Bill Vint Movies
- 1984
Convicted murderer Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald had hoped that, by telling his side of the story to investigative journalist Joe McGinniss, the authorities would be persuaded of MacDonald's innocence. Instead, McGinniss ended up unswerving in his belief of MacDonald's guilt, and the result was the devastating best-seller Fatal Vision. In this two-part TV adaptation of McGinniss' book, Gary Cole plays MacDonald, a former Green Beret officer, while Frank Dent essays the role of McGinniss. MacDonald's wife and two children are brutally murdered in their Fort Bragg, North Carolina home on February 17, 1970. The prime suspect, MacDonald insists that the killings were committed by a gang of stoned-out hippies, a story that at first is accepted in toto by the doctor's father-in-law Freddy Kassab (Karl Malden). But after MacDonald is officially exonerated, Kassab notices several holes in his son-in-law's story, and becomes convinced that MacDonald was in fact the murderer. Through Kassab's persistence, as well as the uncovering of new forensic evidence, MacDonald is ultimately convicted for all three murders in 1979. Since the TV premiere of Fatal Vision on November 18 and 19, 1984, there has been a growing movement by MacDonald's sympathizers to discredit McGinniss' book and to retry the case--a movement that has been hampered time and again by MacDonald's own erratic behavior. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Karl Malden, Eva Marie Saint, (more)
- 1982
In the first episode of a two-part story, James (Jason Bateman) heads to the Sleepy Eye bank to make a deposit. The bank is robbed and James is shot, leaving him comatose. Seething with grief and rage, James' adoptive father, Charles (Michael Landon), persuades his friend Mr. Edwards (Victor French) to help him track down the outlaws. As they set out on their mission, Charles and Edwards order Albert ( Matthew Laborteaux) to stay behind -- an order he disobeys. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, (more)
- 1980
The title of this made-for-TV biopic is faintly risible: is there anything about Marilyn Monroe that we don't know by now? Pleasingly enough, the story is told in a straightforward, nonexploitive manner (the affair with JFK warrants no more than a throwaway line). Emmy-nominated Catherine Hicks plays Marilyn, nee Norma Jean Baker. We follow her progress from orphanages and foster homes to her first 20th Century-Fox contract at age 20. Considered "washed up" before her career has gotten off the ground, Marilyn is rescued both professionally and emotionally by her agent/lover Johnny Hyde (Richard Basehart). She rises to full stardom and is the center of attention of two "ideal" marriages, first to baseball player Joe DiMaggio, then to Arthur Miller (neither of whom are depicted on screen). But Marilyn remains a lonely, tragic figure, a victim as much of her own demons as of Hollywood's exploitation mill. Based loosely on Norman Mailer's highly suspect biography of the actress, Marilyn: The Untold Story premiered on September 28, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1977
- PG
In this action film, motorcross racer J. W. Wyatt (Michael Parks) works to develop a high-performance motorcycle while pursuing a romance with the wealthy Chris Gentry (Susan Howard). ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Marjoe Gortner, Michael Parks, (more)
- 1977
A gang of bandits steal $6,000,000, but can't get their hands on the money: the only gang member who knew exactly where the loot was hidden has died. It's possible, however, that Milly Blasky (Candice Azzara), girlfriend of another member of the gang, can provide some clues to the money's whereabouts. Desiring to wash her hands of the whole sordid afford, Milly offers to help Kojak (Telly Savalas)in his investigation of the robbery--but her boyfriend Ryan (Armand Assante) isn't about to let that happen. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1975
- PG
A woman struggles to rebuild her life after a devastating accident in this drama based on the true story of Jill Kinmont. Kinmont (played by Marilyn Hassett) was a top ranked amateur downhill skier who seemed assured of a place on the 1956 Olympic team. But while racing in Utah's Snow Cup competition, Kinmont suffered a serious fall from a mountain that left her paralyzed from the shoulders down. Kinmont became severely depressed; her career as an athlete was over, and her fiancée, who couldn't deal with the emotional toll of her accident, left her. But when she met pilot Dick Buek (Beau Bridges), she found both love and a new inspiration to make a career for herself as a teacher. But Kinmont discovered she still had more mountains to climb when Buek died in the crash of a small plane. Marilyn Hassett won a Golden Globe award for her performance as Jill Kinmont, and she reprised the role in a sequel two years later. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Marilyn Hassett, Beau Bridges, (more)
