Eddie Albert

Documentary about legendary Paramount producer Robert Evans (the film shares the same name as Evans's famous 1994 autobiography). This documentary captures the life story of legendary Hollywood producer and studio chief Robert Evans. The first actor to ever to run a film studio, Robert Evans' film career started in 1956, poolside at the Beverly Hills Hotel. His good looks, charm and overwhelming confidence captured the eye of screen legend Norma Shearer, who offered him a film role. After a glamorous--but short-lived--career as a movie star, Evans tried out producing. At the age of 34, with no producing credits to his name, he landed a job as chief of production at Paramount Pictures. Evans ran the studio from 1966-1974. During his tenure, he was responsible for such revolutionary films as The Godfather, Rosemary's Baby, Love Story, The Odd Couple, Harold and Maude and Chinatown. By the early '80s, the Golden Boy of Hollywood was losing his luster. After a failed marriage to Ali MacGraw, a cocaine bust and rumored involvement with the Cotton Club murder, he disappeared into near-obscurity. Only through tremendous will and uncanny luck did he once again rise as the kid who stays in the picture. —Sujit R. Varma Movie mogul Robert Evans self narrates the story of his movie life. Once an aspiring actor, he was a successful business owner of a woman's wear company when, independently, Hollywood royals actress Norma Shearer and producer Darryl F. Zanuck plucked him out of nowhere to be featured in major supporting roles in two separate movies. His acting career was short as he realized that he was not very good at it, and that his passion lied elsewhere in the movie business. He wanted to be the next Darryl F. Zanuck. In large part due to an article written by entertainment columnist Peter Bart, Evans did become a producer and then ultimately head of Paramount Pictures, one of the then lower tier of the premier movie studios. Evans' place at the studio hinged on the success of a few key movies including Rosemary's Baby (1968), Love Story (1970) (working on which sparked the short but passionate personal relationship with future wife, actress Ali MacGraw), and The Godfather (1972). Under his tenure, Paramount became the number 1 studio in Hollywood. Those successes led to an unusual contract with Paramount, which in turn led to his return to producing such acclaimed movies as Chinatown (1974), and ultimately quitting his job at the studio. But Evans' life had some major falls, especially in the 1980's, with the start of his cocaine use, the failure of some highly touted and big budget films such as The Cotton Club (1984), and implication in the murder of aspiring producer Roy Radin, which in combination led to major bout of depression. He would need the assistance of his true friends to help him regain his life. —Huggo

US Border Patrol agent Frank Cooper is keeping a fine balance between doing his duty and empathizing with illegal Mexican border jumpers in 1970s California. In late 1970s California U.S.Border Patrol agent Frank Cooper is trying hard to be fair.He is keeping a fine balance between honestly doing his duty and empathizing with many of the illegal Mexican border jumpers who cross his path.Cooper personally knows some of the repeat offenders and empathizes with them.He knows that many poor Mexican border jumpers come to the USA to work for small wages to help their families left behind in Mexico.Cooper bears no grudge against these helpless unfortunates but he also knows that he took an oath and must do his duty with honor.He tries to help some of the illegals without breaking the law.But Cooper faces two major obstacles in the person of his boss Moffat who's corrupt and that of the local human smuggler Suarez who is prepared to kill anyone interfering with his activities. —nufs68

December 1979. An American-owned French operated Concorde super-sonic jet takes off from the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Captain Paul Metrand (Alain Delon) makes conversation with Isabelle (Sylvia Kristel), the purser whom is his current lover. They land at Dulles Airport in Washington DC. Maggie Whalen (Susan Blakely) is an investigative reporter who recaps the arrival of the Concorde and reports on the "Goodwill" flight on the Concorde the following day, which leads to a story of future boyfriend Kevin Harrison (Robert Wagner) and his Buzzard missile project. Carl Parker shows up at Maggie's house with a claim about documentation of illegal arms deals to communist nations. Carl is shot before a passerby triggers a fire alarm, scaring the assailant away. Meanwhile, Captain Joe Patroni (George Kennedy) introduces himself