Jerry Adler Movies

The drama in this fact-based tale about the killing of a young Japanese man is undermined by trite characters and a transparent storyline. There is no doubt that American GI Sgt. Douglas (Richard Long) killed the youth with his own gun. The dispute lies in whether the gun discharged accidentally, as he claims, and in whether he should be tried by Japanese civil law instead of an American military court. Sgt. Douglas is portrayed as a good guy, in love with a Japanese woman and appreciative of Japanese life and culture. His dilemma is made all the worse by some ill-advised plans he concocts to determine how he should be tried. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

US Air Force colonel Glenn Ford has a dilemma on his hands. He knows for a fact that two jets under his command were last seen chasing a UFO. But the military higher-ups have no intention of filling Ford in on further developments. Despite these stonewalling tactics, Ford steps up his own investigation--and uncovers an insidious right-wing plot to overthrow the government. Bradford Dillman, who has probably made more TV movies than Karen Valentine even, costars in The Disappearance of Flight 412. The film was telecast two months after Watergate, a time in which "conspiracy" movies were breeding like rabbits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The miracle of plastic surgery is the unifying factor for this made-for-TV movie. Three women, all "of a certain age," are having problems with the men in their life. Rich widow Millie Gorman (Janet Leigh) is convinced that her sex appeal has waned along with her looks and youth; bored housewife Sandy McLaren (Loretta Swit) is none too pleased that her husband regards her more as a pal than a lover; and former model Vanessa Wagner (Lee Meriwether) fears that her much-younger sweetheart will begin seeking out a partner his own age. As the story progresses, Sandy gets a breast implant which has precisely the opposite of the desired effect on her husband; Vanessa gets an eye-lift, only to find out that her lover isn't worth the trouble; and Millie suffers the consequences of one too many face-lifts. Mirror, Mirror first aired October 10, 1979, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

TV journalist (and recovering alcoholic) Marcy Singer (Suzanne Somers) is promised an Exclusive by anonymous phone an caller. Singer is advised to show up at a well-known bar at an appointed time. Once she's arrived, she finds six corpses awaiting her. Investigating, Singer follows the trail of evidence to an unexpected-and all-too-close-source. Joe Cortese and Michael Nouri co-star in this made-for-TV melodrama. Exclusive originally aired October 4, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

There's a real murder and a real mystery in Woody Allen's Manhattan Murder Mystery, but these plot pegs are used mainly to allow Allen to explore modern urban relationships. Allen plays a N.Y.C. book editor, Larry Lipton, married to Carol (Diane Keaton, who replaced Mia Farrow at the last minute, for reasons well publicized at the time). Carol is a free spirit, ever willing to try new experiences, but Larry is a wet blanket. When it begins to look like a neighbor has killed his wife, Carol is eager to investigate the mystery, but Larry thinks her suspicions are nonsensical and doesn't want to leave his apartment. Undaunted, Carol finds another "Nick Charles" in the form of family friend Ted (Alan Alda), who joins the investigation, and feels attracted to Carol and isn't afraid to let her know. Meanwhile, a writer under Larry's aegis (Anjelica Huston), who feels romantically drawn to him, also decides to join in the fun. Slightly jealous of Carol in the face of her budding relationship with Ted, Larry reluctantly agrees to go along on her clue-hunting expedition -- and it is he who discovers the corpse, who as it turns out was killed after Carol started poking around the apartment building. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When news arrives that their apartment building may go co-op, the Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) finds themselves embroiled in a battle with their snooty English neighbors, the Conways. As their neighbors plot a strategy to grab hold of the Buchmans' apartment, a Montague-and-Capulet romance blossoms between Paul and Jamie's stupid mutt, Murray, and the Conways' precious pooch, Sophie. Though Judy Geeson returns as Maggie Conway, the role of Maggie's husband, Hal, is now played by Jim Piddock rather than Paxton Whitehead. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Preparing for an important college exam, Jamie (Helen Hunt) is unable to sleep. While trying to lull his wife back to dreamland, Paul (Paul Reiser) succeeds only in locking Jamie and himself out of their apartment, leading to an all-night odyssey from basement to rooftops. Highlights include the tango performed by that guy who looks and acts like John Astin, and an unexpected celebrity drop-in at Riff's. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A well-meaning man discovers the downside of taking the law into your own hands in this black comedy. Jack Lambert (Dan Aykroyd) is a college ethics professor who lives next door to a kindly old man of German descent named Max Mueller (Jack Lemmon); Jack is also in love with an attractive doctor named Gail (Bonnie Hunt), whom he plans to marry. One day, an FBI agent approaches Jack with some rather surprising news -- Max is actually Karl Luger, an escaped Nazi war criminal known as the Beast of Burkau and responsible for the deaths of thousands of people during World War II. However, Max has avoided prosecution on a legal technicality, which deeply offends Jack's sense of justice. Outraged, Jack poisons the apples on the tree in Max's yard, and before long Max has succumbed to the tainted fruit. However, Jack then learns that the FBI agents had the wrong man, and Max wasn't really the Beast of Burkau after all. Wracked with guilt, Jack wants to do something to make amends, so he calls off his engagement with Gail and instead begins to court Inga (Lily Tomlin), Max's frumpy and socially inept daughter. Getting Away with Murder was the final project for veteran writer and director Harvey Miller. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Looking for the perfect third-anniversary gift causes Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) to lose confidence in their relationship. In a rare "alternate reality" situation, the Buchmans are permitted to experience what might have happened had they never met. Originally telecast as the hour-long finale of Mad About You's third season, this episode has since been divided into two half-hour installments for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Writer, director, and producer Adam Bernstein followed up the disastrous comedy It's Pat: The Movie (1994) with this black comedy that mixes elements of Psycho (1960) and Goodfellas (1990). Former male model Norman Reedus stars as Harry Odum, a henpecked, 18-year-old momma's boy in Youngstown, Ohio, who -- with his violent temper -- impresses a local boss of the Jewish Mafia. Soon he's found his calling as a hit man alongside his crack addict partner Arnie Finklestein (Adrien Brody), and he discovers that his rage and complicated psychosis fuel his murderous abilities. Harry also falls for the organization's limping, Hungarian-born maid Iris (Elina Lowensohn), a romance complicated by Harry's Oedipal, sexual relationship with his domineering mother Kate (Deborah Harry).Six Ways to Sunday (1997) was based on the Charles Perry novel Portrait of a Young Man Drowning. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

A mob boss finds he can't escape his true identity, while his cousin learns that the music industry is as crooked as organized crime in the tenth episode of the HBO series. New Jersey Mafia chieftain Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) is delighted to receive an invitation to play golf with his well-to-do neighbor, Cusamano, at his exclusive country club. Happy to socialize with non-mobsters for once, Tony quickly realizes that Cusamano has extended the invitation simply to impress his buddies with his powerful crime boss pal. Tony's cousin and soldier Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) and his girlfriend Adriana (Drea de Matteo) meet Massive Genius, a rap star with a financial grudge against Soprano family advisor Hesh (Jerry Adler). Genius is immediately attracted to Adriana and makes a deal with Christopher: in exchange for Christopher setting up a meeting between Genius and Hesh, the musician agrees to consider signing a band that Adriana wants to represent, but it becomes clear that Genius is only interested in Adriana sexually. Meanwhile, Tony gets even with Cusamano by asking him to "hold on" to a package wrapped in plain brown paper, sending his neighbor into a panic over the possibly illegal narcotic contents. Episode 10 first aired March 14, 1999. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

The sixth episode of the HBO mob series finds New Jersey crime boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) deciding to do the noble thing and cede control of the family to his rival and uncle, Junior (Dominic Chianese), much to everyone's surprise and dismay. In reality, Tony is maintaining control of the family. With the agreement of the other families in the tri-state area, Junior is being set up as a frontman without his knowledge. Immediately, however, Junior causes trouble by ordering tribute to be paid by Tony's top lieutenants, including a long-time family advisor, Hesh Rabkin (Jerry Adler). Tony shocks his psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), by declaring that he's falling in love with her during a session, and then kisses her. Junior learns that his tailor's grandson committed suicide because of a crippling drug addiction and orders two of his men to throw the drug dealer off a bridge in retaliation. Tony's medication is causing his sex drive to become nonexistent, much to the chagrin of both his wife Carmela (Edie Falco) and his mistress. At a dinner celebration, the FBI conducts surveillance on the Sopranos, aware that Tony is still the real power behind the criminal organization. "Pax Soprana" first aired on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1999. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide