Ray Buktenica Movies
Steve Martin wrote the screenplay and served as co-producer for this screen adaptation of his short novel, which takes a witty but bittersweet look at a young woman and the two men involved with her. Mirabelle Buttersfield (Claire Danes) is an aspiring artist in her mid-twenties who, after graduating from college, moved to Los Angeles, where she works at the glove counter of an upscale department store. Mirabelle's job is simple and not demanding, but it doesn't pay especially well, and she finds herself struggling to get out from under a growing mountain of debt from student loans and credit cards. One night, while doing her laundry, Mirabelle meets Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman), a scruffy but likable would-be musician who makes ends meet selling guitar amps. While Jeremy is obviously infatuated with Mirabelle, she isn't sure how she feels about him, especially after she meets Ray Porter (Steve Martin), a man in his fifties whom she meets at the store. Ray is independently wealthy, intelligent, and charming, and after asking her out on a date he sweeps her off her feet. However, while Mirabelle quickly falls for Ray and he's generous to a fault with her, he refuses to commit exclusively to her and suggests they should both see other people, a prospect that no longer holds much appeal for her. Shopgirl received its world premiere at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Claire Danes, (more)
- 1997
During the previous week's "In Purgatory's Shadow," the Dominion invasion had begun, with the Jem'Hadar fleet pouring through the wide open wormhole. As this episode begins, the enemy suddenly changes its course and heads toward Cardassian space, prompting Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) to give chase, the better to forge a secret alliance with the Dominion, with himself as ruler of Cardassia. Meanwhile, Bashir, Worf and Garak struggle to escape from a Jem'Hadar prison. On still another front, Sisko and Klingon Chancellor Gowron bury the hatchet in order to take on the Dominion/Cardassian cartel together. Written by Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolf, "By Inferno's Light" was originally telecast February 17, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Posing as a caregiver, Monica (Roma Downey) is hired to look after elderly author Leonard Pound (Brian Keith), who is in a state of profound grief over the death of his wife. As the story progresses, both Monica and Leonard find themselves uncomfortably reliving the night of October 30, 1938, when Orson Welles' infamous "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast panicked the entire nation. While Monica recalls with embarrassment how her well-meaning efforts to calm the populace only made matters worse, Leonard looks back in despair at a devastating personal tragedy. Ultimately, however, Leonard realizes that the chaotic events of that long-ago October evening culminated in the happiest event of his life! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
The owner of a gay bar is killed and a suspect is hauled in. The pregnant wife of Lt. Fancy (James McDaniel) goes into a very difficult labor. Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) investigates when a neighbor breaks out in a rash, ostensibly the result of a curse invoked by a crooked fortuneteller. And Dan Breen (Peter Boyle), the AA sponsor for Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz), ignores Andy's advice and pays a visit to his disturbed son Danny (Enrico Colantoni) -- with tragic results. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A successful career criminal considers getting out of the business after one last score, while an obsessive cop desperately tries to put him behind bars in this intelligent thriller written and directed by Michael Mann. Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) is a thief who specializes in big, risky jobs, such as banks and armored cars. He's very good at what he does; he's bright, methodical, and has honed his skills as a thief at the expense of his personal life, vowing never to get involved in a relationship from which he couldn't walk away in 30 seconds. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) is an L.A.P.D. detective determined to catch McCauley, but while McCauley's personal code has forced him to do without a wife and children, Hanna's dedication has made a wreck of the home he's tried to have; he's been divorced twice, he's all but a stranger to his third wife, and he has no idea how to reach out to his troubled step-daughter. While McCauley has enough money to retire and is planning to move to New Zealand, he loves the thrill of robbery as much as the profit, and is blocking out plans for one more job; meanwhile, he's met a woman, Eady (Amy Brenneman), whom he's not so sure he can walk away from. The supporting cast includes Val Kilmer as Chris, one of McCauley's partners; Ashley Judd as his wife Charlene; Jon Voight as Nate; Hank Azaria as Alan Marciano; and Henry Rollins as Hugh, who is beaten up by Hanna. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, (more)
Howard Zieff directed this comedy-drama about the emotional awakening of a young girl in a small Pennsylvania town during the summer of 1972. Anna Chlumsky plays eleven-year-old Vada, a quiet child living with her widowed father Harry Dultenfuss (Dan Aykroyd), a local mortician who prepares bodies in his basement. Vada feels responsible for the death of her mother, who died giving birth to her, and lives in an emotional cocoon, her only friend being a personable local boy, Thomas J. Sennett (Macauly Culkin), who suffers from allergies. Like Vada, Harry keeps to himself, until a freelance make-up artist, Shelly DeVoto (Jamie Lee Curtis), comes to town and gets a job working with Harry. Shelly and Harry fall in love and Vada feels threatened by her presence. But then a personal tragedy forces Vada to come out of her emotional shell. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Macaulay Culkin, Anna Chlumsky, (more)
- 1989
Jessica's nephew Grady Fletcher (Michael Horton) and his fiancée Donna Mayberry (Debbie Zipp) have decided to get married in the home of Donna's parents (Eugene Roche, Gale Storm). With Jessica (Angela Lansbury) on the guest list, can murder be far behind? Not likely: This time the victim is Mr. and Mrs. Mayberry's fanatically fastidious housekeeper, who is "done in" with her own meat thermometer! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
