Robert Wood Movies
- 2001
- NR
The Miracle of the Cards is the true story of eight-year-old English youngster Craig Shergold (Thomas Sangster), who in 1989 is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Although the prognosis is negative, Craig's mother Marion (Catherine Oxenberg) becomes convinced that somewhere in the world there is a cure for the boy's affliction, and that the means of finding that cure is to break the Guinness record for receiving greeting cards. Broadcasting a plea to everyone on Earth, Marion is successful in bringing a whopping 350 million cards to Craig's door -- and yes, one of those cards provides the key for Craig's ultimate salvation. Filmed in Vancouver, The Miracle of the Cards premiered November 10, 2001, over the PAX Network. Richard Thomas, the star of the PAX anthology It's a Miracle, is herein cast as Dr. Kassell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Catherine Oxenberg, Kirk Cameron, (more)
- 1985
Courageous Alaskan canine White Fang and David, his fur-trapping master are beset by wolves and later help save a widow who is being forced to marry a man she despises. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Filmed in California, copyrighted in Turkey and enacted in Armenian, Forty Days of Musa Dagh is set in the decades following the Russo-Turkish war of 1878. Persecuted by their conquerors, a group of Armenian nationals form a resistance movement. The conquering Ottomans retaliate by committing some of the most egregious forms of genocide ever perpetrated. The bulk of the storyline takes place in 1915, when Armenian Gabriel Bagradian (Kabir Bedi), an officer in the Turkish military, relinquishes his commission and joins the resistance. The film culminates in the courageous defense against the Turks at Fort Musa Dagh. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kabir Bedi, Ronnie Carol, (more)
- 1981
In this taut made-for-television psychological thriller, a young woman has never been able to overcome the guilt she feels about her father's accidental death. She nearly goes insane when a stalker begins watching her every move and she becomes convinced that it is the ghost of her late dad. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1981
The expensive face of the title belongs to Sylvia Kristel, who actually levies a price of $2.5 million upon the fictional cosmetics firm of Glamour Inc. Ms. Kristel's story is but one of the many intrigues within the hallowed halls of Glamour. Tony Curtis stars as the company's CEO, beset with infighting, intrigue and infidelity. Lee Grant costars as a rival cosmetics exec, while Gayle Hunnicutt is Curtis' far from loving young wife. Based on Lois Wyse's novel Kiss, Inc., Million Dollar Face was purportedly the pilot film for an unsold TV series, though one wonders if Tony Curtis would have stuck it out after what he had to put up with in this first (and last) episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
The story of Paul Gaugin (1848-1903), the Parisian stockbroker who left his job, his wife and his five children for the life of an artist in Tahiti, was superbly fictionalized in Somerset Maugham's The Moon and Sixpence. Gaugin the Savage is the same story with no names changed, told in two wearisome hours. David Carradine is the right age for Gaugin, and certainly does well in conveying the man's callous self-absorption. But we never quite see the inner fire that would compel a man to totally kick over the traces at age 35 and devote the remaining 20 years of his life to art and debauchery. This made-for-TV movie is at its best when showcasing Gaugin's fiercely brilliant paintings. Otherwise, Gaugin the Savage is as shallow as its advertising campaign, which showed a goateed David Carradine standing in the middle of Tahitian garden with both fists clenched--more closely resembling a disgruntled magician rather than a brilliant artist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Carradine, Lynn Redgrave, (more)
- 1979
Elsa Martinelli plays the title outlaw in the made-for-Italian-TV Belle Starr. Though ostensibly based on historical fact, the film's chronology and character relationships are somewhat juggled with by director Lina Wertmuller. What emerges is a typically Wertmullerian "battle of the sexes" endeavor, with anachronistic emphasis on the story's political ramifications. Also, the American West is depicted in near-surrealistic fashion, not quite as zany as in a Mel Brooks picture, but not very far from it. For reasons of her own, Wertmuller used the psedonym Nathan Wich in the film's credits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elsa Martinelli
- 1978
Based on a novel by Tom Willis, the made-for-TV Maneaters Are Loose! also bears a surface resemblance to the 1973 TV film Maneater. On the verge of bankruptcy, suicidal animal trainer David Birk (Steve Forrest) releases his "pets" -- two ferocious Bengal tigers -- into the woods near the small California mountain town of Whitford. It isn't long before several locals have been chewed up by the marauding felines -- and add to this a myriad of local scandals and dirty secrets (including a porno ring masterminded by the town deacon) and a climactic forest fire, and one has all the ingredients for a typical "life's a bowl of rotten cherries" movie of the week. Maneaters are Loose! debuted May 3, 1978, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Eleven years after the network cancellation of Gilligan's Island, the crew and passengers of the ill-fated S. S. Minnow returned to the small screen in Rescue from Gilligan's Island. The cast remains the same, with one significant change. Bob Denver plays inveterate bumbler Gilligan, Alan Hale is the long-suffering Skipper, Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer are the fabulously wealthy Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell III, Russell Johnson is the resourceful Professor, and Dawn Wells, as perky as ever, is Mary Ann. Tina Louise wanted no part of any Gilligan's Island reunion, so her role-perennial starlet Ginger Grant-is filled by Judith Baldwyn. The premise: a huge tidal wave transports the seven castaways back to civilization. While they're thrilled to be back in the real world, none of the seven are able to adjust to life outside the island....least of all Gilligan, who on top of all his other problems must contend with a pair of enemy agents (Vincent Schiavelli and Art LeFleur). Conceived as a two-hour pilot film for a weekly revival that never materialized, Rescue from Gilligan's Island was originally telecast in two ratings-grabbing 60 minute installments, shown on October 14 and 21, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
