Glen Pitre Movies
Eric Braeden, Billy Zane, and Sean Young headline this traditional western about one man who stood tall against injustice in a time when corruption corroded the souls of once-decent men. His family slaughtered before his very eyes, plantation supervisor Reese Paxton (Braeden) is subsequently convicted of the crime by Judge Duke (Kennedy) and his sadistic son Billy (James Patrick Stuart) - the very men responsible for carrying out the diabolical deed. But the Dukes never expected that Paxton would return one fateful day to seek justice. When he does, not even the most powerful men in the county will be able to escape his undying wrath. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Greg MacGillivray's Hurricane on the Bayou offers images of the natural beauty of New Orleans, as well as footage of the devastation the city suffered after Hurricane Katrina. The soundtrack is full of some of the most famous names in the city's rich musical history, and the film is narrated by Meryl Streep. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meryl Streep
A woman finds love during World War II, but is also faced with suspicion and a number of unanswered questions in this period drama. Camille Picou (Tatum O'Neal) is a widow raising two children on her own in a fishing community along Louisiana's Gulf Coast. Camille's late husband had a violent past on the wrong side of the law, and since his passing she and her teenaged children - Florida (Lacey Chabert) and Blue (Patrick McCullough) - have been the subject of a great amount of uncharitable local gossip. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor brings America fully into World War II, German U-boats are occasionally spotted patrolling the waters off the gulf, and occasionally attacking commercial fishing vessels. A Coast Guard ensign, Jack Burwell (Eion Bailey), is sent in to monitor the presence of German ships in the water, and he soon develops a strong interest in Florida. Not trusting Burwell, Camille sends her daughter away, and soon the town is rife with rumors that Camille is an informant to Axis military intelligence. In the midst of this crisis, Dr. Lenz (Julian Sands), a physician exiled from Germany, sets up practice in town, and Camille is given a job as his assistant. Camille becomes romantically involved with Lenz, which only increases the scrutiny against her. The Scoundrel's Wife also stars Tim Curry as Father Antoine, the parish priest; the film was directed by Glen Pitre, who also brought to the screen another memorable look at life in Louisiana, Belizaire the Cajun. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tatum O'Neal, Julian Sands, (more)
- 1999
The life of female district attorney Joey Amos (Claire Rankin) is irreversibly altered after she prosecutes the wealthy and influential Dr. Leonard Wolcott (Tom Irwin) for molesting his daughter Dinah (Alexandra Kyle). When Wolcott is acquitted, Joey takes matters in her own hands, escaping with little Dinah and escaping to a woodland retreat. Even here, however, Joey and Dinah are not safe: If the marauding wildlife doesn't kill them, they will surely meet their doom at the hands of the vengeful Dr. Wolcott and his thuggish henchman. Fortunately, the area is under the jurisdiction of a kindly sheriff named Hayes (Julian McMahon), who makes it his personal mission to rescue the fugitives--if only he can overcome his own personal demons. Filmed under the title In Quiet Night, this nailbiter made its American debut over the Lifetime cable network, rechristened You Belong to Me Forever. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
- R
In this prison drama, a woman makes the ultimate sacrifice for her child. Sarah (Catherine Oxenberg) is a nurse whose husband, after losing his job, becomes an abusive alcoholic who batters Sarah and their eight-year-old son Jason (Zach Gray). When Sarah's husband attacks her in a drunken rage, Jason finds his dad's gun and shoots him dead. Hoping to spare her son, Sarah claims to have pulled the trigger herself, and her court-appointed attorney, Patrick Burlington (Jeff Fahey), proves no match for Judge William Engstrom (James Handy), known as Maximum Bill for his severe sentences. Engstrom sends Sarah to a women's prison for eight years, where cold-hearted warden Ms. Reineke (Louise Fletcher) and sleazy guard Duane (Scott Schumacher) inform Sarah that the prison has an unusual "work release" program: the female inmates can reduce their sentences and make money by dancing topless (and turning tricks) for Mr. D. (Bo Hopkins), who runs a strip joint just outside the county line. Those who refuse to play along are subject to violent abuse from both the authorities and the other inmates. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Catherine Oxenberg, Louise Fletcher, (more)
- 1986
This inexpensive but effusively energetic film is set in Louisiana's Cajun country of the 19th century. Belizaire (Armand Assante), unofficial spokesman for his people, butts heads with local bigots who want to rid the area of Cajuns. Belizaire's former girlfriend (Gail Youngs) is now the common-law wife of the film's main antagonist (Will Patton), the son of a wealthy landowner. When Patton is murdered, the locals try to pin the blame on the rabble-rousing Belizaire. He confesses, but only to save his cousin, who'd previously been targeted for lynching. All plot pieces fall into place on the day of Belizaire's scheduled execution. Although an American film, Belizaire the Cajun was unable to get US distribution until it was showered with praise at the Cannes Film Festival. Visually, the film is a banquet, but the multi-dialect soundtrack can be very difficult to follow at times. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Armand Assante, Gail Youngs, (more)
