Carter DeHaven

A group of masked gunmen steal evidence from a police evidence storage unit, killing several officers in the process. Officer Dennis Meechum (Brian Dennehy) is seriously wounded after stabbing one of the robbers. He survives and publishes a book titled Inside Job based on his experience. Years later, Meechum has been promoted to Detective, and is working on his next novel. He now suffers from writer's block, and is a widowed father raising his daughter, Holly (Allison Balson). On a case at the docks, a suspect runs as Meechum gives chase. A man named Cleve (James Woods) joins the chase. The suspect hides in an overhead crane and attempts to shoot Meechum, but Cleve kills the man, then disappears. Cleve arranges a meeting with Meechum, and tries to convince to write a book about his history as a paid assassin for a corporate empire, Kappa International. Cleve intimidates Kappa's founder, David Madlock (Paul Shenar) about Meechum's next book, and promises Meechum to show evidence to back up his claims. They proceed to take trips to New York and Texas where Cleve tries to convince Meechum of his history of hits. While they are in Texas, it is revealed that Cleve was the injured masked gunmen that Meechum had stabbed years earlier. Madlock, through his legal representatives, tries to bribe Meechum but fails. When an enforcer tries to steal a manuscript of Meechum's novel and attempt to kill Holly, Cleve intervenes by killing him. When Cleve attempts to keep Holly safe by sending her to Meechum's agent, Roberta Gillian (Victoria Tennant). Madlock, however, manages to kidnap Holly. Meechum decides to have a meeting with Madlock at the latter's oceanfront estate. Cleve storms into the house, and guns down all of Madlock's bodyguards. Cleve then sacrifices his own life to save Holly from Madlock. Meechum arrests Madlock, before comforting a dying Cleve. At the end of the film, it is revealed that Meechum has published the book titled Retribution: The Fall of David Madlock and Kappa International.

On an October morning in 1951, Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) drives through the Indiana countryside. In the afternoon he arrives in the small rural town of Hickory and enters the high school. He notices, on a shelf in the hall, basketball trophies won in previous years. As the bell rings to end the school day, he encounters teacher Myra Fleener (Barbara Hershey). She realizes that Norman must be the new basketball coach and teacher of history and civics. She directs him to the office of principal Cletus Summers (Sheb Wooley), where the two men recall how they met many years ago at Buffalo State Teachers College. They had lost touch until recently, when Cletus tracked down Norman and asked him to come coach at Hickory. When Norman thanks Cletus for the opportunity, Cletus interrupts and says, "Your slate's clean here." They proceed to the gym, where student Jimmy Chitwood (Maris Valainis) is shooting baskets. Cletus introduces Norman, but Jimmy ignores the new coach and keeps shooting. That evening on his farm, Cletus explains to Norman that Jimmy has been strongly affected by the recent death of the previous coach, who was like a father to Jimmy. Now the young man has withdrawn from almost everything and everyone and has decided not to play basketball this season. Cletus adds that Jimmy is the best player he has ever seen. As they finish talking, Norman cryptically mentions that he hopes things will work out for him this time. That night, Norman meets some of the townsmen in the barbershop, who bombard him with questions. He tells them he last coached 12 years ago, in Ithaca, New York, and that he has been in the Navy for the past 10 years. The men voice their opinions on what Norman should do with the team. They all agree that Jimmy must rejoin the Huskers for them to have a winning season. Losing patience with all the questions and unwelcome advice, Norman cuts short the meet-and-greet and leaves. The next morning, before school begins, Myra tells Norman that Jimmy is her neighbor, and she has been looking out for him ever since his father died. She thinks it best that he stay off the team. After school, the Huskers are already practicing in the gym when Norman walks in. George Walker (Chelcie Ross), one of the townspeople Norman met in the barbershop, is leading the practice and assumes that Norman will continue allowing him to assist. When Norman brusquely makes it clear that he doesn't need any help, George storms off. As Norman gathers the seven Huskers and begins to introduce himself, Buddy (Brad Long) rudely whispers to his teammate Whit (Brad Boyle), who is standing next to him. Norman orders Buddy to leave, and Buddy convinces Whit to go with him. Jimmy