to Captain Metrand as being the pilot for the Concord flight to Paris and to Moscow for the upcoming 1980 Summer Olympics to be held eight months from then. The next morning, Maggie tells Harrison about her ordeal and the rumor of documents. Kevin claims someone is framing him. He sends Maggie off in a limo while he waits for his business partner Willie Halpern to arrive. Kevin tells Willie that Parker is dead, but they do not have the documents. Kevin asks what time the next launch of the Buzzard is. Willie replies 6:30; Kevin wants it delayed until 8:00 and the drone test reprogrammed. Metrand and Patroni board the Concorde. It is difficult to determine the pilot-in-command as both of them are captains. Peter O'Neill (David Warner), the 2nd officer and flight engineer, is living with a controlling girlfriend. Kevin surprises Maggie at the airline check-in desk to see her off. He asks if the documents showed up, but they have not. As he is walking away, Carl Parker's wife delivers the documents to Maggie as she steps on the mobile lounge. She looks them over on the lounge and realizes that Kevin lied to her. The Concorde takes off from Washington/Dulles enroute to Paris where, unbeknownst to the flight crew, an off-course ground-to-air missile is headed straight for them. At company headquarters, Kevin tells his controllers to alert the government. Patroni takes over the Concord as it goes into evasive action manouvers to evade the missile. The USAF scrambles F-15 fighter jets to intercept the missile just as it locks onto the Concorde. An F-15 shoots down the missile before it collides with the Concorde. As the Concorde is approaching the European coastline, an F-4 Phantom fighter jet, piloted by a mercenary, is sent by Harrison and engages the Concorde with air-to-air missiles as well as gunfire as French Air Force Mirages scramble to help the Concorde. The Mirages shoot down the F-4 and the Concorde continues to Paris, although it diverts to Le Bourget Airport instead of Charles de Gaulle because it is damaged by the F-4's gunfire. The Concorde reaches the French coastline, landing with a damaged hydraulic system and just barely stopping at the last safety net. Captain Metrand and Isabelle invite Joe to dinner as they wait for the Concord to be repaired. Meanwhile, Kevin arrives at Charles de Gaulle Airport, where an associate meets him, stating that he has another plan to stop Maggie from making public the documents before she reaches Moscow. Joe, Paul and Isabelle meet for dinner with a date for Joe as promised by Paul. Maggie meets Kevin for dinner. He promises to go public with the documents but attempts to bribe Maggie into "polishing" his statement. After being paid by Kevin, a mechanic, Rollie, places a device in the Concorde's cargo door control unit, timed to open during flight to depressurized the aircraft. The next morning, as the passengers re-board the Concorde for the second stage of the flight to Moscow, a well-dressed woman (Charo) attempts to smuggle a dog aboard. She is caught by an alert Isabelle and leaves the aircraft. Inside the terminal, Rollie is in line at the security checkpoint when his money falls out of his pants leg. The X-ray technician attempts to return it, but Rollie pretends not to hear and runs off. The security guard tells his partner to call security before chases Rollie. Rollie runs onto the runway where the Concorde is taking off. The aircraft's wake scatters the money he received from Kevin. The aircraft is en route to Moscow when the automatic device opens the cargo door. When Captain Metrand investigates, he sees the carpet tear down the middle of the aisle, signifying the fuselage is under tremendous stress and the aircraft is about to break apart. The cargo door is ripped off, extensively damaging the aircraft and ripping the floor of the cabin from the Concord as it spirals toward the ground. The airline founder's seat lodges in the hole, acting as a plug. The pilots attempt to fly to Innsbruck for an emergency landing, but realize they do not have enough fuel. Paul realizes they are flying towards a ski area he used to go to in the Swiss Alps; they could make a gear-up landing on a mountain-side. The aircraft approaches the landing site while the Swiss ski patrol marks a runway. The aircraft lands successfully. Maggie immediately gives a report of the accident to a news reporter and gives details about a major story she is about to release. In his office back in Paris, Kevin hears the newscast and commits suicide by shooting himself. At the crash site, Patroni and the last of the crew leaves the Concord shortly before fuselage caves in and the entire aircraft explodes from the leaking fuel.

