Film

Critic-at-Large Laurie Stone looks at the new sexism as typified in the female leads in the films "Fatal Attraction," "The Big Easy" and "Baby Boom," three of the most successful fall films.

Film Critic Leonard Maltin. Some TV viewers know him for his segments on "Entertainment Tonight," but he is perhaps as well known for his reference book Leonard Maltin's TV Movies and Video Guide.

Film Critic Stephen Schiff will review "Hope and Glory," starring Sarah Miles and Ian Bannen, and directed by John Boorman, ("Deliverance"). Told from the point of view of a 9-year-old, it is the story of a family trying to survive during the terror that gripped London during World War II.

Ken Tucker reviews several new home video releases, one featuring comic Tim Conway in an instructional guide for golf titled "Dorf on Golf."

Novelist and screenwriter William Goldman. His 1973 novel, The Princess Bride, was just made into a movie by director Rob Reiner. The movie is based on a screenplay Goldman wrote shortly after completing the novel. Goldman also wrote the screenplays for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "All The President's Men."

Character actor Ned Beatty. He spent 15 years in theater before making his film debut in "Deliverance." Since then, he's played everything from a sinister executive in "Network" to a clownish sheriff in the Burt Reynolds film "Stroker Ace." In all, Beatty has acted in 37 feature films, and 44 television movies or series.

Hanif Kureishi, a Pakistani-Briton, wrote the screenplay for 1985's surprise hit "My Beautiful Laundrette," which explored the oppression of Pakistanis in England. His new film is titled "Sammy and Rosie Get Laid."

Crime writer Patricia Highsmith. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, was later made into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock. Her new novel, her 19th, is titled Found in the Street.

Film Critic Stephen Schiff will review "Suspect," the courtroom thriller/love story starring Cher and Dennis Quaid.

Photographer Bruce Weber, who does the fashion ads for Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. He recently finished a documentary movie about young boxers. It's titled "Broken Noses" and opens at the upcoming New York Film Forum.

Film maker Alan Rudolph. Rudolph made his break into movies working for director Robert Altman. His film credits include "Remember My Name," "Welcome to LA," "Choose Me" and "Trouble in Mind." His new film, "Made in Heaven," stars Timothy Hutton and Kelly McGillis.

Film Critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Less Than Zero," the adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis.

Ken Tucker reviews the new home video release titled "A Young Children's Concert with Raffi." Raffi is a singer of children's songs that adults find catchy as well.

Rock musician Marshall Crenshaw. Best known for the songs "Whenever You're on My Mind," "Someday, Someway" and "Mary Jean," Crenshaw's new album is titled "Mary Jean and 9 Others." Crenshaw played the part of Buddy Holly in the summer's hit movie "La Bamba."

Henry Mancini, who's had a long career writing scores for movies and TV. He has composed some classic songs, such as "The Pink Panther," "Moon River," "The Days of Wine and Roses," and the themes for "Peter Gunn" and "Mr. Lucky." He had just done the music for the new film version of "The Glass Menagerie."

Film Critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Cry Freedom," starring Kevin Kline as South African journalist Donald Woods, and Denzel Washington as anti-apartheid activist Stephen Biko. The movie portrays the friendship that developed between Woods, a white reporter, and Biko, one of the leading foes of apartheid. "Cry Freedom" is directed by Richard Attenborough.

John Boorman, British film director. His new film is titled "Hope and Glory" set in London during the Blitz in World War II. The film looks at war from the vantage point of a child, who saw in the chaos a non-stop party.

Terry Jones, a member of the comedy troupe Monty Python. Jones did much of the writing for the troupe. He directed most of their movies, often appearing as one of the Python women. Jones now writes children's books in England. He also directed the recent film "Personal Services."

Architectural preservationist David Naylor, whose new book, Great American Movie Theaters, charts the past glory and current demise of a uniquely American architectural treasure, the downtown movie palace.

Television Critic David Bianculli previews "Poor Little Rich Girl," the NBC miniseries based on the life of heiress Barbara Hutton, who squandered a vast fortune and died nearly penniless. Farah Fawcett stars.