Gloria (1999): Dir: Sidney Lumet / Cast: Sharon Stone, Jeremy Northam, George C. Scott, Cathy Moriarty, Bonnie Bedelia: It is a burning question as to why Sidney Lumet would remake the John Cassevette film for which he starred his wife Gena Rowlands? Plot regards a prostitute who takes a boy under her care. Sharon Stone spent three years in prison to cover her boyfriend's ass. He operates a mob in search of a disc that he killed a family to obtain but a boy survives. Feeling betrayed Stone protects the boy and steals the disc. Typical and predictable with way too much that we have seen before. A subway scene does nothing more than have Stone pursue the boy, and a scene involving her sister is not followed up. Directed by Sidney Lumet applies his skill but he is not creating the art he established with Network or Dog Day Afternoon. Stone is surprisingly good and handles humour effectively. She has seen the inside of a jail cell and the result of her sacrifice but now she slowly becomes a woman with responsibilities. Jeremy Northam plays the stereotypical villain. George C. Scott appears briefly and Cathy Moriarty is featured as Stone's sister who never seems to be used effectively. Regardless of one's thoughts on the Cassevetes film, this pointless remake does little to inspire interest outside stone's obvious sex appeal. Its themes cannot distract the fact that this is an unnecessary remake. Score: 3 ½ / 10

Gloria (Sharon Stone) is released from prison in her party dress. Her parole is in Florida but she immediately travels to New York City anyways. She wants her money from mobster boyfriend Kevin (Jeremy Northam) after taking the rap and spending three years in prison. Nicky is a young boy being hunted by Kevin's gang. His father had stolen a computer disk and given it to him as he goes on the run. The boy is alone after his family is massacred. When Kevin refuses to pay Gloria, she decides to take the boy.

Sharon Stone is doing some overacting. It's the heart of the problem and her greatest sin is that she's not Gena Rowlands. Gena shows glimpses of her heart but Sharon is doing an acting bit. There is some reworking of the premise but that is not solving anything. In the end, it all falls upon the chemistry between Sharon and the kid. If she calms down and has more time with the boy, the relationship would actually have the room to breathe. If taken as its own movie, this is marginally fine. As a remake, it is a step below.

I remember seeing this movie when it first came out and thought it was great. Viewing it again, I can see it doesn't stand the test of time as well as I thought it would. Leggy Sharon Stone plays a mobster's girl who gets out of prison after 3 years, taking the rap for her boyfriend. Meanwhile members of this mob murder a Latino family who has crossed them, except for an asthmatic, unlikable, seven year old boy who left via the fire escape (Why the rest of the family didn't go, I don't know.) The mob catches the boy outside and takes him to "head quarters" an apartment that once belonged to Gloria.

Gloria shows up back at the apartment and the money promised to her for taking the rap isn't there. She leaves, and in an unlikely scene, takes the boy with her who grabs a floppy disc (remember those?) of all the mob connections. The mob hunts them down as she looks for a way for the two of them to survive because catching a plane out of there to buy time hasn't occurred to her. Stone's street-wise accent wasn't that great. George C. Scott as a godfather? If you have never seen this movie, it might be worth a peek if it comes on TV especially if 80's women in split skirts is your thing.