The Betsy 1978 R, 125 min. Genre: Drama aka: Harold Robbins' The Betsy
Director: Daniel Petrie Cast: Laurence Olivier, Robert Duvall, Katharine Ross, Tommy Lee Jones, Jane Alexander, Lesley-Anne Down, Joseph Wiseman, Kathleen Beller, Edward Herrmann, Paul Rudd
As retirement nears, an auto tycoon's family vies for power in the boardroom and at home.
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Detective Story 1951 N/R, 105 min. Genre: Drama
Director: William Wyler Cast: Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, William Bendix, Lee Grant, Cathy O'Donnell, George Macready, Horace McMahon, Gladys George, Frank Faylen, Joseph Wiseman, William "Bill" Phillips, Gerald Mohr, Craig Hill, Bert Freed, Luis Van Rooten
One day in a New York City police precinct station is examined in this film which features James McLeod (Kirk Douglas) as an overworked cop whose stress is compounded by problems with his wife (Eleanor Parker). The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Actress (Parker), Supporting Actress (Lee Grant, as a nervous shoplifter in her film debut) and Director.
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Dr. No 1962 PG, 110 min. Genre: Action / Adventure / Thriller
Director: Terence Young Cast: Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Jack Lord, Bernard Lee, Joseph Wiseman, Zena Marshall, Eunice Gayson, Lois Maxwell, Anthony Dawson, John Kitzmiller, Peter Burton, Yvonne Shima
In the first screen appearance of Ian Fleming's 007 a.k.a. James Bond (Sean Connery), he is sent to Jamaica to investigate the murder of a British agent. Bond eventually becomes involved with the evil Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) who plots to interfere with rockets being launched from Cape Canaveral.
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Garment Jungle 1957 Genre: Drama
Director: Vincent Sherman, Robert Aldrich Cast: Lee J. Cobb, Kerwin Mathews, Gia Scala, Richard Boone, Valerie French, Robert Loggia, Joseph Wiseman, Harold J. Stone, Adam Williams, Wesley Addy, Willis Bouchey, Robert Ellenstein, Celia Lovsky, Sid Melton, Jud Taylor
Alan Mitchell (Kerwin Mathews) returns home from the Korean War and joins his father Walter's (Lee J. Cobb) clothing firm only to discover that Walter is involved in a union-busting syndicate. Alan tries unsuccessfully to talk Walter into changing his mind about unions, and then talks to union leader Tulio Renata (Robert Loggia). Alan's visit results in a series of murder victims–including Walter and Renata. Finally, Alan uses his father's accounting books to give the police evidence of the extortion that led to the murders.
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Journey Into Fear 1975 R, 103 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Daniel Mann Cast: Sam Waterston, Zero Mostel, Yvette Mimieux, Scott Marlowe, Ian McShane, Shelley Winters, Stanley Holloway, Donald Pleasence, Vincent Price, Joseph Wiseman
This remake of Orson Welles' film is about a geologist (Sam Waterston) and his venture into the world of espionage. Skip this one and watch the original 1942 version instead.
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Lawman 1971 PG, 98 min. Genre: Western
Director: Michael Winner Cast: Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan, Lee J. Cobb, Sheree North, Joseph Wiseman, Robert Duvall, Albert Salmi, J.D. Cannon, John McGiver, Richard Jordan
After a drunken spree, during which an old man is accidentally killed, Marshal Jared Maddox (Burt Lancaster) sets out to arrest those responsible but finds the town against him.
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Les Miserables 1952 N/R, 105 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Lewis Milestone Cast: Michael Rennie, Debra Paget, Robert Newton, Edmund Gwenn, Sylvia Sidney, Cameron Mitchell, Elsa Lanchester, James Robertson Justice, Joseph Wiseman, Rhys Williams
The often-filmed Victor Hugo classic story is adequately presented in this adaptation, though much is cut (as evidenced by the length). Michael Rennie is cast as Jean Valjean, and Richard Newton plays his pursuer Javert. Three episodes are told: Valjean's arrest for stealing a loaf of bread and his imprisonment, Valjean's hounding by Javert after becoming mayor and adopting a girl (Debra Paget), and Javert's cessation of the pursuit of Valjean.
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The Night They Raided Minsky's 1968 PG, 99 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: William Friedkin Cast: Jason Robards, Britt Ekland, Norman Wisdom, Forrest Tucker, Harry Andrews, Joseph Wiseman, Denholm Elliott, Elliott Gould, Bert Lahr, Richard Libertini, Gloria LeRoy, Eddie Lawrence
Set in the 1920s, this is a tale about a young Amish woman, Rachel Schpitendavel (Britt Ekland) heads for New York with her father Jacob (Harry Andrews) on her trail. She seeks employment as a dancer on Broadway but ends up working as a stripper at Minsky's burlesque house where she stars as "Mme. Fifi" along with comedians Raymond and Chick (Jason Robards and Norman Wisdom). All goes well–until the burlesque house is raided.
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The Outsider 1967 TV, 98 min. Genre: Drama / Mystery
Director: Michael Ritchie Cast: Darren McGavin, Anna Hagan, Edmond O'Brien, Sean Garrison, Shirley Knight, Ann Sothern, Audrey Totter, Ossie Davis, Joseph Wiseman, Nancy Malone, Mario Alcalde, Madame Spivy, Kent McCord
Detective David Ross (Darren McGavin) is a private-eye/ex-con hired by a theatrical manager to investigate possible embezzlement in this pilot for a TV series that followed the movie. Ross investigates the suspect, and, when she is found dead in his office, Ross becomes the prime suspect.