LA Police Lt. Phil Gaines (Burt Reynolds) and Nicole Britton (Catherine Deneuve), a high-priced call girl and the lieutenant's girlfriend, have their weekend plans dashed when Gaines receives a call that a dead woman was found on the beach. Before he leaves, the two plan a romantic trip to Rome, Italy. At the police precinct, Gaines and his partner, Sgt. Louis Belgrave (Paul Winfield), meet Marty and Paula Hollinger (Ben Johnson and Eileen Brennan), and ask Marty to view the deceased to see if it is his daughter, Gloria. Upon seeing Gloria's naked lifeless body, Marty punches Gaines in the face, screaming they should have covered her up. Sgt. Belgrave insists they charge Marty with assault, but Gaines apologizes for not covering the girl. Later, Gaines enters an interrogation room to find Belgrave and another police officer beating a confession out of an Albino man (David Estridge). Infuriated by their brutality, Gaines orders the prisoner released and given something to eat. Gaines then learns that Jerry Bellamy (David Spielberg), a murderer he arrested, was paroled after only serving five years of his two life sentences. Gaines goes to his office and stares wistfully at a seven-year old calendar showing the Roman coliseum. That night, Marty Hollinger lies in bed picturing his daughter, Gloria, as she grew from a toddler to teenager. His wife reminds him they "lost" Gloria a long time ago. Meanwhile, Gaines stands on his balcony overlooking Los Angeles, California, while Nicole has phone sex with a client. When Nicole hangs up, she complains her job is getting harder every day. Gaines suggests she quit, but is silent when she asks if he will take care of her. To lighten the mood, Nicole encourages him to reminisce about the love affair he had when he visited Rome. The next day, Belgrave and Gaines brief their boss, Capt. John Santoro (Ernest Borgnine), on the Gloria Hollinger case. Although the girl tested positive for semen, there was no sign of rape. Plus, blood tests indicate that Gloria died of suicide. After learning the girl's father is "a nobody," Santoro tells them to close the file. Meanwhile, Nicole entertains mob attorney, "Kingfish" Leo Sellers (Eddie Albert), on his yacht. Sellers goes ashore to make a telephone call. In Akron, Ohio, his call is answered by a man at a telephone booth. Three men leave a union meeting hall, and are killed when the car explodes. Afterward, the man tells Sellers "it is done", and hangs up. Back in Los Angeles, Gaines removes a picture of Sellers and Gloria Hollinger from the dead girl's wallet. Sgt. Belgrave snatches it from him and gives it to another officer to enlarge it and make additional prints. The Hollingers arrive to collect their daughter's personal effects, and Marty refuses to accept his daughter's death was a suicide. When Gaines tells him the case is closed, Marty threatens to find the killer and take care of him. After Marty leaves, Paula explains he has never been the same after his traumatic experiences in the Korean War and a sympathetic Gaines gives her his business card in case she needs his help. Gaines learns that Jerry Bellamy has killed two women and taken a third hostage while holed up in a downtown factory. When Gaines arrives at the scene, Bellamy threatens to shoot his prisoner unless the police lieutenant comes in alone. Inside, Bellamy orders Gaines to kneel, then, as the killer rants about the evils of women, Belgrave drops from a skylight, distracting the killer. Gaines pulls his gun and kills Bellamy. Later, Gaines and Belgrave are drinking in Gaines's office, when Belgrave insists they investigate Leo Sellers's connection to Gloria's death. He argues that Seller is a mob lawyer, and Gloria was carrying an envelope holding $2,000 in cash and had Sellers's picture in her wallet. Knowing Seller is one of Nicole's clients, a reluctant Gaines agrees. Meanwhile, Marty collects Gloria's things from Gloria's roommate, Peggy Summers (Catherine Bach), who shows him a much larger photograph of Gloria and Sellers. Learning Gloria was a stripper who dated Herbie Dalitz, the emcee at her club, Marty goes to confront Herbie. That night, Gaines confesses he is having trouble accepting Nicole's profession. When he refuses to marry her, she packs to leave him. Gaines slaps her and she hits him in the head with an ashtray. He throws her on the bed, and what starts as a violent kiss turns passionate and they make love. The next morning, a narcotics officer gives Gaines a tape recording of Sellers calling Ohio and the bomb blast that killed the union men. He explains that the telephone booth was "bugged" to catch drug deals, but the tape now belongs to homicide. Later, Gaines and Belgrave respond to a telephone call from Paula Hollinger and go to her home where they find a badly beaten Marty. Marty says Gloria was at a sex party at a home owned by a man named Leo. Gaines agrees to investigate Gloria's death, but only if Marty promises not to take any more chances. Gaines interviews Herbie Dalitz, who admits procuring Gloria for Leo after he saw her in a pornographic movie. When questioned, Leo Sellers admits partying with Gloria, but insists she left his house alive. When Gaines asks if Leo feels any responsibility for the girl's suicide, Leo answers she was screwed up before he met her. Gaines then reveals that police taped his call to Ohio. Leo's only response is to say that he knows Nicole and Gaines are living together and admires that Gaines does not let her profession get in the way of their relationship. Later, Gaines has drinks with Paula Hollinger and learns that Gloria was the result of an affair she had while Marty was in a veteran's hospital being treated for mental illness. Although Marty learned of the affair, he never suspected he was not Gloria's father. The next day, Gaines tells Marty that Gloria committed suicide. When Marty accuses Gaines of being paid off, the lieutenant shows him film of Gloria and Peggy Summers having sex with a man. Marty leaves in tears, goes to Peggy and beats her until she reveals Leo's last name. When he leaves, Peggy calls Belgrave. Carrying a loaded gun, Marty confronts Sellers at his house. Sellers ask why kill him, as there "were a lot of men who led Gloria astray?" Marty replies that he cannot kill everyone and shoots him between the eyes. Gaines and Belgrave arrive to find Leo dead and Marty slumped in a chair. Gaines tries to get Marty to understand the trouble he is, but Marty just repeats that he will have his day in court. After learning Marty bought the gun from a pawnshop without giving his name, Gaines takes the pistol and shoots Marty in the shoulder, then concocts a story that Sellers pulled the gun when Marty confronted him and, in the ensuing struggle, Marty was wounded and Leo killed. Belgrave protests, but Gaines explains that even though Leo did not kill Gloria, he was a murderer and there are times justice is served by "sticking up for the Marty's of the world." Gaines telephones Nicole and tells her to meet him at the airport so they can fly to Sausalito, California, and get married. After hanging up, Gaines walks into a liquor store, where an armed man attempts to rob the place. Gaines intercedes, but he is shot dead. Later, Belgrave finds Nicole at the airport and breaks the news. As they leave, an airplane headed for Rome takes off.

A sadistic warden asks a former pro quarterback, now serving time in his prison, to put together a team of inmates to take on (and get pummeled by) the guards. A football player-turned-convict organizes a team of inmates to play against a team of prison guards. His dilemma is that the warden asks him to throw the game in return for an early release, but he is also concerned about the inmates' lack of self-esteem. —Matt Heffernan <msh6880@cs.rit.edu> An ex football player Paul Crewe (Reynolds) spirals out after being caught shaving points to gamble on games. Some bad choices lead to Crewe getting sent to prison where the warden has his eye on him to coach their semi pro team. After refusing, at the lead guards forceful request, crewe finds himself in the dregs of the prison workforce. Finally the warden decides to use him in a different capacity and tasks him with putting together an all inmate football team to play a tune up game with the guards. Through trials and tribulations, Crewe gets his team together and puts the guards through their paces in an all out roughed out guard on inmate football game. Former star quarterback Paul Crewe is arrested and convicted on a variety of charges and sent to State prison. The chief guard, Captain Knauer, is immediately antagonistic towards Crewe and makes his life a living hell. Crewe gets a chance for some revenge when the warden arranges a game between the inmates, coached and quarterbacked by Crewe, and the guards, coached by Knauer. Now he has four weeks to whip his team into shape, a team whose members haven't played in years, if at all, while the guards team play regularly and successfully. —grantss