- 1974
Clyde Ware both scripted and directed this made-for-TV biopic. Martin Sheen stars as Floyd, a depression-era farmboy who (it says here) turns to crime to avoid starving to death. Sheen's real-life brother Joseph Estevez plays Floyd's younger brother in this 73-minute film. As an added fillip, the 92-year-old mother of the genuine Pretty Boy Floyd appears in the film's prologue. Originally titled The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd, this film was first telecast on May 7, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1973
Having portrayed a career criminal who embarked upon a robbery spree for the sake of her young son in an earlier FBI episode, Penny Fuller essays a similar role herein as female crime boss Della Marot. In an abrupt about-face, Della informs her fiancee that she's going to quit the rackets in order to be a "real mom" to her young daughter. But she may not get the chance: Not only is the FBI breathing down Della's neck, but she also faces the wrath of her former Mob associates. Featured as Della's preteen daughter Cindy is Erin Moran of Happy Days fame. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1973
Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) cover the length and breadth of the Bay Area to track down three escaped convicts. The escapees have embarked on a murder spree, wiping out anyone who gets in their way at the behest of the sadistic outlaw leader who kills for the thrill of it. The detectives' mission is made doubly difficult by a potential witness who refuses to get involved--and whose silence costs the lives of a helpless elderly couple. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1972
Banacek was the two-hour pilot film for the 1972-74 detective series starring George Peppard. The cigar-smoking, aphorism-spouting Peppard plays T. Banacek, Polish/American investigator for a major Boston insurance company. Independently wealthy, Banacek will only accept cases that have been deemed "unsolvable" by all previous investigators. In this pilot episode, Banacek tackles the case of a Brink's-truck hijacking in the middle of a Texas roadway. The truck and its costly cargo has seemingly vanished into thin air, and the cops are stymied. But with Banacek on the case, we learn that the whole affair was an elaborately orchestrated inside job. The subsequent Banacek series was a component of The NBC Wednesday Movie. The pilot film has been reissued to TV as Detour to Nowhere. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- George Peppard, Christine Belford, (more)
As he lies dying in Vietnam, a young soldier (Michael Douglas) recalls the events leading up to this moment. He remembers his sweetheart (Brenda Vaccaro), to whom he couldn't make a commitment. He recalls the battles he'd had with his parents (Jack Warden, Barbara Bel Geddes), when he forsook college to become a musician and when he planned to evade the draft. And he remembers the "summertree" where he spent many of his happiest days before being shipped off to Southeast Asia. Based on Ron Cowen's off-Broadway play, Summertree has one or two compelling moments, but most of it is a compendium of 1970s movies cliches, right down to the fragmentary storyline and "hip" photography. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1971
The Feds are hot on the trail of Arthur Blaisdell (Frank Hotchkiss) and Timothy Gage (Solomon Sturges), a pair of gunruners who break into a National Guard armory and steal several M1 rifles. The criminals' next move is to sell the weapons to a gang of extremists--but for what ultimate purpose? Featured prominently in the supporting cast is a decidedly pre-Annie Hall Diane Keaton. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1971
Jesse Royce Landis, who in an earlier episode played the aunt of Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr), is here cast as business executive Margaret Brainard, the widow of one of Ironside's oldest friends. When Margaret's purse is stolen, she asks Ironside to solve the crime--and to keep secret that the purse contained $200,000 worth of rare jewels. As it turns out, the real reason that Margaret wants Ironside to personally handle the case is that she is lonely and hopes that the Chief will keep her company! Featured in the cast is Solomon Sturges, the son of famed filmmaker Preston Sturges. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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