William Wellman, Jr. Movies

The 90-minute debut episode of Alias introduces Jennifer Garner as Sydney A. Bristow, who like many other undergraduates is working her way through college. Unlike her friends and fellow students, however, Sydney is not permitted to discuss her "outside job," not even with her roommate, Francie (Merrin Dungey) -- because Syd happens to be an undercover operative for the CIA. Or at least she thought she was working for the CIA until she reveals the nature of her profession to her fiancé, Danny Hecht (Edward Atterton) -- a revelation that results in Danny's murder. That's when Sydney discovers to her horror that the agency which employs her is not the CIA but instead a rival and somewhat sinister organization known as SD-6, under the aegis of the highly untrustworthy Arvin Sloane (Ron Rifkin). Though she'd sooner give up the spy game outright, Sydney is forced by Sloane into a deadly game of double-agent espionage, where no one -- least of all Sydney -- can tell the good guys from the bad. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Robert A. Heinlein's 1951 novel The Puppet Masters comes to the screen 43 years later. Sharp-eyed viewers will recognize similarities to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but Heinlein's book came first. Parasitic space aliens invade the Midwest, taking over the bodies of humans and manipulating these unfortunates to do their bidding. US security agent Donald Sutherland and his team of troubleshooters attempt to squash the extraterrestrial scheme before everyone in the world is turned into Howdy Doody. Adding an extra layer to this familiar scenario is the fact that Sutherland doesn't get along with everyone on his side-in particular, he has a lot of trouble relating with his son Eric Thal. Stuart Ormes' perfunctory direction is not up to the standard set by the actors and special effects. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

William Wellman Jr., son of the famous director, stars in Prodigal Planet. Set in the future, the story concerns an ongoing battle against an all-powerful government organization called UNTIE. We first saw the good guys and bad guys in Thief in the Night, then in two followup films. In this fourth entry in the saga, the forces of good do their utmost to bollix up UNTIE's complex communications systems. If this plot device smacks of a corny techno-nerd contrivance, please remember that virtually the same device was used in the megahit Independence Day (1996)-and everybody swallowed it that time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Writer-director Larry Cohen followed his ragged but interesting horror hit It's Alive! with this sequel, which surpassed the original in both creativity and technical expertise. The story opens as another expectant couple, Eugene and Jody Scott (Frederic Forrest and Kathleen Lloyd), are paid a surprise visit by a stranger who turns out to be Frank Davies (John P. Ryan), the father of the original monster baby from the previous film. Davies warns the couple that their unborn child may be similarly at risk, and thereby in mortal danger from a nationwide task force dedicated to destroying the monster infants. Despite their initial apprehension, the Scotts eventually place a tenuous trust in the stranger, who explains that the children are not subhuman animals, but may actually represent the next step in human evolution -- a view shared by members of an underground organization devoted to the protection and study of the children. Davies secretes Eugene and Jody in this group's hideout so that they can attend to the birth of the child in safety. Discovering that their newborn is indeed one of the same mutants, the Scotts undergo a traumatic test of familial integrity, much like that of the Davies family in the previous film. Their emotional turmoil is further compounded by an assault on the compound by members of a rival underground dedicated to eradicating the monster babies, which leads to a grim and violent confrontation. This time out, Cohen is far more assured at the helm, stabilizing his vision with a more elaborate script, higher budget, and good performances. On the downside, the monster-baby FX haven't particularly improved since the previous outing, but Cohen has the good sense to keep the little rubber beasties fairly well-hidden. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Star Gregory Peck went into MacArthur disliking the title character that he was slated to play, but emerged from the experience with a deeper understanding and respect for this complex historical figure. The film is framed in flashback, with an octogenarian General
Douglas MacArthur (Peck) making his final address before his alma mater of West Point. We flash back to the fall of Corregidor in 1942, with MacArthur promising "I shall return" to the beleaguered (and eventually imprisoned) American and Filipino troops. The story follows MacArthur's subsequent victories in the South Pacific, occasionally pausing to show us the General's omnipresent sense of "showmanship" (e.g. his wading ashore on the beaches of the Philippines for the benefit of the newsreel cameras). The greater part of the film involves MacArthur's attempts to restore dignity to the defeated postwar Japan, and to keep the Russian Communists from overtaking the orient as they had Eastern Europe. MacArthur is eventually fired from his post by President Truman after the general defies orders during the Korean conflict. MacArthur was intended as Universal's "answer" to 20th Century-Fox's enormously successful Patton (1970), but box-office returns were disappointing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

