Kent Smith Movies
Harvard graduate Kent Smith formed a theater company in Massachusetts before making his Broadway debut in 1932's Men Must Fight. Three years later, Smith entered films with a second role in The Garden Murder Case. Smith's colorlessness as a leading man was used to excellent advantage in producer Val Lewton's Cat People movies of the 1940s, wherein Smith played the handsome but clueless husband of feline-possessed Simone Simon (in Cat People) and the unimaginative father of overimaginative moppet Anne Carter (in Curse of the Cat People). Married twice, Smith's second wife was prominent Broadway actress Edith Atwater. In films until the 1960s, Kent Smith was also briefly a regular on TV's Peyton Place; his credits should not be confused with those of film editor Kent Smith. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1993
Softcore porn auteur Gregory Hippolyte directed this thriller featuring plenty of female nudity and starring Nick Cassavetes, son of famed indie director John Cassavetes. Beverly Hills shrink Dr. Jonathan Brooks (Cassavetes) seemingly has everything to lose: wealth, a successful practice, and a beautiful lawyer fiancée, Jennifer (Diana Barton). There's a serial killer on the loose in L.A., so Brooks is helping his cop friend Harry Reams (Richard Roundtree) compile a psychological profile of the murderer. Brooks is also treating an interesting new patient, Laura (Shannon Whirry), a shy hooker who transforms under hypnosis into a completely different woman, the seductive Lana. Brooks has a torrid affair with the irresistible Lana, but he's getting more than he bargained for. Lana steals the videotapes of her "sessions" with the good doctor and blackmails him with the damning evidence, destroying Brooks' life in the process. In the meantime, Harry closes in on a biker (Don Swayze) who might be the killer -- and the suspect has a connection to Lana. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- 1983
This speculative sci-fi drama is set in a post WW III world. The story centers on a militant band of women who brainwash and change the gender of a young man and send "it" to Wales to kill the leader of a gang of white slavers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Sibling rivalry gets out of hand in this drama. After working together to kill their father, a scheming brother and his conniving sister begin to plot against each other for the family fortune. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Made for television in 1974, a doctor (Melvyn Douglas) is accused of murdering his terminally ill wife. The defense receives a shot in the arm when a famed lawyer returns from retirement to help the case. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1974
US Air Force colonel Glenn Ford has a dilemma on his hands. He knows for a fact that two jets under his command were last seen chasing a UFO. But the military higher-ups have no intention of filling Ford in on further developments. Despite these stonewalling tactics, Ford steps up his own investigation--and uncovers an insidious right-wing plot to overthrow the government. Bradford Dillman, who has probably made more TV movies than Karen Valentine even, costars in The Disappearance of Flight 412. The film was telecast two months after Watergate, a time in which "conspiracy" movies were breeding like rabbits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, Bradford Dillman, (more)
Amanda Price (Edith Atwater) is an aging spinster with suicidal tendencies who keeps herself ensconced in the sprawling house she grew up in. Her brother Edward (Jack Ging) hires a nurse to watch Amanda, choosing Esther (Antoinette Bower), who quit the profession in shame after a scandal involving her marriage to a ninety year old client. He offers to pay Esther $25,000 on top of her salary if she makes sure the next time Amanda attempts suicide is a success. Edward says he wants Amanda out of the way so he can claim the entire family fortune, though it's clear that the Price estate hides more secrets than he's revealing. What exactly were the circumstances of their father's death? Why did favored sister Nell suddenly leave town the day of their father's funeral, and why hasn't anyone heard from her since? Why is Amanda suicidal, and why is she having so many horrible nightmares? The closer Esther gets to the answers, the less she wants to do with Edward's scheme. Meanwhile, the family doctor (Kent Smith) is harboring his own suspicions of the Price legacy, and when he starts investigating, he discovers that jealousy, greed and murder are at the root of the mystery. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide
- 1973
James Hilton's beloved fantasy novel about the land of Shangri-La was given an awkward musical treatment in this extravagantly produced flop. Larry Kramer's screenplay stays close to the 1937 Frank Capra original, as a plane fleeing China crashes in the Himalayas and a mixed group of survivors discovers the magical, peaceful land of Shangri-La. Here the film becomes a full-fledged musical, with songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David illustrating the distant realm's nature and the conflict that happiness causes amongst the survivors. Curiosity-seekers may be intrigued by the film's reputation as a notorious dud, but fans of the story would be better served by the classic original, despite a cast of well-respected names, including Peter Finch (in the Ronald Colman role), John Gielgud, Liv Ullmann, and Charles Boyer. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Finch, Liv Ullmann, (more)
- 1973
Cat Creature is a heady Curtis Harrington combination of high-gloss production values and spinechilling terror. A curse imposed thousands of years ago by a cat goddess wreaks havoc in the 20th century--all for the purpose of retrieving a long-lost golden amulet. Gale Sondergaard, whose association with things horrific went back to 1944's Sherlock Holmes and the Spider Woman, is suitably hissable as the cat queen; also in the cast is fright-flick veteran John Carradine and second-generation spooker Peter Lorre Jr. Screenwriter Robert Bloch intended this film as an affectionate throwback to the stylized horror films of old. Cat Creature is the sort of film that removes the "potboiler" stigma from the made-for-TV form. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The made-for-TV movie The Affair (working title: Love Song) marked the return to television of Natalie Wood after an 18-year absence (her last regular small-screen work was on the 1954 sitcom The Pride of the Family). Wood plays a crippled 32-year-old songwriter whose handicap has made her cynical and suspicious of the kindnesses of strangers. Robert Wagner (the real-life husband of Natalie Wood) co-stars as a compassionate lawyer who falls in love with her. By the time she has warmed up to her new beau, she finds that her family opposes the relationship. Written by Barbara Turner, The Affair first aired November 20, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
With the child-welfare authorities breathing down his neck, orphaned teenager George Morgan (played by future ChiPs costar Larry Wilcox) desperately tries to hold his family together. Going on the run with his younger siblings, George is forced to steal medicine for his ailing sister--and as a result, faces charges of kidnapping and homicide. Joining Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) as the obligatory Adult Authority Figures in this tense episode is Jeanette Nolan in the role of a judge. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
A million-dollar cast was assembled for this high-gloss TV movie. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Rosalind Russell play a pair of ageing con artists, plying their trade with the members of a lonely hearts club managed by Maureen O'Sullivan. Complicating the schemes of the tricky duo is the presence of a mystery killer who preys upon wealthy widows. Advertised as "A Delightful Tale of Murder", The Crooked Hearts was based on the novel Miss Lonelyhearts 4122 by Colin Watson. The film proved to be the last screen appearance of Rosalind Russell, who fell ill shortly after its telecast and died three years later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Even Bette Davis showed up in a TV-movie pilot from time to time. The Judge and Jake Wyler stars the indestructible Davis as a hypochondriac former judge who becomes a private detective. Davis puts paroled ex-con Doug McClure to work as her "leg man," searching for clues in the supposed suicide of the heroine's (Joan Van Ark) businessman father. Had Judge and Jake Wyler sold as a series, Davis would have had to choose between this project and another projected weekly, Madame Sin; the decision was made for her when neither series sold. Two years later, Judge and Jake Wyler was rewritten, recast with Lee Grant and Lou Antonio, and repitched as a pilot under the title Partners in Crime (which also didn't fly). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
This episode may remind some viewers of the much-later theatrical feature Fargo--minus the grim humor, of course. Hoping to escape from an unhappy marriage, wealthy executive Alan Graves (Michael Graves) fakes his own kidnapping. Graves plans to collect $200,000 in ransom money from his hated father-in-law, then run off to New York with his mistress Dana Evans (Karen Carlson). Not surprisingly, things go horribly wrong for Graves long before the FBI catches up with him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Seedy newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) is assigned the Las Vegas police beat by his boss Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland). A series of murders has been plaguing the Glitter Capital; the victims, all beautiful showgirls, have had the blood drained from their bodies. Kolchak can't understand why the authorities are so uncooperative as he probes the case. Nor can he believe the evidence he's gleaned on his own: There can't possibly be a Dracula-like vampire stalking Las Vegas, or can there? Adapted by Richard Matheson from a novel by Jeff Rice, The Night Stalker debuted January 11, 1972 - -and on that fateful evening, this thriller became the highest-rated TV movie up to its time, as well as an instant cult classic. The film spawned a popular sequel, The Night Strangler (1972), and a 1974 TV series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Darren McGavin, Carol Lynley, (more)
- 1972
First telecast December 16, 1972, The Snoop Sisters was the pilot for a Richard Levinson/William Link detective series. Helen Hayes and Mildred Natwick play a couple of mystery writers who happen to be siblings. With the help of their pragmatic chauffeur (Art Carney), the Snoop Sisters take it upon themselves to solve real-life mysteries. In this instance, the ladies try to uncover the truth behind the murder of reclusive film star Paulette Goddard. The highlights of The Snoop Sisters include a slapstick car chase and an extended vignette from Ms. Goddard's 1940 feature film The Ghost Breakers. Also worth noting is the early supporting-cast appearance by Jill Clayburgh. When packaged for local syndication, The Snoop Sisters was retitled Female Instinct. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
- PG
Based on Peter DeVries' novel Witch's Milk, Pete 'n' Tillie stars Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett in the title roles. Middle-aged when they first meet, eternally joking Pete and repressed "old maid" Tillie don't immediately hit it off. Gradually, their friendship deepens into love and culminates (reluctantly, on Pete's part) in marriage, eleven years of which is explored in this film. Throughout the funny and tragic moments, and despite the many breakups, their love endures. Oscar nominations went to screenwriter Julius J. Epstein and supporting actress Geraldine Page. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Walter Matthau, Carol Burnett, (more)
- 1971
Back before he was producing Charlie's Angels, Aaron Spelling was a major supplier of made-for-television feature films, particularly to ABC, on which this movie premiered in 1971. The Last Child takes place in America in 1994, a time in which a massive, chronic overpopulation crisis has resulted in the passage of Draconian laws, declaring that no couple can have more than one child, and that nobody over the age of 65 can receive any but the most superficial medical treatment. Michael Cole and Janet Margolin play a young married couple whose first child died; she is pregnant again, and they now find themselves hounded by the authorities when she refuses to submit to a legally mandated abortion. Chased across country by Population Control agent Edward Asner (a sinister figure in his pre-Mary Tyler Moore period), they plan to escape to Canada but find the border closed. They receive unexpected help from Van Heflin, in his final screen performance, portraying retired U.S. Senator Quincy George, who opposed the Population Control Laws. He shelters Cole and Margolin at great risk to himself, using what political clout and respect he still commands in his own state to block Asner's pursuit. They must find a means of escaping the country, however, as the authorities close in even on this momentarily safe haven. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Not to be confused with the 1966 Diabolique rip-off Games, 1970's The Games is set during the Rome Olympics. The film zeroes in on four contestants in the 26-mile marathon race: Briton Michael Crawford, American Ryan O'Neal, Czech Charles Aznavour and Australian Athol Compton. Scenes of the grueling training sessions are placed in context with the personal dramas of the four men. Crawford is being driven to the breaking point by trainer Stanley Baker, O'Neal is suffering from a dangerous heart condition, Aznavour is past forty but obliged to compete by his government, and Compton is an Aborigine fighting a lifelong battle against prejudice. Eric Segal, himself an avid runner adapted the screenplay of The Games from the novel by Hugh Atkinson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Crawford, Ryan O'Neal, (more)
- 1970
Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) is anxious to bring con artist Wesley Ziegler to justice. Specializing in fleecing wealthy, lonely women, Ziegler has recently added murder to his list of crimes--a fact that does not bode well for his latest pigeon, Jessica Bowling (Mariette Hartley). Appearing as one of the villain's former victims is Phyllis Kirk of House of Wax fame, in her final TV appearance before she forsook acting to become a producer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Director Curtis Harrington (The Killing Kind) teams with screenwriter Henry Farrell (Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte) for this quietly disturbing tale of a man driven to psychosomatic blindness by a horrific family tragedy. Unable to cope with the fact that he has been blamed for the fire that killed his father and disfigured his sister (Julie Harris), psychologically unsound Allan (Anthony Perkins) is committed to a mental institution. Some time later, Allan is deemed fit for release and sent to live at his sister's house. But Allan's sister is far from happy to have her brother back home, and begins to sadistically toy with his fragile psyche to the point that he starts hearing disembodied voices and sensing an ominous presence. Could it be that Allan's father is actually reaching out for revenge from beyond the grave, or have Allan's sister's continued attempts to wear at her ailing brother's fragile psyche finally had the intended results. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Hollywood film favorite Gene Tierney makes a rare TV appearance in this episode, in which she plays one of three witnesses to a Mob murder. The victim was an ex-FBI agent who just before his death had informed Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) that the Mafia was in the process of taking over an isolated retirement village. Despite a marked lack of cooperation from the witnesses, Erskine endeavors to prevent their extermination at the hands of fugitive killer Leonard King (Ken Lynch). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
- PG
Famed anonymous director Alan Smithee (in this case a hybrid of Richard Totten and Don Siegel), directed this turgid western drama concerning Marshal Frank Patch (Richard Widmark), who, even though he has kept the peace in Cottonwood Springs for over twenty years, is now considered a local joke by the town liberals who want some new blood in the Marshall's Office. They get it when Patch shoots the drunken Luke Mills (James Lydon) in self-defense. Now the forces of progress really want Patch out. So much so that the local newspaper editor, Andrew Oxley (Kent Smith) demands his resignation. Patch not only refuses to quit but disgraces Oxley so badly in front of his son Will (Mercer Harris) that Oxley kills himself. Will is now out for blood, but Patch remains stoic, even when his old friend Lou (John Saxon) comes to town to advise him to quit. Patch refuses Lou's suggestion but decides to marry Claire (Lena Horne), the owner of the local saloon and whore house. But an uninvited guest attends the wedding ceremony --Will. And both Will and his gun are loaded. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Widmark, Lena Horne, (more)
- 1968
Roy Thinnes was the star of this 1967-1968 science fiction series, about an Earth poised on the brink of alien takeover. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Insurance investigator Richard Cutting (Patrick O'Neal) is summoned to look into the sinking of some ships owned by wealthy shipping-magnate Curt Valayan (John Gielgud). Traveling to Switzerland, he interviews the owner and finds that his henchmen Matt (Herbert Lom) and the Big Man (Leon Greene) may be on Curt's payroll but are definitely looking out for their own interests. One agent has already been killed, and the local police inspector Ruff (Oscar Homolka) briefs Richard on the situation. Dominique (Joan Hackett) is on her way to provide some valuable information before being violently murdered. Richard tries to keep himself alive in a foreign country as he tries to solve the crimes in this dramatic mystery. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick O'Neal, Joan Hackett, (more)
