James Goldstone Movies
After attending Dartmouth and Bennington, James Goldstone made his directorial debut in episodic television; in the 1960s, he was one of the earliest stalwarts of the TV-movie genre, helming the pilots for the TV series Star Trek, Ironside and The Senator. His entree into theatrical features was the 1969 James Garner vehicle A Man Called Gannon. In his subsequent films, notably Red Sky at Morning (1971) and They Only Kill Their Masters (1972), Goldstone successfully combined motion-picture production values with TV-movie pacing. Bowing out of big-screen pictures with the ignominious Irwin Allen When Time Ran Out (1980), James Goldstone returned to television, directing such made-for-TV features as Kent State (1981) (which earned him an Emmy award), Charles and Diana: A Royal Love Story (1982) and The Bride in Black (1990). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1990
In this drama a bride, widowed on her wedding day when her husband was shot, investigates her late groom's past. She soon discovers why he was killed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Lucci, David Soul, (more)
- 1988
Though it runs a scant two hours, the made-for-TV Earth*Star Voyager was originally telecast in two parts. Both were shown as installments of The Disney Sunday Movie. In Part One, telecast January 17, 1988, we were introduced to the very young crew of the 21st-century space vessel Earth*Star Voyager. They'd just embarked on a 26-year mission to locate another inhabitable planet. In Part Two, which first aired January 24, 1988, the crew members stumble across the wreckage of an earlier space vehicle and come to the aid of an endangered alien/human mutant. "A deadly rendezvous. A dangerous collision. The adventure of a lifetime" read the film's original print ads. Duncan Regehr, Brian McNamara and Julia Montgomery star. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Part one of Earth*Star Voyager was first telecast January 17, 1988, on the Disney Sunday Movie anthology. The year is 2088: the Earth*Star Voyager blasts off on a 26-year-misson to find another planet able to support life. The space vessel's crew consists largely of teenagers (the oldest crewperson is 24). Intellectually, they're ready for the adventure: but no one has taken into consideration their emotional maturity. All sorts of unexpected dangers face the Voyager as Part One draws to its cliff-hanging close (see separate entry for details on Part Two).Duncan Regehr, Brian McNamara, Jason Michas, Julia Montgomery, Tom Breznahan and Peter Donat head the cast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
The real-life Mel Fisher was considered a mercenary by some, a visionary by others. Whatever the case, Fisher was a famous treasure hunter, who spent nearly decades searching for a Spanish Galleon which sank off the Florida Keys in the 17th century. Against all odds, Fisher and his crew were able to retrieve a fortune in gold from the galleon in July of 1985. The made-for-TV Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story first aired November 15, 1986, not long after a drawn-out court battle between Fisher and the U.S. government over ownership of the treasure had come to a conclusion. Cliff Robertson stars as Mel Fisher, while Loretta Swit is cast as his wife, Deo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cliff Robertson, Loretta Swit, (more)
- 1984
This television miniseries derives its plot from The Sun Also Rises, the 1926 novel by Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961). Set in France and Spain, the miniseries follows the lives of several expatriate Americans and their acquaintances in the decade after World War I. These expatriates -- part of the so-called lost generation of Americans bitter about the war and disillusioned by prevailing U.S. values -- drink, roam, ruminate, and chase women. The central character, journalist Jake Barnes (Hart Bochner), pals up with fellow countrymen Bill Gorton (Zeljko Ivanek), an amiable war veteran, and Robert Cohn (Robert Carradine), a novelist and college-trained boxer, to enjoy Paris night life. Barnes runs into beautiful and sophisticated Lady Brett Ashley (Jane Seymour), whom he romanced in England while she was a volunteer nurse and he was recuperating from a war wound that left him impotent. She is soon to divorce her husband to marry Mike Campbell (Ian Charleson), a hard-drinking Scot. Still smitten by her, Barnes follows her everywhere. So do Gorton and Cohn. Cohn falls hard for her. But Lady Brett says she wants to live happily ever after with many men, not just one, in spite of her betrothal to Campbell, a liaison with Cohn, and her affection for Barnes. Such is the scope of her appetite for men. For a new diversion, bullfighting, all of the principals -- including Campbell -- go to Pamplona, Spain. There, matador Pedro Romero (Andrea Occhipinti) whets Lady Brett's appetite all over again with his derring-do in the bullring. After Cohn discovers her in bed with Romero, he beats the bullfighter livid. It is all for naught. To Lady Brett, Cohn is an interesting toy, nothing more. The story reaches its conclusion when Romero -- purple with Cohn's bruises -- enters the arena to challenge a bull. Will Romero survive? Will Lady Brett choose him over Barnes? Will she marry Campbell? ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide
- 1984
In this sad melodrama, a dying Broadway producer decides to adopt a sweet young girl to keep her husband company after she passes on. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jaclyn Smith, David Dukes, (more)
- 1984
19th century frontierwoman Martha Jane Canary (1852-1903)--better known as Calamity Jane--has been portrayed by actresses as diverse as Doris Day, Jean Arthur and Louise Dresser. Jane Alexander isn't exactly the living image of the legendary Jane, but at least she plays down the Hollywood glamour that afflicted Arthur's and Day's interpretations. This made-for-TV film details the private Jane rather than the public image. It was based on letters sent by Jane to her daughter back east; Suzanne Clauser's teleplay opines that the daughter was the illegitimate offspring of Calamity and her paramour Wild Bill Hickok (Frederic Forrest). Calamity Jane originally aired March 6, 1984. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
This is a made-for-TV bio about the film star Rita Hayworth. Lynda Carter stars as the legendary star. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1982
Most of you know what this is about. For the benefit of the two of you who've never read a tabloid, Prince Charles of England married Lady Diana Spencer in a pomp-and-circumstance wedding telecast all over the world in 1981. David Robb plays Bonnie Prince Charlie, while Caroline Bliss portrays Lady Di. This TV movie came out almost simultaneously with The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana, a far superior (and equally unsuspenseful) production starring Christopher Baines and Catherine Oxenberg. Caroline Bliss faded into obscurity, but Catherine Oxenberg was back for the 1992 TV-movie "sequel" (dictated by Destiny, as it were), titled Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
The May 4, 1970 tragedy at Kent State University is meticulously recreated this three-hour TV movie. Conceived in semidocumentary fashion, the film illustrates the slow, simmering buildup to the fatal confrontation between students and National Guard troops on the Kent Campus. The four students who fall victim to Guard gunfire are played by Jane Fleas, Talia Balsam, Keith Gordon and Jeff McCracken. Those who might complain that victims come off in a saintly fashion should be reminded that the young, inexperienced National Guard troops are likewise treated with respect and sympathy. Screenwriters Gerald Green and Richard Kramer trace the roots of the incident back to President Nixon's decision to selectively bomb strategic targets in Cambodia; their script is based on interviews and published accounts of the shooting. Filmed in Alabama rather than Ohio, Kent State was originally telecast February 8, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
After producer Irwin Allen highlighted the dangers of fire in the Towering Inferno and the dangers of water in the Poseidon Adventure, he is back to fire again but this time it is within the earth, at least for awhile. This fairly routine disaster film is set on a resort island with a volcano that is beginning to rumble. Stars include a long list of names: Paul Newman is Hank, the savvy oil driller who gets people to safety even against their will, Jacqueline Bisset is the woman he is interested in, William Holden, Eddie Albert, Barbara Carrera, Veronica Hamel and several others play individuals trapped on the island. Hank convinces some people to follow him to the highest part of the island as the volcano gets set to blow its top. They encounter several dangerous situations after the dormant volcano wakes up but nothing quite like the non-stop, action filled, death-defying scenes from the explosion of volcano movies that hit the screens in 1997: Dante's Peak, Volcano, Eruption, Volcano: Fire in the Mountain, and a few more from around the world. They formed a virtual 1997 "ring of fire." ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Newman, Jacqueline Bisset, (more)
- 1979
Adapted from the once-notorious trilogy of novels by James T. Farrell, the three-part miniseres Studs Lonigan isn't quite as earthy and explicit as its source, but is lot more faithful to the original than the 1960 film version. Set in Chicago and covering the years from 1916 to 1931, this is the story of a brawling, braggadocio young Irish-American lad named Studs Lonigan (played as a child by Dan Shor, and as an adult by Harry Hamlin in his first major TV role). Despite his rough veneer, Studs is sensitive and concerned about his future, though he doesn't want to follow the values set forth by his tradition-bound parents (Charles Durning, Colleen Dewhurst). Hanging around with his childhood buddies, Studs gets into all sorts of scrapes and becomes involved with a number of women, notably the decent, demure Catherine (Diana Scarwid) and the lusty, libidinous Lucy (Lisa Pelikan). Though he grows in age and size, Studs has trouble maturing emotionally, surrounded by the pressures of a rough, prejudice-ridden neighborhood and the increasing hooliganism of his cronies. As the Depression crashes heavily upon the scene, Studs finds himself "trapped" in the very sort of middle-class quagmire that he'd always hoped to avoid. Earning an Emmy Award for art/set direction, the 6-hour Studs Lonigan originally aired March 7, 14 and 21, 1979, as part of NBC's Novels for Television anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Rollercoaster was a by-product of the brief "Sensurround" craze of the 1970s. Nutsoid Timothy Bottoms sabotages an amusement-park roller coaster, killing several innocent revelers. After several other acts of terrorism, Bottoms (whose character is credited as Young Man) presents his demands to the authorities via audio tape: one million dollars, or he'll stage five roller-coaster disasters simultaneously in five different parks. Because detective Harry Calder George Segal evinces a grudging respect for the elusive extortionist, Bottoms declares that only Detective Calder will be permitted to deliver the money. Thus the stage is set for an explosive climax, which during the film's original run was accompanied by the Sensurround effect, a gimmick that electronically caused the filmgoer's chairs to begin shaking and vibrating during the "thrill scenes." As with most disaster flicks of the era, Rollercoaster is top-heavy with "guest stars," including Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, Harry Guardino, and Susan Strasberg. Watch for 13-year-old Helen Hunt as Detective Calder's spunky daughter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Segal, Richard Widmark, (more)
