Network: CBS
Original Air Date: January 14th, 1997

The beauty of being sick (which I have been all week) is that you sometimes, in a ill-stupor, come across movies you never knew were worth seeing. This happened to me last night when I put on Lifetime in the hopes of drifting into a nice “Television for Women” slumber. Of course, slap George C. Scott into anything and chances are I’ll want to see the whole thing anyway, but I was please with just how good Country Justice was.

George C. Scott plays Clayton Hayes, an aging miner who takes care of his loving granddaughter Emma (Rachel Leigh Cook). She begins to long to see her mother Angie (Ally Sheedy) and during one Christmas break she travels alone to her mother’s shabby mobile home in another state. There she meets Ray (Don Diamont, looking hot even with a mullet), Angie’s lover. Smitten with Emma, who looks even younger than 15 years old (creepy!), he wines and dines her and after one hazy night of sex (was it rape? Even Emma doesn’t know…), she becomes pregnant. With the help of her grandfather, Emma has the baby and after some woeful medical bills, decide Clayton should adopt the little boy so he can have medical insurance. Of course, creepy Ray – who’s been prowling around Clayton’s place for some time now - decides better of it and gets custody of a kid he really doesn’t want. Clayton takes off with the baby and with the help of his fellow trucking and mining buddies, goes on the lam.


Let’s face it, by 1997 most tele-films were nothing to write home about. Granted a few good ones came out, but the interest in small screen stand alone features was pretty sad, and no wonder, since the 90s was the age of the disease-of-the-week. It's easy to see why this movie came and went under the radar. Well, thank god then for Lifetime who has kept this film alive over the years. I have seen it advertised several times, but never had a chance to catch it until last night. Here I am, over 12 hours later and I’m still thinking about it. I mean, it’s not some incredible study on human existence or anything, but it’s thoughtful, sweet and yeah, a little sentimental – in a good way. This was one of Scott’s last films and I think a nice turn for such a strong actor who often played it a little louder. Here he’s just a grandfather. Kind, caring and oh-so-watchable. Cook is great and lovely in the part. I felt really bad for her and her situation and although I thought Ray was mega-hot, Diamont definitely got the creep vibe working. I couldn’t wait to see him just go away. Sheedy is good, but her part is small and doesn’t really figure in like the other three.

OK, so you hear the words Country Justice and George C. Scott and I know you’re thinking he’s just going to blow off Ray’s head, but he doesn’t and I’m glad this movie wasn’t some crazed hillbilly crime drama. Instead it’s about people taking care of their own and finding hope in the darkest circumstances. In other words, it’s about life. So I guess that makes Lifetime the perfect station to play this underrated drama!

Two Loves for Jenny
Original Air Date: October 27th, 1982

Did You Hear What Happened to Andrea?
Original Air Date: December 7th, 1983


The ABC Afterschool Special was a staple of my childhood. I remember many of them (with the “V.D” episode instilling the necessary amount of fear it most likely intended!), but there were so many episodes, a lot of what I remember is a medley of images from several installments. Luckily, a few of these episodes were released on DVD for mass consumption from a nostalgically inclined audience. I.E. ME! So Yays all around!



Two Loves of Jenny (aka Between Two Loves) features the gawky, but pretty and extremely likable Karlene Crockett (Dallas, Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker) as Jenny, a new student in a new school in a new town. Jenny’s father has just died and her mom moves them from the farm to a bigger city so Jenny can play in an elite high school orchestra, run by stodgy Mr. Forbes (Robert Reed!). Turns out, Jenny is one mean violinist and is able to join immediately. She takes the last chair while uber gorgeous Doug (Lance Guest who was simply heaven sent in The Last Starfighter!) takes chair #1. They strike up a friendship that eventually leads to a blossoming romance. But Jenny’s abilities as a musician quickly move her up in the orchestra and eventually pit her against Doug for a much coveted scholarship. Doug really needs the funding for school and Jenny is only now just realizing how badly she wants to play the violin professionally. The relationship is tested when Jenny has to decide if music means more than Doug.

Honestly, I was expecting this episode to be a bit of a bore. I like classical music, but am not enthralled with watching a movie about it. But Two Loves for Jenny is engaging, sweet and never boring. It reminded me why I loved Afterschool Specials so much – it introduced young adults to interesting topics they might not have access to (i.e. classical music) while captivating it’s audience with universal themes (i.e. first loves). The balance here is fantastic and I was sad to see this special end.

