Richard Venture Movies
Supporting actor, onscreen from the '70s. ~ All Movie Guide- 1977
In the first episode of a two-part story, Rocky's somewhat eccentric friend T.T. Flowers (Strother Martin) has been forced off his "Freedom" property, declared mentally incomptetent, and placed in a sanitarium called Horizon's Crest. It's all the handiwork of crooked land developer Jack Muellard (Scott Brady), who unfortunately has gained the confidence of T.T.'s daughter Cathy (Karen Machon) and son-in-law Sherman (Alex Rocco). Realizing that he will never be able to persuade the authorities that T.T. has been victimized, Jim (James Garner) must handle the situation all by himself--beginning with a daring "break-in/break-out" at Horizon's Crest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Conspiracy film specialist Alan J. Pakula turned journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's best-selling account of their Watergate investigation into one of the hit films of Bicentennial year 1976. While researching a story about a botched 1972 burglary of Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate apartment complex, green Washington Post reporters/rivals Woodward (Robert Redford, who also exec produced) and Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) stumble on a possible connection between the burglars and a White House staffer. With the circumspect approval of executive editor Ben Bradlee (Jason Robards), the pair digs deeper. Aided by a guilt-ridden turncoat bookkeeper (Jane Alexander) and the vital if cryptic guidance of Woodward's mystery source, Deep Throat (Hal Holbrook), Woodward and Bernstein "follow the money" all the way to the top of the Nixon administration. Despite Deep Throat's warnings that their lives are in danger, and the reluctance of older Post editors, Woodward and Bernstein are determined to get out the story of the crime and its presidential cover-up. Once Bradlee is convinced, the final teletype impassively taps out the historically explosive results. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, (more)
- 1976
While Beth (Gretchen Corbett) is stuck in jail on a contempt-of-court charge, Jim agrees to do some leg work on behalf of Beth's client Arnold Bailey (Joseph Campanella), who has been accused of income-tax evasion. Unfortunately for both Jim and Beth, Bailey is connected with the Mob. . .and has been systematically stealing funds from the "organization". Tied in with all this chicanery is corrupt union official Fred Metcalf (Richard Venture), whose murder may well be a prologue for Jim's own demise. In a neat bit of casting, the head mobster in this episode is played by Frank Campanella, the brother of guest star Joseph Campanella. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Based on the best-selling Vincent Bugliosi book of the same name, Helter Skelter is a made-for-TV account of the investigation and prosecution of Charles Manson (Steve Railsback), who was convicted of leading a group of followers (known as "The Family") to murder seven people in California, including actress Sharon Tate. The film takes a Law & Order-like approach, starting with the discovery of the murders, which leads to the police gathering snippets of evidence that they eventually connect to the bigger picture. The second half of the movie concentrates on how District Attorney Bugliosi (George DiCenzo) attains a conviction despite the enormous amount of press coverage the case received. Nancy Wolfe, Christina Hart, and Cathey Paine portray the three loyal Manson Family members who were the co-defendants at his trial. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George DiCenzo, Steve Railsback, (more)
- 1975
Eugene Roche is cast as alcoholic police detective Lyle "Sandy" Beech, whose drinking and dereliction of duty has gotten him demoted to patrolman on his old beat. Determined to win back his badge, Sandy embarks upon a personal mission to capture the murderer of his friend and colleague. But in so doing, the ex-detective threatens to sabotage the official murder investigation conducted by Lt. Kojak (Telly Savalas). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Man on a Swing, purportedly based on a true case, is a puzzling crime thriller concerning a clairvoyant who helps find a murderer. After a murder is committed, supposed clairvoyant Franklin Wills goes to police Chief Lee Tucker (Cliff Robertson) and gives him details of the crime that he has seen in visions. The details are startlingly correct and could only have been known to the killer. Tucker, not convinced that Wills is indeed clairvoyant, begins to suspect him of the murder. Man on a Swing, directed by Frank Perry, over-complicates its central theme, distracting the viewer from the film's strong central theme, the ambiguity of Wills. Joel Grey gives an outstanding, scene-stealing performance in that role, giving Wills both menace and a surprising vulnerability. Cliff Robertson is far-less successful in his portrayal of the no-nonsense police chief. The film's ambiguous ending should increase the suspense of the film but instead further confuses the viewer. However, because of the superb performance of Grey, Man on a Swing is worth a view. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- 1972
- PG
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Paul Zindel, this is a joint effort of husband and wife team Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman. Produced and directed by Newman, Woodward portrays the eccentric young widow who is raising her two disparate daughters in an atmosphere of bitterness, hatred and over-protection that threatens their very growth and development. Embittered and misandristic, she raises her daughters in an atmosphere of hate that leaves them as depressed and neurotic as she is. The title of the movie comes from her anger at her daughter's science teacher for encouraging her to expose marigolds to gamma rays as a science project. Her experiment shows how radiation sometimes kills growing marigolds, but sometimes it causes them to grow even more beautiful. This experiment becomes a metaphor for her own life, as she struggles to bloom in a household deadened by her mother's alcoholism and her sister's lethargy. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joanne Woodward, Nell Potts, (more)
- 1965
In this horror film, set in San Francisco during the Victorian age, a criminologist is often out-guessed by his little valet and a sensitive mandrake plant. He finds himself involved in a hellish situation when a disfigured wizard conjures up a demon to help him transfer his soul in to the perfect body of his popular twin brother. The criminologist stops the wizard in the nick of time. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leslie Nielsen, Gilbert Green, (more)