This Latin western comedy chronicles the epic saga of the MacGregors, a Scottish clan of ranchers living on the Mexican border, who are in conflict with the local crooked sheriff, the local horse salesman, and a gang of banditos. The trouble begins when the horse trader tries to bilk them on a deal. The brothers begin brawling and are tossed in jail. They are eventually released and discover that the outlaws have taken their horses and find out the sheriff is in league with the rogues and will not help. They then set off to catch the thieves themselves. Unfortunately, they end up captured and can only be saved by their bagpipe-playing daddy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Manuel Zarzo
- 1964
A successful gamble nets $5,000 and a portion of a cattle ranch, but self defense leads to the death of the previous owner by the gambler. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1954
Neville Brand plays one of his earliest good-guy roles in Return from the Sea. Brand plays a sailor named Maclish, who is a boisterous, love 'em and leave 'em type--until he meets a lonely waitress named Frieda (Jan Sterling). Through her example, Maclish realizes that he too has been lonesome all his life, just waiting for the "right girl" to come along. Falling in love, Maclish and Frieda begin saving up for a little ranch of their own. When Maclish is seriously wounded in battle, however, it looks as though their dreams for happiness and security will be dashed again. . .but the movie isn't over, yet. Return From the Sea was directed by Lesley Selander, who helmed so many films for Allied Artists during this period that he must have slept and taken meals at the studio. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jan Sterling, Neville Brand, (more)
- 1950
Union Station is a tense crime thriller in the tradition of The Naked City that unfolds in Los Angeles. William Holden plays railroad worker Lt. William Calhoun. Calhoun goes into action when Lorna Murchison (Allene Roberts), the sightless daughter of millionaire Henry Murchison (Herbert Heyes), is kidnapped by ruthless Joe Beacon (Lyle Bettger). The abduction is witnessed by Joyce Willecombe (Nancy Olson), Murchison's secretary. Using the handful of clues provided by Joyce, Calhoun and his associate, Inspector Donnelly (Barry Fitzgerald) do their best to second-guess the kidnapper. The film's most harrowing scene finds Beacon abandoning the blind and helpless Lorna in a deserted car barn in the deepest recesses of the titular station. Jan Sterling co-stars as Marge, Beacon's conscience-stricken moll. Former cinematographer Rudolph Mate does a nice, neat job as director, seamlessly matching location shots with studio mockups. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Holden, Nancy Olson, (more)
- 1950
Singing cowboy Rex Allen continued currying favor with audiences and exhibitors alike with Redwood Forest Trail. The story gets under way when Allen decides to help out a heavily mortgaged boy's camp. A nasty lumber baron wants to dismantle the camp so he can cut down all the trees. Believing that the underprivileged camp kids are somehow responsible for her father's death, mortgage-holder Julie Wescott (Jeff Donnell) intends to sell to the lumber interests. Allen not only proves who really killed Julie's father, but also routs the villains -- and still has time to sing three songs. Rex Allen's semicomical sidekick is played by Carl Switzer, the former Alfalfa of Our Gang fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rex Allen, Jeff Donnell, (more)
This unusual, dreamlike John Wayne vehicle is set in the East Indies. The focus of the film is the deadly rivalry between two men of the sea. Ship's captain Rails (John Wayne) nurses a long-standing grudge against shipping magnate Van Schreeven (Luther Adler). The reason for the animosity: Van Schreeven stole away Rails' love, Angelique (Gail Russell). Revenge has warped Rails to point that sometimes he seems to be the heavy of the picture. Complications involving valuable pearls ensue before the offbeat climax, which finds Rails scuttling his own vessel, the Red Witch, as means of getting even. The film's resolution is one of the strangest ever concocted for a Wayne picture. Wake of the Red Witch represented the second screen teaming of John Wayne and Gail Russell; the film must also have held some special significance for Wayne, since he named his own production company, Batjac, after the shipping firm depicted in the picture. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Gail Russell, (more)
This fact -based western follows a soft-spoken railroad detective (Alan Ladd) as he brings a murderous ring of robbers to justice and rekindles an old flame. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Ladd, Brenda Marshall, (more)
- 1947
This cowboy drama from Hungarian director Andre De Toth was the first of several films based on the stories of Western author Luke Short. Veronica Lake stars as Connie Dickason, strong-willed daughter of Ben Dickason (Charles Ruggles), a ranch owner who has become the toady of a powerful local cattleman, Frank Ivey (Preston Foster), whom Ben once wanted Connie to marry. Connie instead married a sheep rancher and inherited his spread. With her husband out of the picture, Connie becomes determined to run the ranch despite the opposition of Ivey and her father. In her camp are the town drunk, veteran cowhand Dave Nash (Joel McCrea) and a crew of anti-Ivey locals. The resulting bloody range war is much to the dismay of Dave, who wants to resolve Connie's problems with Ivey legally. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Veronica Lake, Joel McCrea, (more)
