Philip Perlman Movies
The "exchange murders" plot gambit, played with utter solemnity in Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, is used as the launching pad for raucous laughter in Throw Momma From the Train. Director/star Danny DeVito plays Owen Lift, a middle-aged bachelor, totally dominated by his gorgon mother, played with hilarious ferocity by Anne Ramsey. Billy Crystal co-stars as Larry Donner, a creative-writing professor, saddled with a vituperative, thoroughly despicable ex-wife, Margaret (Kate Mulgrew). Signing up for Larry's writing course, Owen has trouble at first with character development and construction in his stories. Larry recommends that Owen watch a screening of Strangers on a Train, which he considered a model of tight, concise storytelling. Owen is so entranced by the film that he decides to emulate Strangers star Robert Walker. That is, Owen wants Larry to bump off his mother, in exchange for Owen's murder of Margaret. Without being asked, Owen does away with Margaret (or so it seems), then hounds Larry to the point of killing "Momma." This being a comedy, the actual consequences of the swap-murder plot aren't nearly as calamitous as in the Hitchcock film. Cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld would apply the "black humor" lessons learned in Throw Momma From the Train for his own directorial debut, The Addams Family (1991). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Danny DeVito, Billy Crystal, (more)
Divorce lawyer Danny De Vito warns his prospective client that the story he's about to tell isn't a pretty one, but the client listens with eager intensity -- as do the folks out there in the movie in the audience. The War of the Roses can best be described as a slapstick tragedy concerning the decline and literal fall of a marriage. After 17 years, Oliver (Michael Douglas) and Barbara (Kathleen Turner) Rose want a divorce. Not for this couple is there anything resembling a "civilized understanding": Barbara wants their opulent house, and Oliver isn't about to part with the domicile. Barbara nails the basement door shut while Oliver is downstairs, Oliver disrupts Barbara's fancy party by taking aim at the catered dinner, Barbara lays waste to Oliver's sports car....and so it goes, culminating in a disastrous showdown around, about and under the living room's fancy chandelier. DeVito and screenwriter Michael Leeson never let us forget that the couple's self-indulgent imbroglio exacts an awful price upon their children (Sean Astin and Heather Fairfield). The War of the Roses was adapted from the novel by Warren Adler. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, (more)
- 1990
Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) are convinced that they aren't providing their infant son Frederick with proper care. After all, how could it be otherwise, since the boy has been diagnosed with only average intelligence? Meanwhile, Carla (Rhea Perlman) tries to arrange a clandestine conjugal visit between Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) and her imprisoned boyfriend Robin Colcord (Roger Rees). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1990
A feud of epic proportions ensues when snobbish John Hill (Keene Curtis, in his first series appearance) purchases the building housing Cheers and establishes a upscale seafood restaurant upstairs called Melville's. It's bad enough to put up with the new restrictions upon his own bar, but when Sam (Ted Danson) has to stand by while Hill issues orders to his staff, it's just too much. And who took those provocative photographs of Woody's (Woody Harrelson) girl friend Kelly? Billed as the 200th episode of Cheers, "Bad Neighbor Sam" was actually the 203rd to be telecast. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1990
Cliff (John Ratzenberger) suffers from a deflated ego when it turns out that Cheers' new cocktail napkins dispense even more useless trivia than he does. Meanwhile, Woody (Woody Harrelson) lands a lucrative acting job as spokesperson for a new vegetable drink. Alas, though the money is good, the drink itself is terrible -- or at least Woody thinks it is. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Norman Jewison directed Alvin Sargent's adaptation of Jerry Sterner's off-Broadway satire of the excess of the '80s, with Danny DeVito as corporate raider Lawrence Garfield -- or, as he is better known, Larry the Liquidator. Larry spends his waking hours searching for companies to take over. One morning he comes across New England Wire & Cable, a company that has seen better days but is not debt-ridden and contains plenty of cash. Licking his chops, Larry hopes to raid the company and strip its assets. But the company's president, Andrew Jorgenson (Gregory Peck), wants to continue in the wire and cable business. For help, Andrew seeks out his daughter-in-law, Kate Sullivan (Penelope Ann Miller), a New York attorney who is as obsessive about saving Andrew's company as Larry is about destroying it. When she walks into Larry's office, Larry immediately falls in love. But they are adversaries, and they have to decide if love or corporate buyouts come first. This all comes to a head during a shareholder's meeting inside the factory, where both Andrew and Larry state their cases regarding Andrew's beloved company. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Danny DeVito, Gregory Peck, (more)
