Stirling Silliphant Movies
American screenwriter and producer Stirling Silliphant is best remembered for his Oscar-winning screenplay for In the Heat of the Night (1967), but during his career, he wrote or helped write over 200 scripts for films and even more television scripts. Other notable Silliphant scripts include Village of the Damned (1962), The Poseidan Adventure (1972), and The Towering Inferno (1974). In 1968, his script for Charly, the film adaptation for the play Flowers for Algernon, helped win Cliff Robertson his Best Actor Oscar. The Detroit native graduated from the University of California and in 1938 became a publicist for Disney and then moved to Twentieth Century Fox to become an assistant for president Spyros Skouras. Silliphant was in the military during WWII and afterward worked in a New York division of Fox. He did not return to Hollywood until the early '50s, after his first novel, Maracaibo, had become a best-seller. Silliphant performed his first duties as a producer for Universal's The Joe Louis Story. Frustrated by hold-ups on the script, Silliphant swore he could do better and decided that he too would become a scriptwriter. He started out in television writing scripts for series ranging from Route 66 to Alcoa Theatre to Perry Mason. He made his film-scriptwriting debut with Five Against the House (1955). Silliphant significantly boosted the career of martial arts master Bruce Lee when he created a large part for him in Marlowe (1969). A serious student of Buddhism, Silliphant and his wife, Tianna (aka Thi Thanh Nga), a Vietnamese director/actress, moved to Bangkok, Thailand, to study their religion. There were also rumors that Silliphant was tired of Hollywood and the trend to value money-making potential over artistry. Silliphant died in Bangkok after a long illness at the age of 78. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1970
- PG
Based on the novel by Rachel Maddux, A Walk in the Spring Rain is a romantic drama directed by Guy Green and adapted to screenplay by Sterling Siliphant. Taking a break from New York, Libby Meredith (Ingrid Bergman) moves to a small house in backwoods Tennessee with her husband, Roger (Fritz Weaver), who is on sabbatical to write a book. Their neighbor, Will Cade (Anthony Quinn), is very helpful to them and to Libby especially. With her intellectual husband paying her little attention, she comes to like the country life and finds herself attracted to Will's rural sensibilities. Though he is married to Ann (Virginia Gregg), Will and Libby start up a middle-aged affair. Libby's daughter, Ellen (Katharine Crawford), arrives asking for help raising her son while she attends Harvard. Soon enough, Will's son (Tom Fielding) finds out about the affair and assaults Libby, leading to drastic consequences for all. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Quinn, Ingrid Bergman, (more)
- 1957
Herbert Marshall, who'd previously starred in Alfred Hitchcock's theatrical features Murder and Foreign Correspondent, is here cast as Harley Condon, an esteemed judge who is saddled with a faithless wife named Gracie (Jarma Lewis). To prove to Gracie that her current lover Wallace Donaldson (Robert Horton) is unworthy of her, Judge Condon concocts a little scheme, involving a supposedly poisoned bottle of wine. Needless to say, the scheme backfires -- on both husband and lover. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Newly hired at a private school, teacher Laura Siddons (Wendy Hiller) suspects that one of her students, a girl named Gloria (Gigi Perreau), is having a clandestine romance. Laura and her gentleman friend, Ben (Robert H. Harris), eventually catch up with Gloria and confirm their suspicions: the girl is not only in love, but also married! Gloria begs Laura not to tell Gloria's mother for fear that the old woman will have a heart attack, whereupon Laura promises to keep the girl's secret -- but things take a sinister turn from this point forward. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Corey Allen, who'd played James Dean's ill-fated "chickie run" opponent in the 1955 feature Rebel without a Cause (and who later became a prolific TV director), is the guest star in this episode. Allen plays Gil Dalliford, who deeply resents the fact that his widowed father Jonathan (Douglas Kennedy) has married the much-younger Rosina (Georgann Johnson). When Jonathan dies, Gil accuses Rosina of poisoning him. But the guilt lies elsewhere -- not only outwardly, but within the conscience of the actual culprit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
An old backstage legend is the source for this, the final episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents' third season. Herbert Marshall stars as over-the-hill actor Colin Bragner, who hopes to stage a comeback in a play written by Adam Longworth (Tom Helmore). For his part, Longworth wants nothing to do with Bragner, considering him to be a mediocre actor. Nevertheless, Bragner invites Longworth and his wife (Julie Adams) to dinner, where he ultimately moves them to tears by telling them of a profoundly tragic incident in his past. Naturally, there's a twist to the story...but no murder this time out. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
En route to prison by train, convicted robber Steve Fontaine (William Redfield) is manacled to his captor, Sgt. Rockwell (Gary Merrill). Hoping to escape his fate, the fast-talking Fontaine attempts to bribe the stalwart Rockwell -- and when this fails, more drastic measures are required. The key to the outcome of the story is literally a key, the one which opens the complicated "Oregon Boot" which holds Fontaine prisoner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Awakening in a strange bed and suffering from a terrible headache -- not to mention the mysterious bruises all over her body -- alcoholic Karen Stewart (Phyllis Thaxter) tries to piece together the events leading up to her present condition. All she can recall at first is her most recent promise to her boyfriend Jeff (Warren Stevens) that she will stop drinking, and stop drinking for good. But Jeff had heard that song many times before, and he was in no mood to put up with her subsequent drunken binge. From this point forward, Karen's mind is a blank...but the blank will soon be filled in a horrific fashion. In light of the serious nature of the story, host Alfred Hitchcock foregoes his usual humorous epilogue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
After several years' separation from her husband, Laura Bowley (Jessica Tandy) leaves London and heads for a reunion with Mr. Bowley (Murray Matheson) in Hong Kong. Upon her arrival, Laura is met by a chauffeur driving a black sedan. When Laura expresses a preference for a yellow sedan, she is surprised to learn that the car had previously been yellow before it was painted black. Nor is this only curious happenstance encountered by Laura en route to her husband: the sedan seems to be haunted, with an eerie female voice telling Laura about a torrid romance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
This poignant playlet is based on a story by A.E.W. Mason, of The Four Feathers fame. After the death of her husband in a freak mountain accident in Switzerland, Stella Ballister (Patricia Owens) solemnly vows to remain faithful to her spouse's memory. Twenty years pass, and throughout all that time Stella refuses to marry, or even to fall in love again. Only when her husband's body turns up perfectly preserved in a glacier does Stella realize that her loyalty was all for naught. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
Season three of Alfred Hitchcock Presents gets under way with one of the series' best and most celebrated episodes -- and one which, surprisingly, is not directed by Alfred Hitchcock himself. As Jim Whitely (William Shatner) and his girlfriend Dorothy (Rosemary Harris) rummage through the possessions of Jim's late sister Julia (Jessica Tandy), they come across a curious item -- a large glass eye. In flashback, Jim recalls the history of this artefact, which stems back to the spinsterish Julia's infatuation with a mysterious, deep-voiced stage ventriloquist known as Max Collodi (Tom Conway). This brilliant episode earned an Emmy award for its director, prolific Alfred Hitchcock Presents contributor Robert Stevens. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, this delightfully macabre episode stars Vincent Price as Charles Courtney, a brilliant and pompous detective who takes pride in the fact that he has never made a wrong decision in his career. Courtney has celebrated this winning streak with a well-stocked trophy room, containing a blank space reserved for "The Perfect Crime" -- just in case a crime comes along that he is unable to solve. Unfortunately, attorney John Gregory (James Gregory) shows up one day with irrefutable evidence that Courtney has condemned an innocent man to death. After absorbing this shock, Courtney recovers sufficiently to create an unusual monument for his trophy room -- with the "help" of the hapless Mr. Gregory. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
Wounded in the French-Algerian war, Sgt. Andre Doniere (Jacques Bergerac) heads back to France in the company of his friend Marcel (Marcel Dalio), who lost a leg saving Andre's life. Although Doniere's return is eagerly awaited by his adoring fiancée, Sybil (Lilyan Chauvin), he is consumed by guilt over the fact that, during his hospital stay, he has fallen in love with another woman named Therese (Susan Kohner). It falls to Marcel to "rescue" his comrade for a second time. This is one of the few Hitchcock episodes without a humorous epilogue -- and for good reason. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A San Francisco narcotics officer goes undercover to South America in an attempt to bust a drug lord and his operation. Of course, the assignment involves her ability to participate in a certain breast-altering operation to smuggle the goods into the States, though her brassiere size may be too large for her to pull off her candidacy. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Dukes, Tiana Alexandra, (more)