A latter-day attempt to update the swordplay success of Errol Flynn movies, this film is part burlesque, part homage to old-fashioned pirate films. James Earl Jones and Robert Shaw play Nick Debrett and Ned Lynch, two pirates who save a noblewoman, Jane Barnet (Geneviève Bujold), and take her to Jamaica. They find that their friends have been taken captive by a ruthless dictator -- Peter Boyle plays the foppish villain Lord Durant with an over-the-top swagger. Debrett and Lynch set out to rescue their friends and overthrow the perverted tyrant. Beau Bridges plays Major Folly, a fancy-dressing Scarlet Pimpernel sort. A young Anjelica Huston has a minor part as a nameless woman. There is plenty of swordplay, blood, slapstick, and cleavage, all directed by James Goldstone in a frenzied fashion. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Shaw, James Earl Jones, (more)
- 1975
Made for television, Journey From Darkness is based on the true story of medical student David Hartman. Marc Singer plays David, a brilliant scholar who under normal circumstances would be accepted into medical school without a hitch. But David has been blind since birth, a fact that has been closing doors on him all his life. As the boy receives rejection after rejection, his family and girl friend (Kay Lenz) try to be supportive, but David's bitterness threatens to overwhelm him. The happy ending of Journey From Darkness does not diminish the dramatic punch of the scenes detailing David Hartman's pain and frustration. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
In this fact-based made-for-TV tearjerker, the promising life of a talented teenage athlete is suddenly destroyed when he is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Despite the bad news, the boy does all he can to fight the disease. His devoted mother supports him to the bitter, inevitable end. The story is based on the experiences of Doris Lund, the late Eric's mother. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1974
The made-for-TV Dr. Max is cut from the same cloth as The Last Angry Man. Lee J. Cobb stars as a taciturn elderly doctor who chooses to work in a dingy Baltimore neighborhood and minister to those far less fortunate than themselves. His refusal to succumb to the creature comforts of a more lucrative practice causes a great deal of friction between himself and his family. In traditional "movie of the week" fashion, however, the old medico proves to have a lot more sense than those around him. Dr. Max was first telecast April 4, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
In this made-for-TV movie, a driver is involved in a hit-and-run accident. By the time the guilt-ridden fellow returns to the accident scene, the body has mysteriously disappeared. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Forsythe
- 1974
In a better than average TV melodrama, Patricia Neal is the mother of a Wisconsin farm family who has just discovered that she has leukemia and it is terminal. Her goal for the remainder of her life becomes keeping those around her as happy as possible, making them realize what they have to live for. Neal is excellent, with a good supporting cast. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1972
- PG
A small-town California sheriff attempts to uncover facts behind the killing of a pregnant woman by her Doberman pinscher. James Garner stars in this mystery with performances by June Allyson and Ann Rutherford among others. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Garner, Katharine Ross, (more)
- 1971
- PG
- Add The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight to QueueAdd The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight to top of Queue
In this comedy, based on Jimmy Breslin's novel, a bungling gang of hoods make increasingly ludicrous attempts on the life of a Mafia boss. Each attempt ends in failure. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1971
- PG
In this drama, based on a novel by Richard Bradford, an adolescent boy and his mother are sent to live in New Mexico after his father goes off to fight WW II. The move is hard on both mother and son. The boy, one of the few whites in the area, must deal with making friends, the strange new land, and first love. Meanwhile, his mother becomes increasingly withdrawn. When they learn that his father has been killed, the son must fight with his mother's lover to become the real head of the household. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Sidney Poitier stars as John Kane, a heavenly emissary who pays a visit to the Alabama town where he was born. Making it his mission to purge the community of all hatred and prejudice, "Brother John" is nothing less than the Messiah returned to earth. Trouble is, he's black, and it's Alabama-so who's going to pay attention? Will Greer costars as a local town doctor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
The Bold Ones was the umbrella title given a group of rotating hour-long TV series, which ran from 1969 to 1973. Joining established Bold Ones components The Doctors and The Lawyers in 1970 was The Senator, starring Hal Holbrook as RFK-like Senator Hays Stowe. The pilot for The Senator was A Clear and Present Danger, which first aired March 21, 1970. In this 2-hour "problem drama", Senator Stowe tackles the issue of air pollution after a close friend dies of emphysema. The Emmy-nominated Hal Holbrook, Sharon Acker (as Erin Stowe) and Cindy Eilbacher (as Norma Stowe) carried their roles over to the "Senator" series proper, while Michael Tolan was cast as Stowe's aide Jordan Boyle, the role played in A Clear and Present Danger by Joseph Campanella. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