- 1991
Although it's his duty as a husband and father, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) balks at the notion of making out his will. Meanwhile, back at the Big Conception, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) is convinced that Sam (Ted Danson) is entirely to blame for her non-pregnant status. What is needed is a trip to Rebecca's fertility specialist -- something that Sam (and Sam's macho ego) would sooner do without. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
Determined to get even with snooty landlord John Hill (Keene Curtis) once and for all, Sam (Ted Danson) pulls out his secret weapon of mass destruction by unleashing Carla (Rhea Perlman) on the hapless Hill. Things don't work out quite as planned, however, when Carla falls in love with the shiny-domed landlord. Meanwhile, Cliff (John Ratzenberger, who also directed this episode) tries to overcome his fear of four-legged locomotion. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
Both Sam (Ted Danson) and Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) covet the lease for the back room of Cheers. Never one to play fair if it wasn't necessary, Rebecca intends to get what she wants by using her womanly wiles on landlord John Hill (Keene Curtis). Meanwhile, Carla (Rhea Perlman) must face up to the fact that her eyesight isn't what it used to be. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
Halloween sparks yet another war of practical jokes between the gang at Cheers and the folks at Gary's Olde Towne Tap. Sam (Ted Danson) has come up with a particularly nasty prank, guaranteed to scare anyone -- especially Gary (Robert Desiderio) -- out of a year's life. Unfortunately, the scheme backfires when it appears that Sam has brought about Gary's untimely demise. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
Caught up in one of the many trivia games at Cheer, Kevin McHale of the Boston Celtics begins obsessing over the number of bolts in the floor of the Boston Garden. The result: McHale goes into a ruinous slump, compelling the Cheers gang to come to the rescue. Meanwhile, Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) adopts a "new look" that gives a whole new meaning to the word "retro." In addition to Kevin McHale, his wife Lynn McHale and Celtics announcer Glenn Ordway appear as themselves. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
- PG13
Kid N' Play (Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin) star in this role-reversal comedy that plays like a badly done sitcom without the laughs. The switcheroo occurs when two inner-city high school students -- one a straight-A whiz-kid and the other an angry criminal type -- have to switch identities and are forced to live each other's lives. Christopher Reid is Duncan Pinderhughes, a student with perfect grades but who can't graduate high school unless he passes gym. Christopher Martin plays Blade Brown, whose probation officer gives him an ultimatum -- graduate high school or go to jail. Due to a mix-up in their high school records, Pinderhughes and Brown are forced to take over each other's lives. Brown ends up in a class for gifted students, and Pinderhughes finds himself skulking behind the school building to a shotgun shack that houses all the high school's troublemakers. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Christopher "Kid" Reid, Christopher "Play" Martin, (more)
- 1991
Sam (Ted Danson) is unprepared for the adventure awaiting him when he agrees to babysit for the son of Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth). Meanwhile, Woody (Woody Harrelson) frets and fusses when wide-eyed Kelly (Jackie Swanson) goes to work at Cheers as part of a school project. Twin children Christopher and Kevin Graves make their first joint appearance as little Frederick Crane. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
While painting the home of Frasier and Lilith Crane (Kelsey Grammer, Bebe Neuwirth), Norm (George Wendt) hurts his back. With his wife, Vera, out of town, Norm is invited to stay with the Drs. Crane for a while -- a decision that the couple soon has cause to regret. And back at Cheers, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) uses an egg to test out her latent parenting skills. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
Sam (Ted Danson) and Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) test their inherent parenting skills to the breaking point when they agree to babysit the unruly brood belonging to Carla (Rhea Perlman). Back at Cheers, Woody (Woody Harrelson) tries to put together a video of himself and Kelly (Jackie Swanson) for the benefit of the folks back in Indiana. Swept up in this cinematic project, Cliff (John Ratzenberger) takes command in true Orson Welles fashion. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1992
The guys at Cheers inaugurate a marathon poker game, ostensibly for the purpose of teaching Woody (Woody Harrelson) how to play. While the boys are otherwise occupied, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) bravely holds down the fort -- or rather, the bar -- with the help of Carla (Rhea Perlman). Fortunately, Cheers enjoys one of its busiest nights ever; unfortunately, the bar's liquor license has just expired, forcing Rebecca and Carla to concoct some bizarre, alcohol-free improvisations. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1992
The war between Sam (Ted Danson) and snobbish restauranteur John Hill (Keene Curtis) re-escalates when Sam thinks he's broken a tooth while eating a crab salad from Melville's. Meanwhile, Carla (Rhea Perlman) must face the fact that her son Gino (Josh Lozoff) plans to enter the priesthood. Elsewhere, Cliff (John Ratzenberger) becomes a standup comic ("What's up with that?"), only to find that he has a fan following of precisely one person -- and you'd never guess who it is. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The life of powerful union leader Jimmy Hoffa is the subject of this biographical drama. The focus is strongly on Hoffa's public and political life, from his early days as a labor organizer to his later conflicts with the Federal government -- and, eventually, his mysterious disappearance. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, (more)
- 1992
Hoping to raise the spirits of his "low self-esteem" therapy group, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) brings his patients to Cheers. It doesn't take long for the group to fall under the spell of the jocular "Mr. X" and "Mr. Y." -- alias Norm (George Wendt) and Cliff (John Ratzenberger). Meanwhile, with his regular barber under the weather, Sam (Ted Danson) allows Woody (Woody Harrelson) to trim his locks...and what a trim it is. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1992
When his old pal Mitch (John Finn) rejoins the Boston Red Sox after many years of retirement, Sam (Ted Danson) seriously considers revitalizing his own baseball career. But does he still have the old moxie, or is he doomed to the showers before the comeback even begins? Meanwhile, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) goes into full-panic mode when he loses Lilith's (Bebe Neuwirth) favorite lab rat. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1992
Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) eagerly anticipates a reunion with her high school sweetheart Mark, "the only man I ever loved." The gang at Cheers can't bring themselves to tell her how radically Mark has changed over the years (and since he is played by Harvey Fierstein, it should not be necessary to provide full details about his "transformation"). Meanwhile, Sam (Ted Danson) launches a support group with other people whose Corvettes have been stolen, and Kelly (Jackie Swanson) makes a bid to be one of "the guys." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1992
In the first episode of a two-part story, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) catches Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) in the act of planting a passionate kiss upon her favorite male psychologist. Unfortunately, the man isn't Lilith's husband Frasier (Kelsey Grammer), but instead her esteemed colleague Dr. Louis Pascal. Meanwhile, a rowdy group of customers prompts Sam (Ted Danson) to hire a bouncer named Tiny (Don Gibb). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1992
Now that she has started smoking again, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) will go to any lengths to quit. Meanwhile, Gallic lothario Henri (Anthony Cistaro), working as a temporary bartender for the honeymooning Woody, challenges Sam (Ted Danson) to a heated "Ladies' Man" competition. Originally slated to air October 15, 1992, this episode was bumped to October 22 by a presidential debate. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1992
Restauranteur John Hill (Reid Shelton), the pompous bête noire of Sam Malone (Ted Danson), suffers a heart attack. Much to everyone's surprise, Hill's current amour Carla (Rhea Perlman) seems sublimely indifferent to her lover's condition. But Cliff (John Ratzenberger) can't be bothered with this emotional intrigue; he's convinced that his new neighbor is Adolf Hitler. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1993
Now that Woody (Woody Harrelson) has been elected city councilman, Carla (Rhea Perlman) offers to tend bar at Cheers. What follows is a long night of drunken revelations thanks to Carla's mystery mixture of strong stimulants. When the sun comes up, Carla knows that she's slept with someone at the bar -- but can't remember who. This is the episode in which ubiquitous supporting player Paul Willson finally takes center stage. "It's Lonely on the Top" was the last Cheers episode produced, but not the last to be shown. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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