Richard Dreyfuss, left, and Holly Hunter in 1989’s “Always”
Universal Pictures/Zuma Press/TNS
You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: One of my favorite movies of all time is “Always,” directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter and John Goodman. It was about a bomber pilot who dies and then comes back as a ghost to stay connected with his girlfriend: part drama, part love story and part comedy with a spiritual overtone. The problem is that I cannot find it.
A: “Always” was originally released late in 1989, the same year as the Spielberg-directed (and far more successful) “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” It was a reworking of the 1943 film “A Guy Named Joe,” and in addition to the actors you mentioned featured Audrey Hepburn in her last big-screen role. Much as you love the film, reviews were mixed and it’s generally considered a lesser Spielberg effort.
I did find it listed for sale or rent on Prime Video. It has also been released on DVD and Blu-ray.
Q: I recently watched “I Wake Up Screaming,” with Betty Grable, Victor Mature and Laird Cregar. I think Cregar was the brother of Raymond Burr. Am I right?
A: Sorry, no. Cregar (1913-1944) and “Perry Mason” and “Ironside” star Burr (1917-1993) were not related, although some saw a resemblance.
Q: I saw a Ronald Reagan movie called “Prisoner of War,” about a soldier who parachuted into North Korea to gain intelligence about American soldiers being brought to a POW camp during the Korean War. Where can I buy a good DVD copy of this movie?
A: I do not know of an authorized DVD release of the 1954 film. I did find it playing in the Internet Archive (archive.org), albeit with French subtitles.
Q: I have been watching “The Coroner” on public TV and apparently there are only two seasons available. Are there any more seasons?
A: The British drama about a coroner in a small coastal town ran for just the two seasons, the last of which premiered in 2017. The BBC reportedly just decided to focus on other projects.
Q: Do you know how I can view “Small Things Like These” in the U.S.?
A: It certainly sounds like a movie worth seeing. Based on the award-winning novel by Claire Keegan, it stars Cillian Murphy (best actor Oscar winner for “Oppenheimer”) as a worker in 1980s Ireland who discovers a disturbing problem at a local convent. Emily Watson, also in the film, won the award for best supporting performance at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year.
As for seeing it, the film acquired a U.S. distributor in June, so it should be available here eventually. But I don’t have a release date beyond a “coming soon” notice on the website of Artists Equity, the studio behind the film.