is watching, unseen, at one of the far exits. Norman begins the practice and puts the Huskers through drills of passing, running in place, and dribbling while weaving between chairs; they never scrimmage. Norman explains, "There's more to the game than shooting. There's fundamentals and defense." He also wants them to be in top physical condition because, if they continue to have only five players, substitutions and rest during games will be impossible. On the second day of practice, several townspeople walk in to observe; they've heard about Norman's unusual drills. Rollin Butcher (Robert Swan), Whit's father, brings in his son and has him apologize for walking out the day before. Rollin then tells the other men to leave, because the coach doesn't want them there. One day, as Cletus and Norman eat pie at the diner downtown, in comes Wilbur "Shooter" Flatch (Dennis Hopper), stumbling a bit and wearing a worn-out coat. Shooter, a former basketball player, describes for Norman how he almost led his team to victory in the 1933 sectional game of the tournament on a last-second shot. When Shooter asks Cletus in a low voice if he can borrow some spare change, Shooter's son, Everett (David Neidorf), who has been sitting in another part of the diner, walks up. He insists that Shooter give back the money and then escorts his father outside. One afternoon, as Jimmy shoots baskets at the school's outdoor court, Norman approaches him and asks why he wasn't in class that day, but Jimmy doesn't answer. Norman goes on to tell him that he believes Jimmy has a special talent that belongs only to him. Norman concludes by stating matter-of-factly that he doesn't care if Jimmy rejoins the team, and he walks away. From a window in the school, Myra has been watching them. Entering the school, Norman runs into Myra, who tells him to leave Jimmy alone. They begin arguing about Jimmy's future. She says she thinks Jimmy could receive an academic college scholarship if he concentrates on his studies instead of athletics. She doesn't want him to get stuck in Hickory, where the high point of his life will have been his days playing high school basketball. She doesn't understand why the townspeople place so much emphasis on the sport. She also is suspicious of Norman, wondering why someone like him has moved to Hickory, a town unaccustomed to seeing outsiders. She believes he might be running away from something. At the beginning of an afternoon pep session meant to showcase this season's Huskers, several people in the crowd begin chanting "We want Jimmy!" Norman silences them and defends his six-man squad, concluding, "This is your team." In the locker room before the first home game, Norman reminds the team what he taught them in practice: they must pass at least four times before attempting a shot. After Rev. Doty (Wil Dewitt) offers a prayer, a kneeling Strap (Scott Summers) continues praying silently, even after everyone else has departed the locker room and begun warming up. Norman tells team manager Ollie (Wade Schenck) that he will substitute for Strap in the game until Strap finishes praying. To Ollie's relief, Strap shows up right before tip-off. Early in the game, the Huskers quickly fall behind, and some of the townspeople in the crowd start yelling at the Huskers to shoot. Jimmy watches from the top row. Myra and Shooter are in the crowd as well. At halftime, Norman chews out the players, again telling them to always make at least four passes before shooting. In the second half, an impatient Rade (Steve Hollar), feeling pressure from the fans, decides to disobey the rule and shoot if he's open. Even though he makes these shots, Norman benches him. Moments later, after Merle (Kent Poole) fouls out, Rade attempts to reenter the game. Norman orders him to sit back down, even though this means Hickory will have only four players on the floor for the rest of the game. The fans yell and boo, but Shooter smiles with amazement. In the locker room after the loss, Norman asks the boys to consider whether they really want to be on the team. He reminds them that his instructions to them are "the law, absolutely and without discussion!" The next week, Norman encounters Myra and her sports-loving mother, Opal (Fern Persons), outside the feed-and-grain store. Opal invites him to Sunday dinner because she wants to talk basketball. Arriving well before dinnertime, Norman helps the two women grind sorghum on their farm. When he gets a chance to talk to Myra alone, she tells him a bit about her family and past, including the fact that she left Hickory for a few years but later returned. When he asks her if she's ever thought about getting married, she declines to answer, explaining that in Hickory, people tend to