Milton Selzer Movies

In this Hallmark Hall of Fame TV film set in the post-war era, Kyra Sedgwick is the title character, a New Yorker who has long kept her Jewish heritage under wraps. Born in Poland but sent to the U.S. before the Holocaust, the young career woman receives word that the older sister she presumed was dead has in fact survived the Nazi terror and is coming to America, forcing Rose to confront her own past and future. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

In this high-energy satire of the music biz, Ivan Alexov (John Cusack) and Josh Tager (Tim Robbins) lose their jobs as security guards, and they decide to start their own video production company. Their first gigs are less than inspiring, including a rappin' commercial for a chicken-and-waffle place, a living will, and a right-wing Presidential-hopeful's (Clu Gulager) gala dinner. Eventually, they get to direct a heavy-metal music video which becomes a huge surprise success. But now the politician needs to get back a private videotape from the boys, and the Secret Service is put on their trail. This chaotic romp has cameos from more music celebs than you can shake a tape reel at, as well as a hopping little soundtrack by Fishbone. This is also the film that introduced a conservative folksinger/politician character who later got his own movie, Bob Roberts. ~ John Voorhees, Rovi

Punk rock's first great embodiment of the motto "live fast and die young," Sid Vicious joined The Sex Pistols when they were already established as the most controversial rock band in British history; and it soon became apparent that he couldn't play his instrument, had a magnetic attraction to chaos, and possessed a dangerous thirst for booze, drugs, and violence. Sid & Nancy opens shortly after Sid (Gary Oldman) joined the band, when he meets an obnoxious American punk groupie named Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb). Nancy claims that she can get drugs, and Sid naively gives her his money. Nancy doesn't show up with the goods, but when Sid runs into her a few days later, she has a tall tale about getting ripped off - and Sid sympathizes with her. Before long, Sid and Nancy have fallen in love, and while they argue with uncommon vehemence, they also depend completely on each other. When The Sex Pistols break up, Sid has few prospects and an increasingly voracious appetite for heroin, and Nancy's attempts to "manage" his career only hasten his downhill slide. Former Clash leader Joe Strummer wrote the film's theme song, "Love Kills," and The Pogues, The Circle Jerks, and Pray for Rain contributed to the soundtrack. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Made for television, Why Me? is the true story of Air Force nurse Leola Mae Harmon (Glynnis O'Connor), whose face is all but destroyed in a head-on automobile accident. As Leola recuperates in a military hospital, her will to live is seriously tested, not only by her shattered face, but also by the loss of her unborn child and the breakup of her marriage. The one person who refuses to feel sorry for Leola -- and who, in fact, admires her spunk -- is dedicated plastic surgeon James Stallings (Armand Assante). Persuading Leola to allow him to rebuild her face, Stallings puts his patient through 40 operations in the next four years. Understandably, the film's dramatic impact is greatest in the early sequences, wherein actress O'Connor, her face obscured by bandages (and by Michael Westmore's disturbingly realistic, Emmy nominated makeup), must convey her thoughts and moods through her eyes, her body language, and an occasional incoherent grunt. Why Me? originally aired March 12, 1984, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Linda Purl stars as Nellie Bly, famed 19th century female journalist, in this "Classics Illustrated" TV movie. A tireless crusader, Nellie exposes corruption amongst the rich of New York and miserable working conditions amongst the poor. In her most famous exploit, Nellie decides to emulate Jules Verne's Phineas Fogg by travelling around the world in 80 days-or less. Gene Barry, Raymond Buktenica, J.D. Cannon and John Randolph costar, the last-named actor playing Nellie's boss Joseph Pulitzer. Filmed in 1979, The Adventures of Nellie Bly was first telecast June 11, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Widowed farmer Jonathan Garvey (Merlin Oleson) and his son Andy (Patrick Laborteaux) move to the town of Sleepy Eye so that Jonathan can start a freight business. Unfortunately, he is repeatedly robbed of his meager belongings by a gang of local toughs. Deciding to end this crime wave on his own, Jonathan becomes the local deputy sheriff -- and his first arrest results in a brutal beating for Andy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This made-for-television drama tells of an actual event in 1911 where 145 workers in the Triangle garment factory were killed in a huge industrial fire. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi

Paul Schrader's directorial debut examines the trials of Detroit autoworkers living at the mercy of a heartless corporation and a corrupt union. Surviving from paycheck to paycheck, Checker Cab assembly linemen Zeke (Richard Pryor), Jerry (Harvey Keitel), and Smokey (Yaphet Kotto) scrape by and take pleasure in a few rounds of beer or bowling (and occasional illicit amusements). But when their money troubles pile up, Jerry and Smokey join Zeke in a desperate plan to steal cash from their local union office. Along with a piddling $600, they unexpectedly swipe evidence of union corruption. Deciding to use it for blackmail, the men discover instead how powerfully malevolent the union can be in a system that counts on petty divisiveness to keep the larger power structure intact. Inspired by stories of real-life disillusionment, Schrader and his brother/co-writer Leonard Schrader took on politically difficult issues of race and corporate labor, infusing the indictment of unions with a suggestion of post-Watergate paranoia about forces beyond the union that keep workers in their place. From the opening sequence of the assembly line to the final evocative freeze-frame, Schrader maintains an atmosphere of gritty realism, with the lead trio lending low-key dramatic force to a situation beyond their control. Too downbeat for a late '70s audience increasingly drawn to happier fare, Blue Collar flopped, yet it did earn Schrader critical accolades. Although he has reportedly since disowned the film, Blue Collar remains one of Schrader's best works, with Zeke and Jerry powered by the same sense of simmering frustration that would explode so effectively in Affliction two decades later. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

Quincy (Jack Klugman) receives an urgent call from his friend Rosey Grier (playing himself), who is currently running Giant Step, a city-funded remedial program for delinquents. One of Grier's charges, troubled teenager Victor Garn (Todd Davis), has been accused of murdering an old man, and the program is in danger of being closed down. Rosey hopes that Quincy can prove the boy's innocence: trouble is, Quincy has already signed off on the case and established the boy's guilt. The challenge now is to establish that Victor is not a murderer, but instead acted in self-defense. This episode was originally scheduled to air on December 23, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Evidently inspired by the TV miniseries Roots, Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx) is convinced that he is a descendant of none other than King Solomon. And how did this "revelation" come about? Well, it seems that Fred shelled out big money (a whole 25 dollars) to a family-tracing service -- who told him that he is the ancestor of a famous Jewish historical figure. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Lance Kerwin plays a dual role in this enjoyable ABC Afterschool Special updating of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper. Humble delivery boy P.J. (Kerwin) discovers that he is the exact double of Preston (Kerwin again), son of the president of the United States. Each boy is envious of the other's lifestyle -- P.J. would like to be coddled and pampered, Preston yearns to escape the watchful eyes of the CIA -- so they decide to trade identities for a few days. Need we add that chaos ensues? Watch for a young Rosalind Chao in a small role. ~ Rovi

In search of a career criminal named Fred Cavanaugh (Billy Green Bush), Stone (Karl Malden) is hampered by the persistence of the fugitive's precocious daughter Chris (Pamelyn Ferdin), who is likewise looking for her errant daddy. The difference is that Stone knows all too well about Fred's underhanded activities, while Chris is blissfully unaware of her father's transgressions--but a bitter disillusionment is not long in coming. Veteran character actor Walter Burke scores in a cameo role as a childlike casino owner. Originally scheduled to air on March 18, 1976, this final episode of Streets of San Francisco's fourth season was ultimately shown on April 29. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi