Description

Three tales from acclaimed short stories and an all-star cast.The many sides of love explored.Stories of a boxer who must decide between love or his career; a marriage and a habit that are both on the rocks; and a writer in Paris who comes up with a novel way to spend an evening. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

GREAT VALUE VALENTINES MOVIE
good couples movie for valentines. 3 complete individual stories; watch all 3 or just one. feels like a harlequin come to life. originally for hbo cable so not quite standard tv fare; really quite nice, and worth the money. we liked the last story best!

Watch if for the Figgis.
A trio of mini-TV movies based on short stories by outmoded American writers. 'Kansas' is 'The Wizard of Oz' updated to working class New York in 1939, on the eve of war, with Kyra Sedgewick as an awful wife longing for escape, forcing her boxer husband (Matt Dillon) into a potentially fatal fight.

'Dilemma', paying homage to the 1950s Hollywood melodrama, features Ray Liotta as an advertising executive, having nightmares because of work pressure, alco-wife, fears for his kids, and the possibility that he might have to go fight in Korea.

Mike Figgis' 'Mara' is what you'd expect from a Henry Miller story set in Paris, much talking of talks, little walking of walks.

The first two films are done in the style of glum Masterpiece Theatre (e.g. Eugene O'Neill), with contrived situations and stilted dialogue. figgis, hampered by poor material, squeezes some of the empathetic visual magic he would perfect in 'One Night Stand'. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

great flick
I have watched this movie over and over. I just cannot get enough of "the kid's" performance. She is spectacular. Great family film! Matthau and Andrews as usual do well with the script.

This movie is very cute!
I really enjoyed her character in this movie the little "kid" in the movie is adorable this was a cute little love story and it is worth it

Good cast, great production, but weak script and direction
The Walter Matthau version of "Little Miss Marker" tries very hard to capture the authentic 1930s Damon Runyon flavor. The art direction is superb, the Henry Mancini score is wonderful, and Matthau is fine as always, but the film promises more than it delivers. The original Runyon story tells of a hard-hearted bookie who reluctantly accepts a little girl as security for a wager, and gradually thaws out as he cares for the child as his own. The story (faithfully told in the 1934 Adolphe Menjou-Shirley Temple film version) strikes all the right notes as the plot progresses, but the 1980 script rambles aimlessly and often overlooks key plot points, with many missed opportunities for the Runyon warmth and humor. Still watchable thanks to Matthau and villain Tony Curtis, but what should have been a sure winner finishes out of the money.

go away shirley
If i watch one more film oh Shirley Temple acting "cute" and sickly sweet for the camera, i just may lose my lunch. All of her movies depend oh her being "adorable" to carry the plot. Well i'm here to say that not all of us find Temple cute sweet or adorable. In fact i actually find it extremely annoying and just down right sick sick sick!

Sweet and predictable
I like this movie a lot. It is sweet to see how the crusty old bookie begins to care for the child. Although this movie is predictable, it is entertaining. It is one that the whole family can watch together. I especially like the scene where Sorrowful reads "the kid" the race results for a bed time story. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

GREAT VALUE VALENTINES MOVIE
good couples movie for valentines. 3 complete individual stories; watch all 3 or just one. feels like a harlequin come to life. originally for hbo cable so not quite standard tv fare; really quite nice, and worth the money. we liked the last story best!

Watch if for the Figgis.
A trio of mini-TV movies based on short stories by outmoded American writers. 'Kansas' is 'The Wizard of Oz' updated to working class New York in 1939, on the eve of war, with Kyra Sedgewick as an awful wife longing for escape, forcing her boxer husband (Matt Dillon) into a potentially fatal fight.

'Dilemma', paying homage to the 1950s Hollywood melodrama, features Ray Liotta as an advertising executive, having nightmares because of work pressure, alco-wife, fears for his kids, and the possibility that he might have to go fight in Korea.

Mike Figgis' 'Mara' is what you'd expect from a Henry Miller story set in Paris, much talking of talks, little walking of walks.

The first two films are done in the style of glum Masterpiece Theatre (e.g. Eugene O'Neill), with contrived situations and stilted dialogue. figgis, hampered by poor material, squeezes some of the empathetic visual magic he would perfect in 'One Night Stand'. ... Read more