Bruce Pittman Movies
- 2002
This weekly, 60-minute series was based on the true story of one of the FBI's most unusual operatives. Deaf since the age of 18 months, Sue Thomas neither asked for nor received sympathy for her handicap at any time in her life: Indeed, as a youngster she was known to periodically bloody the noses of kids who taunted her in school. As an adult, Thomas became an accomplished pianist, and earned a political science degree from Massachusetts Springfield College. According to the chronology of the TV series, Sue was working as a fingerprint analyst at the FBI when agent Jack Hudson suddenly realized the value of her lip-reading skills. Thus did Sue become an agent herself, specializing in surveillance and deliberately seeking out the most exciting and dangerous assignments. Deaf actress Deanne Bray starred as Sue Thomas, with Yannick Bisson as Jack Hudson and "hearing-ear" dog Levi as himself. Though never shirking in its action and adventure content, Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye was family friendly and upbeat in the best PAX Network tradition. Created by Dave Alan Johnson and Gary R. Johnson, the series premiered October 13, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Deanne Bray, Yannick Bisson, (more)
- 2002
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Told from the perspective of a family who witnessed the historic tragedy firsthand, director Bruce Pittman's painstakingly detailed docudrama follows the events that unfolded in 1917 when a French freighter loaded with explosives collided with a Belgian reef ship in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The world was consumed by war, and as the French freighter Mont Blanc raced across the Canadian countryside with a substantial shipment of TNT no one could have foreseen the disaster that was about to unfold. When the Mont Blanc collided with the Belgian reef ship, the explosion that erupted claimed nearly 2000 lives, and could be felt over a hundred miles away. The devastation itself spread for miles in every direction, destroying homes, claiming lives, and prompting a courageous rescue mission that would highlight the remarkable heroism of everyday Canadians. Shauna MacDonald, Graham Greene, and Pete Postlewaite star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
In a real change-of-pace role, Barbara Mandrell is cast as Texas widow Ruth Wagner, the mother of Leslie Wanger (Tracey Gold), who is expecting a baby of her own. Both mother and daughter are plunged into despair when Leslie's infant son is kidnapped, almost literally from the womb, by ex-prostitute Karen (Lisa Zane), who desperately hopes that her "instant" family will prevent her drug-dealing husband Cody (William Moses) from tossing her back on the street. Adding to the burden of the Wagner family is the fact that Ruth is suffering from a heart condition that could snuff her out at any moment. Described by one TV critic as "the stupidest TV-movie of the century thus far" (it wasn't, but it came mighty close), Stolen from the Heart debuted January 26, 2000 on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tracey Gold, Lisa Zane, (more)
- 1999
- R
A case of mistaken identity has dangerous consequences in this crime thriller. Bob Lessing (Dean Cain) is a successful businessman who finds himself on the wrong side of Vic Haddock (Eric Roberts), a vicious crime boss who thinks that Bob is actually his brother Phil (Peter Stebbings). Phil owes Vic a large sum of money, and Vic is not reluctant to use violence to get his money back; an already tense situation is made even more uncomfortable when it turns out that all three men are involved with the same woman. No Alibi was also released under the title The Unconcerned. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Cain, Eric Roberts, (more)
- 1999
A young girl stuck in a horrific cycle of familial violence finds the power to build her own future from the place she least suspected in an inspiring tale of friendship and devotion starring Ossie Davis and Della Reese, and directed by Bruce Pittman. For years Jo Ann Foley (Madeline Zima) has suffered under the cruel hand of her ruthless grandfather. A chance meeting with kindly neighbors Honey (Reese) and her husband Too Tall (Davis) finds things looking up, however, as the nurturing couple provides Jo Ann with the support needed to break free of her grandfather's tyrannical grip. As the future lies before her ready to be molded however she sees fit, Jo Ann must now find the courage to let go of the past and seek the redemption needed to start life anew. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Based on actual events from the early '90s and first aired on the Family Channel, this exciting drama centers on the attempts of one small town to keep the Mississippi river from destroying it. The leaders in this seemingly impossible quest are widower farmer Herb and the Army Corps of Engineers woman he loves. Despite their efforts to shore up the town's levees, the water keeps rising, and the town is increasingly at risk. When a levee up-river breaks, Herb's kids are caught in the flood and a massive search ensues. Finally, just as the town is about to be inundated, Herb finds himself forced to make a difficult decision between the town's welfare and his own. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Thomas, Kate Vernon, (more)
Just in case the title didn't spill the beans, this made-for-TV nail-biter was based on a novel by Steve Martini. In the midst of a bitter child-custody battle with her former husband, Jack (Richard Masur), Laurel Vega (Patricia Richardson) is accused of murdering Jack's new, pregnant wife, Melanie (Allison Mackie). Although he knows Laurel is innocent, Jack lies to the police, using his clout as a senator to rid himself of Laurel once and for all. She, in turn, could clear herself in a minute by revealing the name of the real murderer -- but she can't without ruining the life of her 16-year-old son, Danny (Eric Michael Cole). Caught in the middle of this intrigue is Paul Madriani (Brian Dennehy), Laurel's defense attorney -- and, incidentally, her brother-in-law. With more twists and turns than a mountain trail, the two-part, four-hour Steve Martini's Undue Influence pleased the crowd when it first aired over CBS on September 15, and 17, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Dennehy, Patricia Richardson, (more)
Yuppie couple Denise Harris (Alyssa Milano) and Roger Lewis (Cameron Bancroft) get it in their wee little heads to head off to Alaska, there to work a gold mine some 75 miles away from civilization, At first, Denise and Roger revel in their exotic new surroundings, but before long the weather goes from cold to really cold, the supplies run out, and all contact with the outside world is cut off. Are the two city-dwellers prepared to endure the ordeal of making their way back to town or will they end up a pair of frozen Yuppie-sickles? In one of the big dramatic moments, the starving Denise and Roger seriously consider eating their pet dog; one suspects that this idea is borne of jealousy, since the dog gives the film's best performance. Lensed on location in British Columbia, the made-for-TV To Brave Alaska originally aired November 3, 1996, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alyssa Milano, Cameron Bancroft, (more)
- 1996
Devoted parents search for their daughter in this strange, fact-based made-for-television movie. Set in the 1850s, Louis Gossett Jr. stars as James Mink, a wealthy Canadian businessman who is married to a white woman (Kate Nelligan). When their daughter is duped into marrying a slave trader, the Minks set out for the American South to track down their missing daughter and bring her back home. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1995
- R
Sean Astin stars as the title character in this creepy made-for-cable adaptation of the Kurt Vonnegut classic. Set in a future America, where a small, elite group controls the masses, teen Harrison Bergeron is chosen to lead a movement that promotes mediocrity. Christopher Plummer stars as John Klaxon, the mastermind behind the attempt to uniformly dumb-down Americans. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1994
A high-profile murder case sets off a powderkeg of racial animosity in this made-for-television drama. When an Asian youth is killed in a street altercation by a gang of African-American teens, a Asian-American prosecutor (Mia Korf) and a black social worker (Clark Johnson) find themselves working together to help crack the case. However, both soon find harsh criticism on both sides of the racial divide. Meanwhile, a witness to the crime comes forward -- the younger brother of one gang member (Amir Williams). Silent Witness: What a Child Saw also features Bill Nunn and Richard Yearwood. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
While coming of age in the inner city, Darryl Crawford (Amir Williams), a young African-American man with a tremendous sense of familial loyalty, happens to witness a gang-related bloodbath and is horrified to discover that his beloved older brother Sly (Richard Chevolleau) is one of the perpetrators, in Bruce Pittman's made-for-cable urban dramaBlood Brothers. Primarily, Darryl grapples with his conscience over informing on Sly -- but this fear becomes second-string when the remaining gang members close in on both brothers and threaten their lives. Blood Brothers features acclaimed black character playerBill Nunn (Regarding Henry) in a key supporting role as the boys' father. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clark Johnson, Mia Korf, (more)
- 1989
The Canadian Where the Spirit Lives begins on a sombre note, as several Native American children are forcibly rounded up by the government and placed in orphanages. As sparse as life was on the reservation, it is even worse in these government-supported institutions. The latest arrival is Michelle St. John, a girl possessed with more than the usual quotient of feistiness. Refusing to buckle under the system, Michelle attempts daring escape. Despite its grim trappings, Where the Spirit Lives is an ultimately uplifting experience. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clayton Julian
- 1987
- R
Though not a true sequel to Paul Lynch's derivative slasher-dud Prom Night, this Carrie-flavored horror film begins in 1957 with the fiery death of bitchy prom queen Mary Lou Maloney (Lisa Schrage) courtesy of a backfired stinkbomb stunt pulled by her jealous ex-boyfriend. Thirty years later, her killer has become the school principal (Michael Ironside), and sweet, innocent Vicki (Wendy Lyon) is a contender for the prom-queen title. Mary Lou's vengeful spirit spies the perfect opportunity to reclaim her crown once and for all. The rest of the film involves Vicki adopting Mary Lou's less-than-reputable habits and messily destroying anyone who stands between her and the coveted title. High points include a telekinetic "Tutti Frutti" locker-room squashing and a swirling demonic blackboard, all courtesy of FX wizard Jim Doyle, who worked previously on A Nightmare on Elm Street, to which this film bears some stylistic similarities. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Ironside, Wendy Lyon, (more)
- 1986
- R
Confidential a Canadian-made, low-budget, but stylish thriller directed by Bruce Pittman, is the familiar story of a detective forced to solve a crime. Reporter Hugh Jameson (Neil Munro) disappears while investigating a murder that occurred 30 years ago. A reporter who is interested in the case finds that he now must solve both murders, but much to his surprise, he himself becomes a target. Though it was produced on a shoe-string budget, this is nonetheless a stylish, interesting thriller with decent production values, and Director Pittman makes the most of his cast and his interesting, script. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Neil Munro, August Schellenberg, (more)
- 1986
At 10:20 PM on June 16, 1985, an avuncular chap named Ray Bradbury, sitting at his typewriter in a room overflowing with clutter, introduced the first of HBO's dramatizations of his off-kilter short stories. Strange Tales: Ray Bradbury Theatre is a videotaped collection of three of those stories (though not the first three telecast, as has sometimes been listed). "The Town Where No One Got Off" stars Jeff Goldblum in the tale of a murder scheme gone awry. "The Screaming Woman," previously (and somewhat clumsily) produced as a made-for-TV movie, stars Drew Barrymore as a little girl whose penchant for lies backfires when she hears the sound of a woman's screams emanating from under her feet. And "The Banshee" features Peter O'Toole and Charles Martin Smith in the story of a roguish old film director whose amorous past comes back to literally haunt him (it is said that Bradbury wrote this story to settle an old score with filmmaker John Huston). Strange Tales is so good that one wishes the rest of Ray Bradbury Theater had come up to its standards. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
A Canadian film, Mark of Cain is a tale of mistaken-identity that throws an innocent man into prison while his evil twin terrorizes a rural landscape. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1981
In this magical fantasy, a little girl becomes a time traveler when she puts on the coat she finds in her grandma's attic. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Megan Follows
