Cleopatra Jones 1973 G, 89 min. Genre: Action
Director: Jack Starrett Cast: Tamara Dobson, Shelley Winters, Brenda Sykes, Bernie Casey, Antonio Fargas, Bill McKinney, Dan Frazer, Esther Rolle, Stafford Morgan, Albert Popwell, Angela Gibbs, John Alderman
This could be a nice twist with a sexy female agent–but! Cleopatra Jones (Tamara Dobson) is sent in to fight world drug trade. The nemesis is played by Shelley Winters...a stretch! Lots of violence.
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Down in the Delta 1998 PG-13, 111 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Maya Angelou Cast: Alfre Woodard, Al Freeman Jr., Mary Alice, Esther Rolle, Loretta Devine, Wesley Snipes, Mpho Koaho, Kulani Hassen, Anne-Marie Johnson, Justin Lord
Loretta (Alfie Woodward) is 30 years old, and her life is going nowhere. To remedy the situation her mother, Rosa Lynn (Mary Alice), sends Loretta and her two children down South for the summer to live with her Aunt and Uncle (Esther Rolle and Al Freeman Jr.). After a short time, Loretta begins to blossom and, through family ties, gets her act together.
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Driving Miss Daisy 1989 PG, 100 min. Genre: Drama / Comedy
Director: Bruce Beresford Cast: Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, Dan Aykroyd, Patti LuPone, Esther Rolle, Bob Hannah, Joann Havrilla, Ray McKinnon, William Hall Jr., Alvin M. Sugarman, Clarice F. Geigerman, Muriel Moore
This movie spans 25 years in the life of Miss Daisy Werthan (Jessica Tandy)–a proud, stoic Southern lady–and her loyal, patient, Black chauffeur, Hoke Colburn (Morgan Freeman). Great entertainment. Academy Awards were received for Best Picture and for Best Actress. Awards were also received for Best Writing and Makeup, as well as five nominations, including Best Actor (Freeman).
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The Kid Who Loved Christmas 1990 TV, 100 min. Genre: Family
Director: Arthur Allan Seidelman Cast: Cicely Tyson, Michael Warren, Sammy Davis Jr., Gilbert Lewis, Ken Page, Della Reese, Esther Rolle, Ben Vereen, Vanessa Williams, Trent Cameron
This touching Christmas story is about a young orphan (Trent Cameron) who is determined to join his musician father for the holidays. This film, co-produced by Eddie Murphy, was Davis' last appearance.
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The Mighty Quinn 1989 R, 98 min. Genre: Action / Mystery / Drama / Thriller
Director: Carl Schenkel Cast: Denzel Washington, Robert Townsend, M. Emmet Walsh, James Fox, Mimi Rogers, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Keye Luke, Tyra Ferrell, Art Evans, Esther Rolle, Norman Beaton, Alex Colon, Carl Bradshaw, Fitz Weir, Baldwin Howe
Quinn (Denzel Washington) is the chief of police on a Caribbean island where he is trying to find a murderer. Although the clues point to his boyhood friend Maubee (Robert Townsend) who has become a local folk hero, Quinn believes that Maubee is innocent. Quinn is being pressured to solve the case and continues to investigate–even if it turns out that Maubee really is the murderer.
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A Raisin in the Sun 1989 TV, 170 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Bill Duke Cast: Esther Rolle, Danny Glover, Helen Martin, Joseph C. Phillips, Starletta DuPois, Louis Gossett Jr., Kimble Joyner, John Fiedler, Kim Yancey, Lou Ferguson, Stephen Henderson
In the era just before the Civil Rights Movement a poor Black family–Lena (Esther Rolle), her son Walter Lee (Danny Glover), his wife Ruth (Starletta DuPois), and their college-age daughter Beneatha (Kim Yancy)–deals with bigotry as they hope to use a $10,000 inheritance to move out of the projects on Chicago's South Side and move into the all-White suburbs.
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Rosewood 1997 R, 142 min. Genre: Drama
Director: John Singleton Cast: Jon Voight, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Bruce McGill, Loren Dean, Esther Rolle, Robert Patrick, Michael Rooker, Akosua Busia, Paul Benjamin
The recreation of the tragic 1922 race riots in Rosewood, Florida, goes beyond the actual event and insightfully uncovers the story of how racial hatred takes years to teach, and–once learned–it has the potential of leading to violence.
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To Dance with the White Dog 1993 TV, 100 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Glenn Jordan Cast: Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Christine Baranski, Terry Beaver, Harley Cross, Esther Rolle, Frank Whaley, Amy Wright, Bob Hannah, Ed Grady
Cora (Jessica Tandy), nearing death, worries about how her husband, Sam (Hume Cronyn), will cope after she is gone. After she dies, he is indeed grief stricken, but when a white dog appears, his outlook changes, and he finds that love is eternal. A good made-for-TV adaptation of a novel by Terry Kay.
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| 1. Cleopatra Jones (1973)
2. Down in the Delta (1998)
3. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
4. House of Cards (1993)
5. The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990)
6. The Mighty Quinn (1989)
7. A Raisin in the Sun (1989)
8. Rosewood (1997)
9. To Dance with the White Dog (1993)
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