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The Prodigal 1955 N/R, 114 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Richard Thorpe Cast: Lana Turner, Edmund Purdom, Louis Calhern, Audrey Dalton, James Mitchell, Neville Brand, Walter Hampden, Taina Elg, Francis L. Sullivan, Joseph Wiseman, John Dehner, Sandy Descher, Cecil Kellaway, Philip Tonge, David Leonard
Based on the Bible story, in this rendition Edmund Purdom takes the role of the prodigal son Micah who gives in to greed. Micah spends his portion of his father's (Walter Hampden) fortune on new clothes, property, and the pursuit of the pagan Princess Samarra (Lana Turner) who wants him to renounce his faith. But, Micah refuses to forsake Jehova. After running out of funds, Micah is sold into slavery from which he escapes while freeing the other slaves. Micah returns home, his father welcomes him, and the fatted calf is killed in his honor.
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Pursuit 1972 TV, 73 min. Genre: Action / Thriller aka: Binary
Director: Michael Crichton Cast: Ben Gazzara, E.G. Marshall, William Windom, Joseph Wiseman, Martin Sheen, Jim McMullan, Will Kuluva, Hank Brandt, Quinn K. Redeker, Joe(2) Brooks
Based on a novel by the movie's director, Michael Crichton, this thriller concerns a madman (E.G. Marshall) who threatens to wreak havoc on a political convention by using lethal nerve gas. Ben Gazzara plays the federal agent who is out to stop him.
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Seize the Day 1986 TV, 93 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Fielder Cook Cast: Robin Williams, Jerry Stiller, Joseph Wiseman, Glenne Headly, Tony Roberts, Richard B. Shull, Katherine Borowitz, John Fiedler, William Duell, Louis Guss
Saul Bellow's novel is brought to the screen, exploring the relative unimportance of a single human being when confronted with the forces of a capitalist society. Robin Williams, as usual, does a fine job.
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The Silver Chalice 1954 N/R, 142 min. Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Victor Saville Cast: Virginia Mayo, Jack Palance, Pier Angeli, Paul Newman, Walter Hampden, Joseph Wiseman, Alexander Scourby, Lorne Greene, E.G. Marshall, Natalie Wood, David J. Stewart, Herbert Rudley, Jacques Aubuchon, Michael Pate, Donald Randolph
This is the story of the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper. Greek sculptor Basil (Paul Newman) is sold into Roman slavery, marries slave Deborra (Pier Angeli), and dallies with Helena (Virginia Mayo). Basil is commissioned to design the silver chalice with Jesus and his disciples sculpted around the rim. The cup is coveted by many, but Nero (Jacques Aubuchon) wants the cup destroyed. After much conniving, the cup is lost, but the apostle Peter (Lorne Greene) predicts that it will be found in the future and will help lead the people back to Christ. Although Paul Newman debuted in this film, he later apologized in a Hollywood trade ad for his performance in this movie.
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The Unforgiven 1960 N/R, 125 min. Genre: Western
Director: John Huston Cast: Burt Lancaster, Audrey Hepburn, Charles Bickford, Lillian Gish, Audie Murphy, John Saxon, Albert Salmi, Joseph Wiseman, Doug McClure, Carlos Rivas, June Walker, Kipp Hamilton, Arnold Merritt
In the 1850s, Rachel (Audrey Hepburn), a full-blooded Kiowa, is taken in as an infant by the Zachary family. The Zacharys are a White frontier family, led by matriarch Mattilda (Lillian Gish) and her oldest son Ben (Burt Lancaster) who pass Rachel off as White. Now, in1865, amidst post-Civil War tensions, there are conflicts between the Kiowa and the Texas ranchers, and the Kiowa tribe tries to retrieve Rachel from the Zachary family. Racial prejudice plays a large role in the lessons of this tale.
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Viva Zapata! 1952 N/R, 112 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Elia Kazan Cast: Marlon Brando, Jean Peters, Anthony Quinn, Joseph Wiseman, Mildred Dunnock, Arnold Moss, Frank Silvera, Margo, Alan Reed, Lou Gilbert
During the Mexican Revolution Emiliano Zapata (Marlon Brando) came down from the hills and rose to the presidency of his country. Once in office, he was confronted with the ease of corruption. Anthony Quinn carried away an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and Marlon Brando was nominated for Best Actor.
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| 1. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974)
2. The Betsy (1978) aka: Harold Robbins' The Betsy
3. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979)
4. Detective Story (1951)
5. Dr. No (1962)
6. Garment Jungle (1957)
7. Jaguar Lives! (1979)
8. Journey Into Fear (1975)
9. Lawman (1971)
10. Les Miserables (1952)
11. The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968)
12. The Outsider (1967)
13. The Prodigal (1955)
14. Pursuit (1972) aka: Binary
15. Seize the Day (1986)
16. The Silver Chalice (1954)
17. The Unforgiven (1960)
18. The Valachi Papers (1972)
19. Viva Zapata! (1952)
In The News
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