For some time I have been in love with Karlene, but she’s a bit of a chameleon and I often just didn’t know I was watching the same actress in various shows. Her filmmography isn’t huge, and ended in 2005 but she is a very impressive and lovely actress. Come back Karlene!

Now on the other hand, I have been quite aware of Lance Guest. I have loved him since I was 13 years old and his lanky build, curly locks and sweet presence made him the perfect first love for Jenny. And he was in Jaws 4 and Halloween 2, which is all kinds of awesome!



The second episode on the DVD is the infamous Did You Hear What Happened to Andrea? (aka Andrea’s Story: A Hitchhiking Tragedy) It’s infamous because it’s one of the episodes, besides the V.D. one, that I remember explicitly. Andrea is played by pretty Michele Greene (who has become a regular in the world of Lifetime movies) who along with her boyfriend David (Moosie Drier – oh my god, I love him!) make the big mistake of hitchhiking. Well, it’s more like Andrea makes the even bigger mistake to continue on the ride after they drop off David. She is taken to a desolate area and raped. Andrea tries to hide this horrible secret, but it soon comes pouring out as her friend tries to hitch a ride. The police are called, her parents are informed about the crime and her boyfriend is called in as a witness. But this film is mostly about learning not to blame yourself and to know you can find strength in facing your assailant.


Now see, the above sentence makes this episode sound really great, but unfortunately Andrea is a bit dry and a little forced. Granted, they had less than an hour to get a lot of layered themes across to the viewer, but a lot of the intensity gets lost in the shuffle. And the shopping montage… well, it’s silly.


Greene is good and her parents are played by Carrie Snodgress and Matt Clark. Both are fantastic as they take on opposite sides of what they think is right for Andrea. A very young pre-holy roller Kirk Cameron plays the precocious little brother who serves absolutely no purpose (kind of like now) and the late Robert DoQui is pretty great as the cop handling the case. I won’t even go into Moosie Drier, let’s just say he’s adorable. Not a bad way to spend an hour, but after Two Loves for Jenny, well… maybe if Lance Guest had showed up in this one too… just maybe…

Network: NBC
Original Air Date: May 27th, 1985

What could be better than a mini-series with Stefanie Powers?

How about a mini-series with two Stefanie Powers. I kid you not.

From Non-Fab to Tre-Fab:


















The end result (and a nice split screen!):



Stefanie plays Sabrina (Breenie) and Stephanie, twin sisters who have taken two very different paths in life. While Stephanie has settled down and had two kids with her hunky college professor hubby Grant (Barry Bostwick, who is amazing as usual). Her life consists of a seemingly loveless marriage, a part time job at the college bookstore and tending to her young children, one of whom has recently taken upstealing (Jason Miller from Growing Pains. The daughter is played by an extremely young Faruza Balk). She's thrilled when her much more sophisticated sister, Sabrina flies her to Venice for their birthday. On the outside, Breenie is quite enviable with her art collecting gig, closet full of designer clothes, plenty of suitors and a big ol' giant house with a staff! OK, so maybe her life is pretty good. But ask Breenie about it and you're certain to get another answer. This lovely lady has gotten herself mixed up with the seedier side of London's posh scene and finds she is basically a kept woman for the local mobster. He heads out of town for a month, while Breenie and Stephanie head toVenice and hatch their "harmless" scheme... to switch places.

So off they go, Breenie becomes a housewife (and has a knack for it!) and Stephanie runs around London with one of Breenie's old suitors (played by the gorgeous Fabio Testi from Nothing Underneath). After a car accident, which leaves Breenie bruised, she and Stephanie opt to keep the fantasy up for just a bit longer... but as more time passes while playing this game, the less enticing returning home to suburbia becomes to Stephanie. Then Breenie's mobster boyfriend returns and things take a turn for the worse.

Deceptions is like all of your favorite night time soaps on a more epic level. The scenes in London and Venice are amazing to look at. Gina Lolobriggida plays Princess Alessandra, which should give you a nice clue to how glamorous this movie is. And it's a ton of fun. I put it on expecting to watch only the first half in one sitting and then finish it in another. But I watched this little bit of eye candy from beginning to end in one go. Stefanie is great as both girls and gives each just a touch of difference so you can see why someone would confuse them, but you're also aware of each's unique personality.

And it's so... 1985. The wardrobe is awesome to behold and the music! Oh, the music! The opening song features "I'm So Excited," by the Pointer Sisters, which sets the pacing for this fun ride. I love a little opulence, but 80s opulence?!? Well, it was just never done better!

