Reviews (202)

For God's Sake, John, Sit Down...
First, let me say that I'm not a big fan of movie musicals. However, I've always made an exception for 1776. I suppose it's my abiding interest in history, and in the popular presentation of history, that keeps me coming back to this film. For the uninitiated, 1776 is the story of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and was first presented on Broadway in the late 1960s. Set in Philadelphia in June and early July of 1776, the action centers around John Adams's attempt to get a reluctant Continental Congress to declare the 13 colonies independent of Great Britain. Adams, and his allies (including Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson), is opposed at every step by the conservatives in Congress, led by John Dickinson of Pennsylvania. Although we know the ending, it is to scriptwriter Peter Stone's credit that we realize things may have turned out rather differently.

My first recorded version of this movie was taped off of a local television station that had drastically edited it for length and content. When I finally got around to buying the VHS version of 1776, I was amazed at what had been left out, particularly when it came to the earthier dialogue. Imagine my reaction to the new DVD director's cut edition of this musical; it was like watching a completely new movie. Bridging scenes that had been edited out now provide a nearly seamless narrative flow, and the musical number "Cool, Considerate Men" has been restored, providing for greater balance between the conservatives and radicals in Congress.

The cast, a number of whom reprise their roles from the Broadway production, is nearly flawless. William Daniels IS John Adams, hard-headed, driven, passionate, "obnoxious and disliked". Howard da Silva is equally effective as Benjamin Franklin, elder statesman and earthy man-of-the-world, while the rest of the actors do very well by their characters. Of necessity, the film's emphasis is on Congress, and therefore on the male of the species; women are limited to two roles--Martha Jefferson, played by Blythe Danner, and Abigail Adams, played by Virginia Vestoff. Of Danner's role, there is little to say beyond the fact that the actress is a luminous screen presence. Vestoff, on the other hand, has a rather more substantial role as John Adams's wife, confidant, and sounding board. The film effectively portrays the correspondence between John and Abigail, a partnership that was, in many ways, remarkable in American history.

Director Peter Hunt keeps things moving along at a lively pace, propelled by the music of Sherman Edwards, who also wrote the lyrics. It's hard to pick a favorite song, but two stand out in my mind--the chilling "Molasses to Rum to Slaves" and the poignant "Mamma, Look Sharp". The former underlines the flawed nature of the American Experiment--that a new nation established on the principle that "all men are created equal" would also keep hundreds of thousands of people in chains. The latter song brings home the fact that while Congress engages in endless debates, men (and boys) are dying on the field of battle.

I could dwell at some length on the historical inaccuracies embodied in this movie--the character of Judge Wilson, for one, and that of Richard Henry Lee, for another. However, purism aside, what 1776 makes clear is just what a close run thing independence really was, that there was, indeed, a significant proportion of Americans (and their representatives) who wished to remain loyal to the British crown. Better yet, the Founding Fathers are portrayed mot as marble men, but as the passionate, flawed, flesh-and-blood individuals they were.

Delightful History
While obviously a stage play transfered to the screen, "1776" is an interesting movie on several levels. While I can't swear to the accuracy of the history on a micro level - although, from what I've seen in the academic sources, it's pretty accurate - this brings some pretty stodgy material to life.

The cast is intriguing - Howard daSilva(who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era) as Benj. Franklin; William Daniels(St. Elsewhere's Dr. Craig)as John Adams; Ken Howard(The White Shadow)as Thos. Jefferson; Blythe Danner; John Cullum; and others. To see daSilva, Daniels and Howard singing and dancing on the stairs of Independence Hall, debating who should write the Declaration, is a delight.

A few famous one-liners - "Gentlemen, if we do not all hang together, we, most assuredly,will all hang separately." And some commentary, which may not be completely accurate, but is indicative of the personality involved - "Rhode Island's in the 'necessary'."

This is no where near a great movie, but it is both educational and entertaining. And there is little funnier in film than Adams' and Franklin's discussion of sex.

Good Muscial. Good History. Good Fun.
"Is anybody there? Does anybody care? Does anybody see what I see?" John Adams (William Daniels, St. Elsewhere, among other things) musically muses in 1776. He is frustrated and believes that the cause of independence may be lost over the issue of slavery.
1776 is a good musical. Maybe it's not the best musical of all time, but pretty darn good. It's fun, it's witty, it's a little naughty in places, and it's very close in historical accuracy. It is a tradition in my household to watch it every 4th of July, to remind ourselves that the holiday is more than just picnics and firework displays.
The music is special too, because it has meaning to the character(s) that sing it and meaning for us. For instance, when Martha Jefferson (Blythe Danner) sings her song, "He Plays the Violin", it has a poignancy to it, because she sings "Say I died loving bride, loving life, loving wife..." and we are reminded that she dies before Jefferson ever sees the Presidency. The exchanges between John and Abigail Adams show us both the love and friendship they shared and the hardship that the wives and families of the revolutionary leaders suffered. When Edward Rutledge of South Carolina (John Collum, Northern Exposure) incredible performance "Molasses to Rum to Slaves", tells us both something about the economics of the times, the compromises that policymakers have to make, and the tragedy of slavery that haunted our nation until the American Civil War and still has repercussions resounding in our ears. He chastises Thomas Jefferson (Ken Howard) on Jefferson's hypocrisy, "You, sir, are a practitioner." Tough words there but true!
1776 isn't only about colonial history; it was written during the American involvement in the Vietnam War. The young messenger (Stephen Nathan) that carries the dispatches from George Washington, sings "Mama, Look Sharp." This sad, dirge-like song is so moving, because it tells us that while the policymakers are quibbling and quarrelling in Philadelphia (or Washington, D.C.), someone is out there dying for the policies and decisions they have implemented. Something to note is that the song "Cool, Cool, Considerate Men" comes right before the Messenger's song and he walks through them, but the cool men don't even seem to see him. No wonder Nixon wanted it taken out of the picture!
But stop all the doom and gloom. There are fun, rousing songs as well like "Sit Down, John", "The Lees of Old Virginia", and "The Egg". I love this musical, because it makes the founding fathers seem more real than any history book has ever done. This musical captures perfectly the anxiety that shadowed the birth of the United States of America. Whether they were on the left or the right, I feel such love for the idiosyncratic, irascible, dynamic men that helped create this ever-evolving democratic republic.

