Borrowed Hearts | |
---|---|
![]() DVD cover | |
Genre | Drama Fantasy Romance |
Written by | Pamela Wallace Earl Wallace |
Directed by | Ted Kotcheff |
Starring | Roma Downey Eric McCormack Shawn Alex Thompson Sarah Rosen Fruitman Héctor Elizondo |
Music by | John Welsman |
Country of origin | United States Canada |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Executive producers | Gary Delfiner Roma Downey Ed Gernon Peter Sussman Tom Todoroff |
Producer | Mary Kahn |
Production location | Toronto, Canada |
Cinematography | Michael Story |
Editor | Ralph Brunjes |
Running time | 91 minutes |
Production companies | Atlantis Films CTV |
Release | |
Original network | CBS |
Original release | November 30, 1997 |
Borrowed Hearts (also known as Borrowed Hearts: A Holiday Romance) is a 1997 made-for-television Christmas drama film directed by Ted Kotcheff and starring Roma Downey and Eric McCormack. [1]
Sam Field (Eric McCormack) is a high-powered businessman and scion of a rich industrialist family with his own factory. Though a workaholic, Sam manages to enjoy a playboy lifestyle, having one girlfriend after the other, while struggling with never having lived up to his father's expectations. One day, his spokesman and best friend Dave Hebert (Shawn Alex Thompson) explains that a wealthy potential buyer of his company believes that Sam is a loyal family man. Even though he is not amused by having to pretend to be a married father, he agrees to the scheme of hiring actors to play his wife and son. After some unsuccessful rehearsals with his hired family, Sam is about to give up all hope of landing the deal, when a 7-year-old girl suddenly enters his house.
This is Zoey Russell (Sarah Rosen Fruitman), a well-meaning and friendly young girl who constantly gets into trouble due to her energetic impulses. One of these impulses was running into Sam's house, which, according to Zoey, resembled her doll house. Zoey's mother, Kathleen (Roma Downey), is a single parent who struggles with combining parenthood with her job, coincidentally at Sam's factory. She had aspirations of becoming an artist, but settled for a lesser position when she married Jerry Russell (Kevin Hicks), who has since left her.
Kathleen is offered a large sum of money for her and Zoey to pose as Sam's loving family. She is not impressed with Sam, but agrees to take the job because she needs to save money for a down payment on a house, but also because Zoey is fond of Sam's house. They are given a make-over by Sam's staff and are taught what to say and what not to say to the potential client, Javier Del Campo (Héctor Elizondo). He is scheduled to stay at Sam's mansion for a weekend, during which he becomes fond of Zoey.
When Javier announces that he will stay until the negotiations are completed, for another two weeks, Zoey is delighted, unlike Sam and Kathleen. Sam is especially frustrated, because the family act has negative influence on his work. One evening, Zoey unintentionally messes up Sam's office, which causes him to have an angry outburst. Kathleen is appalled by his behavior toward her daughter and immediately quits and leaves the house. That evening, Sam comes to Kathleen's apartment, apologizes to her and convinces her to return. The next night, the 'family' and Javier go out ice skating, during which Zoey becomes convinced that Javier is an angel. Sam, meanwhile, realizes that he is more charmed with Kathleen than with an attractive young woman who was flirting with him earlier that evening.
Just when things are going for the upper, Jerry shows up where Sam, Dave and Javier are having lunch. He demands to know what is going on, and threatens to let Javier know and scuttle their negotiations. Sam, aware of his hustler lifestyle - even though Zoey thinks that he has left home to become an astronaut - offers him money to keep their secret, with the condition that he not contact his family until after Christmas. Shortly after, Kathleen learns that the possible deal between Sam and Javier includes a sale, not a merger as she thought, meaning that production will move to Mexico and will cost most of Sam's employees (including Kathleen) their jobs. In response, she shows Sam how much his employees need their job, which puts Sam in even a more difficult position. The same evening, the bonding continues over present wrapping and they are about to kiss but are interrupted by Zoey waking up from a nightmare.
