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Lisa Hartman Black's TV movies

posted 11 years ago by TVmovieViewer
8 replies | jump to latest

Another thread to discuss the TV movies of another "Queen of the TV movies". Here are the ones I've seen:

1. Bodily Harm (aka. The Operation) (1990) This is my very favorite of all of her TV movies. I don't want to spoil the story, but it starts with Lisa having surgery, and then she sues the doctor for malpractice. There are many unexpected twists and turns in this great movie, and it gets my HIGHEST recommendation! Kathleen Quinlan costars.

2. Someone Else's Child (1994) This one is excellent too. In this fascinating true story, Lisa plays a woman who learns that her ten year old son was switched at birth. But that's not all- there's more to this story, and I highly recommend it. Louise Fletcher costars.

3. Falsely Accused (aka. Without a Kiss Goodbye) (1993) Another good one. Lisa stars as a woman who is arrested for poisoning her baby. Her mother-in-law (Cloris Leachman) testifies against her in court. Christopher Meloni plays Lisa's husband in this interesting true story.

4. Red Wind (1991) This one is very good, but it is inherently flawed. To explain the flaw, I have to give away major plot SPOILERS..... Lisa stars as a psychiatrist who has a mysterious "woman" show up as a new patient who wants to kill her abusive husband. The problem is that any intelligent viewer can tell that this "woman" is actually a man in drag. Soon the woman kills her husband and disappears and a private detective (who is obviously the same guy who played the woman) shows up. We are not supposed to see the obvious twist ending. Although I knew exactly what was going to happen, I still enjoyed this one.

5. Have You Seen My Son? (1996) Lisa stars as a woman searching for her son, who was kidnapped by her ex. Her search brings her to South America, where she learns that her son may be dead. Anne Francis costars. This one's pretty good too.

6. Roses Are for the Rich (1987) Lisa stars as a woman who was raised by a prostitute (Betty Buckley) after the death of her elderly aunt. She marries a coal miner who dies tragically. She then makes it her mission in life to avenge his heath- even at the expense of her own happiness. This one is good, but not great.

7. Bare Essentials (1991) Lisa stars as a woman who is engaged to Mark Linn-Baker. The couple gets shipwrecked on an island inhabited by the sexy Gregory Harrison. Lisa is very attracted to Gregory, and she has sex with him. Who will she end up with? ...A light, entertaining comedy.

8. Back to You and Me (2005) Lisa stars as a doctor who returns to her hometown to attend her high school reunion. There she attempts to make up with her estranged mother (Rue McClanahan) and she finds romance with a widower who has a sickly son. This one is quite slow-moving, but I liked it anyway.

9. Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal (1989) This is my least favorite movie on the list. Lisa only has a supporting role as one of several police detectives investigating a murder among fetish video producers. Near the end of the movie, Lisa briefly goes undercover as a prostitute at a sex party, but even that part is not that interesting. Vanessa Williams has a supporting role in this boring movie that I don't recommend.

[–] jgiles-367-954534 11 years ago

I enjoyed Someone Else's Child because it starred Lisa and Bruce Davison, who I really enjoy. That movie runs on Lifetime Movie Network sometimes and that's how I saw it.

It's been years since I've seen Have You Seen My Son?, but I do vaguely remember some of that. I believe she ended up in Mexico at one point thinking her son was there and she was told he was dead. I don't want to give anything away and I'm probably wrong about what I remember anyway.

Back to You and Me is shown on Hallmark a lot and it's very cliche and sentimental like a lot of their movies are, but I can't help but love it because I love Lisa, Dale Midkiff, Rue McClanahan and Barbara Niven who all appear in the movie. I like that the movie shows a nice slice of small town USA, too. It's a feel good movie.

[–] TVmovieViewer 11 years ago

jgiles, You're totally correct about what you remember about "Have You Seen My Son?"

And I agree with that about Hallmark's movies. They are never negative in any way. They always have to be sentimental movies about love and relationships. But "Back to You and Me" is a good one because of it's stars, and it does paint a picture of their small town life, and it ends on a very feel-good note.

[–] jgiles-367-954534 11 years ago

Another Lisa tv movie is Still Holding On: The Legend of Cadillac Jack (1998), which costarred her husband, Clint Black. >I had this one on my DVR to watch and never got around to it.

[–] lamero 11 years ago

Thanks for starting a topic about Lisa Hartman - she has been my favorite actresses for years though she never reached the popularity as an actress over here in Germany, like she did in the US (except for her appearance in "Knots Landing", "2000 Malibu Road" and her profession as a female fronted ("AOR") rock singer in the late 1980s)

My favorite TV movies of her are:

"The Operation" (nearly all German TV magazines gave it the best critics)

"Falsely Accused" (very interesting: there were some magazines and newspapers rated it "best movie of the day" on the one hand - and "flop of the day" on the other hand)

"Red Wind" - Lisa´s best acting and meatiest role in my eyes - and simply a great and intense movie.

"Someone Else´s Child" - a strong and ambitious drama. Lisa as a strong woman.

"Have you seen my Son" - dito

"Out of Nowhere" - dito

"Roses are for the Rich" - Lisa did a good job in portraying the coal miner´s wife and her inner conflicts which led her to be the "bitch" she had to represent. ;)

"Search for Grace" - an interesting trip to the past with a lot of thrill during the end.

Her weaker productions of her are in my eyes:

"The Take", "Still Holding On" and "Bare Essentials".
To be honest: Clint Black shouldn´t act and make place for really talented and professional actors.

[–] lamero 11 years ago

Hi,
I did send you a private message. :)

Oh but there are more movies of her getting a dvd release in the past:

"Falsely Accused" (aka "Without A kiss goodbye") got a dvd release as an accompanying European newspaper.

Further DVD-and VHS-releases of her movies are (as far as I know):

"Flicka 3" (DVD)
"Back to You and Me" (DVD)
"Cadillac Jack"(DVD)
"Someone Else´s Child" (VHS)
"Search for Grace" (VHS)
"Dazzle" (VHS and DVD)
"Not of this World" (VHS)
"Red Wind" (VHS and Laser Disc)
"Bare Essentials" (DVD-release in Japan)
"Fire! Trapped on the 37th Floor" (DVD-release in Japan(?))
"The Operation" (VHS)
"The Take (VHS)
"Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal" (VHS and DVD)
"Roses Are For the Rich" (VHS and DVD)
"Student Exchange" (VHS)
"Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues" (VHS)
"The 17th Bride" (VHS and DVD)
"Where The Boys Are ´84" (VHS and DVD)
"Deadly Blessing" (VHS and DVD)
"Valentine Magic on Love Island" (VHS)
"Just Tell Me You Love Me" (VHS)
"Gridlock" (VHS)

[–] TVmovieViewer 11 years ago

Hi lamero,
Thanks for answering. I guess I'll continue to look for "Out of Nowhere". It's a shame that this movie has become IMPOSSIBLE to locate.
I have a lot of these, but I think a few of the ones you mention were only released on VHS in the UK (and therefore aren't compatible with US vcr's.)
I also got the dvd of "Falsely Accused" (which I think is a terrible new title, because you're not supposed to know whether she's guilty or innocent.)
Also, that "Bare Essentials" dvd has an English-language cover, and it plays on US dvd players- even though it was made for Japan.
Thanks for your helpful list.

[–] lamero 11 years ago

You´re welcome.
Did you get my mail?

[–] TVmovieViewer 11 years ago

Yes, I answered it. =)
If you didn't get it, I said:
Unfortunately I don't have either of the movies you're looking for, and I don't have imdb-pro (so I'm not able to add photos to this site.)
Also, as for "Out of Nowhere", I'd be happy with a subtitled version, but if the voices are dubbed into German, I wouldn't understand it. I hope "Out of Nowhere" resurfaces some day.