And what a great way to twist the escapist "fantasy" so many of us have of a world full of caviar dreams (thank you, Robin Leach!). The lucky girl is the one who realizes that life with a college professor and a couple of kids is far more rewarding than one built on great style, hot men and money. We know that's not true, but what a sweet thought, no?

Network: ABC
Original Air Date: October 9th, 1983


Between male strippers ( For Ladies Only, Ladykillers ) and covert top female models (Cover Girls, Model by Day), made for TV movies were brimming with the salaciously salacious and the glamorously glamorous. Leave it up to the great Aaron Spelling to find a way to top them all with The Making of a Male Model. It’s just that glamorous!

The late Jon-Erik Hexum plays Tyler Burnett, a hillbilly type who just happens upon a photo shoot lead by modeling agency exec Kay Dillon (Joan Collins looking fab!). She gets one eyeful of Tyler and New York is calling his name. After he’s dumped by the small town beauty Alma (Tonja Walker), Tyler begrudgingly heads to the Big Apple to find his fortune and fame. Once there, he moves in with Chuck Lanyard (Jeff Conaway), a male model with a fab loft, but is so on his last legs that apparently roommates are the only real income that can help him support his drug habit. Tyler also encounters a slimy competitive male model named Gary Angelo (Ted McGinley) who really is no competition for young Tyler, which might explain why he’s such a jerk. Initially Tyler tries to do things on his own terms but after some snarky photographers break him down a little, Kay gets him in the hairdresser’s chair and thus, a male model is born.

With his raw, sexed up intensity, Tyler becomes the model in town, exploding with a cologne campaign where he tells you to “Catch the Fever.” Boy, does he tell you! He and Kay also develop a relationship that takes them from the boardroom to the bedroom (I’ve always wanted to say that!), but of course love and fame aren’t always meant to go together and Tyler learns the hard way that the making of a male model just may mean the unmaking of the man behind the façade.

So. Deep.

This film is fantastically fun. It’s high energy from the opening frame and pulls out all the stops when it comes to G-L-A-M-O-R! Check out the costume party which features Collin’s rack as the star attraction! There’s coke snorting, fashion shoots, models dumping champagne on each other, big hair, even bigger pecks, sex and lots of fun. Oh, and did I mention Roxy Roker?!? Well, she’s in a small, not-so-pivotal role, but c’mon. It’s the Roker! And I haven’t even gotten to Arte Johnson or Kevin McCarthy! My head is about to explode!


Collins is tops as the ice queen with a great wardrobe full of silky robes, men’s suits and high neck silk numbers. It’s all 80s and it’s all awesome! Jon-Erik Hexum displays a lot of talent as Tyler. He would go on to star on a television series called Cover Up in 1984. He was killed during an on set accident at the age of 26. It still shocks me to this day and re-watching this movie, I am positive that Hexum was headed for much bigger things. His looks, charisma and talent were undeniable and he was one of those guys, much in the same vein as Tom Selleck, where you didn’t feel completely intimidated by how handsome he was. That is a rare trait in an actor then and now.

This lush piece of camp was directed by Irving J. Moore who helmed such shows as Dallas and Dynasty. So there’s no question about your drama. It’s here, it’s sometimes queer and it’s always incredible.

Visit this Jon-Erik Hexum’s fansite. It’s absolutely amazing.

Read another review of The Making of a Male Model here

Network: NBC
Original Air Date: December 3rd, 1979


Friendships is a definite precursor to Lifetime movies, but like even before Lifetime was a twinkle in cable TV’s eyes. Even before cable was a twinkle in cable’s eyes. I mean, maybe it’s the movie that inspired television for women. In fact, Friendships does it one better by featuring a cast with no men. Not one. Nada. Of course, these women talk endlessly about men, and basically about how the male species is the reason for their downfall. Yup, total Lifetime. And I love it!

An old college sorority house is being demolished to make way for a new building. During construction the bones of a baby are unearthed. Nosey reporter Jessie (Sandra Locke looking great!) decides to make this tragic unsolved crime an issue of Pro-Choice. With a bit of poking around she is able to pin down the one summer that the murder most likely took place. This particular summer there were only six sorority sisters and a housemother living there, including Sondra’s co-worker Martha (Cathryn Damon of SOAP). The women (and housemother, who is now a maid for one of the sisters!) reunite and through the broken and unbroken bonds, they uncover the mystery behind the baby’s death.

Although it’s stated part way through Friendships that these women hadn’t been together since college, a good portion of them are seen hanging out at the beauty parlor gossiping and avoiding any real work at the beginning of the film. Weren’t the 70s grand?

