Lullaby 1960 - An interesting Don Appell drama on the small screen

Husband and wife: Eli Wallach & Anne Jackson

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IMDB rating: 7,0

Director: Don Richardson
Main Cast: Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Ruth White, Tom Carlin

"A 38-year-old truck driver and a weary cigarette girl from a nightclub elope and discover that they know very little about each other. The mama's boy's domineering mother gives them no peace or privacy on their honeymoon and soon the marriage turns into the eternal triangle - with his mother as the 'other woman'. This televised stage play was shown as part of the anthology series called Play of the Week in NTA Film Network Syndication."

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The consul 1960 - Cold war atmosphere with wonderful performances

American soprano Patricia Neway in The consul 1960

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IMDB Rating: 7,7

Directors: Bill Butler, William A. Graham
Main Cast: Patricia Neway, Chester Ludgin, Evelyn Sachs, Leon Lishner

"Movie fans who don't cotton to opera may find The Consul an exception. This rarity, filmed for TV in 1960, presents Gian-Carlo Menotti's searing opera in mostly uncinematic terms, it's true, but the intensely melodramatic and moving story that forms its core should be very attractive to fans of Cold War dramas and stories of intrigue. opera purists have tended to sniff a bit at The Consul, and it's true that portions are not as musically potent as might be desired. It's also true that the opera climaxes with the shattering "To This We've Come" aria in the second act, and that the lengthy nightmare sequence that comprises the bulk of the third act falls a little short of paying off. On the whole, however, the sheer power of the piece makes up for its musical or dramatic shortcomings. Having been shot for television pretty much from an on-stage vantage point, some may find it a trifle stagy and visually uninteresting. Fortunately, The Consul has an ace up its sleeve that renders this and all other complaints meaningless -- the shattering performance of Patricia Neway in the leading role. Neway is, in a word, magnificent, delivering a harrowing, wrenching performance that leaves the viewer drained. The rest of the cast is competent, sometimes more, but it's Neway that matters. This legendary performance alone makes The Consul worth seeing." - www.allmovie.com

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The iceman cometh 1960 - Excellent television production with a stellar cast

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IMDB Rating: 7,6

Director: Sidney Lumet
Main Cast: Jason Robards, Myron McCormick, Tom Pedi, James Broderick, Robert Redford

"Done as part of WNTA's 'Play of the Week' series, Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh was a major television 'event' in its time, getting the seal of approval from The New York Times theater critic Brooks Atkinson, who introduced both halves of the presentation (it was done in two nights, a week apart). Sidney  Lumet got a dream cast here, starting with Jason Robards Jr., who recreates his success as Hickey from the 1950s off-Broadway revival (which is where the play became a success, in the hands of director Jose Quintero). Also present are Myron McCormick as Larry, and such names as James Broderick, Robert Redford, Roland Winters, and Michael Strong. Lumet proves adept at moving his actors and cameras in what is essentially a dramatic ballet. Those who know his film 12 Angry Men will love this production and the opportunity to experience the excitement that attended the broadcast. This is also a wonderful showcase not only for Robards, whose portrayal of Hickey was one of the highlights of his career, but also for Myron McCormick, a much-loved stage actor whose film work (including No Time for Sergeants) was only a shadow of his true dramatic range, his talent captured here about as well as it ever was." - www.allmovie.com

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