When Robin Masters' latest manuscript is stolen, Magnum teams with "old school" private eye Luther Gillis (Eugene Roche) to retrieve the document. The two detectives also try to find out who has attempted to murder Higgins (John Hillerman)--and worse, has done harm to Higgins' beloved Dobermans Zeus and Apollo. Curiously, the case's progression of events closely adheres to the plotline of Robin's unpublished novel, suggesting that someone has a very compelling reason to prevent the book from hitting the shelves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This made-for-TV drama was based on the true story of George McKenna (played by Denzel Washington in one of his first leading roles), an educator in Los Angeles who faced the greatest challenge of his career when he was named Principal of George Washington Memorial High School. Located in a run-down inner-city neighborhood, Washington High was being torn apart by gang violence and drug dealing, and much of the student body seemed more interested in surviving the day than in learning. McKenna was determined to make Washington High a safe place where students could get a quality education which would allow them to go to college if they so desired, but he soon realized he was facing an uphill battle, having to deal not only with gangs and delinquent students, but apathetic teachers and parents too busy or unconcerned to help in the education of their kids. The George McKenna Story also stars Lynn Whitfield, Debra Artis, and Richard Masur; after Denzel Washington's later rise to superstar status, the film was rereleased on home video under the title Hard Lessons. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Denzel Washington
- 1985
The career of boxer Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini is the subject of the made-for-TV biopic. Doug McKeon plays Mancini, while Robert Blake co-stars as his father, Lenny Mancini. An excellent pugilist in his own right, Lenny's career is cut short by his wartime service. Son Ray carries on the tradition into the 1980s, battling his way towards the WBA crown. Heart of a Champion's executive producer was Rocky star Sylvester Stallone, who (it says here) staged the boxing sequences. This heartwarming "do it for the old man" effort was first telecast May 1, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Doug McKeon, (more)
- 1984
Joanna Piper (Suzanne Pleshette) and Mike Coyne (Gil Gerard) are far more concerned with money than with love. To that end, they sign up as contestants for a TV giveaway show. The catch: in order to claim the grand prize of one million dollars, Joanna and Mike must pretend to be hopelessly, passionately in love with one another. The viewer can see the ending coming a mile away, but getting there is half the fun. Made for television, For Love or Money premiered November 20, 1984. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
When his wife becomes the new family breadwinner, a football coach must learn the ins and outs of child care and housecleaning. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Michael Glaser, Dee Wallace, (more)
Loni Anderson plays the 1950s sexpot Jayne Mansfield, who starred in films like The Girl Can't Help It and who married bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay (Arnold Schwarzenegger) before a car accident ended her life. A.K.A. Jayne Mansfield: A Symbol of the '50s. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1977
A Circle of Children is an A-number-one TV adaptation of Mary MacCracken's autobiographical book. Recently separated from her husband, Mary (Jane Alexander) doesn't want to be just one more wealthy, useless divorcee. She plunges into volunteer work at a school for autistic children, where her presence is resented by brilliant but testy special-ed teacher Rachel Roberts, who considers MacCracken merely a dilettante. Ms. MacCracken proves her worth--to the teacher as well as herself--through her efforts to communicate with an 8-year-old victim of autism (Matthew Laborteaux). This Emmy-winning film was followed up by the equally superb Lovey: A Circle of Children, Part Two (1978). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Alexander
Taking over the already profitable Hughes tool company from his deceased father, the teenaged Howard Hughes (Tommy Lee Jones) turns the operation into a billion-dollar business. Along the way, he dabbles in film production, romancing such Hollywood lovelies as Katharine Hepburn (Tovah Feldshuh) and Billie Dove (Lee Purcell). Fame becomes notoreity as Hughes embarks on such projects as the "bosom western" The Outlaw and the "Spruce Goose." He also defiantly stands up to the HUAC-only to become one of America's most virulent anti-Communists. In his twilight years, the fabulously wealthy but increasingly paranoid Hughes lives like a down-and-out hermit in his high-rise Las Vegas suite, communicating only with his trusted associate Noah Dietrich (Ed Flanders), and then not even with him. Adapted from the memoirs of Noah Dietrich, The Amazing Howard Hughes originally aired April 13 and 14, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
This episode boasts a sitcom buff's "dream cast": Richard Mulligan from Soap, Pat Harrington Jr. from One Day at a Time and Florida Friebus from Dobie Gillis and The Bob Newhart Show. The plot involves a Presidential ambassador named Howard Lipton (Mulligan), who is smitten by Shirley Partridge (Shirley Jones)--who in turn finds Lipton to be a crashing bore. Determined to win Shirley over, Lipton unwitting makes her the center of attention for the International press corps--and a pariah to her neighbors! Songs: "How Long is Too Long" and "What Kind of Noise Do You Make". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Chosen for a screen test at World Film Studios, Keith (David Partridge) is consumed with fear and trepidation. Once he lands a role in a major Hollywood film, Keith is once again consumed--this time by an outsized ego. Of course, our hero is once again riding for a fall--but after this experience, will he be able to pick himself up, dust himself off, and start all over again? Future Will and Grace regular Shelley Morrison appears as a talent scout. Songs: "Am I Losing You?" and "Looking Through the Eyes of Love". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