Never Thought History Could Be So Much Fun!
Witty and wonderful songs help tell the story of the trying times leading to the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. Definitely helps explain how America's founders could want independence, while still tolerating slavery.

The sound quality is far superior to earlier releases. This is an opportunity to see "Cool, Cool, Considerate Men," the production number which President Richard Nixon had Jack Warner cut from the original production. It certainly adds to the impact, and should NOT have been cut!

Includes Screen Tests and Trailers. Best of all, it also includes an option to hear a full Director and Screenwriter Commentary on the production.

Why were'nt our history classes this informative AND FUN?!

A Patriotic Lump In The Throat
What a wonderful combination of history, theater, and music. "1776" has been one of my favorite musicals since the late '60's. To some, a musical version of the signing of the Declaration of Independence must seem odd and truly out of place, perhaps blasphemous. True, the music is not by Rodgers and Hammerstein, so there will be nothing from this film to whistle in the shower. But I can imagine this film, to most viewers anyway, ranking up there with "Yankee Doodle Dandy" as required viewing every 4th of July.

I am impressed with how the film (and play) stay close to history, although, for the sake of art, some details are changed. The characters come alive, away from the dusty history books, and show humor and a great desire to do something wonderful for the world.

The commentary is very informative. How interesting it is to learn that, on President Richard Nixon's suggestion, friend Jack Warner (the film's producer) cut all references in the film showing conservatives standing in the way of independence. Fortunately, the original, director's cut edition has been restored to DVD, and presents a film more fluid than what was found on the edited, pan-and-scan tape.

If you don't care for the music, at least watch this great film to see what our Founding Fathers were up against in "1776". If patriotic films bring a tear to the eye, keep a box of red, white, and blue tissues handy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Based on the bestselling book by Vincent Bugliosi, the two-part TV movie Helter Skelter is a clinical but often chilling recount of the arrest and trial of Charles Manson and his cult for a pair of horrific murders in 1969. Character actor George DiCenzo is a bit dry as prosecutor Bugliosi, who must patch together a series of far-flung clues to incarcerate Manson for the murder spree, which claimed the life of actress Sharon Tate, among others; he and the rest of the capable cast (which includes Marilyn Burns from the '74 Texas Chainsaw Massacre) are completely overshadowed by Steve Railsback's disturbing performance as Manson. Railsback is the main reason to revisit this feature, which shocked many during its network run in 1976, but now seems methodical in its pacing and direction. Warner Bros.'s DVD is the longer 184-minute version of the film, which should please viewers accustomed to the 119-minute rebroadcast cut; otherwise, the disc is disappointingly supplement-free. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A Chilling True-Crime Classic! First-Class DVD!
1976's "Helter Skelter" is an intense and quite suspenseful TV movie, starring Steve Railsback, who is so good as Charles Manson, it's rather eerie. The film also stars George DiCenzo, as Los Angeles prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi. The tele-film is based on Mr. Bugliosi's best-selling true-crime novel of the same title.

The film is told in semi-documentary style (with DiCenzo doubling as narrator throughout the movie). It begins with a very spine-chilling scene in the early-morning hours of August 9, 1969, in Los Angeles, California. We hear multiple gunshots from a distance. Gunshots which emanated from nearby 10050 Cielo Drive, the home of movie director Roman Polanski and his pregnant wife, 26-year-old actress Sharon Tate.

The gunshots were fired by a member of Charles Manson's so-called "Family". And so began one of the most bizarre chapters in the history of crime -- a senseless massacre, claiming the lives of seven innocent people, that became commonly known as the "Tate/LaBianca Murders".

Manson's "zombie" killers racked up five murders at the Tate residence, and the next night went out and killed two more people they had never met, Mr. and Mrs. LaBianca, at 3301 Waverly Drive, in another part of Los Angeles (Los Feliz).

(In my own view, Manson and his team of brainwashed murderers should *really* have been charged with EIGHT killings in August 1969. Number eight being the unborn child of Sharon Tate.)

The film recreates the discovery of the two grisly murder scenes with nerve-wracking effectiveness, but without showing too much gore, which is all the better (as well as tasteful). But the fact that this was a 1976 made-for-TV feature no doubt limited the filmmakers with regard to showing material of an overly-graphic nature.

The story of the brutal killings and the lengthy court trial that followed is detailed very well in this rarely-seen, full-length (184-minute) DVD version of "Helter Skelter". The previous video (VHS) release of the film only ran a paltry 119 minutes, with (obviously) many scenes cut from the original print.

The movie was originally shown as a "2-Parter" on network television, with a total running time of 194 minutes (10 minutes longer than what we get on this DVD). But, despite missing ten minutes, we're not really losing any relative scenes or information. Because the ten minutes that are missing are simply "recap" scenes that were used for the network telecast in order to re-acquaint viewers with the storyline and previous "Part 1" scenes. Plus, also trimmed from the DVD version is a needless "end credits from Part 1" sequence. Therefore, this 184-minute version of the film *is*, in effect, the "complete" film (when taken in the context of a "one-part" motion picture, rather than a two-parter).

The icing on this movie's cake is the brilliant and highly-effective music score by Billy Goldenberg. Goldenberg's unsettling score evokes a feeling of uneasiness and is downright scary in many instances during the film.

Mr. Goldenberg was one busy music composer in the 1970s. He wrote musical themes to many TV shows during that era -- including: "Rhoda", "Night Gallery", "Banacek", "Kojak", "Harry O", and lots of others.

The DVD's aspect ratio is Full-Frame (1.33:1), as originally shown on TV. Video quality on this disc looks very sharp and clear. I am extremely pleased with the picture quality. There's an occasional blemish, artifact, or dust speckle, but not very many. Certainly not enough to create a distraction. In fact, even the nighttime images in the film (which can often look "grainy" on an older movie) exhibit excellent clarity here, with very little grain visible.

I've found that another good "test" of a DVD's picture quality (that's worked well for me) is the "Freeze Frame Test". Try "freezing" any image on the DVD. Does the stilled picture become blurry, distorted-looking, and fuzzy? If it can't be "frozen" without blurring (or minimal blurring), then I'd give that DVD video transfer a lower mark on the old "PQ Scorecard" than a more solid transfer where the picture can be paused and frozen in near-perfect clarity. "Helter Skelter", in my view, passes the "Freeze Test" very nicely. Non-moving images on screen can be paused with little or no blurriness resulting.

In short, this DVD offers up a very good Digital transfer for a TV-Movie made in 1976.

This snazzy-looking DVD version of "Helter Skelter" makes my ultra-poor, third-generation VHS copy of the film look mighty crummy indeed! Needless to say, that VHS video is now destined for the scrap pile.

The soundtrack offered up here is a 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono track; and it's quite adequate (although a small amount of "ghosting" is evident during some parts of the film). Mr. Goldenberg's shiver-inducing musical score comes through just fine via this mono presentation. And all dialogue sounds distinct, clear, and is easily understood.

Extra Features .... There are none (unless you want to count subtitles, which are included -- in English, French, and Spanish). But this lack of extras doesn't disappoint me greatly. Just getting this excellent TV film in top-quality Digital form on DVD is enough for me. (Although I would have *loved* a commentary by the real-life Manson prosecutor, Vince Bugliosi. But I figured that was too much to hope for. And it was.)

Menus .... The menus for "Helter Skelter" are "static" (non-animated) ones, with the Main Menu being accompanied by a variation of the eerie music score. Unfortunately, this is one of those discs where the movie begins playing all by itself after the Main Menu has been on screen for 30 seconds (which is common, it seems, with a lot of Warner Bros. DVDs).

If you're a fan of "true crime" tales, then this DVD should definitely find its way into your Digital Library. Part documentary, part thriller, part drama, part horror film, and ALL true -- "Helter Skelter" is a true nail-biter.

Long Awaited Helter Skelter
It's taken years to finally get this tele-film released in it's entirety as seen on CBS in two nights during March of 1976. It's a good enough print but I was disappointed that there were no extras included on this Dvd. It would have been interesting to have a documentary etc included in the pkg.

Previously this film was released by Key video on VHS in it's edited down European theatrical release version. I say edited down because although an hour was cut there were also present a number of profane words that didn't make it to Tv and also the two murders they show snippets of were not over ghosted by Linda Kasabian (Marilyn Burns) sitting on the witness stand telling about the horror the night at Sharon Tate's house.

This new Dvd version is released just how CBS presented it back in 1976 for it's first airing. Steve Railsback still sends chills down your spine as Manson and George DiCenzo does admirable job as prosecutor Bugliosi as does the rest of supporting cast. I give the movie four stars but no kudos to Warner Home Video for releasing it rather plainly.

It will be interesting to see how the new CBS tele-movie also named "Helter Skelter" will hold up against this still frightening account of the Manson Family and subsequent murder spree that "scared the hell out of us all!"

Unforgettable presentation of pure evil
This is one of the videos I've been waiting for to come out on DVD for a long time.

I watched this lengthy film in one-sitting one summer when I was living alone. I remember turning the light on at one point when the plot began to take a sinister turn. I was grateful for that light when the movie ended and it was dark outside. I seem to remember sitting quietly after the credits were over, and I contemplated what I had just seen.

If you read my review of the Bugliosi/Gentry book, you'll see how powerfully the story itself affected me. Well, this presentation captures both the essence and the emotion of the narrative. It is both chilling and compelling. The acting, driven along by the astonishing Railsback, is among the best I've seen in a true-crime drama.

I'm so glad the filmmakers didn't cut as many corners as they could have. They retain the essential story line and characters to assure that those who have seen the film know almost as much as those who have read the book. Frankly a litany of all the ways the police proved themselves to be incompetent was a tedium I would gladly forego.

Both well-crafted and powerfully presented, this is a keeper, worth watching and re-watching.

I wouldn`t use the word great or classic, but.....
... because the subject is a gruesome one.... However. It is an electrifying experience watching this movie... I saw it in the 80s... and it still is as potent as it used to be.... Steve Railsback may overplay at times but overrall - a GREAT achivement and it should be released over and over ..... It really speaks from the graves of Sharon, Voytek, Abigail, Steven, Jay, Hinman, the LaBiancas, Shorty etc... etc... Who KNOWS really... how long the "etc" goes on????

What's With The Censoring???
Bought this TV classic, which has been LONG OVERDUE for DVD release, and was EXTREMELY dissapointed to find it has been censored. Yes, censored. I have a copy of the original 2-part on VHS, and I was stunned to find out that this DVD release is censored.

The cops raid Manson and his family at Spahn's Ranch and have gathered them up in a circle, with Charlie in the center. The cops bring in a handcuffed Shorty, who claims he's not part of the family. He offers to tell the police what he knows, which brings out jeers of SNITCH from the famlily. Charlie looks up an says, "It's not nice to snitch, Shorty." Shorty promptly replies, "Go f*** yourself, Charlie. This DVD version has Shorty instead saying "Horse manure."

When Bugliosi is interviewing Paul Watkins (the man who first explains to Vince what Helter Skelter means), he says that people are "scared s***less." This is painfully dubbed over with a cough.

The biggest dissapointment was in that during the trail, when Linda Kasabian is testifiying about the Tate murders, the scenes of carnage (which had previously been seen clearly) are shown with Kasabian and Bugliosi super-imposed.

My question is, why? This DVD would have been an instant 5, but I felt as though I was watching a version of "Cannonball Run" on TV.

This DVD release does not do this film justice. You do not get the full impact of this powerful film due to the censorship. Very puzzling. ... Read more

Amazon.com

From the Terrace is one of Paul Newman's lesser-known films, but it's a worthy showcase for the actor's developing screen persona. Like Butterfield 8, this is a slick, prestigious adaptation of a John O'Hara novel, about loose morals and forbidden love among the wealthy elite. Director Mark Robson lacks the mastery of melodrama that Douglas Sirk would've brought to this material, but he's still on target with O'Hara's tale of a prodigal son (Newman) who rejects his late father's steel mill in favor of big-business conquest, only to find his trophy wife (superbly played by Newman's off-screen wife, Joanne Woodward) straying into the arms of her former fiancé, while he falls in love with a socialite (Ina Balin) with whom he's much more compatible. A well-tuned drama of marital discord and unchecked ambition, From the Terrace was sharply adapted by Ernest Lehman between the triumphs of North by Northwest and West Side Story, and Newman's brooding performance gave him a solid boost to his iconic role in the 1961 classic The Hustler. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Excellent oldie.....
A view FROM THE TERRACE is what Paul Newman's character David Alfred Eaton has of his future wife Mary (JoAnne Woodward). The screen play was based on a best-selling novel of the same name by John O'Hara. Given it was released in the 1950s when sex on the screen was verboten and not much more explicit in novels (ban a book in Boston), one must appreciate the work it took for Newman and Woodward to give these performances.

Like many other teenagers of my generation, I was "in love" with Paul Newman. Newman could make female hearts flutter by simply looking at the camera with his big blue eyes. Many other teens preferred Marlon Brando, his peer and rival for female affection. I believe these two actors were the Leonardo de Caprio and Brad Pitt of their day, although in the long run, Newman (like de Caprio) has had more staying power and gracefully made the transition to mature roles.

In the 1950s, to see a film one had to attend a theater, where the screen was usually covered with a huge velvet curtain. FTT played at the Center theater in my small town, and I saw the film six times after it was released. I was able to get into the theater for a quarter, and as my allowance was $3, this was no small sacrifice. So, you might say this film was one of my all time favorites.

Watching it again almost 50 years later, I wondered how I would react, and of course the passage of time and arrival of many other actors and vast changes in filmmaking have affected the way I view the film and Newman, but I still like him enormously, and this film holds it's own, though the storyline may seem archaic.

This film is about infidelity and divorce and the price of success, a story line that may be lost on generations raised in an age of no-fault divorces and dual earner households. Once upon a time, divorce and infidelity were considered absolutely scandalous, and financially disastrous. In fact, if you divorced, your life was ruined. Many couples stayed together and suffered the ignominy of a cheating spouse. FTT was a ground-breaking film because it tackled these issues head-on.

The DVD version of the film is well done, and the price reasonable (technicolor and cinemascope production). Do your self a favorite, buy this DVD and add it to the shelf where you keep CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF and other 50's favorites.

I absolutely adore this movie
I saw this movie for at least the third time today and I told myself: go ahead and get this on DVD because you watch it every time it comes on TV. Well, I just simply must have it near me. I love the "how do you like them apples" part in the movie. What a move! I love every minute of this movie. It is like a short story! I love the dialogue! Watch it people!

My View From The Sofa
Paul Newman has many more famous roles...but for some reason, this is one of my all time favorite movies of his. It comes on the Love Stories, AMC, or TCM cable channels every here and now...or you could just buy it like I did.

