Vincent Sherman Movies
Born Abram Orovitz, the Vienna, GA native Vincent Sherman became a professional actor not long after he graduated from Oglethorpe University. Like many other Broadway regulars, Sherman arrived in Hollywood in the early talkie years, where he appeared in such films as Counsellor-at-Law (1933). In 1938, Sherman signed on at Warner Bros. as a director; he received his first directorial credit for the 1939 Return of Dr. X, starring Humphrey Bogart.Sherman began at the studio's B-unit, and quickly built a reputation for his ability to take any script, no matter how weak or mediocre, and turn it into a five-star blockbuster; this inveterate talent yielded increasingly bankable projects over time, and by 1942 Sherman was helming such A-list pictures as Humphrey Bogart's All Through the Night (1942), Bette Davis' Old Acquaintance (1943) and Mr. Skeffington (1944), and Joan Crawford's Goodbye My Fancy (1950). In the mid-'50s, the inane HUAC damaged Sherman's career (thanks to his WPA involvement, some two decades prior), which forced him onto McCarthy's "Gray List"; this restrained the progress of his career by six or seven years, but Sherman rebounded, with such pictures as The Garment Jungle (1957), The Naked Earth (1958), Ice Palace (1960), Fever in the Blood (1961), and the 1966 Cervantes, which became his final theatrical film. Sherman spent the next three decades in television, directing such made-for-TV movies as The Last Hurrah (1978) and Women at West Point (1979), and helming episodes of such series as The Waltons, Baretta, and Trapper John, M.D.
Despite a long marriage to Hedda Comorau, Sherman engaged in a number of high-profile Tinseltown affairs (which his wife, according to his personal website, accepted unblinkingly, as "part and parcel" of the Hollywood lifestyle); these included a three-year entanglement with the irascible Joan Crawford. A good friend of actor Errol Flynn, the patient Sherman helped see the ever-inebriated Flynn through the arduous production schedule of The Adventures of Don Juan (1949).
In his later years, Sherman published the autobiographical career overview Studio Affairs. He made his final bigscreen appearance in the 1995 retrospective documentary Forever Hollywood. Sherman died eleven years later, at the Motion Picture and Television Fund Hospital in Woodland Hills, CA on June 18, 2006, one month shy of his 100th birthday. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
- Add Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust to QueueAdd Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust to top of Queue
The American film industry took it upon itself to act as a cheerleader for United States and Allied military interests during World War II, but Hollywood was initially reluctant to directly condemn Nazi anti-Semitism, and it wasn't until years after the war ended that American filmmakers began offering a realistic, dramatic look at the horrible toll of Hitler's "final solution." Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust is a documentary which examines how filmmakers reacted to German scapegoating of Jews before, during, and after the war, ranging from the boldness of Confessions of a Nazi Spy and The Mortal Storm (both of which were produced before America entered the war) to more oblique statements during the war itself, and then finally leading to an honest portrayal of the full consequences of the Holocaust beginning in the '50s. Produced for the cable television network American Movie Classics, Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust was premiered at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Hackman, Sidney Lumet, (more)
- 2003
The life and career of 1940s sex symbol Rita Hayworth (1918-1987) is affectionately but uncompromisingly recounted in this cable TV documentary, produced by Hugh Hefner and narrated by actress Kim Basinger. Born into a show business family, Rita Cansino was still a pre-teen when she attracted the attention of Hollywood with her sultry Latin looks and her remarkable dancing skills. With her first husband, the much-older Edward C. Judson, as her manager and agent, Rita managed to land a starlet contract at 20th Century Fox, then moved on to greater glory when, signed by Columbia Pictures, she was re-christened Rita Hayworth and given a more "all-American" image via cosmetic surgery, electrolysis, and a new crop of flaming red hair. Though her career was sometimes impeded by Columbia boss Harry Cohn, who was upset that she continued to fend off his advances, Rita ultimately achieved superstardom as the alluring star of such films as Cover Girl and Gilda. Alas, her private life was never quite as satisfying as her professional one: After breaking up with Judson, she entered into a well-publicized but ultimately unhappy marriage to Orson Welles, then, in quick succession, wed a foreign prince, Aly Khan; a popular singer, Dick Haymes; and a flamboyant movie producer, James Hill. Through it all, the painfully shy and retiring actress yearned to be simply a normal wife and mother, but the pressures and responsibilities of international stardom denied her this balm. Rita's final years were clouded by Alzheimer's disease, which ended not only her career but her life. Among the interviewees in this documentary are Hayworth's daughter Yasmin Aga Khan, who has devoted her life to helping other victims of Alzheimer's, and Rita's best friend, musical star Ann Miller. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kim Basinger, Yasmin Aga Kahn, (more)
- 2002
Narrated by Anjelica Huston, this cable-TV documentary offered an up-close and personal look at the life and career of quintessential movie queen Joan Crawford. From her humble beginnings as MGM contract starlet Lucille LaSeuer, Crawford climbed to the top with a heady combination of talent, tenacity, glamour, hard work -- and obsessive, manipulative ruthlessness, both onscreen and off. Written off as "box-office poison" in the early '40s, Crawford confounded her detractors by changing studios and staging a spectacular comeback, winning the Academy Award for her performance in Warner Bros.' Mildred Pierce. She managed to hold on to her stardom well into the 1970s, plunging headlong into the horror genre with such masterworks as What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? -- not to mention such dogs as Berserk! and Trog. In private life, Crawford married several times (her union with Pepsi Cola executive Alfred Steele briefly but memorably transformed her into a high-pressure businesswoman) and enjoyed the favors of dozens of men along the way. She also "enjoyed" a reputation as a domestic tyrant, allegedly insisting upon an immaculately clean home and holding her children in the grip of horrified fascination. In addition to excerpts from Crawford's classic (and not-so-classic) films, the documentary includes interviews with such interested parties as the actress' first husband, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., her directors (George Cukor and Vincent Sherman), her costars (Anita Page and Cliff Robertson), her biographer Bob Thomas -- and, inevitably, her stepdaughter, Christina Crawford, whose warts-and-all biography Mommie Dearest yielded one of the most campily outrageous biopics in movie history. Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star debuted August 1, 2002 over the Turner Classic Movies cable service. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anjelica Huston
- 1980
In this drama, union organizers, desperate to control the lumber and mining empire of a wealthy family, resort to sabotage. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Old-time Hollywood director Vincent Sherman brings a glossy studio-bound look to The Dream Merchants, a two-part, four-hour adaptation of Harold Robbins' novel. The story follows the career of a pioneer filmmaker (Mark Harmon), who comes to Hollywood in the early 20th century with a pocketful of dreams and helps build the sleepy California orange-grove community into the world's entertainment capital. Typical of the Harold Robbins ouevre, most of the characters are based on real-life movie personalities: Robert Goulet's vainglorious matinee idol is a combination of John Barrymore and Douglas Fairbanks, while Vincent Gardenia's vitriolic mogul can be taken as a low-budget Louis B. Mayer. The film is rife with historical inaccuracies (Goulet is informed that the closeup has "just been invented by D. W. Griffith" as a means to convince him to sign a long-term contract assuring him plenty of closeups!), while the haircuts and speech patterns are firmly locked into the 1980s. All the same, The Dream Merchants was a profitable entry in the syndicated "Operation Prime Time" series of TV specials. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Vincent Sherman, who back in Hollywood's heyday directed Humphrey Bogart in The Return of Dr. X and All Through the Night, helmed the TV biopic Bogie. Unfortunately, Sherman was unable to overcome a cliched, bowdlerized screenplay, nor could he cover up the fact that star Kevin O'Connor had none of Humphrey Bogart's movie-star charisma. The film sketchily covers Bogart's life between 1899 and 1944, then zeroes in on the romance between Bogie and his To Have and Have Not leading lady Lauren Bacall, phlegmatically portrayed by Kathryn Harrold (the real Bacall reportedly refuses to see this film). Ann Wedgeworth makes a meal of her portrayal of Bogart's third wife Mayo "Sluggsy" Methot, while Bogie's close pals Patrick O'Moore and "Prince" Michael Romanoff are played, respectively, by Donald May and Alfred Ryder. Other Bogart intimates impersonated in this film include Peter Lorre (played by Herb Braham), Jack Warner (Richard Dysart), Leslie Howard (Stephen Keep), Howard Hawks (Ross Elliot), and wife #2 Mary Phillips (Carol Vogel). The script was by Daniel Tadarash, who wrote the 1949 Bogart film Knock on Any Door; it was based on Joe Hyams' affectionate (and far superior) biography of the star. Bogie was first telecast March 4, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Women at West Point is a close-order-drill soap opera inspired by the Point's first women cadets, who entered the school as "plebes" in 1976. Unable to dwell upon the lives and times of all 119 women, the film concentrates upon ever-victimized plebe Linda Purl. What could have been an entertaining, informative film spirals downward quickly to the usual "Freshman Hell Week" stuff. The script continually condemns the sexism of the male upperclassmen, but the lascivious dialogue exchanges about underwear, "plumbing" and mammary glands is annoying sexist in itself. More disheartening is the fact that Women at West Point was directed by Hollywood veteran Vincent Sherman, who in happier times had directed some of the best "independent female" films of the 1940s, starring the likes of Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Ida Lupino. The biggest disappointment of all: Women of West Point falls to mention that of the original 119 female plebes, 64 made it to graduation--a fact infinitely more inspiring than anything in this TV movie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Dyan Cannon stars in this film inspired by the true story of Sally Stanford, who rose from notoriety as the madam of a famous San Francisco brothel of the 1930s to winning election as the city's mayor in 1976. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1977
1977's Last Hurrah is a TV-movie remake of the 1958 John Ford film of the same name. Both versions are based on the Edwin O'Connor novel about the last days of flamboyant, larcenous Mayor Frank Skeffington--based upon the equally colorful, equally underhanded Boston mayor James Curley. Carroll O'Connor plays Skeffington in the 1977 version (it was Spencer Tracy back in 1958). O'Connor spends the bulk of the film trying in manners both subtle and strongarm to win re-election--and to race the clock against his own failing health. While the 1958 Last Hurrah is superior, the 1977 Hurrah has the saving grace of Carroll O'Connor's exuberant performance; O'Connor also wrote the script for this remake. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Samantha Eggar guest stars as daycare worker Laurie Eckhardt, the newest girlfriend of undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake). Things become tense when Laurie is paid a visit by an escaped murderer. Clearly, she and the escapee have a close personal bond, but until Laurie admits what that bond is, her life is in danger -- and not even Baretta can help her. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Edward Grover, (more)
- 1976
Andrea Marcovicci guest stars as Sandra Fleming, an intrepid -- and somewhat obnoxious -- newspaper reporter. Undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) is none too happy when Sandra begins tagging along on his latest investigation. If she isn't careful, Sandra will botch Baretta's efforts to solve the attempted robbery of 500,000 dollars in syndicate money -- and probably get herself bumped off in the bargain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Edward Grover, (more)
- 1973
Unable to produce the deed to their land, the Waltons are threatened with eviction from the mountain by a powerful lumber company. In order to raise the $200 necessary to register a deed, John (Ralph Waite) and John-Boy (Ralph Waite) head to the "big city", looking for work. Just when it seems that their troubles are over, the money is stolen by a pair of street bandits. An unhappy ending? Not THIS early in the nine-year TV run of The Waltons!. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
When her limousine breaks down on the Mountain, flamboyant Hollywood actress Alvira Drummond (Pippa Scott) accepts the hospitality of the Walton family. Not unexpectedly, Mary Ellen (Judy Norton-Taylor) is quite star-struck by the glamorous visitor--while Grandma Walton (Ellen Corby) dourly disapproves of Alvira's "fast" lifestyle , and is openly suspicious of the actress' claims that all her money and valuables have been stolen. Thanks to gossipy telephone operator Fanny Tatum (played here by Dorothy Neumann rather than Sheila Allen), a few inconvenient truths about the "fabulously successful" Alvira Drummond ultimately come to light. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
A family of Jewish refugees settles in a small cottage on Walton's Mountain. Terrified that the Nazi persecution that had forced them from their homeland has followed them to America, Professor David Mann (Noah Keen) warns his family not tell anyone that they are Jewish. Crestfallen that he will not be permitted to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah, Paul Mann (Radames Peras) loses all respect for his father--and it is up to the Waltons to convince the Manns that their dark days are past, and to reunite the Professor and his son. Featured as Eva Mann is Ellen Geer, the daughter of series regular Will Geer (Grandpa Walton). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
The debut episode of The Waltons is set in 1933, with the Walton family of Virginia coping as best they can with the ravages of the Depression. The emphasis is on eldest Walton son John-Boy (Richard Thomas), who is struggling to communicate with a melancholy deaf girl named Holly (Erica Hunton), whose mother Ruth (Charlotte Stewart) had abandoned the girl on the Walton doorstep. Almost miraculously, John-Boy and his siblings are able to break through to Holly and teach her sign language. Unfortunately, while trying to convey the information that John-Boy's sister Elizabeth (Kami Cotler) has gotten locked in a trunk, Holly is intercepted by her father Anson (Richard Kelton), who, failing to understand the girl's wild gesticulations, takes her home, leaving poor Elizabeth to her fate! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
- PG
This epic Spanish biopic chronicles the life of Cervantes, Spain's great novelist, playwright and poet, during the 16th-century, when as a young man he goes to Italy to become a soldier for the Pope. Later he helps the Pope's emissary wage war against the Spanish Moors. His exploits win him great favor. He falls in love with a famous Italian courtesan and she with him. Unfortunately, the Pope splits them apart with his newest decree which demands that all prostitutes leave the city. Upset, Cervantes goes to fight in the famed sea battle of Lepanto and comes back a hero. Later he is captured by Barbary pirates and ransomed by Trinitarian friars. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1961
In this routine political drama by Vincent Sherman, a murder trial is converted into one piece in the complex interaction between three candidates for governor. Judge Hoffman (Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.) is a solid, anchoring presence in his courtroom, qualities which should stand him in good stead when election day arrives. Senator Simon (Don Ameche) has all the scruples of a hungry ferret and tries to bribe the judge to take on a position in the federal judicial system in lieu of his candidacy. The District Attorney, Dan Callahan also has an ethics-free approach to politics and is not likely to change. Complicating matters is the fact that the Senator's wife Cathy (Angie Dickinson) was once in love with Judge Hoffman. By the time these protagonists get through dealing with the race for governor and each other's scruples -- or lack of them -- circumstances have drastically changed the picture. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Angie Dickinson, (more)
- 1961
Though the title suggests that this film is a musical romance built around the song hit of the same name, Second Time Around is actually a comedy western. Debbie Reynolds plays a young widow who in 1912 moves with her children to a wild and wooly Arizona town. At first having trouble coming to grips with frontier life, Reynolds adjusts quite well--to the extent that she is appointed sheriff. She is courted by Andy Griffith and Steve Forrest, both of whom ride to the rescue when Reynolds bites off more than she can chew and she is captured by outlaws. Sheriff Reynolds marries Forrest, while Griffith, presumably, moves on to a new job in Mayberry. The big selling angle of Second Time Around was a very brief farcical scene involving Debbie Reynolds and a bathtub, which ended up plastered all over the advertising material for this film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Debbie Reynolds, Steve Forrest, (more)
- 1960
Based on the Edna Ferber novel, this engrossing period piece covers the triumphs, tragedies, loves, and sorrows of a few generations of Alaskan settlers between the first World War and the granting of statehood in 1959. Zeb (Richard Burton) is a local despot whose tough personality dominates the region. He is openly bigoted against the Inuit, and his greedy nature has led him to reject the woman he really loves to marry another with plenty of money. Thor (Robert Ryan) starts out as Zeb's ally and friend, but due to their diametrically opposed natures, that friendship turns into an entrenched hatred. In this unpredictable, harsh wilderness Zeb discovers that he ultimately cannot control his daughter and irony of ironies, he and Thor end up connected through the marriage of a son and daughter. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Burton, Robert Ryan, (more)
- 1959
Something of an urbanized, upscale version of Peyton Place, Vincent Sherman's
The Young Philadelphians is a glossy adaptation of Richard Powell's bestselling novel
The Philadelphians that revels in melodrama. The film opens strongly, with a lengthy 1924 prologue. Socialite Kate Lawrence (Diane Brewster) jilts impoverished lover Mike Flannagan (Brian Keith) in favor of wealthy William Lawrence (Adam West). On their wedding night, William drunkenly announces that he's impotent and commits suicide (this scene should fascinate Batman fans). Returning to Mike, Kate has a child by him, Tony. The boy grows up amid an atmosphere of dire poverty, which imparts him with a relentless drive for success. Flash forward to 1952: the out-of-wedlock kid, Tony, has grown up (now played by Paul Newman) and still doesn't know that he was an illegitimate child. Tony attends Princeton Law School, and falls in love with rich girl Joan Dickinson (Barbara Rush). Via the doings of Joan's father, wealthy Gilbert Dickinson (John Williams), Tony ends up taking a cushy job in a law office, at the expense of the relationship. The heartbroken Joan marries Carter Henley (Fred Eisley) on the rebound, who is conveniently killed in Korea. Tony then begins spending a prodigious amount of time with Carol Wharton (Alexis Smith), wife of attorney John Wharton (Otto Kruger), so that she will persuade John to find Tony a better job. Soon it's Tony's turn to fight in Korea; when he returns, the opportunity arises for Tony to redeem himself for his past misdeeds. Watch for Richard "Mel Cooley" Deacon in a bit as a hostile witness. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The Young Philadelphians is a glossy adaptation of Richard Powell's bestselling novel
The Philadelphians that revels in melodrama. The film opens strongly, with a lengthy 1924 prologue. Socialite Kate Lawrence (Diane Brewster) jilts impoverished lover Mike Flannagan (Brian Keith) in favor of wealthy William Lawrence (Adam West). On their wedding night, William drunkenly announces that he's impotent and commits suicide (this scene should fascinate Batman fans). Returning to Mike, Kate has a child by him, Tony. The boy grows up amid an atmosphere of dire poverty, which imparts him with a relentless drive for success. Flash forward to 1952: the out-of-wedlock kid, Tony, has grown up (now played by Paul Newman) and still doesn't know that he was an illegitimate child. Tony attends Princeton Law School, and falls in love with rich girl Joan Dickinson (Barbara Rush). Via the doings of Joan's father, wealthy Gilbert Dickinson (John Williams), Tony ends up taking a cushy job in a law office, at the expense of the relationship. The heartbroken Joan marries Carter Henley (Fred Eisley) on the rebound, who is conveniently killed in Korea. Tony then begins spending a prodigious amount of time with Carol Wharton (Alexis Smith), wife of attorney John Wharton (Otto Kruger), so that she will persuade John to find Tony a better job. Soon it's Tony's turn to fight in Korea; when he returns, the opportunity arises for Tony to redeem himself for his past misdeeds. Watch for Richard "Mel Cooley" Deacon in a bit as a hostile witness. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Newman, Barbara Rush, (more)
- 1958
A poor Irishman goes to Africa to help a friend harvest his tobacco, but upon arrival, he learns that his friend was eaten by a crocodile. His friend's French mistress proposes marriage and they work on the tobacco crop until the natives helping them leave for a ritual. He starts hunting crocodiles and gets enough skins to send both he and his mistress back home, but some traders steal the skins and three of the natives are killed getting them back. He and the mistress decide to repay the natives by staying and adapting to their way of life while teaching them about Western culture. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Todd, Juliette Greco, (more)
Vincent Sherman replaced an uncredited Robert Aldrich as director of this noirish and atypically pro-union film from the 1950's. Tulio Renata (Robert Loggia), an organizer for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, campaigns to unionize the employees of dress factory owner Walter Mitchell (Lee J. Cobb). Viscerally opposed to the union, Mitchell has hired Artie Ravidge (Richard Boone) to thwart Renata's efforts. In a complex oedipal sub-plot, Walter's son Alan (Kerwin Matthews) returns home and joins the firm following the suspicious death of his father's partner. Alan is more sympathetic to the union and attempts to persuade his father to sign a contract. Only after Ravidge kills Renata, and the elder Mitchell finally admits to himself that Ravidge is a thug who also killed his partner, does he agree to negotiate with the union. Before he can do so, however, he, too, is murdered by Ravidge's goons. It is then left to Alan, increasingly involved with Renata's widow Theresa (Gia Scala), to run the business, bring Ravidge to justice, and settle with the union. Similar to Herbert Biberman's Salt of the Earth (1954) in its overt support of the labor movement, The Garment Jungle is clearly a liberal, not a radical, film. Rather than advocate class warfare, it asserts that honest unions and decent capitalists can work together honorably. The film's real fire is found in the personal conflicts between Tulio and Theresa and Walter and Alan. Cobb, Loggia, and Scala perform with intense and multi-dimensional passion. Particularly noteworthy is Theresa's fury at her husband for taking excessive, and ultimately fatal, risks. ~ Steve Press, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee J. Cobb, Kerwin Mathews, (more)
- 1956
Two directors called the shots on Difendo il Mio Amore; Giulio Macchi helmed the original Italian version, while Hollywood's Vincent Sherman handled the English-language version. In a radical departure from her usual sexpot roles, Martine Carol plays a dull, drab young woman whose life is permanently altered when she becomes involved in a murder case. Journalist Vittorio Gassman, ever on the prowl for a scoop, pursues Martine for the "real story," championing her cause in the process. The result, however, is misery and heartbreak for all concerned. Featured in the cast is Alan Furlan, an American actor then working in Italy who later returned to the U.S. to become the mentor of Wisconsin's famed Sunset Playhouse. The English version of Difendo il Mio Amore was released as To Defend My Love. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martine Carol, Vittorio Gassman, (more)
In this romantic spy thriller, a nightclub performer plys her trade in her husband's Trinidad bar. He is murdered by a notorious spy. Soon afterward, the police ask the widow to try to get close to the killer and gather information. Her work is nearly thwarted when her bumbling brother-in-law appears, looking to bring the killer to justice himself. This film marked the return of bombshell Rita Hayworth who had retired from movies during her marriage to Prince Aly Khan. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, Rita Hayworth, (more)
