad barely notice the difference, moving Dinky to a desperate act. Based on Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack, a novel by M.E. Kerr, Dinky Hocker originally aired in the fall of 1978 -- ironically under the sponsorship of a major candy company! ~ All Movie Guide

This lighthearted, tuneful and youth-oriented comedy is set in a record store and chronicles the zany exploits of its employees. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The Gemini Man (Ben Murphy) is a guy who was exposed to a laboratory mix-up that gave him the power to become invisible at will. With such a skill he's appointed a dangerous task that brings him into contact with a crazed scientist who's involved in a deadly scheme. ~ All Movie Guide

Jamie Somers, the "Bionic Woman" introduced on a 1975 episode of TV's Six Million Dollar Man, launched her own series with a two-part adventure. Part One was telecast as the January 11, 1976 installment of Six Million Dollar Man: in a comatose state, Jamie, the onetime fiancee of "bionic man" Steve Austin (Lee Majors), is rescued by emergency brain surgery. Retaining no memory of her relationship with Austin, Jamie starts a new life as a California schoolteacher. In Part Two, which served as the January 14, 1976 premiere of The Bionic Woman, we learn that Jamie, like Steve has been outfitted with electronic replacements for certain vital appendages: her legs, her right arm, her right ear. Moonlighting as a government agent, Jamie infiltrates the headquarters of evil businessman Dennis Patrick, who hopes to exploit her bionic accoutrements for his own nefarious purposes. In syndication, the two halves of the first Bionic Woman adventure were melded into one 2-hour TV movie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

"The German Air Force is not at all what it used to be," says Anne Bancroft's Countess, about 16 minutes into The Hindenburg, pausing and then adding, "But then, nothing is these days." That seems to sum up the ponderous, irony-laden script and plot of Robert Wise's movie, which is posited -- in true post-Watergate fashion -- upon notions of conspiracy and cover-up behind the destruction of the German airship. The movie opens with a handy Universal newsreel that gives a vestpocket history of lighter-than-air flight, and that carries us to 1937 Germany. Colonel Franz Ritter (George C. Scott), a former hero pilot now working for military intelligence, finds himself assigned to the flight of the Hindenburg as chief of security; reports and rumors about the destruction of the zeppelin have circulated both in Germany and America, and the Nazi government takes these very seriously. What Ritter walks in on is a "Grand Hotel" of the air, several dozen passengers and crew whose ranks contain enough red herrings to keep Ritter (and us) jumping through hoops for most of the first half of the film, when we're not watching glorious shots of the zeppelin in flight. The answer to the script's presentation of the plot against the airship,and theidentityof the bomber and his motivations, are actually presented in the first 15 minutes, but there are so many false leads, subplots, and blind alleys put before us that the solution will probably pass by unnoticed. In the meantime, Ritter dances around with his ex-paramour (Bancroft), scheming businessmen (Gig Young), and passengers with skeletons in their closets (Alan Oppenheimer), an entertainer (Robert Clary) with a knack for offending loyal Nazis, several officers and crew with known "political" differences with the Nazi Party, a Gestapo man (Roy Thinnes) who's got an agenda of his own, and two genuine mystery men (Burgess Meredith, Rene Auberjonois) who don't seem to have any reason for traveling on this particular voyage. It's all a little tiring, or would be, if the setting and special effects weren't that interesting, and the cast wasn't so entertaining to watch in these relatively thankless roles. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

Signing up for an art class, Shirley (Shirley Jones) catches the eye of her amorous teacher Lorenzo Bernard (Alan Oppenheimer), who decides to make her his protégé. Bernard declares that Shirley's paintings are masterpieces, but her children recognize these "works of art" for the monstrosities that they really are. Now it is up to the kids to prevent Shirley from humiliating herself by entering her hideous paintings in the San Pueblo Art Festival. Song: "I'll Never Get Over You". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Escaped convict Frankie Geller (Michael Tolan) wants to make up for the many years that he neglected his daughter Valerie (Suzanne Arnold). Geller hopes to win back the girl's affections by raising some quick money in the only way he knows how--by selling Mob information to the highest bidder. As a result, Geller finds himself on the lam not only from the FBI but also from his vengeful former associates. Featured in a supporting role is Robert Quarry of Count Yorga, Vampire fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Shirley (Shirley Jones) discovers to her horror that her credit rating has been destroyed to a department-store computer error. Young computer whiz Tom Baker (John David Carson) does his best to rectify the mistake, only to inadvertently run Shirley's 29-dollar debt into the thousands! Elements crucial to the plot include an aggressive collection agency, a grass-roots picket line, and a malfunctioning cuckoo clock. Song: "Maybe Someday". (Trivia note: guest star John David Carson had played Keith Partridge in the original, unsold Partridge Family pilot film). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this comedy, a jealous wife tosses her husband out of the house after he spends the night at the home of a friend. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Three rollicking bumblers get into all sorts of slapstick trouble as they attempt their get-rich schemes at the race track in this comedy. The film is alternately titled The Big Payoff. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Three of the Cartwright men-Joe, Hoss and Jamie-head to the town of Upright to sell a rundown saloon. They decide to hold onto the property when it develops that a fortune in gold might be hidden on the premises. The boys' insistence upon retaining the saloon messes up Ben's business deal with Miss Frost (Anne Seymour), a leading light of the Temperance movement. A pre-MASH Loretta Swit appears as Ellen Sue. Written by Joseph Bonaduce, "A Visit to Upright" originally aired on March 26, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide