L to R: Patricia Clarkson, Gary Cole. PLOT: A Cuban fisherman (Anthony Quinn) has gone 84 days without a catch. When he lands a marlin, he fights the fish for three days. Based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway. Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales wrote in his review: "Two additional expendable characters hang around mercilessly: a young writer called Tom (Cole), and his wife (Clarkson). She's interesting looking, but [teleplay writer Roger] Hirson gave her nothing very interesting to say."