Europe 1944: Fragile Fox is a company of American G.I.s based in a Belgian town near the front line. They are led by Captain Erskine Cooney (Eddie Albert), a man who appears to be better at handling red tape than military strategy. Cooney is a natural coward who freezes under fire and cannot bring himself to send more men into battle to reinforce those already under attack. When Lieutenant Joe Costa (Jack Palance) sends a squad to take a pillbox, Cooney agrees to provide covering fire but freezes at the critical moment leading to the slaughter of Costa's squad, and the death of Lt. Ned Lathrop, another company officer who had attempted to rescue the squad. The increasing and unnecessary loss of life is causing morale problems among the troops and trying the patience of Platoon Leader Lt. Joe Costa, a bold and brave fighter and a natural leader of men. The Executive Officer, Lt. Harold Woodruff (William Smithers) is the "voice of reason" who tries to keep the peace between Cooney and Costa. Both Woodruff and Costa are respected by the enlisted troops. While Woodruff tries to get Cooney re-assigned to a desk job behind the lines, Costa hints at a more direct solution to the problem. It's a well-known fact that Cooney owes his position to battalion commander Lt. Col. Clyde Bartlett (Lee Marvin), a man who has known the Cooney family since he was a 14-year-old clerk in the office of Cooney's father, a top judge. The judge and his influence could be very useful to Bartlett's post-war political ambitions and it all depends on his and Cooney's war records. When Woodruff tries to appeal to Bartlett's honor and claims that Cooney is not capable of leading the unit and should be reassigned to a desk job, Bartlett dismisses him. Woodruff is promised that the war is coming to an end and it is highly unlikely that the platoon will ever see combat again. Neither Captain Erskine Cooney nor Bartlett are liked by the company: as Pfc. Bernstein (Robert Strauss) puts it: "When you salute them two, you have to apologize to your arm." When the Germans start the counter-attack known as the Battle of the Bulge, Bartlett orders Cooney to seize the town of La Nelle. Since there is no way of knowing if the Germans are there or not, Cooney overrules an all-out attack and decides that Costa should lead a reconnaissance mission. Costa agrees provided that both Cooney and Woodruff promise him to send in reinforcements if necessary. As he is about to leave, Costa warns Cooney of the consequences if he ever plays the "gutless wonder" again: "I'll shove this grenade down your throat and pull the pin!" As they approach La Nelle, the platoon comes under fire by German SS. Most of them are killed or injured. Costa and a handful of men take refuge in a farmhouse but find themselves under siege. The only survivors are Platoon Sergeant Tolliver, Private First Class Bernstein, Pfc. Ricks (James Goodwin) and Pvt, Snowden (Richard Jaeckel). When Costa calls for reinforcements, Cooney snaps, ignores the pressure from Woodruff to go in and turns to drink. A little strategy and deception enables Costa and his men to hold up but when Panzers appear he has no choice but to call a retreat. He furiously tells Woodruff over the radio to warn Cooney that he's "coming back!" In the confusion that follows the retreat, Costa becomes MIA. The rest of the men manage to get back to the main town, though another of them is killed, in addition to the many casualties during the initial move on La Nelle. The men show their contempt for Cooney: Bernstein (Robert Strauss) spits at his feet and Sergeant Tolliver (Buddy Ebsen) rejects his offer of a drink, telling him that where he comes from "We don't drink with another man unless we respect him." Bartlett appears and tells Woodruff and Cooney that they must hold their present position in spite of the German advance. Bartlett threatens to arrest Cooney if he falls back, as it would leave another company unprotected and the Germans would be able to "roll up the entire front line". When Cooney begs to be reassigned, an enraged Bartlett strikes him. Woodruff warns Bartlett that he is going to lodge a complaint with General Parsons, the Colonel's superior, over the handling of the company. With the pressure building, Cooney breaks down, telling Woodruff about having been beaten by his father in order to "make a man" out of him. Bartlett had told him that he is in command "as a favor to the judge. He's always wanted a son, now I'm trying to give him one." Feeling sorry for Cooney, Woodruff tells him to sleep it off and is about to assume command when Costa suddenly reappears, determined to kill Cooney. As they argue, they are told that the town is being overrun by Germans and that the surviving members of Costa's squad are cut off. Costa takes it on himself to save his men. Costa grabs a Bazooka and bravely disables