He's nice, determined, well-meaning Alfred Eaton, who starts off with lofty, wealthy ideas about what is important in life...the right woman, the right career, the right friends...and showing them all how important he can be when he has them. Ultimately, he learns that what is important is only what feels right to him alone.

I love his story of personal discovery as much as his love affair story with Natalie. Alfred and Natalie have this beautiful scene where they are saying goodbye, they're barely touching, but it's the most painfully romantic thing to see.

Paul Newman and his wife Joanne Woodward have some excellent scenes in this movie also with real good comeback dialogue. He's the hardworking, decent man and she's the desperate-to-impress and just plain desperate society wife. She self-righteously and hurtfully accuses him of adultery with a girl with no guts when she's been sleeping with her ex-fiancee all along. She actually calls her lover and arranges a tryst while her husband is in the room!!!! She has guts!!!! (if little else) Unbeknownst to her, Alfred has exhaustingly if unaffectedly (if you can look unaffected and disgusted at the same time, that is) done his best to makes her invisible in the room, but she probably just becomes invisible without any real effort on his part to make her so by that point. Their voices just have the most impactful tones...especially when they get to play off of each other. I can play their final scene over and over again where she says she won't give him a divorce and he says,"Any further communication between you and me will be through legal channels." He has the most genuine smile on that handsome face in that moment than through the entire movie!!!!!

This movie is actually pretty long, but not a moment is wasted. It all comes together in the end when Alfred finally chooses what he actually wants instead of what he's supposed to want.

Maybe it's because it's so subtle and not at all like a "movie" that it seems to be largely overlooked by everyone except me and 20 other people. Paul Newman is one fine, naturally classy actor, I say.

Unfaithfully Yours
Every few years, I sit back and enjoy "From the Terrace" for what it is. As good old fashioned "potboiler", John O Hara's screen adaptation is not quite as sprawling as say....Edna Ferber's works, but nonetheless is a decent potboiler in its own right. Alfred (Paul Newman), discharged from the Navy after WW II is the ambitious, disaffected son of nouveau riche steel mill owner Samuel Eaton, (Leon Ames). Seeking to make his own unique mark in the world he spurns his father's hopes of joining the business and decides his fortune is to be made elsewhere. Along the way, he meets his future blue-blooded trophy wife Mary St. John (Joanne Woodward) and soon discovers her appetites are far in excess even to his own ambitions. Landing a job at a prestigious Wall Street firm in an oblique way that is a potboiler's trademark, Alfred comes under the watchful eye of old money and traditional expectations by J.D. MacHardie (masterfully portrayed by Felix Aylmer). I very much enjoyed all the scenes in which Aylmer's MacHardie was highlighted and I can almost smell the stodginess of old money, ritual table manners, wood paneled walls, cigars, and brandy that were part of his ultra-conservative environment. Soon enough, while on a trip to scout business opportunities, Alfred meets Natalie (Ina Balin), the unattached daughter of a wealthy coal mine owner. Knowing full well of his marital status, she consents, even encourages his attention and unfaithfulness. Balin manages to pull this off with a naive sweetness without ever seeming cheap or trashy. Infidelity is a major theme in this work and I'm sure its frank discussion must have sparked many a controversy when this film was released very early in 1960. Veteran actress Myrna Loy was given near top billing as Alfred's alcoholic and unfaithful mother, yet her on-screen performance was limited to the first reel of this nearly 2 1/2 hour film. I enjoyed the brief on screen appearance of young Barbara Eden as a flirtatious socialite. Patrick O'Neal was perfectly cast as the smarmy Dr. Jim Roper, the illicit lover of Mary St. John. Over his long acting career, Paul Newman has delivered solid performances again and again. This is one of his lesser known works but serves as a fine example of why he was so popular with the audience as a silver screen heartthrob. Watching this film today and being mindful of his lasting marriage to Joanne Woodward just serves to make this movie all the more compelling to me. I hope you will agree.

A view of the male in society.
Based on John O'Hara's novel, Alfred Eaton wants success in his own right but also seeks happiness for himself. He ventures out to New York leaving behind his cold, unloving father and alcoholic mother. As he is settled, he meets Mary St. John at a party in Southhampton. She is engaged to a psychiatrist Jim Roper. She rebuffs him at first but laters falls in love with him, calling off her engagement to her fiance. The two marry. However, their marriage is on the rocks. As Alfred gains success and social status, Mary feels isolated from his affection and has sexual affairs outside of the marriage. A business venture in rural Pennsylvania force him to confront his past and his future. Having dinner at the Benzinger home, he falls in love with the daughter Natalie. Strikingly beautiful and raven-haired, she is the one who understands him and is affectionate towards him.
Alfred Eaton, is relatively like most men. They want to gain recognition and respect from the social and economical community and at the same time, be happy with themselves. However, success doesn't always bring happiness. Happiness comes from within. Eaton's lack of affection from his father caused him to seek happiness elsewhere but he was forced to make hard decisions that would not only affect his career, but himself. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

High Kicks in Hong-Kong
This movie is about A Mob War in Hong-Kong,Chuck Norris helps
his Boss who is not a Mobster and avenges their Death!
No,not your classical Chop Socky stuff,in this pre-1997 retrocession Hong-Kong, the Magic of Chuck Norris' Karate operates on us!
The Fight scene on a Neon-Lit staircase is the climax of this great Movie!
It most definitely did not get the attention it deserved when it was released!!

Short, hard hits
As like Star Wars, "older" movies don't have to be poor. Forced Vengeance is about much raw strength and nice evil characters. Real characters, not the usual martial arts actors of the nineties. It's great. For the story read one of the other reviews.
I want to comment the "style". The opening scene, where only Norris Silhouette fights a thug, plus the music, make up a kind of message, like "The weapon is brutal and hits hard". Later, the same scene is shown in original speed, while the opening shows it very slow. I prefer the slow, because to see what damage the opponent takes when hit. The first mid of the eighties had this cool hardstyle, like Asia mission and this one, while the later half came up with kid-amazing stuff like Karate Kid and Karate Warrior, where a teenie or a van-damme-lookalike learns how to fight. But the other style, like Forced Vengeance, shows no one learning and becoming a super hero. It shows a dude with an iron fist, nothing more or less. So, the fights here are not dozens of minutes but a few hard hits. And to see, how these hits work, give it a brutal flavor. The colors in the movie are sometimes neon lights, sometimes a very hard contrast to blood (like on the boat where Norris fights Raymondy. Some people say, fighting movies are lacking of story, then again, other ones say, it needs more fights, when there's too much dialogue. Forced Vengeance is about 60% dialogue and 40% fights / violence. I would say it is pretty good. Plus Joy is a cutie. Plus it has good music. Plus the letter characters for the cast are really stylish (note that in the making of a film even the fonts have to be chosen). Chuck Norris is not there to make a good movie actor but to hit damn hard, and he does HEHE. If you expect this movie to be filled with nothing than fighting scenes, you will be disappointed. It includes stunt-alike short-fights which are damn great, and the places and characters as well as the storyline would make a made a cool 80'ies film, and today, they would make a perfect action videogame. I pray it will come out on DVD. Including the german dub :-) The last scenes show some fight scene punches and kicks, and again, if you see it, the only thing in your mind will be: "Woah, ouch! That was a damn hard hit..."

A routine revenge thriller.
Chuck Norris is a debt collector for a small, yet profitable Hong Kong gambling house.When his employer (and good friend) is assasinated by gang muscle, he goes on the war path, kicking in the teeth of all who get in his way as he hunts down those responsible.

Forced Vengeance is a standard issue action/revenge thriller.Director James Fargo (The Enforcer, 1976) shows very little growth as a director, although I'll grant that the neon backlit fight scene is an attempt at style that almost works.Action star Norris was a film or two away from becoming truly comfortable in front of the camera, so his performance is pretty stiff, but he remains a likable presence.The movie appears to be shot in the widescreen (2:35:1 ratio), so a letterboxed DVD edition would be a nice gift for Norris buffs such as myself.Anyone at MGM/UA listening?

forcred vengeance
good acting and fight scenes make this one movies best in the actors long career.Chuck Norris is the all around supreme fighter even when he is out of the tournament scene. This film has not been rivaled since then.

A must for Norris fans.
The fight in front of the neon sign is the best and most famous part of this otherwise less-than-mediocre movie. Norris' lack of acting skill really shines, but then that's not why you watch a Chuck Norris movie is it? It's worth watching some night on cable if only for the aforementioned neon sign fight and the "I'm gonna break your face!" scene. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A terrific black-sploitation film!
I watched this movie late one Saturday night and have not been able to get it out of my head ever since. The pastel colors and the soundtrack were terrific. Even though I am a white man, there for making me the victim of this movie, I simply loved it! It seems that other members of my race did not seem to enjoy it as well as I did, but the fact is, you have to look past the fact that this movie really is "politically incorrect." I really am not much of a judge on how black people are treated today, but I know that this film really showed me how different my own life would be if I were a black man livingin the late-sixties/early-seventies. It just proves that all that we in the magical world of white were really true. We actually were exploiting these people, just for the color of their skin. Maybe, just maybe, the world isn't such a pretty place after all. Great film! I whole-heartedly recommend it.

One of the best films ever made!!!!
I am sure that a better film depicting the stereotypes that, we as black people must endure will never be made. It was truly a cinematic breakthrough. Considering the time that the film was made in, I am surprised that it was allowed to be made especially by the movie company that produced it. Godfrey Cambridge was sheer genius in this film. The kids were worth watching. I never laughed at any other movie as much as a laughed at this satire.

True to Life
How people feel about themselves and how they percieve others is portrayed with humor, but accurately.
Thoughts and desires surface making evident where people stand. This is a good time movie with a message. What that message is depends on where you are in the Human Race.

A ground-breaking must see!
The first time I saw this movie was back in the late 70's. At that time I felt that every American should see this movie. Now, over 20 years later, I still hold to that belief. Why, because this is a classic movie that skilfully mixes a message with a great story and wonderful performances all the way around. A movie like this would probably not get the "green light" from a major studio today. Godfrey Cambridge plays Jeff Gerber, the bigoted insurance salesman living in happy seclusion in suburbia. One night he goes to bed an average white guy, and the next day he wakes up an african american and truly a rasin in the sun. Versions of this storyline have been utilized before (from James Whitmore in "Black Like Me" to that really bad C. Thomas Howell move), but none can hold a candle to the artistry of this movie. It will make you laugh out loud while simultaneously making you think about yourself and your own values. It will take you through the journey of one man's struggle for self acceptance, and leave you asking why eveyone else couldn't get over themselves like he had to. On top of that, it is very clever and will drop subtle hints early in the movie that are easliy missed untill referred to later (like Jeff Gerber's full name, Jefferson Washington Gerber). Melvin Van Peebles (yes Mario's father for the uninitiated) is fully on his game for this movie, and he coaxes superior performances out of the cast.
If you are white, watch it with a person of color and talk about it after the movie is over. It will probably be one of the most powerful conversations you have ever had. If you're african american, just watch the film and prepare for a great deal of identification and head shaking. They just don't make movies like this anymore.

HIDDEN?
So, why isn't this available on DVD?

a WONDROUS journey through discrimination - funny, sad, and neglected!

Brave attempt for 1970!

Find this one and appreciate the fun and struggle!

ps. Halle Berry - remake? ... Read more

Reviews (6)

great movie, poor commentary
i'm not going to go on about the movie as the other reviewers do a good job. it is a great movie, especially if you want to see how conduct disorder begins and becomes an adult antisocial personality. i do want to spend some time talking about the commentary, which is horrible. mr. cornfield provides the commentary and either has throat cancer or some kind of throat disease. he struggles talking and it's painful just to try to listen to him. it's embarrassing and i don't know why it was even recorded and presented. this is not a cut against what he says, but against mgm for even presenting this on dvd. they should of had someone else do the commentary, like some film critic. i still highly recommend the movie as it is a classic, but forget the commentary.

Darin Gives An Amazing Performance
"Pressure Point" is a thinking person's film, dealing with the topic of a seditious, neo-Nazi (Darin) during World War II, and the prison psyciatrist (Portier)whose job it is to determine whether the young man is sane or insane. While Portier gives an excellent, understated performance, it is Bobby Darin's film from start to finish. The young Darin (only 25 when this film was made) portrays the unbalanced, hateful neo-Nazi with a realism that is frightening. He swings from moody, pensive philosophizing to acerbic, irascible mania in the drop of a hat, without skipping a beat. At the same time, he evokes sympathy from the viewer who comes to realize that the deranged prisoner was brought up in a psychopathic family. An incredible, thought-provoking performance by a legendary talent. No wonder that Darin won the Cannes Film Festival and Golden Globe Awards as Best Actor for this performance. It was a real injustice that he was not nominated for an Academy Award. It was known in Hollywood circles that many critics who praised Darin's performance refused to push for his nomination because they were turned-off by his allegedly arrogant demeanor. Sadly, Darin's awareness of his imminent mortality instilled in him a fierce desire to succeed before his time ran out. This competitiveness was erroneously interpreted by many as "arrogance". It would take Darin another great performance the following year (1963) in "Captain Newman, M.D." for him to garner an Academy Award nomination. In this film Darin gives an equally impressive performance as a shell-shocked WWII fighter pilot. Besides being a legendary vocalist and the highest-paid Cabaret performer in the history of Las Vegas at the time of his death (Sinatra was second), Darin was also a superb actor who could do drama and comedy with equal ease. Darin's career was limited and his life was cut short by heart disease. One can only guess how far he would have gone had he not required oxogen after every performance, as well as a series of open heart surgeries. In fact, he died on the operating table on December 20, 1973 at the age of 37. A truly great talent perished on that day.

A Powerful Film
"Pressure Point" is a deeply disturbing and compelling study of hate and the forces that breed it. The setting is World War II America. The protagonists are Sidney Poitier, who gives a top-notch performance as a prison psychiatrist, and Bobby Darin, who gives an equally top-notch performance as a hatemongering American Nazi.

Darin's Nazi is in jail for sedition; this is wartime, and he has been writing anti-Government, pro-Fascist tracts. Sidney Poitier's prison psychiatrist is assigned to work with Darin to determine if Darin is legally sane or insane. Therein sets the stage for a battle of wits and wills between the two.

Director Stanley Kramer masterfully sets up the tension. Here we have an avowed Nazi, hater of blacks, Jews, and anyone else that doesn't fit the bill as a "white Christian American" (Darin's words in the film), being treated by an African-American psychiatrist who has to get to the root of Darin's hateful feelings towards everything and everybody.

I won't be a spoiler by giving away what happens; suffice it to say that Kramer doesn't fall into the trap of making everything nice and neat and...no pun intended, black and white. One finds oneself identifying with Poitier's character as he feels a combination of revulsion towards, and sympathy for, Darin's Nazi. And Darin's Nazi is not a one-dimensional character...a great deal of mind-shattering trauma goes into making him what he is. But then, the film asks, does that excuse him? Should he be set free because his bigotry is "not really his fault," but rather the fault of the environment that shaped him? Poitier struggles with this question, as will the viewer.

And the frequently overlooked gem of this film is Darin's performance. He gives a performance that is incredibly powerful. It gets under your skin. When he screams in terror with nightmares of his past, he really evokes your sympathy, despite his hateful views...and when he spews his racial and religious epithets, he really makes you hate him and want to lock him up and throw the key away. No wonder Darin received the Cannes Film Festival Award for this performance. Anyone who is familiar with Darin's talent as a singer will no doubt be interested in his incredible range as an actor.

A must-see. And this should be released to DVD!

What a performance by Bobby Darin
This movie should be required viewing. It is timeless. The doctor and patient talk about the overthrow of the government and hate groups. Two subjects still with us today. Maybe, just maybe, if someone had seen this they would have recognized the signs and 169 people would not have died in my city. Bobby Darin was so good in this role he should have received an Oscar.

Does not condescend to the audience
Typical of Stanley Kramer productions, "Pressure Point" is a fairly explosive "message" movie, and a rare one in that it does not condescend to its audience by sending the combative protagonists on their merry way at the conclusion to live in peace and harmony. Sidney Poitier is excellent as the prison psychiatrist challenged by a disturbed Nazi symphatizer played by singer Bobby Darin. It is Darin, however, who is most impressive, not only for his dynamic yet subtle performance, but for his williness to accept the role of such a bigoted, unappealing character at a time when he was still a "teen idol" married to Sandra Dee. The direction by Hubert Cornfield, the cinematography, and music are all first-rate. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Alvarez Kelly (1966) isn't really a classic, but it's apleasant enough Western, directed by Edward Dmytryk. The ratherconvoluted plot (adventurer plays one side off against the other on acattle drive from Mexico during the Civil War) relies heavily on thecharm of the two stars, William Holden and Richard Widmark, but the twoprove as reliable as ever. There are some so-so action scenes, but it'sthe battle of wits between the two principals that supplies all thefireworks. By contrast Janice Rule is just adequate as the loveinterest. --Ed Buscombe ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Alvarez Kelly, revisited
Its funny how (to me) lines from movies sometimes bubble to the surface of consciousness from out of nowhere. I hadn't thought about "Alvarez Kelly" in years. Recently, in my minds's eye, I recalled the image of an eye-patched Confederate leader named Col.Tom Rossiter,(Richard Widmark) silently and solemnly inquire "Did you please her.....Kelly"? That simple line was so fraught with innuendo and suggestion that it always stuck with me. So on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I popped a widescreen version of "Alvarez Kelly" into my DVD and sat back to review and enjoy this 1966 Civil War oater (or should I say "beefer")? It was a decent ride. Alvarez Kelly (William Holden) enjoys pursuing the finer things in life, his earthly habits subsidized in part by trading as a cattle speculator or war profiteer depending upon your point of view. In this capacity, he has no particular loyalty to the North or the South. However, and as the opening credits point out, all armies in all times require food as well as armaments to prevail. As the Yankees and the Confederates fight for control over Kelly's 2500 head of cattle, he is unwillingly forced to provide his services to the boys in Gray. This fact in no way serves to curb his rather prodigious libido, and he continues the shameless pursuit of any woman who has the slightest physical beauty. Released in the mid-Sixties, Bond mania was in full swing and I would argue that this film was influenced by and shared some obvious similarities in attitude and tone with agent 007. Anyway, enter Liz Pickering (Janice Rule), the shapely but long suffering intended of Rossiter, a physically diminished yet gallant and honorable leader of the Southern cause. Liz is instantly drawn to Kelly's virility and earthly ways and inevitably, favors are shared. Her rather brief on screen appearance only serves to provide a convienient source of personal friction between Rossiter and Kelly. Inevitably though, the war intrudes and a battle for control of the cattle looms. Kelly, awarded with a battlefield commission takes charge of a desperate situation in his own unique way. The cinematography of this film is crisp. The strong performances by Holden and Widmark really play off each other well. All in all, this Western is elevated a notch or two above the average because of Edward Dmytryk's solid direction, an acceptable musical score although they could have lost the hokey song at the beginning, decent photography, good character actors, an interesting premise and manages to deliver all this in under two hours. Given contemporary standards, I can't help but wonder how Hollywood would handle a randy character like Kelly today.

An Entertaining Civil War Film
This is a good American Civil War adventure film full of bravado and action. William Holden and an one-eyed Richard Widmark turn in credible performances as reluctant partners in a raid for Union cattle. It also features Janice Rule, a foppish Patrick O'Neal and a bawdy Victoria Shaw. There are some good skirmish sequences and a plot containing some witty dialogue. Some of the plantation sequence is a little reminiscent of John Ford's "The Horse Soldiers" also with Holden. It contains an adequate score composed by Johnny Green of "Raintree County" distinction and beautiful photography by Joseph MacDonald. The stalwart Edward Dmytryk leisurely directed it for pure cinematic enjoyment. The DVD widescreen images are as crisp as ever.

Fantastic Perfomances from William Holden & Richard Widmark!
This is an explosive civil war western that packs in a lot of story and character delvopment. Willam Holden stars as Alvarez Kelly a Mexican/Irish cattleman who provides beef for the union army and does not care who wins the war as long as he gets his money and enjoys a peaceful life. But things change quickly when Col. Tom Russleter(Widmark)kidnaps Kelly and inprisons Him. In one of the most memorable scenes in the film Russleter Shoots off Kelly's little finger to persuade him to help out with the confederate army, and if he doesn't he'll shoot off his remaininng fingers. Kelly relucteny agrees but gets back at Russletter by getting his girlfriend to leave him. Another memorable scene in the film was the heard of cattle charging through the Union Army's brigade, With Kelly & Russelter at the helm and by the end of the film both men end up having respect for one another. Along with "THE WILD BUNCH" AND "BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID" "ALVAREZ KELLY" is a classic Western film and may not be best remembered as the other two but it still packs in the same excitement and Story and it's a great film to watch!

So Cool !!!!
This is exciting movie I think ! I watched this movie 15 years ago and I impressed too much in that time. In civil war Richard widmark find cow and take them to south. This movie shows another side of civil war. If you see this movie you can feel fresh things !!!!! ... Read more