mind their own business. A few days later, Shooter unexpectedly calls on Norman at home and offers him unsolicited advice about the Huskers' upcoming game against Cedar Knob. Norman can tell from Shooter's remarks that he is quite knowledgeable about basketball history and strategy and has valuable insights into Hickory's opponents. That weekend, the Huskers travel in the team bus, owned and driven by Preacher Purl (Michael Sassone), Strap's father, to their first away game at Cedar Knob. The game is a tough one, with lots of physical contact. A drunk Shooter is present. Norman begins arguing with one of the referees, and then the Cedar Knob coach, and then one of the Cedar Knob players, who pokes Norman in the chest. Norman slaps his hand away, and Rade decks the player with a left hook. The rest of the boys begin scuffling. Norman and Rade are ejected, leaving a distressed-looking Cletus to take over as coach. The next day, Norman visits Cletus, who is suffering from heart trouble and has been ordered to be on bed rest for a while. After that, Norman goes to see Shooter at his dilapidated cabin in the woods. He offers to make Shooter his assistant coach, on one condition: he must remain sober. Offended and embarrassed, Shooter asks Norman to leave. However, at the next home game, Shooter surprises the players and perplexes the townspeople by showing up in a suit and tie, ready to accept the coach's offer. The next week, after class, Everett tells Norman he has doubts about his father's being the assistant coach, because he's a drunk who will do something stupid. After that, Myra comes in and informs Norman that a town meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, at which Hickory residents will decide if he will be removed as coach. During that Friday's game, Norman receives a technical foul and, after arguing with the referee, is thrown out. An anxious Shooter is forced to take over. The next day, Myra finds Norman standing alone along the fencerow on Cletus's farm, lost in thought. She tells him about an old newspaper article she found at the library, which describes how Norman was suspended from college coaching after he hit one of his players. Myra then says she appreciates how Norman is trying to help Shooter and how he hasn't pressured Jimmy to rejoin the team. At the town meeting that night, which takes place in the church, Norman gives a brief speech in which he defends himself. Myra then steps up to the lectern and prepares to tell the crowd what she has discovered about the coach. But she abruptly changes her mind and tearfully tells them she thinks it would be a mistake to let him go. After the residents vote on Norman's dismissal, as George finishes counting the ballots, Jimmy enters the church. He announces he has decided to rejoin the team, but only if Norman is allowed to stay. George indicates that the majority of votes are for dismissal, but Opal calls for a revote. This time most of the residents vote for Norman to stay. With Jimmy on the team, the reenergized Huskers go on a winning streak. About halfway through the season, Norman counsels Shooter, who is struggling with sobriety, that if he can't resist the urge to drink, he should go to the hospital to dry out. Shooter promises not to fall off the wagon if Norman will promise not to be ejected from any more games. At the next home game, Norman gets himself thrown out on purpose so that Shooter can take over as coach and hopefully gain some confidence. Shooter has the team run the picket fence play, and they win. Everett is proud of his father. At the end of the regular season, tournament play begins. At the start of Hickory's sectional game against Terhune, Shooter is nowhere to be found. During the game, he suddenly shows up and stumbles onto the court, drunk and yelling. After Rollin leads him away, a technical foul is called on Hickory. Everett becomes angry and distracted. When one of the Terhune players shoves Jimmy during a layup, Everett retaliates by punching him. As the two continue fighting, the other players from both teams join in. Everett is pushed hard into a trophy case in the adjoining hallway, cutting his shoulder badly. The fight breaks up and the game continues, with Hickory winning by 2 points. The next day, Norman and Everett go looking for Shooter, who has been missing since he was tossed out of the sectional. They find him lying unconscious in the snow-covered woods. Shooter is soon admitted to the hospital's alcohol rehabilitation unit, where Norman visits him. That weekend, reporters mob Norman and the team as they enter the Jasper gym for the regional game against Linton. In the locker room, Norman advises the Huskers to think about this game only and not to worry about progressing