a tank, only to have his arm crushed by its treads. A handful of men, including Woodruff and Sergeant Tolliver, take refuge in a basement. Private Bernstein is injured and, being a Hebrew, is unlikely to have his POW rights respected by the attacking SS. They try to get out but their way is blocked, and a drunken and erratic Cooney insists they are "holding for Bartlett". Cooney orders the men to surrender and just as he steps out of the basement to do so he is met by a severely injured Costa, his grievously mangled and bloody arm dangling uselessly. It is clear that Costa is gravely wounded and, as he collapses to the ground in front of Cooney, he appeals to God to give him enough strength to kill Cooney. Cooney mockingly kicks the gun away from him. With Costa dead, Cooney suggests that the rest of them surrender even though they have not been discovered. At that moment Woodruff warns him that he will shoot him if he does. When Cooney does make a move, Woodruff kills him. Feeling remorse, Woodruff instructs Tolliver to place him under arrest, but Tolliver and the other GIs reject his command. Each man, except Snowden, steps forward and shoots Cooney to prevent Woodruff from taking the blame. Snowden returns to report that the town is empty and American reinforcements are arriving with the Germans in full retreat. Bartlett finds the men and demands to speak to Cooney; the men point to his body. The men then intervene before Woodruff can confess and inform the Colonel that Cooney was killed by the Germans, but Bartlett senses immediately that they are covering for Woodruff. He dismisses the men and gets a moment along with Woodruff. Bartlett, who has always hated Cooney, contemptuously kicks him over, remarking "So the old judge wanted a son, huh? Looks like he had to lose one to get one." He gives Woodruff a field promotion to captain and tells him to forget about the threatened complaint to General Parsons; but he then announces that he is going to nominate Cooney for the Distinguished Service Cross. Outraged that a coward should be honored in this way, Woodruff openly accuses Bartlett of manipulating the whole thing in order to get rid of Cooney, who was a liability, and get favors with his powerful father. Bartlett remarks that Woodruff has too much to lose if he makes the whole affair public, and leaves after promising to get a medal for Costa too. As he leaves Woodruff decides to do the right thing to honor Costa, and calls the commanding general, Gen. Parsons, on the radio to file a full report.

A touring European princess, bored with her sheltered life, escapes her guardians and wanders around Rome, where she bumps into an American reporter.

A young girl from a provincial town learns the bitter reality of a big city and great love. It's the turn of the century. From small town Missouri, Carrie Meeber has just moved to Chicago expecting to take the city by storm, or at least to do better than her sister Minnie has done before her in Carrie being better educated. She finds that she isn't as wise to the ways of the city largely in having a provincial mentality. She ends up needing the help of others to survive, if not Minnie and her husband Sven, then others showing her any kindness. In having a falling out with her sister and brother-in-law, Carrie somewhat reluctantly accepts the assistance and friendship of traveling salesman Charlie Drouet, who expects to capitalize on Carrie's naivete to get what he wants from her. It isn't until she has committed to Drouet in her need to be respectable that she falls mutually in love with George Hurstwood, the manager of Fitzgerald's, one of the most upscale restaurant/bars in the city. What George does not tell her is that he is already married with grown children, albeit the marriage a cold one to Julia Hurstwood in her only concern being her/their standing in society. This situation is a potential disaster zone for all concerned.

Sally borrows her friend's cosmetics kit to sell door-to-door but fails miserably. She and her fiancé get caught up in a smuggling scheme, are suspected of murders, and must evade the police while hunting for the real culprits. Scatterbrained Sally Elliott tries to get a job as a Fuller brush girl and desperate for money she borrows her friend's kit without permission and her attempts at selling cosmetics door-to-door are disastrous. She and her fiance Humphrey get involved in a smuggling scheme and she becomes the prime suspect in first one and then a second murder. She and Humphrey find themselves dodging the police while trying to catch the real killers. —Daniel Bubbeo <dbubbeo@cmp.com>