Darnell Williams Movies
The inspirational tale of the USS Mason comes to the screen in a dramatic account of the perils faced by the all-African-American-crewed World War II sea vessel, and the brave souls who cheated death to overcome the cancerous racism eroding the very shores they fought for. From the very onset of their mission, the men aboard the USS Mason knew they had little chance of returning from their mission alive. Return they did, though, and after a harrowing journey through some of the most treacherous international waters of the war years, the remarkable crew of the USS Mason proved without question that they could stand tall and fight fiercely alongside soldiers of all races and backgrounds. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Rea, Ossie Davis, (more)
- 2004
- PG13
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Directed by Taylor Hackford, this biopic profiles the life of legendary musician Ray Charles. Despite humble beginnings and the loss of his eyesight due to glaucoma at the age of six, Charles, depicted by Jamie Foxx, would nonetheless become an icon in both the music industry and the civil rights era. While the film delves into his problems with drugs and women, the bulk of the story details his career; among the highlights of that career are 12 Grammy awards and 11 R&B chart-toppers, such as "Unchain My Heart," "Hit the Road, Jack," "Georgia," "Doin' the Mess Around," and "Hallelujah I Just Love Her So." Also among the cast are Larenz Tate as Quincy Jones, as well as Regina King, Kerry Washington, and Clifton Powell. Charles' son, Ray Charles Jr. helped produce the film. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, (more)
- 2001
Season eight of NYPD Blue begins by picking up where season seven left off. Det. Jill Kirkendall is still missing in action, having slipped through the fingers of the IAB after the arrest of her drug-trafficking ex-husband, Don. Former police lawyer Leo Cohen (Michael B. Silver), now in private practice, endeavors to defend the other members of the 15th precinct during the IAB's probe of their "complicity" in the Kirkendall case -- but first, Det. Diane Russell (Kim Delaney) must put her life on the line to locate Don Kirkendall's partner in crime, corrupt cop Denby. And Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) tensely awaits the results of his son Theo's bone-marrow tests. In new developments, a suspect in a multiple murder begs the detectives to help him retrieve his daughter, whom he left as collateral with his drug dealer; also, Andy's troubled partner, Danny Sorenson (Rick Schroder), tries to get back together with Diane. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Sensitive doctor's daughter Felicity Porter (Keri Russell) doesn't know where she's headed when she graduates from high school, but her long-time crush on classmate Ben Covington (Scott Speedman) provides some momentum. She decides to follow Ben and attend college in New York City. Not only does this displease dad (Erich Anderson), it develops that Ben isn't really interested in her romantically. Instead, he fancies Felicity's new friend Julie (Amy Jo Johnson). What does the future hold for Felicity? It's all revealed in subsequent episodes. Filmed in Los Angeles, this TV series premiered September 29, 1998 on the WB. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
Rick (Vin Diesel) is a gang boss who deals drugs and commits petty crimes by day, and at night drowns himself in sex and drugs to wipe his daytime activities out of his mind. Rick longs for a quieter, more stable way of life, and when he meets the refined Heather (Susanne Lanza), he falls in love. Heather falls for Rick as well, but Rick finds that changing himself and getting out of the outlaw world are not as simple as he may have hoped. Strays also stars Joey Dedio, Darnell Williams, and Mike Epps. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1997
This first episode of ER's fourth season originally aired live on September 25, 1997, with two separate telecasts for the East and West Coasts. A TV documentary crew follows Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) during a "typical" shift in the emergency room of Chicago's County General Hospital. Still not completely recovered from a brutal beating, Greene is none too happy about being a "TV star," sentiments shared by the ER's attending physician Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes), who regards the camera crew as an invasion of everyone's privacy. As it turns out, the documentary makers get more than they bargained for as they record for posterity a gang fight, an out-of-control patient, and a heart attack. In the midst of all this confusion, Dr. Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) arrives from England to witness American surgical procedures. The syndicated version of "Ambush" combines scenes from both the East and West Coast broadcasts, expunging a number of conspicuous continuity errors and an embarrassing moment in which a crucial prop is misplaced. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Based on stories by Raymond Carver, Short Cuts follows 22 Los Angeles residents whose lives intersect over the course of a few days. Ann and Howard Finnegan (Andie MacDowell and Bruce Davison) are preparing for their son Casey's birthday party when the boy is injured in an auto accident and falls into a coma. Meanwhile, Andy (Lyle Lovett), a baker, seethes with anger over the birthday cake that wasn't claimed, and Howard's father, Paul (Jack Lemmon), decides that a visit with his ailing grandson is a good time to discuss his infidelities. Lois (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is a new mother who watches over her baby when not making money doing phone sex, which bothers her husband, Jerry (Chris Penn), though he knows they need the money. Pilot "Stormy" Weathers (Peter Gallagher) takes a very literal approach to dividing up community property with his ex-wife (Frances McDormand). Doreen (Lily Tomlin) is trying on to hold her marriage with Earl (Tom Waits), who is a good man on the rare occasions that he's sober. Zoe (Lori Singer), a classical musician, is trying to find some way to connect with her mother, Tess (Annie Ross), a jazz singer. Dr. Ralph Wyman (Matthew Modine) and his wife, Marian (Julianne Moore) put their bickering on hold while they have dinner with another couple, Stuart and Claire Kane (Fred Ward and Anne Archer). Stuart and his pals Gordon and Vern (Buck Henry and Huey Lewis) earlier went on a fishing trip where they discovered the body of a drowned woman but decided not to report it until the end of the weekend. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andie MacDowell, Bruce Davison, (more)
Set on the south side of Chicago, How U Like Me Now? is a comedy that captures the lifestyles of several twenty-something African Americans. Centering on a slacker named Thomas (Darnell Williams) and his ambitious girlfriend Valerie (Sally Richardson), the film follows the couple as they decide whether to continue their relationship or call it quits. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Darnell Williams, Salli Richardson, (more)
- 1992
Originally aired on CBS in 1992, Stompin' at the Savoy was produced and directed by Broadway choreographer and actress Debbie Allen. Set in New York City during the late '30s, the story concerns the economic survival of four young women trying to achieve their dreams at the end of the Harlem Renaissance. Pop star Vanessa Williams stars as Pauline, a domestic worker trying to make it as a singer. After work, she frequents the happening Savoy Ballroom along with Esther (Lynn Whitfield), Alice (Jasmine Guy), and Dorothy (Vanessa Bell Calloway). Eventually, fame and WWII come between the four friends. Though nominated for several Emmy awards for choreography and costume design, Stompin' at the Savoy has never been released on home video. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lynn Whitfield, Vanessa Williams, (more)
- 1991
- R
Charles Lane directed Andy Breckman's script, based on an old "Saturday Night Live" sketch of Breckman's that featured Eddie Murphy. Comic Lenny Henry takes Murphy's place in True Identity as a black man forced to don white face in order to save his life. Henry plays Miles Pope, an agreeable British actor whose luck sours when he finds out that businessman Leland Carver (Frank Langella) is actually a notorious underworld mobster. Carver now wants to rub Miles out and the only way that Miles can escape Carver's retribution is to disguise himself as a man named Frank LaMotta, the Italian-American killer that Carver has hired to kill him. During the story, Miles finds that he has to assume a variety of roles to keep from getting shot --a gay real estate agent, a British lord, James Brown's brother Val, and even Othello. But the biggest shock for Miles comes when he plays the white man and discovers that he is given preferential treatment --not only by whites, but also by blacks and Hispanics. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lenny Henry, Frank Langella, (more)
- 1989
- R
African-American mime artist Charles Lane directed and starred in this ultra-low-budget film. Lane plays a Chaplinesque homeless individual with a talent for sidewalk chalk art, who finds himself caring for an abandoned baby. The child's father has been killed in a robbery, so Lane begins a long, lonely search for the kid's next of kin. What little dialogue there is comes from the mouths of the multitude of oddball characters with whom Lane comes in contact while he roams the streets of New York. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Lane, Nicole Alysia, (more)
- 1988
Six years ago, Hunter (Fred Dryer) was one of four police officers involved in a drug bust in which most of the dealers were killed and $6 million was recovered. At the time, the surviving dealer insisted that there was actually $10 million involved--and that one of the four cops absconded with the rest of the money. Though Hunter managed to avoid suspicion, the lives of the other three officers were ruined, and one died before his time. Now, Hunter's former partner has been murdered--and in a last desperate effort to clear the dead man's name, Hunter must track down the elusive "fourth man." Featured in the cast is a pre-Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Janet Hubert-Whitten. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
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Set in the late '60s in tumultuous San Francisco, a Hungarian immigrant family struggles to define their individual roles in the rapidly changing world around them. The father starts a cafe while one son becomes politically active, joining the Robert Kennedy campaign. A second son enlists in the Army, discovers he's gay, and joins the anti-Vietnam movement. This independently made film is a scattershot attempt at touching the many divisive issues of the times. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Larson, Robert Locke, (more)
- 1983
Teenaged soap-opera actor Darnell Williams is the focus of attention in this ABC Afterschool Special -- not surprisingly, since Williams plays a dual role. Young Johnnie Grant, a video-arcade whiz, is surprised to discover that he is the exact double of a famous teen movie star. At the behest of the celebrity, the two boys trade identities, promising to go back to "themselves" after an hour. But since this is a variation on The Prince and the Pauper, the switch goes on much longer than expected with hilarious results. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Darnell Williams, Shelley Fabares, (more)
