Question: I remember a wonderful TV movie with Mary-Louise Parker called "Miracle Run," and the more that I think about it the more I wonder if the boy who plays her oldest son is Zac Efron of "High School Musical." Am I correct?
Answer: Zac Efron is indeed in that 2004 TV movie.
Q: Years ago, I saw a movie on TV, and it left me with a life lesson. I've thought of it often and hope you can help me with the title.
A quiet, unassuming wealthy widow lived alone in a large mansion. She had two grown children. One day, the woman met a man while in town shopping. The man lived in a mountain retreat not too far from town. Eventually, she went to his place and fell in love with him. The man wanted to marry her, but she was afraid her children would object. Finally, she agreed to tell them she planned to marry, sell the house and move in with the gentleman.
The children had a fit and didn't want to see the homestead broken up, so the mother relented and gave up her plans. Shortly afterward, the children went their own way without giving a thought to the mother, and she was left alone. A few nights later, the mother fled from the house in a bad storm to go back to the man she loved. Can you tell me the title and if this is on DVD?
A: That's "All That Heaven Allows," a 1955 film with Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson, and the life lesson is "Always dress warmly before going out in a storm," right⢠It's on DVD.
Q: This is going to sound weird, but at our house whenever we have a family breakfast we always make a big joke out of saying, "The maple syrup always goes on the table before the pancakes." We're pretty sure it came from a movie, but we can't remember which one! Can you help?
A: Yes, I can help. It's from "Rain Man."
Q: In the late 1970s, I watched a movie on TV that starred either Lee Marvin or George Kennedy. It was about the railroads and the men who patrolled them looking for hobos to eject. They were very violent toward the men who rode the rails. It was a very good movie, but unfortunately a friend called with car trouble and I missed the last 30 minutes. I have often thought of this movie and wondered how it ended and the name.
A.: That's "Emperor of the North," a 1973 film that's also known as "Emperor of the North Pole." The cast includes Marvin, Ernest Borgnine and Keith Carradine. It's on video and DVD.
Q: Could you tell me if "Moonlight" will be back in the fall⢠My family really loved the series and the stars.
A: "Moonlight" was canceled by CBS, but dedicated fans are trying to persuade another network to pick it up. You can learn more at http://moonlight-united.com.
Q: On the May 22 season finale of "Grey's Anatomy," they played a song during the last few minutes of the show. It was a very jazzy tune. I thought some of the words to it might have been "I want to live." Can you tell me the name of the artist and song?
A: The song was "The Quest" by Bryn Christopher.
Q: A couple of years ago I saw the play "Mamma Mia," and I remembered seeing a movie with the exact same storyline about a single mother raising a daughter in Greece or Italy.
For the past 20 years or so, she had been collecting child support from three men with whom she had been sleeping at the time of the daughter's conception, and none of them knew who the father was. Can you tell me the name of the movie and who was in it?
A: The movie is 1968's "Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell," with Gina Lollobrigida as the mother and Phil Silvers, Telly Savalas and Peter Lawford as the possible dads.
