Amnesia Plots Will Drop From Memory

If you’re in the mood for a small-screen movie, you’ll likely be getting your thrills from viewing cable on Sunday rather than the two repeat flicks that CBS and ABC will air.

Coincidentally, both network movies of the week involve amnesia.

In CBS’ “The Man From Left Field” (1993), Sunday at 9, Burt Reynolds plays a drifter suffering from memory loss. He is drafted by a ragtag group of kids to be their baseball coach. The mother of one of the boys (Reba McEntire) is the love interest. As soon as she enters the story, things turn from interesting into sentimental slop.

This ready-to-serve movie has a guaranteed happy ending, but it is marred by a violent and prolonged beating the coach dishes out to the abusive father of one of his players. The father later is seen embracing his son after the boy hits a home run.

That sends a message that if you beat up someone, he behaves better.

It’s unfortunate the producers don’t realize it’s just that rationale that child abusers use to justify their violence in the first place.

Meanwhile over on ABC in 1995’s “See Jane Run” Joanna Kerns has lost some of her memory in a psychological family-in-turmoil thriller. Now, she’s having terrifying flashbacks, and her loving husband (John Shea) is standing behind his woman and helping her unlock the secret to her past.

Both movies are easily forgotten.

Highlights

“Lois & Clark,” ABC tonight at 8: The canceled show bids the airwaves goodbye with the idea that a superbaby just might be a reality. When not battling evil, the supercouple sorts out infertility issues.

“The Simpsons,” FOX Sunday at 8: Dave Thomas lends his voice to the show as Rex Banner, Homer’s rival. Banner wants to put an end to drinking in Springfield, and Homer wants to keep it alive. It’s a repeat that’s full of laughs.

Parents’ Pick

“In His Father’s Shoes” (1997), SHO Sunday at 8: In keeping with Father’s Day, this drama about father-son relationships is an extremely well-acted tale about coping with a family tragedy.

Robert Ri’chard is Clay Crosby, a young man who is having a hard time accepting and dealing with the death of his father (Louis Gossett Jr.).

Clay tries on a pair of magical shoes and, before you can say “Back to the Future,” he is transported to the early ‘60s.

There he learns about his father’s life as well as how to contend with his father’s strict father (Gossett Jr. in a dual role).

The time-travel allows Clay to take his father’s advice and “walk in another man’s shoes to (try to) understand him.”

The movie keeps on an even track with a little bit of humor and a strong focus on universal coming-of-age issues. The ‘60s scenes bring warmth, and Young Ri’chard supplies the charm.

You can thank Showtime for this engaging Father’s Day gift.

Cable Calls

“Path to Paradise: The Untold Story of the World Trade Center Bombing” (1997), HBO tonight at 9: As this movie points out, the bombing of the World Trade Center could have been avoided if it weren’t for ambiguous U.S. laws, inattentive FBI bureaucrats and overworked immigration officials.

You’ll see a review of the facts in this fast-paced tale about loyalty, informants and extraordinary blunders by terrorists and law enforcers.

Maybe this movie, which stars Peter Gallagher, Art Malik and Ned Eisenberg, is a clear message to our government that more effective laws need to be enacted to protect us from terrorists. The movie is a nail-biter.

“Arli$$,” HBO tonight at 10:30: A second season opens for this comedic sendup of the world of professional sports. Robert Wuhl plays arrogant, heartless Arliss, a greedy agent with a sardonic sense of humor.

In the season opener, one of Arliss’ clients believes his wife is having an affair. Arliss enlists his secretary to spy on her after the client threatens to commit murder.

Movie Marquee

“In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice” (1995), NBC tonight at 9: New Jersey state troopers doggedly pursue a left-wing terrorist group. One of its members is responsible for the death of a well-liked officer (Dan Lauria).

The movie’s effort to lionize N.J. state troopers is valiant but, in the process, the script calls for the FBI to appear incompetent.

The FBI has had a task force that has been pursuing the elusive terrorist group for years, but it’s not until the troopers join the investigation that law enforcers manage to track a killer and his cohorts.

This movie is worth hunting down even if you’ve caught it before.