In 1961, Cliff Robertson starred in The Two Worlds of Charley Gordon, a TV adaptation of Daniel Keyes' story Flowers for Algernon. Determined not to lose out on the film version of this play as he'd done with Days of Wine and Roses, Robertson bought up the movie rights to Keyes' story so that he and he alone would star. This determination paid off in the form of the Best Actor Academy Award for Robertson in 1968. The star plays Charly, a 30-year-old mentally retarded bakery worker. Neurosurgeon Dr. Richard Nemur (Leon Janney) and psychiatrist Dr. Anna Straus (Lilia Skala) approach Charly and ask him to participate in an experiment. Previously, Dr. Nemur was able to accelerate the intelligence of a mouse named Algernon by performing a radical new form of brain surgery; could not such a procedure work on a human being? As a result, Charly not only achieves normal intelligence, but also becomes a genius. Emboldened by his new mental status, Charly proposes marriage to his very receptive special-ed teacher (Claire Bloom). Alas, Charly notices that Algernon has begun to regress, and he reasons that he also will return to his old developmentally challenged state. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cliff Robertson, Claire Bloom, (more)
This symbol-laden drama explores the inner mythology of martial arts practice and is based on a Bruce Lee story idea. The original screenplay was written by Bruce Lee, with help from actor James Coburn and screenwriter Stirling Silliphant. Lee was to take on the four-in-one role of guide in his film, leaving the hero's role to someone else. Following Bruce Lee's tragic death, the film was rewritten. David Carradine stepped in to play the mysterious guides to aspiring martial arts master Cord (Jeff Cooper). Cord lives in a desert-like world where nearly everyone he meets practices or has practised a martial art. He seeks to find the place where the true inner spirit of the martial arts is being taught. In a story which is imbued with Zen maxims and Asian philosophy, when Cord finally arrives, he finds less (and more) than he hoped for. While there are many combat and fight scenes, the general tone of the film is meditative. Cameo appearances by Roddy McDowall, Eli Wallach, and Christopher Lee supply many of the film's highlights. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Carradine, Jeff Cooper, (more)
- 1958
This biographical drama, chronicles the patriotic exploits of World War II hero Colonel Francis C. Grevemberg, who fought a tough battle against crime and corruption in his home state, Louisiana. He got his chance to serve the state when he was appointed the superintendent of state police by the new governor. Prior to his appointment, Louisiana had been notorious for it's graft, crooked leadership, and criminal underpinnings. Upon accepting his position, Grevemberg vowed to eradicate it from the state governments. It was not an easy task as he met with almost constant opposition from all sides. He and his staff did succeed and Louisiana was a cleaner state. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keith Andes, Maggie Hayes, (more)
The 1975 TV movie Death Scream is based on the shameful Kitty Genovese affair of 1964, in which a N.Y.C. woman was stabbed to death while 38 witnesses locked their windows and doors and pretended not to hear. Raul Julia stars as the detective who investigates the murder and stirs up the guilt feelings of those who refused to help. The film casts celebrity actors in the roles of the witnesses (Diahann Carroll, Cloris Leachman, Lucie Arnaz, Nancy Walker, Art Carney, et al.). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1955
In this film noir, five college students laughingly devise a perfect plan for robbing a casino in Reno. At first they do it just to pass the time, but one of them is deeply in debt and becoming increasingly distraught about it. He successfully cajoles his peers into carrying through with their plans. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Guy Madison, Kim Novak, (more)
- 1981
The made-for-TV Fly Away Home was intended as the pilot for a weekly series. Bruce Boxleitner stars as Carl Danton, a combat photographer assigned to Vietnam. This time around, Danton is compelled to cover the Tet Offensive--and to battle with bureaucratic red tape in order to maintain his journalistic integrity. A subplot concerns internal corruption involving an otherwise respectable Vietnamese family. Featured in the cast as Denton's Vietnamese lady friend Mai is Tiana Alexandra, the wife of the film's producer/screenwriter Stirling Silliphant. Fly Away Home first aired September 18, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
Golden Gate revolves around a San Francisco-based newspaper empire run by a family named Kingsley (it could just as well have been "Kane," since the family was based on you-know-what Frisco-based publishing dynasty). Richard Kiley, the cold and commanding Kingsley patriarch, suffers a heart attack. Kiley's long-estranged son Perry King returns to San Francisco to save the newspaper from bankruptcy, and to stave off a hostile takeover by a crooked money man. There's plenty of tense infighting and terse dialogue, courtesy of veteran TV scenarist Stirling Silliphant. Golden Gate may have smelled like a pilot film, but the story was too self-contained to allow for a subsequent series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Adapted by Stirling Silliphant from his own novel, Huk was filmed on location in the Philippines. George Montgomery heads the cast as a plantation owner who struggles to fend off native insurrectionists (the "Huks" of the title). He is aided in this effort by fellow planter John Baer, whose wife Mona Freeman harbors a secret love for Montgomery. The thrill-packed conclusion finds Montgomery and Baer working shoulder to shoulder to save a boatland of women and children from the Huk guerillas. Ramio Barri portrays the Huk leader as a villain pure and simple, making it easy for the audience to sort out the good and bad guys in this somewhat jingoistic endeavor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Montgomery, Mona Freeman, (more)
The winner of the 1967 Oscar for Best Picture (as well as four other Oscars), In the Heat of the Night is set in a small Mississippi town where an unusual murder has been committed. Rod Steiger plays sheriff Bill Gillespie, a good lawman despite his racial prejudices. When Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier), a well-dressed northern African-American, comes to town, Gillespie instinctively puts him under arrest as a murder suspect. Tibbs reveals himself to be a Philadelphia police detective; after he and Gillespie come to a grudging understanding of one another, Tibbs offers to help in Gillespie's investigation. As the case progresses, both Gillespie and Tibbs betray a tendency to jump to culture-dictated conclusions. Still, the case is solved thanks to the informal teamwork of the two law officers. Based on the novel by John Ball, In the Heat of the Night inspired two sequels, both starring Poiter as Virgil Tibbs. In 1987, a TV series version of In the Heat of the Night appeared, with Carroll O'Connor as Gillespie and Howard Rollins as Tibbs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, (more)
- 1985
This mammoth five-part, 13-hour CBS miniseries was based on the best-selling novel by James A. Michener. Covering the U.S.-Soviet "space race" from the end of WWII to the landing on the moon, the program stars James Garner as Norman Grant, a former war hero turned senator who tirelessly promotes the American space program despite almost insurmountable opposition. Other principal players include John Pope (Harry Hamlin), who matriculates from shavetail West Pointer to pioneering astronaut in the company of fellow space-traveler Randy Claggett (Beau Bridges); Leopold Strabismus (David Dukes), a hedonistic wheeler-dealer who hopes to capitalize on the 1947 UFO scare; German rocket scientist Dieter Kolff (Michael York), whose ideals (or lack thereof) are put to the test when he shifts his allegiance from the Nazis to the Americans; and Stanley Mott (Bruce Dern), an aeronautical engineer whose secret assignment is to make certain that men like Kolff aren't snatched up by the Soviets after the fall of Germany. The winner of three Emmy awards, James A. Michener's Space originally aired from April 14 through 18, 1985; in subsequent showings, the miniseries was cut from 13 to nine hours. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Garner, Harry Hamlin, (more)
- 1970
Longstreet was the pilot for one of the better "gimmick" detective series of the 1970s. The title role of Michael Longstreet is played by James Franciscus. Longstreet is a New Orleans insurance investigator who has been permanently blinded in a mysterious bombing which has killed his wife. As he recuperates and trains himself to function in a sighted world, Longstreet determines to avenge his wife's death by continuing his detective work and tracking down his assailant. Longstreet's closest companions are his female braille instructor (Martine Beswick in the pilot, Marliyn Mason in the series) and Pax, his seeing-eye dog. Longstreet was created and produced by Stirling Silliphant of In the Heat of the Night and Naked City fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