Friendships has a lot on its plate. Each of the six women has ended up leading lives they’d never dreamed of living. Pretty much left destitute emotionally (thanks to what else? Men, of course - well, one of them is a lesbian), they all accuse each other of aborting the baby during a time when women weren’t left with much options regarding an unwanted pregnancy.

Friendships is a rather clumsy attempt at presenting an important opinion. The premise is interesting, but there are so many soap opera antics going that the main point kind of gets all lost in the drinking and cavorting and arguing. But really, I didn’t want a movie with strong political message. I just wanted some drama and maybe a bit of suspense, and I got it. One of the directors, Marlena Laird was most famous for directing General Hospital in the 80s. I should also note this film was co-directed by another woman named Ann Zane Shanks and written by Joanna Crawford based on a book titled The Walls Came Tumbling Down which was written by Babs H. Deal. Talk about solidarity. I admire that a film tackling women issues with an all female cast was penned and filmed by women. That’s putting your money where your mouth is!

The entire cast, which includes Loretta Switt, Shelly Fabares, Tina Louise and Paula Prentiss among others is in fine form with the sometimes hackneyed storytelling. Louise is particularly incredible as the crazed widowed housewife who finds out one of her sorority sisters was schtupting her old man. Prentiss, who is normally gorgeous, looks like a crack fiend and kind of acts like one! Her character is the most grating and I kept wishing she’d been the one they found under the house (ye-ouch!). Switt plays the lady who loves having babies, Stevens is the one who gets beat up by her husband and Fabares rounds out the cast as the token lesbian. It’s kind of obvious, but you know a woman in a smart suit could just be pragmatic, right? And actually her “coming out” scene is dealt in a progressive manner.

Damon is of course fantastic as is Sandra Locke, whose character is the catalyst for blowing the whole ordeal out of proportion. She turns the issue into a pro-women’s rights issue which is what draws all the women together and inevitably outs many long kept secrets. The reveal is not all that revealing but a good choice which helps cement the idea that even the most together of women can make one simple mistake.

The mistake of LOVE.

I know, I love a good dramatic build up!

 

Network: CBS
Original Air Date: March 1st, 1986

A fairly by the book drama is livened up by good performances, most notably from Barry Bostwick. I mean, is he ever bad? Here he plays Nick, a down and out filmmaker. Well, not so down and out, he seems moderately successful, but unlucky with love and his marriage to the lovely but distant Sharon (Lee Purcell). His daughter moves out, his wife goes on a business trip and Nick meets Marisa (Cristen Kaufman) at a party. She looks youthful, but she certainly can’t be jailbait. Yeah, right. And this underage honey is T-R-O-U-B-L-E. Her father is an angry cop (Paul Sorvino) and he gets bent on revenge when he learns of his daughter’s seduction, er, rape. Of course, Sharon gets pulled into the fray and before you know it, Nick is on his way to becoming the neighborhood sexual offender. Oh, I mean divorced neighborhood sexual offender! Now that sucks!


She wanted it... she wanted it bad!
Nothing more than a salacious drama, Betrayed by Innocence doesn’t have an ounce of romance in it, which is why I’ll keep calling it a drama. It’s got lots of drama! The leads are definitely attractive and the seduction scene is well done, but there’s nothing sweet about either of these two. Nick is a little too self-centered and Marisa… well, she’s just too young. I have a very hard time believing Nick had no idea she was underage. I mean, c’mon Nick! She’s way too wide-eyed. But as immature as she may appear, Kaufman was great up against Sorvino. She’s every bit the little brat you’d expect from a girl rebelling against a police officer father. Cristen's last appearance was in 1999 and it's a shame because there's just enough Virginia Madsen in her to make her someone to watch for.

The best scene in the movie features Bostwick asking Kaufman for a dance. I guess there wasn’t much money for an actual score because it sounds sort of like someone hit the samba button on their Casio! Bostwick says “This is my favorite song.” Hmmm… In the next scene (the seduction), Roxy Music is playing. So they could afford Roxy Music but nothing else?!? Couldn’t they just use the song twice?

Of note, Isaac Hayes appears briefly as does Thom Christopher who some of you will recognize as Hawk from Buck Rogers (or Carlo Hesser on One Life to Live. I know him from both cuz I’m just that nerdy!). 

