Bradford Dillman Movies
Yale graduate Bradford Dillman began his career in the sort of misunderstood-youth roles that had previously been the province of Montgomery Clift and James Dean. His first significant stage success was as the younger son in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Eugene O'Neill play Long Day's Journey Into Night. Signed by 20th Century-Fox in 1958, Dillman at first played standard leading men; his subtle shift to villainy occurred after he was cast as a wealthy psychopath in Compulsion, the 1959 drama based on the Leopold-Loeb case. Compulsion won Dillman an award at the Cannes Film Festival, and also threatened to typecast him for the rest of his film career, notwithstanding his leading role in Fox's Francis of Assisi (1961). It was during his Fox years that Dillman married popular cover girl Suzy Parker. Bradford Dillman has remained much in demand as a television guest star, and in 1965 was the lead on the filmed-in-Britain TV drama series Court-Martial. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1974
- PG
John Frankenheimer's bizarre, satirical gangster film is not for all tastes but has acquired a minor cult following. Elderly mobster Edmond O'Brien hires a hitman (Richard Harris) to eliminate his rival (Bradford Dillman) in a dystopic setting of not-quite reality. There are albino alligators, skillful chase scenes, and Chuck Connors as a one-handed psycho who can fit various deadly weapons on his stumpy arm. None of it makes much sense, and mainstream viewers may end up scratching their heads in bewilderment, but fans of more esoteric films should find it a lot of fun. It would likely have ended up as a big hit on the drive-in circuit if it hadn't been directed by Frankenheimer, from whom most people expect better. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Harris, Edmond O'Brien, (more)
- 1958
Based on a novel by Francoise Sagan, A Certain Smile was a vehicle for Darryl F. Zanuck's latest protegee, Christine Carere. Parisian student Carere spats with her boyfriend Bradford Dillman, then impulsively agrees to accompany Dillman's worldly uncle Rossano Brazzi to the Riviera. At first thrilled at the prospect of an affair with the dashing Brazzi, Carere is disillusioned to discover that she is the latest in a long line of "diversions" for the old charmer. After a heart-to-heart with Brazzi's patient wife (Joan Fontaine), Christine returns to her boyfriend. The title song for A Certain Smile became a hit for Johnny Mathis, who sings the tune over the film's opening credits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rossano Brazzi, Joan Fontaine, (more)
- 1961
A British officer is slated to parachute into Normandy. What he doesn't know is that he is being set up by British Intelligence to be captured by the enemy and reveal erroneous information to the Nazis. Officer Raine (Bradford Dillman) is the unknowing soldier who has intentionally been given false information. His superiors justify the expenditure of one man verses the thousands of lives that will be saved by his mission. The unlucky officer faces capture, brutal torture and debilitating guilt leading to alcoholism over his perceived "failure" to keep the information secret. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Suzy Parker, Bradford Dillman, (more)
- 1965
This soapy melodrama based on the novel by John O'Hara earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design. Suzanne Pleshette stars as Grace Caldwell, a newspaper heiress and nymphomaniac whose numerous dalliances threaten to destroy her wealthy Pennsylvania family's image. Taken on a vacation to the Bahamas by her widowed mother Emily (Carmen Mathews), Grace can't resist a tryst with a waiter, which causes Emily a fatal heart attack. Back home, Grace meets a new beau, Sidney Tate (Bradford Dillman) at a Christmas party. The gentlemanly Sidney wins Grace's heart and she marries him, promising to end her sexually wild ways. A few years later, however, Grace sleeps with a construction worker and the resulting scandal when her lover dies in a drunken car wreck leads Sidney to believe that Grace is also having an affair with an old friend, Jack Hollister (Peter Graves). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Suzanne Pleshette, Bradford Dillman, (more)
- 1975
The Queen is a luxury cruise ship, "played" by the Queen Mary in this made-for-TV thriller. The villain has it in for one of the ship's millionaire passengers. Accordingly, he (or she-we're not telling) plans to destroy the vessel and everyone on board. The producer of this all-star disasterfest was-drum roll, please-Irwin Allen. TV movie "regulars" John Gay and David Lowell Rich served as scripter and director, respectively, for Adventures of the Queen, which first sailed into American homes on February 14, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
Back in the USA is a penny-pinching exploitation flick which barely hit the theatres before it was picked up by cable and videocassette. The setting is the Everglades, where three teenagers stumble across a terrorist organization. This is excuse enough for an interminable but fitfully exciting chase through the swamps. Old B-movie hand Bradford Dillman is around to look menacing and spit out his lines through clenched teeth. Chances are Back in the USA would have sunk in the backwater bogs without a trace were it not for its future-saleable cast: Ken Wahl, Judge Reinhold, Annie McEnroe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
The "before" version of Patty Duke is obese and slovenly. Emerging from a "fat farm," the "after" version of Patty Duke discovers that her husband (Bradford Dillman) has been playing the field while she's been trying to shed her excess poundage. Duke then takes up with a handsome artist (Art Hindle), who gives her new incentive to lose weight, even though he's made it clear that her physical appearance isn't all that important to him. His jealousy aroused, Duke's hubby tries to win her back, but she soon learns that he hasn't really changed a bit. The made-for-TV Before and After was initially broadcast October 5, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, Bradford Dillman, (more)
- 1969
Black Water Gold stars Aron Kincaid as a self-styled "scuba bum" living in Nassau. Kincaid teams up with marine archaeologist Keir Dullea and historian Ricardo Montalban in seeking out a gold-laden sunken Spanish galleon. With so many veteran movie villains involved, there has to be some dirty work afoot; in this instance, the fly in the ointment is wealthy (and deadly) treasure hunter Bradford Dillman. France Nuyen and Lana Wood supply the feminine angle in this made-for-TV effort, which premiered as an ABC Movie of the Week on January 6, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keir Dullea, Bradford Dillman, (more)
- 1971
Neta (Jewel Blanch), a teenaged friend of Ben Cartwright's adopted son Jamie, witnesses the murder of Mr. Trunkett, but is too frightened to say anything about it. Meanwhile, the murderer, a man named Bannon (Bradford Dillman), impersonates the dead man in order to inherit a fortune. The danger to Neta intensifies when the incognito Bannon is hired by the Cartwrights. Originally shown on November 14 1971, "Face of Fear" was written by Ken Pettus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
Sidney Poitier stars as John Kane, a heavenly emissary who pays a visit to the Alabama town where he was born. Making it his mission to purge the community of all hatred and prejudice, "Brother John" is nothing less than the Messiah returned to earth. Trouble is, he's black, and it's Alabama-so who's going to pay attention? Will Greer costars as a local town doctor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The last gasp of gimmick-horror auteur William Castle (who produced and co-wrote), Bug is an entertaining throwback to the mutant-monsters-amok theme of the 1950s (themselves throwbacks of another kind) that he found so profitable. The film stars Bradford Dillman as a kinder, gentler mad scientist who discovers the presence of a bizarre strain of mutant cockroach emerging from the earth after a severe earthquake. Although larger than the average beetle, the most disturbing aspect of the critters is their innate ability to ignite fires with their bodies -- a talent dramatically revealed after a few of the bugs crawl up a vehicle's tailpipe. When Dillman discovers that the creatures possess a group intelligence, he attempts to train and breed them -- which proves to be less than a good idea. In Castle's heyday, this would have proven an ideal theme for one of his patented gimmicks (perhaps having little rubber bugs drop from the ceiling onto unsuspecting patrons at appropriate moments), but director Jeannot Szwarc (who later helmed Jaws 2 and the hankie-fest Somewhere in Time) plays the story straight, with remarkably chilling results. This is also remarkably violent for a mainstream PG film (particularly in the scene where Bad Seed Patty McCormack's hair is ignited by the six-legged arsonists) with a downbeat ending typical of many horror movies of the '70s. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bradford Dillman, Joanna Miles, (more)
- 1974
- PG
This speculative horror film details the tribulations endured by a specially-selected test group of 11 people who are informed that they will be the only occupants of a nuclear fallout shelter built half a mile below the Earth's surface. Chosen by project coordinator Peter Macomber (Bradford Dillman) as a fair cross-section of humanity, the group includes a politician, a businessman, an athlete and an author. As it turns out, the "survivors" are unwitting participants in one of those contrived psychological experiments featured so often on programs like The Twilight Zone. To make matters worse, someone's left a vent open, releasing thousands of ravenous vampire bats. Produced in Mexico, this tepid psycho-thriller plays out like the aforementioned TV drama, albeit padded out to 100 minutes. Said padding seems comprised of equal parts dull dialogue and interminable battles with the winged foes -- which are admittedly quite realistic and make for some genuine creep-out scenes. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- 1989
In this drama, legal eagle Cromwell must protect her client who has been wrongly accused of killing a grifter. She is up against a crafty, and earnest police officer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Compulsion is a compelling, stylish thriller, loosely based on the famous 1924 murder trial of thrill-killers Loeb and Leopold, two homosexual students who murdered a young boy to demonstrate their intellectual superiority. Artie Straus (Bradford Dillman) is a sadistic, mother-dominated bully. Judd Steiner (Dean Stockwell) is a submissive, introverted sissy. Having been raised by wealthy, arrogant families, both Artie and Judd consider themselves above conventional morality. Unfeeling and conceited, the boys, after the killing, take delight in offering to aid in finding the culprits. It is this arrogance which leads to their capture and prosecution for the murders. Jonathan Wilk (Orson Welles), playing a Clarence Darrow-like criminal defense attorney, takes on the case, and puts on a defense, without the cooperation of his clients, who will offer no explanation for what they have done. Bradford Dillman gives an outstanding performance, as does Dean Stockwell as the utterly unsympathetic murderers. Orson Welles is flamboyantly imposing as Wilk, who must use all his wits to try to save the boys from execution. Compulsion is a suspenseful courtroom drama, even though most viewers will know the outcome. Tautly directed by Richard Fleischer, the film is an outstanding, believable courtroom drama. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Orson Welles, Dean Stockwell, (more)
- 1960
