Barbara Stuart Movies

Tom Hanks stars in this raunchy teen comedy from veteran screenwriters Pat Proft and Neil Israel, who had previously collaborated on the amusing sketch film Tunnelvision (1976) and the disappointing Americathon (1980). Bus-driver Rick Gasko (Hanks) is engaged to wealthy Debbie Thompson (Tawny Kitaen), much to the chagrin of her father (George Grizzard), who considers Rick a loser. To keep an eye on her future groom, Debbie and her friends dress as prostitutes to attend his bachelor party, which quickly turns into a bacchanal of smutty debauchery. Familiar faces in the cast include action stars Michael Dudikoff and Ji-Tu Cimbuka, pin-ups Monique Gabrielle and Rosanne Katon, and teen-movie regulars Adrian Zmed and Wendie Jo Sperber. It's an occasionally hilarious excursion into bad taste, although one which two-time Oscar winner Hanks would probably like to forget. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

This spoof of the Airport series of disaster movies relies on ridiculous sight gags, groan-inducing dialogue, and deadpan acting -- a comedy style that would be imitated for the next 20 years. Airplane! pulls out all the clichés as alcoholic pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays), who's developed a fear of flying due to wartime trauma, boards a jumbo jet in an attempt to woo back his stewardess girlfriend (Julie Hagerty). Food poisoning decimates the passengers and crew, leaving it up to Striker to land the plane, with the help of a glue-sniffing air traffic controller (Lloyd Bridges) and Striker's vengeful former captain (Robert Stack), who must both talk him down. Along the way, we meet a clutch of stock disaster movie passengers like the guitar-strumming nun, a sick little girl, a frightened old lady, and two African-American travelers whose "jive" has to be subtitled. Leslie Nielsen portrays the plane's doctor, launching a new phase of the actor's career that carried him through the next two decades in several similarly comedic roles. The trio of directors Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, and David Zucker responsible for the film would eventually go on to solo careers, but not before making Top Secret! and Ruthless People. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Tim Matheson is Dreamer in this Rocky-like inspirational drama. Instead of boxing, the sport in question is bowling. "Dreamer" is a ten-pin whiz in his small town, but can he make it in the Big Time? In his favor, he has the help of irascible manager Jack Warden and faithful girlfriend Susan Blakeley. As if to boldly underline the resemblances between Dreamer and its cinematic role model, the musical score is by Rocky's Bill Conti. If you like bowling, Dreamer should be right up your...right up your.... ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A magazine story about Andy, titled "The Sheriff Without a Gun," attracts the attention of a group of Hollywoodites, who come to Mayberry announcing their plans to develop a TV series about Sheriff Taylor. Naturally, the town rolls out the red carpet for the visiting dignitaries, who immediately set about filming a robbery scene at the local bank. But Andy suspects that the Hollywood folks are not exactly whom they claim to be. Future Mary Tyler Moore regular Gavin Macleod appears as self-proclaimed TV writer Gilbert Jamel. Scripted by Ben Joelson and Art Baer, "TV or Not TV" first aired on March 1, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This is a straightforward, unexceptional story about a platoon of Marines taken out of battle in Korea for some R & R in Tokyo, and then sent back to the front lines again. The four men are stereotypes found in many war stories: the simpatico country boy, the intellect though not overtly so, a rich, suave type, and a hard-as-nails tough-guy leader. These four friends are first seen in combat situations, then encountering all sorts of misadventures in Japan before they have to push off to do battle again. This was the penultimate film of director Raoul Walsh (who also provided the story for the script), unusual because he started directing in 1915 -- his career spanned fifty years. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Accompanied by her tempestuous cousin Concepcion (Faith Domergue), Lola Bronson (Lisa Gaye) breezes into LA from Argentina to finalize her divorce from her husband, aircraft designer Jeff Bronson (Lisa Gaye). But when she suspects Bill Ryder (played by singer Guy Mitchell) of deliberately sabotaging Jeff's business, Lola rises to her ex-husband's defense and tries to extract a confession from Ryder--at gunpoint. Ultimately, Perry Mason must defend both of the battling Bronsons on a charge of murdering Ryder. This is the final episode of Perry Mason's fourth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While surveying the dense woodlands of the Northwest, a pilot reports seeing strange visions in the sky--just before his radio cuts off in mid-sentence. Days later, the same pilot is found wandering in the desert thousands of miles away, babbling incoherently. When the wreckage of the plane is found, it is covered with curious strands of gossamer which immediately disintegrate when touched. Hard-nosed airline executive Paul McCord (Robert Douglas) demands to know what has happened--but by this time, the deranged pilot is in no position to say anything. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide