Marian Seldes Movies

Charlie Brailing (Norman Lloyd) dreams of leaving his wife, Lydia (Marian Seldes), and flying off to Rio. Of course, if he were to do this, it would cause nothing but shame and humiliation for all concerned. Thus, Charlie concocts a "foolproof" scheme to make his getaway without detection: he builds a robot lookalike, intending to leave his mechanical double with his wife while he skips town. Trouble is, the robot has a few plans of its own. One of the few "supernatural" Hitchcock episodes, "Design for Loving" was written by no less than Ray Bradbury. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jason McCord (Chuck Connors) must act quickly when Caleb Reymer (Steve McNally) shows up on the land owned by little Jimmy Whitlaw (Michel Petit), the orphaned son of Jason's old friend. Claiming to be Jimmy's uncle, Caleb also insists that the land belongs to him. The only person who knows the real story is the boy's Native American housekeeper Neela (Maria Seldes)--and she refuses to talk. Featured in the cast as the town doctor is Walter F. O'Malley, the then-president of the Los Angeles Dodgers (and thus an old "baseball buddy" of former pro ballplayer Chuck Connors). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ballet and modern dance (a closely related artform) owe an unpayable debt to the Russian emigre choreographer George Balanchine (1904-1983). In addition to being a master teacher, a famously demanding and perfectionistic director of both the School of American Ballet and the New York City Ballet, as a choreographer he developed a new language of dance expression which was less ethereal, more immediate, than the previous century's classical ballet. In so doing, he created a uniquely "American" ballet, and established America as a powerhouse in the ballet world. He was a friend of the great artists of his era, from composer Igor Stravinsky to poet W.H. Auden. This documentary includes film of some of the works he choreographed, as well as reminiscences of some of his dedicated dancers. His troubled personal life is only glancingly alluded to: the focus of this documentary is on his transcendent artistry. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Director Bruce Paltrow teams with his Oscar-winning daughter Gwyneth Paltrow for this road comedy with music. Paltrow plays Liv, a struggling professional singer whose meets her father, Ricky Dean (Huey Lewis), for the first time at the funeral of her mother. As it turns out, both Liv and Ricky supplement the income from few-and-far-between gigs by singing in karaoke contests, and soon father and daughter are competing on the same circuit. Meanwhile, Todd Woods (Paul Giamatti), a salesman who has grown disenchanted with his job, his family, and his life, picks up a hitch-hiker named Reggie Kane (Andre Braugher), and during a stop at a tavern, they discover they make a good duet team while belting out a version of "Try A Little Tenderness." And waitress Suzi Loomis (Maria Bello) sweet talks Billy (Scott Speedman), a cabbie, into driving her to Omaha, where the national karaoke finals will determine who does the best job of singing along with the records, as the lives of these six characters begin to intersect. Duets also features Angie Dickinson as Blair, Liv's grandmother who was once a showgirl in Frank Sinatra's Las Vegas floorshow; Brad Pitt was originally cast in Speedman's role but withdrew after he and Paltrow announced the end of their off-camera relationship. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Jimmy Angelelli (Harvey Keitel) wants to be a concert pianist. Jimmy's dad, Ben Angelelli (Michael V. Gazzo), wants his son to go into the family business. So far, so banal. But the "family business" depicted in Fingers is organized crime, and therein lies the film's perverse appeal. Fingers represents the directorial debut of screenwriter James Toback, who also wrote the script. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of a group of captives rescued from the Cheyenne by the Cavalry is a 12-year-old white boy who has been raised as an Indian. Mary Cullen (Marian White) insists that the boy is her own son Dennis, kidnapped from her family in infancy. Despite the combined efforts of Mrs. Cullen and Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness), there's a strong possibility that the boy will ultimately choose to continue living with the Cheyenne rather than accept is "proper" place in white society. This episode is based on the Gunsmoke radio broadcast of September 24, 1955. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Paladin (Richard Boone) comes to the defense of a strong-willed schoolteacher named Molly Stanton (Marian Seldes). It seems that Molly has been instructing her pupils in the facts concerning an infamous band of Civil War vigilantes, incurring the wrath of several former members of the organization who have threatened to burn the schoolhouse down unless the teacher retracts her statements. This is one of several episodes wherein Paladin surreptitiously acts as spokesman for all those blacklisted filmmakers who had been denied the right of free speech during the "Red Scare" of the 1950s. Among the child actors appearing as the schoolkids is Lana Wood, the younger sister of film star Natalie Wood. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A woman coping with a serious illness must face issues in her relationship with her daughter as she recalls her own troubled past in this independent drama. Inga (Marcia Gay Harden) is a wife and mother who lives in Pennsylvania farm country with her husband, Herman (Michael Gaston), and young daughter, Indigo (Eulala Scheel). Inga is recovering from a bout with breast cancer, and her illness has cast a pall on her already rocky relationship with Herman, with both turning to liquor to drown their sorrows. Indigo, meanwhile, has few friends and is very close to Inga; her mother's illness has been difficult for the child, and Inga isn't certain how to ease the girl's worries. Meanwhile, an elderly woman living nearby, Peggy (Marian Seldes), is considering selling the home where she's lived most of her life. Inga is fascinated with Peggy's house because it closely resembles the place where she grew up, and as she explores the old house she is reminded of her relationship with her own mother, who, like her, struggled with cancer. Home received its world premiere at the 2008 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This three-part drama, produced for HBO, examines the changing tides of the lives of lesbians in America, both politically and personally, as we eavesdrop on three stories taking place in the same house over a span of five decades. In 1961, the house is home to Edith (Vanessa Redgrave) and Abby (Marian Seldes), an elderly lesbian couple whose lifestyle is not accepted or acknowledged by their families. When Abby suffers a serious stroke and is on the verge of death, her family rallies to her side, but not understanding the nature of her relationship with Edith, she is not included as her loved ones say their final good-byes. After Abby's death, her nephew (Paul Giamatti) and his wife (Elizabeth Perkins) arrive from out of state with plans to sell the house, without consulting Edith. In 1972, the house is now home to four college students, Michelle (Amy Carlson), Linda (Michelle Williams), Karen (Nia Long), and Jeanne (Natasha Lyonne), all of whom are actively involved in the women's movement and also happen to be lesbians. The four find themselves at odds with the campus women's group when they try to promote an all-women's dance, while the other members of the group feel that feminism, not lesbianism, should be the focus of the group. Similarly, Linda faces hostility from her friends when she becomes involved with Amy (Chloe Sevigny), a very butch townie; Linda's friends see Amy's masculine attire and attitude as a form of self-loathing against being a woman, and while Linda cares deeply for Amy, she's not always comfortable with her and isn't sure that she wants to be public with their relationship. In 2000, Fran (Sharon Stone) and Kal (Ellen DeGeneres), a happy and firmly committed couple, are sharing the house, and after much discussion, they decide that they want to take their relationship to the next level and have a baby. However, deciding that they want a child and dealing with the practicalities of getting pregnant are two different things; Fran and Kal first debate about going to a sperm bank as opposed to asking one of their male friends to help out, and later, either going to a doctor to perform the procedure or trying it at home. DeGeneres' significant other, Anne Heche, wrote and directed the final segment; the 1972 story was directed by Martha Coolidge, and the 1961 episode was directed by Jane Anderson. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The full title of this made-for-TV film was In the Best of Families: Pride and Madness. Based on a true story, the film details the bitter divorce between overly idealistic Keith Carradine and emotionally disturbed Kelly McGillis. Caught in the middle are the couple's sons, played by Erik Von Detten and Ira David Wood Jr. The crisis erupts into violence, resulting in a triple homicide. Roundly criticized for its lurid and sensationalistic aspects, In the Best of Families was originally telecast in two parts on January 16 and 18, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Good Night, and Good Luck director George Clooney pulls double duty once again in this sports-oriented romantic comedy set against the formation of professional football in the 1920s. Dodge Connelly (Clooney) is a brash and handsome gridiron giant who is equally comfortable leading his team in a barroom brawl or charging for a touchdown in a packed stadium. But when Connelly's team loses their sponsor and the entire league appears set to collapse, the quick-thinking jock attempts a creative late-game comeback. If Connelly can convince former college football star and decorated war hero Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski) to join the team, there may be hope for the ill-fated team after all. Back in World War I, Rutherford single-handedly forced the surrender of multiple German soldiers -- a feat that firmly established the dashing young soldier as America's favorite son. Not only that, but Rutherford's unparalleled speed makes him a valuable asset to the team. To cub reporter Lexie Littleton (Renée Zellweger), Rutherford seems simply too good to be true, and she's determined to prove that her theory is correct. As Littleton digs deep into Rutherford's past, the two teammates enter into a fierce competition for her erratic affections. Now, as Connelly's plan begins to work better than he ever could have anticipated, the rowdy sport he always loved starts to take on a whole new look and feel. In the midst of holding his team together and simultaneously charming the girl of his dreams, Connelly discovers he may be able to use the same strategies he does to win on the field to win in love. Of course, there might be a few fouls as this game enters the fourth quarter, but like every good player, Connelly knows the value of always having a secret play to fall back on before the final score is called. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The community players of Cabot Cove have chosen to stage a play about a 17th century witch who had placed a curse on the town just before her execution. Cast in the lead role is Mariah Osborne (Mary Crosby), a newcomer to the town. Before long, strange things begin happening, convincing the townsfolk that Mariah is not merely acting, but is in truth the reincarnation of the notorious witch. Assisting Jessica (Angela Lansbury) in her investigation of the inevitable murder is the town's new deputy Dave Anderson, played by Louis Herthum--who in his previous series appearance was known as "Deputy Andy Bloom." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide