Sidney Clute Movies
Brooklyn born character actor Sidney Clute came to Hollywood in the 1950s after working in summer stock. Among the films he has appeared in are Crime and Punishment, Five Branded Women, and The Russians Are Coming. Later he went to regularly appear on television shows, most notably Cagney and Lacey, where he worked for four years. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Although penned by the same screenwriter, David S. Ward, this sequel to The Sting (1973) is tarnished by comparisons to its predecessor. Jackie Gleason fills the shoes of Paul Newman as Harry Gondorff and Mac Davis slips into the Robert Redford role of Johnny Hooker, two con men pals whose latest "sting" involves Hooker pretending to be a down on his luck boxer. Their goal is the fixing of a prizefight, which will rook a tacky nightclub owner (Karl Malden) out of a fortune while simultaneously getting revenge on their old nemesis, Doyle Lonnegan (Oliver Reed). On their side is Veronica (Teri Garr), a seasoned scam artist, but what Gondorff and Hooker don't know is that Lonnegan is manipulating events behind the scenes. Director Jeremy Paul Kagan followed up this terribly unfunny and inferior sequel with the much better received The Journey of Natty Gann (1985), while Ward became a director of such comedies as Major League (1989) and King Ralph (1991). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Gleason, Mac Davis, (more)
- 1980
Filmed on location at Alcatraz Island, this two-part "whole story" actually concentrates on a handful of the denizens behind the cold grey walls of "The Rock". Michael Beck plays the real-life Clarence Carnes, an Oklahoma Choctaw Indian said to be the youngest man ever incarcerated in the notorious maximum security prison. Serving a 99-year sentence for a gas station holdup and murder, Carnes makes periodic attempts to escape, the final attempt being the most violent. Many of the subordinate characters are fictional (as are most of the details concerning Carnes' escape efforts); the one exception is Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz", here portrayed by Art Carney as a gentle, kindly philosopher. Telly Savalas, a costar of the Burt Lancaster vehicle Birdman of Alcatraz, also guest starred in the 1980 film. Originally titled Alcatraz and Clarence Carnes, this made-for-TV movie wavers between gritty realism and "I'm bustin' outta here!" artifice. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Beck, Telly Savalas, (more)
- 1979
Experiment in Terra is a 60-minute episode of the TV sci-fi series Battlestar Gallactica. Joining regulars Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict is guest villain John Calicos as the outer space "quisling" Baltar. In plotting his escape from Battlestar Galactica, Baltar also plans to free the imprisoned rebels of the planet Terra. You might get some fun guessing what planet Terra is really supposed to be and spotting how many plot elements are "borrowed" from Star Wars. Experiment in Terra was first shown March 11, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, (more)
- 1978
In an episode obviously inspired by the Howard Hughes saga, reclusive billionaire Stanley Appleton Troy is found murdered in his high-rise executive suite, despite being protected by a state-of-the-art security system. There's only one obvious suspect, Ben Mular (Ramon Bieri) and Lt. Monahan (Garry Walberg) wastes no time making an arrest. But as usual, Quincy (Jack Klugman) questions the official police verdict--and he sets about to prove that the hapless Mular was framed by Troy's avaricious business associates. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
- PG
Richard Dreyfuss plays Moses Wine, an ex-Sixties radical who pays the bills as a private eye. Wine is hired to stem a smear campaign against a popular political candidate. Gradually the plot thickens into a murder case, involving a hippie leader whose values, like Wine's, have been severely compromised over the years - and who plans to blow up a major LA freeway as a protest. Susan Anspach provides a great deal of dramatic (and sexual) tension as Wine's boss. Among the minor players are future stars Mandy Patinkin and F. Murray Abraham. The Big Fix was adapted by Roger L. Simon from his own novel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Anspach, (more)
Gordon M. Douglas' kitsch masterpiece starts as Evel Knievel (as himself) sneaks into an orphanage at midnight to distribute Evel Knievel action figures. Miraculously, one little boy casts aside his crutches and begins to walk. The plot kicks in as Evel, heading to a performance in Mexico, finds himself waylaid by nefarious drug dealers, headed by Stanley Millard (Leslie Nielsen), who plans to murder Evel in Mexico and then ship the body back across the border, loaded with drugs. Gene Kelly, of all people, is on hand as Will Atkins, Evel's sloppy-drunk sidekick. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Evel Knievel, Gene Kelly, (more)
- 1977
Jim Rockford (James Garner) arranges for his ex-jailbird "pal" Gandy Fitch (Isaac Hayes) to work as a legman for Marcus Hayes (Louis Gossett Jr.), a private eye who'd once been Jim's parole officer. Gandy repays the favor by horning in on "Rockfish"'s current case, involving the search for a missing heir named Finn O'Herlihy (Jack Collins)--who, as it turns out, is on the lam from the Mob. In the course of their investigation, mismatched Gandy and Marcus (aka "Gabby" Hayes) manage to stumble into a neo-Nazi bar, where, as the only two black men on the premises, they are more than a little conspicuous! Things come to a rousing climax at a Polish wedding where the elusive O'Herlihy is employed as a musician. This episode was intended as the pilot for a possible spinoff series starring Isaac Hayes and Lou Gossett Jr., tentatively titled "Gandy and Gabby" (which, as Jim observes at one point, sounds more like a puppet show!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
The mother of young film producer Marvin Goldman (Warren Berlinger) wants to know who set fire to her darling boy's office. Investigating, the Angels discover something that Mrs. Goldman (Eda Reiss Merin) is blissfully unaware of: It seems that the "respectable" Marvin has been moonlighting as a pornographer and a two-bit blackmailer. Guess who poses as an aspiring movie actress in this episode? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Kate Jackson, (more)
Based on the best-selling Vincent Bugliosi book of the same name, Helter Skelter is a made-for-TV account of the investigation and prosecution of Charles Manson (Steve Railsback), who was convicted of leading a group of followers (known as "The Family") to murder seven people in California, including actress Sharon Tate. The film takes a Law & Order-like approach, starting with the discovery of the murders, which leads to the police gathering snippets of evidence that they eventually connect to the bigger picture. The second half of the movie concentrates on how District Attorney Bugliosi (George DiCenzo) attains a conviction despite the enormous amount of press coverage the case received. Nancy Wolfe, Christina Hart, and Cathey Paine portray the three loyal Manson Family members who were the co-defendants at his trial. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George DiCenzo, Steve Railsback, (more)
- 1975
- R
A tough-guy cop (Joe Don Baker) pursues two drug runners (Martin Balsam, John Saxon) across the city to bust a large syndicate. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Don Baker, Martin Balsam, (more)
The star-director team of Charles Bronson and Tom Gries (Breakheart Pass) combine their efforts again on Breakout. Bronson plays Nick Colton, a reckless pilot who heads to an unnamed South American country, in hopes of rescuing imprisoned Jay Wagner (Robert Duvall). Villain Harris Wagner (John Huston), who has framed Jay, has an unlimited supply of henchmen at his disposal, but they're no match for the dauntless Colton. Jill Ireland, Bronson's real-life wife, costars as Duvall's missus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Robert Duvall, (more)
- 1975
A well organized ring of car thieves is flourishing in Manhattan, thanks to crime victims who appear more than willing to be ripped off. It's all part of an insurance scam, wherein cars are deliberately stolen so that the owners can collect huge settlements. Kojak (Telly Savalas) vows to stop the thieves in their tracks after a patrolman is murdered during one of the heists. A pre-M*A*S*H David Ogden Stiers appears as one of the suspects. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Brock Peters plays the central figure in this story, a man charged by Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) with a murder that he didn't commit. Unfortunately, once he surrenders his fingerprints to the authorities, he will be exposed as the same person who ran away from a homicide investigation 25 years earlier. Also in the cast are a pre-stardom Dabney Coleman) and onetime Bonanza regular Mitch Vogel, here playing father and son, and future Lou Grant regular Robert Walden. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
James L. Brooks' Thursday's Game is a witty made-for-television comedy about two businessmen (Bob Newhart and Gene Wilder) who meet every Thursday night to play poker and discuss their professional and personal problems. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
A runaway box-office hit to the tune of 17 million dollars, Walking Tall is the unabashedly manipulative story of real-life Tennessee sheriff Buford Pusser. As played by Joe Don Baker, Pusser can either be regarded as a tireless champion of justice or a baseball-bat-wielding hooligan. But with some of the most scurrilous villains this side of a Republic serial as the main targets of Pusser's wrath, the audience cannot help but applaud the sheriff's strongarm methods. When the town baddies seek vengeance by killing Pusser's wife (Elizabeth Hartman), the you-know-what really hits the fan! Never resorting to subtlety, Walking Tall was such a winner that it spawned two sequels, a made-for-television movie, and a weekly TV series -- none of which were enjoyed by the real Buford Pusser, who had long since died under questionable circumstances. At the time of the film's theatrical release, the MPAA rating system was comparatively new, so the studio launched an ad campaign aimed at parents, letting them know that the R-rated Walking Tall contained violence and not sex, and therefore was good family entertainment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Based primarily on the "Silver John" tales of Manly Wade Wellman, this enthusiastically silly low-budgeter tells the story of young John (Hedge Capers), a balladeer who returns home to find that his Grandpappy (Denver Pyle) -- also named John -- has decided to do battle with the Devil by playing a special tune (penned by Hoyt Axton, no less!) on a silver-stringed guitar. Unwisely, the elder John chose silver dollars to make his strings, realizing too late that modern-day dollar coins contain no silver at all (due, of course, to an evil government conspiracy), and his soul is lost. The younger John decides to follow the old man's path -- only not quite as stupidly -- and creates his own silver strings (this time genuine). In his travels, he encounters an undertaker who made a deal with a witch (Susan Strasberg) in exchange for gold; an evil gatekeeper named O.J. and his "Big Ugly Bird" (depicted via stop-motion animation); and a cotton plantation run by a voodoo overlord. He eventually reaches Washington, D.C., presumably to do battle with the ultimate evil: the Army Corps of Engineers. Sticking to the essence of the Appalachian ghost stories on which Wellman's stories were based, director John Newland (erstwhile host of One Step Beyond) conjures some delightfully bizarre images despite the painfully low budget, but one wonders exactly where he was going with this. This film is also known as Who Fears the Devil. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- 1973
New York City is held in thrall by a serial killer known as Excalibur, who rapes and strangles unmarried women, then tosses them in the river--but not before marking their heads with a design resembling the sword of King Arthur. After several months' activity, Excalibur is back in business, and Kojak (Telly Savalas) is determined to put him away. But is it really Excalibur who has resumed the killing spree, or a demented copycat? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
If you think that Oliver Stone invented the "political paranoia" movie, take a glance at Executive Action sometime. Based on Mark Lane's Rush to Judgment, the conspiracy theorist's bible, Executive Action perpetuates the popular urban legend that John F. Kennedy was assassinated at the behest of a right-wing cartel with military and industrial interests. The film further hypothesizes that Lee Harvey Oswald not only didn't pull the trigger, but was also set up as a disposable dupe (this notion wasn't even new in 1973). Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan and Will Geer play the sinister conspirators. In the film's coda, still photos of 18 witnesses to the assassination are shown, while the accompanying text informs us that all of these people had died between 1963 and 1973. We are further told that the odds against this coincidence are one in a trillion. When Oliver Stone's thematically similar JFK came out in 1991, viewers with long memories were quick to notice the eerie similarities between the Stone film and Executive Action -- right down to choice of camera angles. Hmmm....a conspiracy, perhaps? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan, (more)
- 1971
The IMF must prevent a merger between Vic Hatcher (Victor French) and Johnny Thorne (Felice Orlandi), the leaders of two rival underworld factions. Should the merger go through, the economy of the United States will collapse. The two gangsters are holding their meeting at a ski resort, accessible only by cable car--one single, heavily guarded cable car. Filmed on location along the aerial tramway high above Palm Springs, California, "The Tram" was scripted by James L. Henderson and Sam Roeca, from a story by Paul Playdon. The episode first aired on October 2, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Greg Morris, (more)
- 1970
Even though Jason Banning (Carl Betz), a hard-drinking Police Pension Fund investment manager, has confessed to the murder of his secretary, all existing evidence proves otherwise. Ironside (Raymond Burr) takes it upon himself to find out if Banning is actually guilty, or if he is simply suffering from a really bad cases of the D.T.s. If the latter is true, then who DID kill the secretary--and why? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Woe betide the criminal who ever makes the mistake of victimizing a friend of Chief Robert Ironside (Raymond Burr)! In this case, the friend is a fruit seller named Dora Copeland (Ann Doran). A syndicate of protection racketeers has swarmed into town in hopes of gaining control of San Francisco's produce market--and their first step is to blackmail Dora by framing a compromising situation involving her son Paul (Stewart Moss), a prominent attorney. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This light western comedy finds the lovely widow Laura Breckenridge (Angie Dickenson) offering a $20,000 reward for the return of some gold her late husband had stolen from the Denver mint. She seduces the virginal Sam (Burt Reynolds) into leading a team to retrieve the gold, now lying at the bottom of the Platte River. With the help of local blacksmith Jedidiah Hooker (Ossie Davis) and the inventor O.W. Bandy (Clint Walker), the trio agrees to go for the gold in order to receive the reward and restore the good name to the Breckenridge family. Meanwhile, the villains (Rick Davis and Del Reeves) trail the heroes in hopes of grabbing the gold for themselves. The good guys must break into the mint to put back the money, but they need to fool the wary watchman and superintendent (William Shallert). ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Clint Walker, (more)
One of the few 1960s satires of the hippie culture that doesn't appear to be concocted by grumpy old men, I Love You, Alice B. Toklas stars Peter Sellers as Harold Fine, a staid, fortysomething Jewish attorney. Engaged to the equally straitlaced Joyce (Joyce Van Patten), Harold wistfully dreams of having a more exciting lifestyle. Through a fluke, Harold is obliged to drive a station wagon emblazoned with "psychedelic" imagery; it is with this vehicle that he picks up his flower-child brother Herbie (David Arkin), and Herbie's groovy chick Nancy (Leigh Taylor-Young). Rather enjoying the company of people outside of his establishment orbit, Harold visits Nancy at her pad, where she plies him with "hash brownies" -- concoctions laced with marijuana. His inhibitions released by the spiked pastries, Harold kicks over the traces, grows his hair to shoulder length, and embarks upon an affair with Nancy. But when the effects of the brownies wear off, Harold suddenly feels like the rather foolish middle-aged man that he is. The beauty of I Love You, Alice B. Toklas is that it patronizes neither the hippies nor the Establishment characters; both groups are shown as human beings rather than agit-prop stereotypes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Sellers, Jo Van Fleet, (more)