On Christmas morning, Javier signs the contract, though Sam is not willing to, claiming he doesn't do business on Christmas. Instead, he kisses Kathleen under the mistletoe, which upsets Zoey. To worsen the matter, Jerry shows up, confusing Javier. Sam explains the entire situation, and Javier responds understandably, even offering to honor the contract. Again, Sam refuses to sign it, choosing instead to save the factory employees' jobs. Jerry, meanwhile, prepares to leave, assuring Zoey that she is better off with Sam and Kathleen. Nevertheless, she is devastated and reacts by climbing up a tree to see her father leave. Sam and Kathleen follow her, and the branch Zoey is on breaks. She is hanging from a branch and is afraid she can't hang on much longer. Sam tells her that he loves her and assures her that he will catch her, which he does. At the end it is shown that Zoey accepted Sam as her new father.
On May 26, 1997, Variety announced that Roma Downey was set to star alongside Eric McCormack and Héctor Elizondo in the film, which was set to shoot in summer-time Toronto. [2]
Borrowed Hearts aired to mixed reviews, but was one of CBS's most watched TV movies. [3]
The critic for Variety was positive on the film, calling it "a highly watchable and highly shmaltzy holiday offering from CBS. The combination of Downey, angels and a slick production should leave a nice ratings gift under the Eye web's Christmas tree." [4] [..] "What makes Borrowed Hearts fun is the snappy, shallow, engaging script and story by Pamela Wallace and Earl Wallace. Also, kudos to Thompson, who infuses Dave with enough cynicism to cut some of the sugar poured in the first hour. Unfortunately, by the second hour, the Wallaces start to really tug at those heartstrings, but by that time, you're hooked." [4] The reviewer also praised the film's cast and crew: "Hunky McCormack limns Sam with an extremely light and humorous touch; when he's called on to emote, he successfully gives Sam depth. The lovely Downey and Elizondo don't have all that much to do, and young thesp Fruitman is fine. Production design by Rolf Harvey and costumes by Linda Muir hit the mark in evoking New England wealth. Ted Kotcheff's direction is snappy." [4]
Touched by an Angel is an American television drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994, and ran for 211 episodes over nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and executive produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey as an angel named Monica, and Della Reese as her supervisor Tess. Throughout the series, Monica is tasked with bringing guidance and messages from God to various people who are at a crossroads in their lives. From season three onward, they are frequently joined by Andrew, the Angel of Death.
Glengarry Glen Ross is a play by David Mamet that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984. The play shows parts of two days in the lives of four desperate Chicago real estate agents who are prepared to engage in any number of unethical, illegal acts—from lies and flattery to bribery, threats, intimidation and burglary—to sell real estate to unwitting prospective buyers. It is based on Mamet's experience having previously worked in a similar office.
Héctor Elizondo is an American character actor. He is known for playing Phillip Watters in the television series Chicago Hope (1994–2000) and Ed Alzate in the television series Last Man Standing (2011–2021). His film roles include The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), American Gigolo (1980), Leviathan (1989), Pretty Woman (1990), Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), Runaway Bride (1999), The Princess Diaries (2001), and Valentine's Day (2010).
Getting Even with Dad is a 1994 American comedy film starring Macaulay Culkin and Ted Danson.
Roma Downey is an actress, producer and New York Times best-selling author from Derry, Northern Ireland. For nine seasons, she played Monica the angel in the CBS television series Touched by an Angel. She produced the mini-series The Bible for the History Channel and also appeared in it as Mary, mother of Jesus. She has performed on stage with the Abbey Theatre, The National Theatre of Ireland and has appeared both on and off Broadway. She played the leading role of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the Emmy award-winning mini-series A Woman Named Jackie for NBC.
Kathleen "Kat" Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jessie Wallace. She is also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001 and Sumar-Elise Sandford in a flashback in 2018. Kat is the second eldest Slater family sister and first appeared on 18 September 2000. Kat's usual dress is very short skirts and leopard-print tops, with much make-up and heavy fake tan. Her initial stint saw her involved in many storylines, most significantly in a plot twist which sees her supposedly sister Zoe Slater, revealed to be her daughter after she was raped by her uncle Harry Slater as a child. Another key aspect to the character's storylines is her marriage to Alfie Moon, prior to which she became briefly engaged to Andy Hunter ; after Kat jilted Andy on their wedding day, he blackmailed her into sleeping with him in his revenge bid against Alfie and Kat. Wallace has won multiple awards for her portrayal as Kat, who has become one of the show's best loved characters.
"Kaisha" is the 77th episode of the HBO television drama series The Sopranos and the 12th episode of the sixth season. It served as the midseason finale to the first part of Season 6, which HBO broadcast in two parts. The episode was written by executive producer Terence Winter, series creator/executive producer David Chase and co-executive producer Matthew Weiner, and directed by longtime series director Alan Taylor, and originally aired in the United States on June 4, 2006. Its premiere garnered 8.9 million American viewers.
Vampires: Los Muertos is a 2002 American direct-to-video Western horror film written and directed by Tommy Lee Wallace and starring Jon Bon Jovi as a vampire hunter. A sequel to the 1998 film Vampires, it was produced by John Carpenter. Vampires: Los Muertos introduces new characters, and the only reference to the previous film is the mention of deaths of the previous team, Father Adam Guiteau from the original film, who has since died, as well as the legendary Béziers Cross, which was unsuccessfully used in the first film to perform a ritual that enables vampires to survive daylight.
Diamond Jim is a 1935 biographical film based on the published biography Diamond Jim Brady by Parker Morell. It follows the life of legendary entrepreneur James Buchanan Brady, including his romance with entertainer Lillian Russell, and stars Edward Arnold, Jean Arthur, Cesar Romero and Binnie Barnes.
Gregory James Baty is a former American football tight end, who played eight seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Stanford University.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie is a 1998 American Christmas animated adventure musical film about the character of the same name, who first appeared in a 1939 story by Robert L. May. The film was the first theatrical feature from GoodTimes Entertainment, long known as a home video company. It stars Kathleen Barr as the voice of the titular Rudolph, and also features celebrity talents including John Goodman, Eric Idle, Whoopi Goldberg, Debbie Reynolds, Richard Simmons and Bob Newhart. The film disappointed at the box-office, recouping only $113,484 of its $10 million budget from its theatrical release.
Susan Nicole Downey is an American film producer. Until February 2009, she was co-president of Dark Castle Entertainment and executive vice president of production at Silver Pictures, Joel Silver's production company. Susan is married to Robert Downey Jr. The couple has formed their own production house named Team Downey.
New Year's Eve is a 2011 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall. The film consists of an ensemble cast consisting of Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Zac Efron, Héctor Elizondo, Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Joey McIntyre, Seth Meyers, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sarah Paulson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger, Jake T. Austin, Hilary Swank, and Sofía Vergara.
Zoey Francis Chaya Thompson Deutch is an American actress. She is daughter of director Howard Deutch and actress-director Lea Thompson. She gained recognition for her roles in the film Everybody Wants Some!!, the Netflix comedy series The Politician, and the romantic comedy film Set It Up.
Why Him? is a 2016 American buddy comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg, co-written by Ian Helfer, and starring James Franco and Bryan Cranston with Zoey Deutch, Megan Mullally, Griffin Gluck and Keegan-Michael Key in supporting roles. The film follows a father who tries to stop his daughter's immature tech-millionaire boyfriend from asking her to marry him.
Before I Fall is a 2017 American science fiction teen drama film directed by Ry Russo-Young and written by Maria Maggenti and Gina Prince-Bythewood, based on the 2010 novel of the same name by Lauren Oliver. The film stars Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage, Logan Miller, Kian Lawley, Elena Kampouris, Diego Boneta and Jennifer Beals.
An American Girl Story – Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas is a 2016 family-drama film starring Alyvia Alyn Lind in the title role, along with Mary McCormack and Madison Lawlor in supporting roles. The film takes place in mid-1950s Daytona Beach, Florida, centering on Maryellen Larkin's life together with her big family, longing to stand out among her siblings and other relatives, and how she helped a number of young patients at a polio ward, Maryellen herself had polio.