Three stars appear in two separate but intertwined stories of romantic triangles gone wrong in this ambitious drama. In the first segment, Hagolin (Orson Welles) is a loutish construction worker with an unhappy wife, Eponine (Juliette Greco). The wife becomes involved with a swarthy working man, Larnier (Bradford Dillman), and their passion knows no boundaries of caution or safety. Eventually, Eponine's and Larnier's lust drives them to madness, and they murder Hagolin. The second tale concerns an up-and-coming young lawyer, Claude (Dillman), whose mentor is a highly successful veteran attorney, Lamerciere (Welles), with a beautiful young wife named Florence (Greco). Claude finds himself defending Larnier and Eponine, while Lamerciere dies of a heart attack after he discovers that Florence has been unfaithful to him with Claude. Producer Darryl F. Zanuck also wrote the screenplay, under the pen name Mark Canfield. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Orson Welles, Juliette Greco, (more)
- 1964
This 60-minute TV drama stars Bradford Dillman as Matt, a 34-year-old sculptor. Spectacularly unsuccessful, Matt knows he's hit rock bottom when he has to borrow money from his girlfriend in order to attend his father's funeral. As he stands at graveside, Matt vows to do something "worthwhile" with his life. Problem is, sculpting is all he knows. Written and directed by S. Lee Pogostin, Crazier Than Cotton first aired as a Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre episode on October 12, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
After working for years as a gangland thug, a man attempts a fresh start by moving to a small fishing village in Great Britain. He finds, however, that death can follow him anywhere. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Marina Malfatti stars as Deborah in this low-wattage horror piece. A childless bride, Deborah begins suffering bizarre hallucinations regarding her barren state. She also possesses psychic powers, which take on dangerous dimensions as she drifts into insanity. American leading men Bradford Dillman and Gig Young make token appearances. Barely released in the US, Deborah (aka A Black Ribbon for Deborah) found a home on the Late Show in the mid-1980s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marina Malfatti, Bradford Dillman, (more)
- 1973
In this action adventure, five wilderness greenhorns on a hiking trip stumble across the remains of a skyjacker. They also find a fortune in cash. This causes nothing but grief as the greedy quintet battle their way back to civilization. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Bradford Dillman and Juliet Mills stars in the British TV movie Demon, Demon. Dillman plays an archeology professor who wants to divorce his wife Mills. The grounds include incompatability-as well they should since Juliet sometimes behaves (literally) like a woman possessed. It transpires that she is in fact under the influence of a centuries-old demon, who has an aversion to be denied anything. Lensed on videotape, Demon Demon made its American debut November 4, 1975, as part of the late-night ABC Wide World Mystery anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
- G
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Escape From the Planet of the Apes is the third in the series of films based upon the Planet of the Apes characters created by novelist Pierre Boulle. At the end of the second film, the centuries-in-the-future world colonized by simians was destroyed, but apes Cornelius (Roddy McDowall) and Zira (Kim Hunter) were able to escape in the space vessel left behind by 20th century astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston). Cornelius and Zira pass through another time warp, finding themselves in the Earth of the 1970s. When they reveal their ability to speak, the apes are first treated as curiosities, then as threats when the government, believing the story that the Earth will eventually be inherited by monkeys, tries to prevent the birth of Zira's baby. They are ultimately given shelter by sympathetic circus owner Armando (Ricardo Montalban). This film was followed by the fourth "Apes" entry, 1972's Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, (more)
- 1969
Richard Alan Simmons, scriptwriter of Fear No Evil, evidently held fond memories of the old British chiller Dead of Night (a cornucopia of inspiration for programs like The Twilight Zone). The "Mirror Sequence" in the earlier film was gussied up for the basic plotline of this 1969 TV-movie. Bradford Dillman purchases an antique mirror, which turns out to be the portal for a supernatural world. Upon Dillman's death, his fiancee (Lynda Day) discovers that the mirror might be able to bring back her lost lover. Fear No Evil did so well in the overnight ratings that it spawned a sequel, 1970's Ritual of Evil. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Five Desperate Women debuted as an ABC Movie of the Week on September 28, 1971. Anjanette Comer, Joan Hackett, Denise Nicholas and Stefanie Powers are four of five graduates of an exclusive girl's college, meeting together for a reunion on a remote island. The fifth girl (whose name we'll withhold for suspense purposes) is the one that's murdered first. It appears that an unknown assailant plans to pick off the girls one by one. The survivors must figure out who's doing them in and why before fade-out time. Aaron Spelling was the producer of this middling clichefest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
The made-for-TV Force Five can be described as "The Dirty Dozen Minus Seven." All that's missing is the WW II backdrop and the murderous impulses of the protagonists. Lt. Roy Kessler (Gerald Gordon) heads a police undercover unit, consisting of former convicts with unique lawbreaking skills (one is a swindler, another a burglar, etc.) The audience is never certain whether or not the members of "Force Five" have truly reformed, adding an extra layer of tension. In this pilot for a potential TV series, Kessler's men tackle the case of a basketball star's murder. For the record, the rest of the "five" are played by Nicholas Pryor, James Hampton, Roy Jenson and Bill Lucking. Force Five first aired March 28, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