Novel Release Year: 1967

Network: CBS
Original Air Date: February 11th, 1972


Richard Atlee (Tom Happer) is a quirky young man who invites himself into the crawlspace of Albert & Alice Graves' house (the couple are portrayed deftly by Arthur Kennedy & Teresa Wright). At first The Graves are fearful of their new tenant but begin to soften as Richard becomes like the son they never had. Things start off slow but eventually Richard moves upstairs into his own room. While the Graves are delighted to bid Richard into their lonely fold, the townspeople aren't quite so taken with this new interloper. When push comes to shove, Richard will defend himself and his new family at any cost, and things turn deadly.

A novel like Crawlspace is perfect for a television movie adaptation. It's small, intimate and claustrophobic. Both the book and the movie are suspenseful and dynamic with strong characterizations. The big difference, besides two completely different endings (or shall I say the movie ends a bit before the novel does, leading the viewer to ascertain a different outcome), is that while the movie feels like a comment on the disillusionment of youth in a post-hippie culture, the book clearly paints Richard Atlee as someone who never belonged to anything, counter-cultural or otherwise.

The movie depicts the Graves as people who, although full of regret over never bearing children, are close and at least fulfilled in their relationship with each other. The book describes the couple as more distant and deeply missing something between them.

Otherwise, there isn't that much difference between the novel and adaptation. Minus some stuff in the book that might make the running time of the movie too long, Crawlspace is both an excellent read and a fascinating and moving film.

With both versions the viewer is left to decide exactly what made Richard the way he is. The book expounds upon his background much more, but there's still something absent in the mystery. I like that because it adds an air of realism to it. Do we ever really know why anyone does anything?

Crawlspace the movie is fantastically cast with Arthur Kennedy putting in a superb performance as Albert. He's the crux of everything, and he plays Albert as an understanding but firm father figure who can't quite get through to Richard. Eugene Roche plays the bigoted sheriff Emil Birge who comes across as a little more mean-spirited in the novel. He's great here in another serious role (see The Possessed). As for Teresa Wright and Tom Happer, they expertly fill out the small cast. Happer didn't go on to do much else in television or film, and it's a crying shame because it's obvious he has a true depth with characterization. He makes Richard creepy but never completely unsympathetic. The novel makes him out to be a bit wilder, but he's perfect here in a tough part.

So many adaptations leave out the meat (and sometimes the point) of their original source, but Crawlspace adroitly captures all the fine layers of loneliness, fear in your own home and the feeling of wanting to belong and being rejected from those you love. The movie was released by Wild Eye Releasing on DVD last year in a pristine if bare bones disc and is really worth checking out. It's an amazing television movie that, for whatever reason, fell between the cracks and never got to the classic status I believe it deserves. The book itself is available used on many online sites, so why not treat yourself and pick both up?




This is what my copy looks like. Interesting, ain't it?

Network: ABC
Original Air Date: September 17th, 1974

Connie Stevens does a vague interpretation of Marilyn Monroe in a movie with less vague intentions of capitalizing on the movie star's tragic death. The Sex Symbol takes place over one loooooong, lonely night in one desolate room. Kelly Williams (Stevens) is a soon-to-be washed up starlet, haunted by her demons and her past, is drinking her way into oblivion while re-living some of the more sordid details of her life. Sometimes she calls her distant shrink who only wants her to go to sleep, sometimes she gets a call from her ex-husband (William Smith doing Joe Dimaggio, but wimpy) or sometimes she just sits there thinking.

Could Marilyn Monroe's last night on earth been quite this... dramatic? I guess it's possible, but man, this movie isn't satisfied unless it's going so over the top that it comes down and goes back over again! Shelly Winters plays Williams arch nemesis, a nasty gossip queen who presents the lives of the rich and famous on a local news program. Apparently Winters can either make or break your career (and she does both here), but with such a sordid and bitchy personality, you have to wonder why anyone would hang out with her to begin with! She flits in and out of William's life either making nice or terrorizing the poor, stupid blonde. Also, Williams' "secretary" has a vaguely lesbian crush on Williams as displayed in the back massage scene (YIKES!). Seems everyone wants a piece of her, and much to her chagrin, she's willing to give it!

Not a great movie by an standards - it's slow and the Williams character is more annoying than sympathetic - it's still a pretty entertaining little pot boiler. Stevens can be hysterical when she gets hysterical and the scenes where she keeps trying to call her dad are hilarious. The men who play her lovers are surprisingly nice guys, and although the film does portray Williams as a victim, she's a victim at least in part because of how she has decided to live her life - not what someone else has done to her.

I can't imagine there's a lot of similarity between Williams and Monroe as Monroe's death exposed a true sadness within the actress whereas with the Sex Symbol you're kind of relieved when all is said and done. So you certainly won't get depressed watching this movie and you might even get a few laughs going too.