Women and Men / Women and Men 2 (Double Feature) R

WOMEN AND MEN - STORIES OF SEDUCTION: HBO presents another original 90 minutes of programming with WOMEN AND MEN: STORIES OF SEDUCTION. In these inspired dramas, three directors try their hands at adapting famous short stories from popular authors, resulting in what is as much a sincere tribute as a work of entertainment. Frederic Raphael's THE MAN IN THE BROOKS BROTHERS SUIT, based on a Mary McCarthy tale, finds Vicki (a brilliant Elizabeth McGovern) in a train compartment with Gerry Breen (Beau Bridges), a goofily sincere traveling salesman. Waking up the next morning, she's startled to discover that alcohol, and her own weakness, have led her to his bed. Ken Russell tackles Dorothy Parker's DUSK BEFORE FIREWORKS, in which Kit (Molly Ringwald) arrives at the lush apartment of Hobie (Peter Weller). Things begin to take a turn for the sour when the phone starts ringing incessantly, unleashing Kit's floodgates of jealousy. Finally, Tony Richardson adapts Ernest Hemingway's HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS, which tells the melancholy story of Robert (James Woods) and Hadley (Melanie Griffith), two lovers who are stranded at a train station in 1925 Spain. When Hadley informs Robert that she is pregnant, his response threatens their already fragile relationship. Featuring standout performances by its all-star cast, WOMEN AND MEN brings these three classic stories to sparkling life.

WOMEN AND MEN 2: HBO presents this dramatic trilogy of short films that are driven by male-female relations. The series' second volume is based on the short stories of three well-known writers. Walter Bernstein's RETURN TO KANSAS CITY (based on a story by Irwin Shaw) concerns Eddie (Matt Dillon), a struggling boxer who is trying to provide a decent life for his wife, Arlene (Kyra Sedgwick). The only trouble is, Arlene hates her life in New York City, and wants desperately to return to her family in Kansas City. When Eddie is offered big money to fight an extremely dangerous rival, he must decide if his wife's desire to visit her home state is worth risking his life over. Kristi Zea's A DOMESTIC DILEMMA (based on a story by Carson McCullers) tells the somber tale of Martin (Ray Liotta), a businessman who is losing his wife, Emily (Andie MacDowell), to the bottle. Struggling to keep his children away from her while she's drunk, Martin tries to make Emily realize the damage she is causing her family. Finally, in Mike Figgis's MARA (based on a story by Henry Miller), Henry (Scott Glenn), an American writer living in Paris, takes a troubled prostitute (Juliette Binoche) under his wing, only to realize that his kindness is too much for her to handle. Poignant and touching, WOMEN AND MEN 2 is another example of HBO's commitment to producing thoughtful, mature entertainment.