in the tournament. They should focus on the fundamentals, not on winning or losing. With the score tied at 50 with 2:30 to go, one of the Linton players hits Everett in his injured shoulder, causing the stitches to pull out. At first Norman wants Everett to ignore the pain and keep playing, but then he changes his mind and takes him out. Strap, not one of the better players, enters the game and immediately scores several points. When Buddy fouls out, only Ollie is left to substitute; he reluctantly enters the game. With Hickory up by 1, Ollie is fouled. He shoots awkwardly and misses his free throw. Linton then scores. Ollie is fouled as he shoots and misses. Two Linton players try to intimidate Ollie before he attempts his free throws, but Merle steps forward to offer encouragement. Using the same unusual underhand shooting style as before, Ollie makes both his free tosses, winning the game and sending the Huskers to the state finals. The following week, after Norman receives a haircut from Opal at her home, he notices Myra working in the muddy garden. They go on a walk. He asks her if she would like to go to a movie sometime, but she responds by bringing up the incident in which he hit his college player. He says he can't really explain or understand why he did it. They kiss. A few days later, Norman and the Huskers encounter a group of reporters gathered in the Hickory gym, waiting to interview Norman about the upcoming state-finals game. That same week, Everett visits Shooter in the hospital. On the morning of the state finals, Norman and the team enter an empty Butler Fieldhouse and are awed by its enormity. Norman has the Huskers measure the length of the free-throw lane and the distance from the rim to the floor. He reminds them that these dimensions are the same as those in the Hickory gym. In the locker room that night, Norman reviews game strategy with the team. He then tells them that the last few months have been special for him. He asks the Huskers if they would like to say anything. Merle wants to win for all the small schools that never had a chance to get to the state finals. Everett wants to win for his dad. Buddy wants to win for their coach. After Rev. Doty and Preacher Purl offer appropriate Bible verses, the Huskers take the floor. They struggle early in the game against the taller and more muscular South Bend Central Bears. But they regroup and begin to close the scoring gap until they are tied with the Bears at 40. After Rade intercepts a South Bend pass, Hickory controls the ball. With 19 seconds on the clock, Hickory calls time-out. Norman tells his players that, because the Bears will expect Jimmy to take the last shot, the Huskers will use Jimmy as a decoy while Merle attempts the final basket. Seeing the boys' uncomfortable reaction to his plan, Norman demands to know what's wrong. They say nothing until Jimmy declares, "I'll make it." Norman hesitates but then realizes that entrusting Jimmy with Hickory's last chance to score is indeed the best course of action. Play resumes, and with only 2 seconds left, Jimmy launches his shot, which sails through the net. The Hickory fans erupt in celebration and spill onto the floor. The final scene shows a grade-school-age boy shooting baskets in a quiet, empty Hickory gym as the camera zooms in on a team photo of the state-champion Huskers hanging on the wall.

On a Spanish galleon in the year 1687, aristocrat El Nebuloso (Tommy Chong) and his second-in-command, El Segundo (Cheech Marin), abscond with a treasure chest intended for their king. A band of English pirates, led by the dreaded blonde-haired Yellowbeard (Graham Chapman), descend on the ship and seize the treasure. Although his boatswain, Moon (Peter Boyle), planned the attack, Yellowbeard refuses to share the treasure, and as he slams the chest shut, Moon's left hand is severed. Yellowbeard continues his reign of terror, killing more than 500 men, until a betrayal by Moon leads to his 20-year prison sentence for tax evasion in England. Despite years of rehabilitation and torture, Yellowbeard refuses to divulge the location of the treasure. In a jump-forward to 1707, during the final week of his incarceration, Yellowbeard is informed by his wife, Betty (Madeline Kahn), that they have a teenage son named Dan (Martin Hewitt). The pirate is horrified to learn that the boy was raised by Lord Percy Lambourn (Peter Cook) to be an intellectual and a gardener. Dan, however, is fascinated by the idea that his father is the most ruthless pirate of all time. Meanwhile, Commander Clement (Eric Idle) of the Royal Secret Service coerces Queen Anne (Peter Bull) to extend Yellowbeard's sentence an additional 140 years, hoping the pirate will escape and lead authorities to his treasure. As predicted, Yellowbeard breaks out of prison and makes his way to Betty's tavern in search of the treasure map. Betty reveals that she tattooed it onto Dan's head before destroying the original, and directs Yellowbeard to Lambourn Hall, where the boy lives with his mentor. On the advice of informant Harvey "Blind" Pew (John Cleese), Commander Clement follows Yellowbeard into the tavern, but the pirate evades him. Moon's henchman, Gilbert (Marty Feldman), questions Blind Pew about the location of the map, but the informant refuses to assist pirates. Yellowbeard confronts his son at Lambourn Hall, declaring that he needs to remove the boy's head. Dan asks to remain intact and join his father on the treasure hunt. They consult Dr. Ebenezer Gilpin (Michael Hordern), who advises Yellowbeard to pose as a scientist on a voyage of discovery. Gilpin, Dan, and Lord Lambourn sign on as traveling companions. Blind Pew listens outside the office and informs Commander Clement of the group's departure. Moon and Gilbert eliminate Blind Pew by locking him inside a shed full of explosives and detonating them. The next morning, while Yellowbeard wreaks havoc in a brothel, Moon and Gilbert infiltrate a group of sailors and take Dan, Lord Lambourn, and Dr. Gilpin aboard the battleship, Lady Edith. As the ship sets sail, Yellowbeard stows away in the hold, while Captain Hughes lectures the men of their duty in England's war against France. Certain that Yellowbeard is aboard, Moon organizes a mutiny and elects Dan the new captain. Dan places the ship on a course to Madagascar, but during the night, Yellowbeard takes the helm and guides it toward the West Indies. Guided by Yellowbeard's wife, Betty, Commander Clement pursues the Lady Edith. He flies the French flag on his ship to avoid suspicion, and inadvertently attracts cannon fire from the battleship, forcing him to retreat. When the crew of the Lady Edith sights an island, Yellowbeard jumps overboard and swims ashore. Meanwhile, in El Nebuloso's hilltop fortress, an underling named Verdugo demonstrates his latest torture device, designed to break every bone in the human body. To further intimidate victims, it is suspended on a walkway over a pool of acid, to which nothing is impervious except gold and jewels. As the crew arrive on shore, Dr. Gilpin consults the map on Dan's scalp and leads a small party to the other side of the island. El Segundo assumes the landing party is searching for Yellowbeard's treasure and rallies his troops against the invaders, taking Dan prisoner. The boy is placed in the torture device, but refuses to talk. El Nebuloso's daughter, Triola (Stacey Nelkin), begs Dan to lead her father to the treasure, "for the grace and glory of God." When Dan suggests that torture is inconsistent with Christian ideals, Triola explains her father's desire to expedite his victims' entry into heaven. After Dan and Triola declare their love for each other, he promises to find the treasure and return for her, although El Nebuloso may be killed in the process. The avaricious Triola voices her approval. Elsewhere in the castle, El Nebuloso instructs El Segundo to feign resistance as the invaders approach the castle, enabling him to trap their leaders in the torture chamber. Yellowbeard joins Dr. Gilpin and Lord Lambourn as they lead their men into the fortress. Although guards pretend to fall dead at their feet, Yellowbeard proceeds to dispatch all in his path, including El Segundo, who dies a highly dramatic death, and receives a round of applause from his men. Upon entering the torture chamber, Dan's comrades find El Nebuloso threatening the boy with a sword. Yellowbeard swings from a rope and pushes the despot into the acid. Triola enters as Dan is set free, and she is happy to learn that her father is in heaven with all of the people he sent there. Moon leads his band of mutineers into the chamber and a sword fight ensues where Gilbert also falls into the pit of acid. Yellowbeard offers Dan the opportunity to fight Moon, but Triola intervenes and pushes the boatswain into the acid. Returning to the beach, Yellowbeard uses his sword to shave the top of Dan's head, revealing the map. When they unearth the treasure, Dan embraces his father, accidentally stabbing him with a dagger. Yellowbeard is proud of his son for adhering to the family tradition of patricide. Clement confiscates the treasure in the name of Queen Anne, prompting Triola to reject Dan and declare her love for the commander. Later, while Commander Clement considers keeping the treasure for himself, Dan and Yellowbeard burst into his cabin and take control of the ship. Triola has renewed affection for Dan, and Yellowbeard declares, "There's pirating to be done."

A paroled conman co-ordinates the robbery of an L. A. Airport bank with the arrival of the Soviet premier. Involved crime drama about an intricate plan to rob an airport bank. Watch for the surprise ending and look quickly for a barely-recognizable Harrison Ford in his film debut, playing a bellhop. —Brett England Eli Kotch is a manipulative conman who seduces his prison psychiatrist in order to gain parole. Utilizing his skill with various accents and disguises, he further seduces a variety of women in order to raise the money he will need to buy the security plans of L.A. Airport bank from a fellow inmate and finance its robbery. Under yet another identity, he also charms and marries beautiful Inger Knudson as she unknowingly helps him in the preparations for the heist. Kotch is able to co-ordinate the robbery with the high-profile arrival of the Russian Premier at the airport as he and his accomplices cleverly tries to utilize the resultant commotion as a diversion. —Gabe Taverney (duke1029@aol.com) In seducing Dr. Marion Hague, the psychiatrist at the San Francisco area prison where he's being confined, convict Eli Kotch is able to secure parole, which he quickly violates in the reason for his want to get out of prison at this time: to carry out a heist at the bank at LAX, the heist which he plans to carry out at the same time as the Soviet premier's visit to Los Angeles when the authorities, including the airport police, would be preoccupied with security for that visit. A large part of the front end of the plan requires Eli to raise an additional $85,000 to purchase the bank layout blueprints. In doing so and to carry out the heist itself, Eli relies on his usual M.O.s of seducing women, much like he did with Dr. Hague, dropping them after he's gotten what he needs from them, and using a variety of personae, which not only includes disguises but also foreign accents. What happens with the heist may be affected by two unexpected things for which Eli may not have made contingencies. First, secret service discovers a breach in their security making them have to change their security detail from their original arrangements. And second, Inger Knudson, the personal secretary to a New England matron, Inger the woman on who he has the longest con, his seduction which includes a sham marriage, has something happen in her and by association his life. —Huggo

During World War I, an anonymous private, (Chaplin) fighting in the army of Tomania, effects the valiant rescue of an officer named Schultz, but suffers loss of memory when the plane in which they are flying crashes into a tree. The little soldier is sent to a hospital where he remains for the next 20 years, unaware of the changes that are taking place around him. He does not know, for instance, that Hynkel (also played by Chaplin) has become Dictator of Tomania, and is ruthlessly persecuting the jews with the help of his two ministers, Garbitsch and Herring. Dismissed at last from the hospital, the amnesia victim returns to his barber-shop in the Ghetto, expecting to find everything as he left it 20 years before, because he does not realize that he has been away for so long. He is surprised and hurt, therefore, when Hynkel`s storm-troopers smash his store windows and make his new life miserable. He finds a friend in Hannah, a beautiful daughter of the Ghetto, and before long their friendship ripens into love. For a while they enjoy comparative peace firstly when Schultz, who has risen to a position of prominence in the new regime, recognizes the barber as his friend and orders the storm troopers to leave him alone, and secondly when Hynkel needs a financial loan from a Jewish financier and ceases temporarily his persecution of the Jews. The financier refuses the loan, so Hynkel takes up his antisemitic activities again, with a vengeance. He is planning an invasion of the neighboring country of Osterlich, and when Schultz questions the judgement of this move, the Dictator condemns him to a concentration camp. Schultz manages to escape to the ghetto, where he attempts to incite a revolution against the government. But before he can carry out this plan he and the barber are both captured and interned in prison camp. Pursuing his project of invading Osterlich, Hynkel invites to his palace Napaloni, Dictator of Bacteria, and after a few comic misunderstandings is able to enlist him as an ally. The invasion is successfully completed and Hannah, who has fled with her friends to Osterlich, again finds herself under the domination of Hynkel`s cruel regime. While The Great Dictator is celebrating his latest conquest by taking a vacation in the country, Schultz and the barber escape from the concentration camp. In the search that follows, Hynkel is arrested by his own soldiers, who think he is the barber, and Schultz sees that the barber is mistaken for the Dictator. Realising the importance of his new position the barber carries out the masquerade and in a speech before the assembled crowds of Tomania, denounces everything that Hynkel stands for and makes a rousing plea for democracy.