FilmSpectator Reviews

Family: 'Tis the Season (1979) Season 5, Episode 2

Clash of expectations almost derails Christmas Traditions

[8/10 · 1 February 2024]

This episode of Family deals with the value of traditions and whether traditions can become a stumbling block to good family relationships. Doug is the main focus of 'Tis the Season with Willie and Buddy also having prominent roles.

As the episode opens the Lawrences are preparing to celebrate Christmas which is just days away. Amidst the hustle and bustle Doug experiences some chest pains. Not wanting to disrupt the holiday spirit, he shrugs it off. However, he has a few more episodes of pain and only reluctantly sees a doctor without mentioning it to anyone.

In the meantime Willie is making plans to run off to Mexico with his girlfriend for the holidays. Willie has lots of excuses for not mentioning his plans to Doug and Kate, whom expect all the Lawrences to celebrate Christmas together, as they always have.

A secondary story involves Buddy befriending the elderly custodian at her high school. She invites him to the family home where he engages is a variety of fixer-upper projects. Kate is annoyed by his presence, but let's Buddy continue to befriend him.

It soon becomes apparent that Doug is almost obsessed with maintining Christmas traditions, while the others, especially Willie, are willing to set traditions aside. Before long Willie and Doug clash and Doug is struck with more chest pains which can no longer be hidden.

I thought this episode was quite good because it shows how even close families have to deal with changing expectations. And lack of clear, open communications can cause hard feelings.

Gangland Undercover: Solitary (2015) Season 1, Episode 5

Episode 5 - Locked Up and Running Out of Luck

[9/10 · 25 March 2015]

Episode 5 of Gangland Undercover is the most intense show so far in this mini-series about Charles Falco. Earlier episodes focused on Charlie being arrested for dealing crystal meth. In place of going to prison, Charlie struck a deal with the Feds to help infiltrate the Vagos Motorcycle Club and obtain evidence of criminal wrongdoing. Ironically, Charlie ends up in prison anyway.

In this episode several Vagos, including Charlie (Damon Runyan), are in prison awaiting a hearing after a huge bar fight involving Vagos chapter president Schizo (Paulino Nunes). Now Charlie lives in fear that his role as an informant on the Vagos could lead to a violent end. Charlie must also navigate the hazardous prison culture where everyone self-segregates by race and a white supremacist gang exerts tremendous influence over white inmates like Charlie.

Using the skills he has developed while under cover, Charlie learns the ropes from his lunatic cell mate Thor. He soon finds out that his association with the Vagos is an asset behind bars. However, when ATF agent Koz visits Charlie, he's informed he'll be locked up longer than expected, and he will have to deal with a former drug associate.

This episode has some important flashbacks where Charlie's former life is covered. Most important is his past association with Bernard, who helped Charlie become a huge meth dealer, but now wants payback for messing-up their operation.

As in other episodes, each scene packs a lot of action into it. While the show undoubtedly skips over a lot of events that occurred to Charles Falco, it conveys enough to give viewers a good idea about what he endured. Although Damon Runyon continues to portray Charlie as low-key and unafraid, his occasional narration reveals how frightened Charlie actual was as an undercover infiltrator surrounded by hardened criminals.

Gangland Undercover: Going Under (2015) Season 1, Episode 1

Episode One - Falco goes under cover.

[8/10 · 24 March 2015]

Gangland Uncover has a strong debut in Episode One of this mini-series about Charles Falco, who infiltrated the infamous Vagos Motorcycle Club to gather evidence of criminal activity. The show starts with some brief words from Falco, whose appearance is hidden, then switches to a tense scene where an undercover informant is being executed by a motorcycle gang. The viewer will eventually come to know all the characters in that scene.

From this point onward the show is built around Charles Falco's account of what happened back in 2003-06 when he was nabbed for being a crystal method dealer, and eventually infiltrated the Vagos as a special agent of the ATF instead of serving a long prison sentence. Falco is portrayed by Damon Runyan, who is in just about every scene, and also narrates from time to time.

As the episode progresses Falco makes contact with a Vagos chapter. He has to learn the motorcycle club's language, unwritten rules, and distinct culture very quickly. And he also has to learn how to ride a motorcycle, which amazingly, he has no experience.

Falco's appearance gradually becomes more hard-edged as he adapts to the biker culture. At the same time he must secretly report his activities to Koz (Ari Cohen), who is the ATF agent running the undercover investigation. Falco must walk a fine line between fitting in with the Vagos, yet not committing any crimes – at least any serious crimes.

Although Damon Runyan looks way too clean cut to be a biker, I think he does pull it off with his low-key temperament and gritty resolve. He keeps his thoughts closely in check, and plays up being a loyal, no-nonsense Vagos member. He also has to keep his girlfriend Suzanna (Melanie Srofano) happy as she suspects Charlie is hiding something.

There's no wasted time in Episode One as each scene moves the story forward at a quick pace. This is the kind of show you could easily watch several times and keep seeing something new that you didn't catch before. You will also notice that each member has a distinct personality and mentality, and are not all friends. While a few aren't too bright, others are actually quite clever and street smart. It will not be easy for Falco to pull this off. But once he has infiltrated the club, there is no turning back.

Biography: The Von Trapp Family: Harmony and Discord (1998) Season 10, Episode 28

The Real Maria Von Trapp - Not Quite as in The Sound of Music

[8/10 · 24 March 2014]

This A&E documentary hosted by Peter Graves explores the real Von Trapp family and Maria Von Trapp, which inspired two films and a stage musical. If you prefer to keep the film and musical image of the Von Trapp family intact, you may not want to view this documentary because they are quite different. However, I felt compelled to watch it to see what the real story behind The Sound of Music was all about.

The documentary explores how Georg Von Trapp was a highly decorated Naval Captain in WWI and was married to Agatha Whitehead, Austrian heir to a fortune. Like shown in the movie, they had 7 children. But Agatha died suddenly and the Captain requested help from the local Catholic Abbey for help. Enter Maria Kutschera as a tutor.

The documentary explores how Maria ingratiated herself into the family, eventually married Georg, and they had 3 more children for a total of 10. In this documentary son Johannes and daughters Eleonor, Rosemarie, and Maria ('Mitzy') help explain the real story of the Von Trapp family.

The biggest surprise was that the real Maria wasn't quite the warm and cuddly personality I expected. She was actually very domineering and had a volatile temper, while Georg was soft-spoken and reserved. And the family's musical talents had captured the attention of Adolph Hilter, who wanted them to perform for his birthday. This and some other incidents is what prompted the family to fear the Nazis and flee, leaving behind almost all their possessions.

Once in the USA the Von Trapps struggled but eventually became a signing sensation as they toured the country for nearly 20 years. One thing I learned is that the Von Trapp family did not share in the huge profits generated from their story. But 'Mitzi' mentions that they did gain fame and their family will never be forgotten.

I really enjoyed this documentary even though it shows the real Von Trapp family had struggles and problems never remotely portrayed in the film. They were real people who smartly fled Nazi Europe despite the terrible risks and difficulties that created. And yes, their story, even the 'Hollywood' version, will live on indefinitely.

The Waltons: The Home Front: Part 2 (1979) Season 8, Episode 2

World War II begins to touch Walton's Mountain

[8/10 · 19 March 2014]

The Home Front episode provided a strong start to season 8 of The Waltons. This episode was presented in two parts when originally aired in 1979, and I am reviewing only part 2.

Home Front shows life on Walton's Mountain during the early stages of World War II. Young men are being drafted and lives are being disrupted. In part 1 of the episode Michael Learned returns in the role of Olivia as she takes a respite from convalescence, while John has to deal with the negative aspects of being on the country draft board for the war effort. A subplot is Elizabeth being excited to see her best friend Aimee Godsey return home from boarding school and Erin being stressed out at work.

Most of Home Front focuses on the furious reaction Calvin Satterfield has to the news his son was killed in the war when his transport ship was sunk. He blames the local draft board for his son's death and vows to take revenge on John Walton and the Walton family. There is some very good drama and tense moments in this script and I enjoyed watching how the story played out. It shows how the war effort reverberated through the countryside and caused heartbreak and sorrow far away from the war front.

Elizabeth gets a fairly big role in this episode too, when she realizes her friend Aimee has become more sophisticated while away at school, and more interested in boys (particularly Jim Bob). Elizabeth has to learn an important lesson about how friendships change as we go through life. Erin is showcased a little bit as she has to deal with the obnoxious JD Pickett at work. As the episode concluded the Walton's received an urgent and frightening telegram from the war department with news regarding John-Boy and the war.

Overall I thought Home Front was a very good episode. It dealt with some heavy-duty issues and showed how the family pulled together when they had to. Olivia's role was a bit limited though, and she would only appear in eight more regular episodes in the series.

In hindsight I would say this episode proved to be pivotal too, since the series soon started adding new characters that were far less interesting than the multiple characters who were no longer on the show.

Great Performances: Bacall on Bogart (1988) Season 15, Episode 9

This obscure documentary on Bogart is well worth watching

[8/10 · 19 March 2014]

This documentary on Humphrey Bogart does not seem to be particularly well known. However, if you are a fan of Bogey or the so-called 'Golden Age' of Hollywood you would most likely enjoy this 90-minute presentation.

It is largely narrated by Bogart's fourth wife Lauren Bacall, and follows Bogart's life beginning with his early years in New York City. If you thought he grew up in Hell's Kitchen or some other rough neighborhood that would be understandable. But Humphrey was actually raised in the Upper West Side of Manhattan and attended private schools. After serving briefly in World War I, the documentary covers his debut on stage, and eventual migration to Hollywood in the 1930s.

After appearing in quite a few mediocre films Bogart appeared in both the stage and film versions of The Petrified Forest, which cemented his reputation as a tough guy/outsider, and thrilled audiences. As a result he began landing more desirable roles such as Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon and Rick Blaine in Casablanca.

While Bacall does not dwell on much of the negatives in Bogey's life, the documentary does note that his personal life remained rocky and uncertain even as his career thrived. Several marriages came and went, and he smoked like a chimney. But, his fortune changed when he met Lauren Bacall on the set of To Have and Have Not. They eventually married, he fathered two children, and enjoyed some semblance of a normal life despite Bacall being considerably younger.

The documentary covers Bogart's personal life too, such as time with his family, his love of sailboats, and some political and social activities. There are also a number of short interviews with some of his friends, such as Richard Brooks, John Huston, and actress Katharine Hepburn, and the old 'Studio System' which dominated Hollywood in his era is discussed.

The film later notes that Bogart's health was declining in the early 1950s, even as he appeared in several memorable films such as The African Queen and The Caine Mutiny, and Sabrina.

The only real drawback to Bacall on Bogart is that it's pretty one-sided. After all, his wife presented most of the information, and she was apparently still very much in love with him when this production was made in 1988. Nevertheless, it's definitely worth watching as the documentary shows that there was a lot more to Humphrey Bogart than his acting roles.