Eric Bercovici Movies
- 1986
Filmed in Malta, this three-hour TV movie nailbiter was based on the novel The Gold Crew by Thomas M. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson. David Soul plays the commander of a Trident submarine, engaged in an test designed to measure the crew's psychological reaction to an actual nuclear missile launch. Only Soul and two other officers (Robert Conrad and Sam Waterston) know that the war alert is false; the crew is led to believe that the crisis is genuine. Unfortunately, toxic fumes from the newly painted mess hall trigger a psychotic reaction from most of the crew--and commander Soul. Now convinced that he's on the brink of war, the near-lunatic commander orders the firing of ship's live warhead, instead of the four dummy weapons designed for the test. Officers Conrad and Waterston race against time to avert World War III. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
In this made-for-TV thriller, a luckless, cynical San Diego gumshoe is hired to look into the mysterious disappearance of a crime lord's wife. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Mitchum, Angie Dickinson, (more)
- 1981
The Chicago Story was the two-hour pilot film for the subsequent TV series. The wounding of a 10-year-old girl by a sniper is seen through the eyes of three sets of Chicago professionals. Vincent Baggetta and Craig T. Nelson are the defense and prosecuting attorneys respectively (they'd been roommates while in law school). Kristoffer Tabori and Kene Holliday are the doctors ministering to the victim. And Jack Kehoe and Dennis Franz are the cops who must track down the unknown assailant. When Chicago Story became a series proper, most of the TV movie's leading actors, with the exception of Jack Kehoe, were retained as regulars. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
The 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid provides the setting for this drama that centers on a man's mid-life crisis. While there, he gets involved with love, sex and other diversions. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Based on the epic novel by James Clavell, Shogun originated as an epic five-part television miniseries, filmed on location in Japan. Richard Chamberlain stars as John Blackthorne, a 17th century British sea pilot in charge of a Dutch vessel. Shipwrecked off the coast of Japan, Blackthorne is in danger of being executed by the suspicious, reclusive Japanese hierarchy, but before long he has been accepted into the local culture. Accordingly, he begins to think of himself as Japanese, adopting the nation's customs and, while wearing the robes of a Samurai warrior, helping to defend the land against its enemies. The arrival of Blackthorne unfortunately arouses the interest of European empire-builders, who hope to add Japan to their holdings. Toshiro Mifune costars as Toranaga, a warlord who befriends Blackthorne, and Yoko Shimada appears as Mariko, the interpreter who eventually falls in love with the Englishman. When it first aired in September of 1980, Shogun caused eyebrows to raise with its seemingly reckless disregard of certain TV taboos: for example, one man is beheaded in full view of the audience, while another relieves himself on the body of an enemy. Most of the early dialogue sequence are in Japanese, which resulted in complaints from many monolingual viewers. As a result, the 1983 rebroadcast of Shogun included English narration by Orson Welles. The 125-minute feature version of Shogun, prepared for home video, includes English subtitles--as well as several originally excised scenes of nudity and excessive violence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Chamberlain, Toshiro Mifune, (more)
- 1979
Adapted from the novel by Pete Hamill, Flesh and Blood stars Tom Berenger as Bobby Fallon, a street punk who develops into a topnotch boxer while in prison. Upon his release, Bobby is taken under the wing of manager John Cassavetes. Outwardly tough and unmovable, Bobby is tortured with memories of his miserable childhood, which included an incestuous episode with his mother (Suzanne Pleshette). This two-part TV movie concludes with a heavyweight championship bout, bankrolled by Bobby's long-estranged father (Mitchell Ryan). Photographed with Rocky-like intensity by Vilmos Zsigismond, Flesh and Blood first aired on October 14 and 16, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Intended as the pilot for the proposed weekly series "Peter Benchley's Mystery of the Deep," the made-for-TV Hunters of the Reef bears traces of such best-selling Peter Benchley novels as Jaws and The Deep. Much of the action is devoted to a race between two salvage-boat captains -- one poor, one rich -- to recover the valuables in a ship wrecked off the Florida coast. Needless to say, the waters surrounding the wreck are infested with sharks; it is perhaps also unnecessary to observe that among the "scavengers" is a gorgeous marine biologist (Mary Louise Weller) who happens to be a knockout in a diving suit. Filmed on-location in Key West, FL, Hunters of the Reef originally surfaced as part of NBC's prime-time schedule on May 20, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
In this tense story of an unusual romantic triangle, middle-aged Ann (Vanessa Redgrave) and her teenage daughter Joanna (Susan George) manage a failing hotel on an island off the British coast. One day, the hotel receives an unexpected guest, a man named Joe (Cliff Robertson). Joe and Ann had an affair years ago, and it's suggested (though never stated) that Joanna could be their child. Joe and Ann soon renew their relationship, but Ann discovers that she has a rival for Joe's affections when Joanna makes her interest in the handsome older man clear. Also shown under the title Winter Rates (the title of the stage drama upon which it was based), Out of Season was at one time to have been directed by the noted playwright Harold Pinter, but he was eventually replaced by stage and screen veteran Alan Bridges. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vanessa Redgrave, Cliff Robertson, (more)
- 1975
Log of the Black Pearl was the 2-hour pilot film for an unsold weekly TV adventure series. Kiel Martin plays a successful stockbroker who gives up his job when he inherits the Black Pearl, his grandfather's yacht. He becomes a soldier of fortune, willing to rent out the boat and his services when adventure calls. Ralph Bellamy plays Martin's crusty captain and Jack Kruschen is his first mate. His first (and last) assignment is to find a missing treasure before the villains can claim the booty. Loosely inspired by the old radio series Voyage of the Scarlet Queen, Log of the Black Pearl was co-produced by Jack Webb. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Jim Brown and Fred Williamson team up for this violent western, directed by Antonio Marghetti under the name of Anthony M. Dawson. Brown plays Pike, a stonefaced cowboy who meets up Tyree (Fred Williamson), a jocular and dishonest gambler. Together with a mute Indian scout Kashtok (Jim Kelly), the trio attempts to transport $86,000 across hundreds of miles of Western wasteland to deliver it to the widow of Pike's former employer. Along the way, they are pursued by bounty hunter Kiefer (Lee Van Cleef) and corrupt sheriff Kane (Barry Sullivan). Dana Andrews also appears in a cameo role as Pike's boss Morgan. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Brown, Lee Van Cleef, (more)
- 1974
- R
The "three" alluded to in the title are played by Jim Brown, Fred Williamson and Jim Kelly. Letting their fists do all the talking, the hard-nosed trio takes on a neofascist organization. It is the avowed purpose of this all-white hate group to "cleanse" Los Angeles, Detroit and Washington DC of all blacks. To do this, they plan to poison the drinking water with a secret formula that affects only African Americans. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
A murderous robber returns home to his loving family after he serves 18 years for his crimes. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Gary Grimes stars in this revisionist western as Ben Mockridge, a 16-year-old boy who has long dreamed of living the life of a cowboy. Wanting adventure, he persuades Frank Culpepper (Billy Green Bush) to take him along on a cattle drive, and Ben learns the hard way just how lonesome, exhausting, and violent the life of a cowhand can be. As one of the men on the drive puts it, "Being a cowboy is what you do when you can't do anything else." Hal Needham, who would later direct a string of successful films starring Burt Reynolds, can be spotted in a small role as Burgess, one of the cowboys. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Grimes, Billy Green Bush, (more)
- 1972
Scenes of the real Munich are interspersed with shots of studio mockups in Assignment: Munich. Roy Scheider stars as an American expatriate running a saloon in Munich (shades of Casablanca). He agrees to help the US government locate a cache of gold, appropriated by the Nazis during the war. This TV pilot was a long time in getting a network commitment--so long, in fact, that star Roy Scheider took another job in the interim. By the time the series premiered in the fall of 1972, the role played by Scheider had been rewritten several times for several actors; Robert Conrad, who was then "between jobs", ended up playing the part. The city of Munich was also "replaced", and the series was retitled Assignment: Vienna. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Jim Hutton and Anjanette Comer have the misfortune to be honeymooning while a forest fire ranges all around them. But that's only the beginning, folks. The lovebirds are also being stalked by crazed hunters Tony Franciosa and Peter Lawford. Deadly Hunt is based on Autumn of a Hunter, a novel by Pat Stadley, but it also owes quite a lot to Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game. Made for television, the film debuted October 1, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Harry Kellem (Russ Conway), an American businessman working in Tokyo, has been accused of murdering his Japanese wife. The actual culprit is Kellem's brother-in-law Toshio Masaki (Khigh Dheigh), who for political reasons is bent on destroying Japanese-American diplomatic relations. Assigned to clear Kellem and expose Masaki, the IMF embarks upon a series of clever ruses, wherein Paris impersonates a Kabuki dancer, Willy poses as a martial arts champion and Dana disguises herself as the late Mrs. Kellem. Originally seen on October 31, 1970, "The Butterfly" was scripted by Eric Bercovicci and Jerry Ludwig, from a story by Sheldon Stark. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Leonard Nimoy, (more)
- 1970
Joan Hackett plays the neglected wife of prominent attorney Arthur Hill. Almost before she know what is happening, Joan is drawn into an affair with handsome stranger Roy Thinnes. Her indiscretion leads to an attempted murder. All that transpires is part of a complicated plan by an ex-convict to wreak vengeance upon lawyer Hill. Broadway actress Tammy Grimes makes a rare TV appearance in The Other Man, which was filmed on location at Big Sur, California. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Dr. John Carpenter (Elvis Presley) helps the economically disadvantaged in an inner-city medical clinic. Three nuns are assigned to help out at the facility and are allowed to wear regular clothes instead of the traditional habits. Sister Michelle (Mary Tyler Moore) is the speech therapist who Dr. Carpenter would like to examine personally after hours. Along with the other sisters (Barbara McNair and Jane Elliot), Michelle is subjected to the criticism of the local parish priest (Regis Toomey) in the social experiment of non-traditional dress. Two spinsters even mistake the nuns for prostitutes without their habits. The priest wins out in the end, and the nuns must again don their habits. As the good doctor sings to the ailing children, Sister Michelle is transfixed both by a crucifix hanging on the wall and by Elvis Presley in an ironic and symbolic scene that flashes between the two icons. This was Presley's last studio feature and he welcomed the move from stifling screen images as he returned his focus to live performances and recording for the remainder of his illustrious career. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elvis Presley, Mary Tyler Moore, (more)
- 1968
Warfield (Glenn Ford) is the dispassionate ex-gunslinger who joins forces with peaceful neighbor Forbes (Arthur Kennedy) to help him track down the Apache Indians who have kidnapped Warfield's wife and children two months prior. In searching for the abductees, the hardened gunslinger eventually keeps a level head while the even-tempered Forbes turns into a cold-blooded killing machine. Warfield and Forbes eventually complete their personality changes that lead to the inevitable western showdown. Initially a television movie made for ABC, the company decided to release the film only in theaters. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, Arthur Kennedy, (more)
The entire cast of Hell in the Pacific consists of two high-powered international stars: Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune. The time is World War II. A downed American marine pilot (Marvin), is stalked on a remote Pacific island by a Japanese navy officer (Mifune). The Japanese officer captures the American, but this situation is reversed when he manages to wriggle free. The two enemies finally decide to live and let live, each moving to their own separate portion of the island. By and by the adversaries come to rely upon one another to survive; they set up living quarters in a deserted camp, get drunk together, and almost -- but not quite -- become friends. The present ending of Hell in the Pacific is greatly at odds with director John Boorman's original vision, in which the Japanese officer angrily kills two Japanese soldiers who have come across the American and decapitated him. As it now stands, viewers are left with an explosive "lady or the tiger" denouement. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee Marvin, Toshiro Mifune, (more)
- 1966
Written by Eric Bercovici, "One Thousand Fine" features Dane Clark in the role of flight engineer Jack Gannon, a former high school rival of agent Scotty. Surving the crash of a plane carrying a fortune in gold, Gannon claims to be suffering from amnesia, and as such is unable to pinpoint the location of the downed aircraft. Accompanying Gannon into the Mexican jungle on a search mission, Kelly is distracted by the presence of the flight engineer's fiancee Jedan (Susan Oliver)-who happens to be Kelly's ex-sweetheart. Originally scheduled to air on March 16, 1966, "One Thousand Fine" was bumped by NBC's live coverage of the Gemini VIII splashdown. The episode finally ran on April 27, 1966, bringing the first season of I Spy to a close. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Victor Buono guest-stars as Karafathma, a Turkish spy who specializes in abducting scientific geniuses and auctioning his prisoners' intellect to the highest bidder. To flush out the villain, Scotty poses as a world-renowned agronomist-and is promptly kidnapped by Karafathma's henchmen. Also appearing is Diana Sands as another imprisoned scientist, Dr. Rachel Alper, with whom Scotty has a furtive romance. Largely filmed on location in Mexico City, "Turkish Delight" was written by Eric Bercovici, and was originally telecast on February 9, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
An electronic mind-reading device, created by a professional magician named Merlin (Andre Phillipe), is the "maguffin" in this episode. UNCLE agents Solo and Illya try to prevent the machine from falling into the hands of bickering THRUSH agents Victor Martin (Vincent Price) and Lucia Belmont (Patricia Medina). When Solo is sent off on a wild goose chase to distract the villains, innocent American tourist Mimi Doolittle (Julie Sommars) finds herself up to her neck in intrigue. The best bit involves an exploding tissue, prompting a polite -- but belated -- "Gesundheit." Reportedly, it was this episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. that landed Julie Sommars a star-making lead role in the theatrical feature The Pad -- And How to Use It (1966). Written by Peter Allen Fields and Eric Bercovicci, "The Foxes and Hounds Affair" first aired on October 8, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