After Billy Jack belatedly became a box-office smash two years after its original release and The Born Losers, the biker film in which Tom Laughlin created the Billy Jack character, had enjoyed a highly successful re-release, Tom Laughlin brought everyone's favorite martial arts hero turned Native American mystic back to the screen for a third go-round in The Trial of Billy Jack. As Billy Jack (Tom Laughlin) awaits trial for murder, Jean Roberts (Delores Taylor) continues to operate her "Freedom School" on an Indian reservation, where the student-operated television station comes under fire for airing a series of hard-hitting political exposes (just how an alternative school run by threadbare hippies obtained cameras, broadcasting equipment and an FCC license is not explained here). The attempts to silence the student journalists and run Billy Jack out of town lead to a deadly confrontation between the kids and the National Guard. Tom Laughlin wrote and directed The Trial of Billy Jack, though on-screen credit is given to his son, Frank Laughlin; similarly, Laughlin also directed the first two films under the name T.C. Frank. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

With his birthday rapidly approaching, Officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) sternly informs his partner Jim Reed (Kent McCord)--and anyone else who will listen--that he does not, repeat, DOES NOT, want a surprise birthday party. So guess what happens. Elsewhere, the Rampart division is kept busy with a rash of purse snatchings and other more serious crimes, and a shootout between the cops and a gang of service-station burglars. Featured in the cast as Officer Snyder is William Wellman Jr., son of the famed Hollywood film director (Wings, A Star is Born, The High and the Mighty, etc.) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

O'Farrell (Bob Hope) is a navy sergeant who tries to boost the moral of the men by bringing in a shipment of beer. When the beer turns up missing, he calls an all-out search for the suds. In the process, O'Farrell captures a Japanese submarine single-handedly and tries to pilot the boat to safety. Phyllis Diller stars as the nurse who does absolutely nothing for troop moral in this uneven and poorly conceived comedy. Gina Lollobrigida and Jeffrey Hunter also star in the feature. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Escaped killer George Bellamy (Bradford Dillman) covers his tracks by setting a series of forest fires. Bellamy's strategy is to throw the FBI off the trail; while they're searching for an unknown arsonist, he will be able to flee the country. It is up to Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) to capture Bellamy before he sparks a final conflagration that will kill thousands of innocent people. Filmed on location in Angeles National Forest, this episode benefits from the strong supporting performances of TV stalwarts Lynda Day and Charles Grodin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Featuring plenty of rock & roll, such artists as Gary Lewis and the Playboys, The Righteous Brothers and the Rip Chords, this fun-filled bit of fluff tells the story of a trio of teens who try to scare up summer cash by running a dance pavilion at a lakeside resort. Raquel Welch made her acting and singing debut in this film. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this realistic, nonexploitative drama, a high school athlete confesses his life story to a priest. The story is told in flashback. First he is seen as a top football player hoping for a scholarship so he can go to school and get away from his alcoholic father and his hard-working mother. The trouble begins when he is caught swimming in the school pool after hours and put on probation. Though he is love with one girl, he dates another, more wealthy girl. The affair goes well until they are caught in bed by her parents. Later he is falsely accused of participating in a robbery and gets expelled. The lonely youth then takes a 14-year-old slut to a secret hiding place in the church for a quick liaison. But he cannot go through with it because he is disgusted with himself. Instead he goes to confession. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Not to be confused with the 1987 movie of the same name, this is one of the early films that Tom Laughlin directed before he became famous from his series on Billy Jack, an anti-hero of his time. Laughlin also stars in this uneven teen drama as its only developed character, Christopher Wotan, a high-school athlete who starts out as essentially a normal young man faced with the tyranny of a brutal coach, and the vagaries of romantic and sexual challenges. Because Christopher's father has been trampled by failure and alcohol abuse, questions arise about the son's fate as he takes on life's obstacles. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide