mattbcoach

This T.V show flopped in midyear during a time when most networks kept even bad shows on for at least a year. Hard to see why. This show, based on the movie starring Gary Cooper, was an interesting one about a simple country man who inherits a vast financial fortune, including an unspecified corporation which controled groups of manufacturing and real estate properties. Monte Markham, who played Longfellow Deeds, was convincing in the role. Unlike the movie, Deeds plays a more active role in managing the corporations businesses---often with humorous results. Check out Pat Harrington's performance as the highly elegant,erudite Executive Assistant to Deeds. He sure wasn't "Schneider" of "One Day at a Time" in this show. He did a great job as well.

This is the true story of Jim Gregory, Grambling University's first white football player. Back when Gregory was at Grambling, it had not been THAT many years since Blacks were allowed to play football at most Southern Schools. Since many of the players at Grambling felt heavily discriminated against, they naturally resented Gregory for encroaching on "their" school. Further resentment happened against Gregory because he played Quarterback, a position that in those days was considered reserved for Whites only. Grambling in those days sent more players to the NFL than any other school, largely because the opportunities were not there for many of the Black players to go to largely White Universities in the South. Gregory encounters discrimination on all sides. He is not liked by the Black football players because he is in their school. And hes not liked by Whites because he plays football for a Black school. As time goes on, however, Gregory's work ethic and personality wins over almost all of his teammates at Grambling. We learn a lot about race relations in those days, and how a proper attitude can overcome them. If there is a weakness, its the rather so-so acting of Bruce Jenner. He was a great athlete, but hes not much of an actor. Still, the story was so interesting that Jenner's performance really doesn't matter.

CBS had high hopes for this series, which they hoped would break the seven year stranglehold that "The Love Boat" had on its time slot. But this show was gone after only a few weeks. It really wasn't bad, just not a show for its time. People didn't really want to see Westerns. They wanted to see jiggly babes and modern situations. This show was cool in that you got to see a young Mimi Rogers in a main role, and she does it quite well. The show's sets were well done as well, as in keeping with the decent budget allocated for this TV drama, in that the network had high hopes for it. The rest of I wouldn't mind seeing the four or five episodes of this show on DVD.

After young Rod Serling's Playhouse 90 hit "Patterns" became a household word, he went into a drought in terms of commercial success. This was before his "Twilight Zone" days. Eventually, Serling felt a strong urge to prove to the public that "Patterns" was not all he had. "Requiem for a Heavyweight" proved that Rod still had plenty of great writing in him. Former Army Divisional Bantamweight boxing champ Serling writes a story of incredible sensitivity and depth. Unlike many boxing movies, there were no real boxing scenes or action scenes in this one. The story is all about an aging, former Heavyweight fringe contender who has just been butchered in a bout by an up and comer. After the fight the ring doctor examines him and says "thats it. No More". How would any of us handle being told that? Especially when Boxing is all you have done. The Boxer, Mountain McClintock, played with great depth by former boxer Jack Palance, is unsure which direction his life is going to take. After the Doctor leaves the dressing room, Mountain is told by his Manager, Maish (Very well played by Keenan Wynn) that hes through. "Why?", says Mountain. "You got old, kid" says Maish. "Old? Doesnt everybody get old?" replies McClintock. McClintock's difficult attempts to find himself, and the troubles of his manager, create perhaps the finest teleplay ever seen. Understand that this was a LIVE performance. Performed in front of TV cameras and immediately beamed into people's homes. That was the norm in those early days of Television It was like watching a live play in your livingroom. No second takes. Despite this, flubs are few and far between.

How Mountain, his Manager, and his cutman (played by Keenan Wynn's dad, Ed) face their problems and conflicts is just what great drama is all about.

I was relaxing in my easy chair when I saw this film pop up on one of the mystery cable channels. I was very surprised and pleased at what I saw. First of all, the comments made about this film having great views of San Francisco are 100% true. I love "noir" films that set a city mood, and this was probably the best film that ever set a "San Francisco mood" with the possible exception of Dirty Harry. A friend of mine lived near the Cliff House and seeing Seal Rock Road and the Sutro Museum (used to be the Sutro Baths) was just incredible. Its just a hole in the ground now. Pier 39, now an over-sized shopping mall, was great to see as well when it was an actual shipping pier. And the movie itself was quite good. Eli Wallach played a sadistic, yet somewhat complex criminal who had no morals and yet showed flashes of compassion. Brian Keith's Father Robert played his mentor with excellence and style. This film was no high budget spectacular but more then made up for it with Siegel's excellent direction and great location scenes. I immediately went online to IMDb to try and buy the VHS or DVD but imagine my surprise when I saw it wasn't available! CMON, LETS SEE THIS ONE COME ONTO DVD!!!!

Actor Bob Harris (Bill Murray), at one time a top Hollywood superstar, but now clearly in the twilight of his career, is left with some choices. He can either do a play for a few dollars, try his hand at independent films, or do a Whisky ad in Japan for two million dollars. Not TOO surprisingly he goes for the money. While in Japan he meets the wife of a young and accomplished photographer, played by Scarlett Johannson, who seems rather baffled by life's choices. She simply doesnt know what to do with her life. Murray has lived his life, and has done very well, but he just feels somewhat insecure about the future. Oh, he has money, but what he doesnt have is the faith that he will continue to be a top star. Johannson, highly educated, graduated with a degree in Philosophy and has tried several things, none of them working real well. She seems way to intelligent to be known as "someone's wife" but thats what she is known as for now. In this movie we get a glimpse of the empty-headedness of Hollywood and the people that work there. This is an excellent movie and highly recommended.