Richmond Hoxie

Dummy -- a lonely man who responds to a magazine advert offering friendship gets an unexpected delivery

"Still of the Night" is a Hitchcockian thriller from director Robert Benton. Roy Scheider portrays a Manhattan psychiatrist who is suspected of killing one of his patients. The police do not know if he's not telling them - claiming the immunity of the doctor-patient relationship. Scheider himself considers that the dead man's mistress (Meryl Streep) may be the killer. Scheider's quiet bachelor life is penetrated by Streep's wiles, and he can't understand her interest. Streep is a vivacious, chain-smoking blonde, who looks as if she could "explode" at any provocation. Scheider is determined to get to the bottom of the murder and find out if Streep is the killer. His obsession is accompanied by nightmares of flashing knives. Scheider plans his moves to get closer and closer to Streep until she breaks.

Social outcast, Steven, buys a ventriloquist dummy and hits the small-time comedy circuit to the horror of his family and the delight of his beautiful job counselor, Lorena. With his newfound talent, can Steven create the life of his dreams?

We all have two lives: the one we are born with, and the one we try and create for ourselves. Will Smith makes his compelling dramatic debut as Paul, a man who shows up at the doorstep of two affluent art dealers, claiming to need help after a Central Park mugging. Presenting himself as a Harvard Man, a friend of their children and the son of Sidney Poitier, he charms the couple with stories of his father and ends up staying the night. In the morning, however, we find out that “Paul” is a conman, and his ruse will have repercussions that will change one family in ways they never imagined. “Hilarious! Touching! Magic!” Rolling Stone