Beau Bridges Movies

John Garfield, in the best performance of his career, portrays Joe Morse, an ambitious attorney who has long since abandoned his scruples in favor of monetary reward. Morse now represents the interests of crime boss Ben Tucker (Roy Roberts), who plans to take over the numbers racket in New York. Morse has devised a way of doing this legally and above-board, with no violence: Tucker's people will bring about the collapse of the illegal numbers racket in the city, using a race track-betting scam that will bankrupt the small-time underworld numbers banks; an investigation will ensue, along with a call for a legal numbers operation in the form of a lottery, which Tucker will control through Morse's machinations. The whole plan hinges on Morse's estranged brother, Leo (Thomas Gomez), a small-time numbers banker who is to be shielded from the collapse, and who will serve as the "legitimate" front for Tucker. Leo is the flaw in the plan, however, because not only can't he stand the sight of Joe, but he is also too honest to participate in the plan -- he doesn't want his employees, all decent people just looking to earn a living, forced into the employ of real gangsters. Joe orchestrates a series of police raids that force Leo into his corner, and Joe's plan seems to be working out, but then the whole enterprise is threatened when a rival mob, run by Tucker's former Prohibition-era partner, Fico (Paul Fix), starts pressuring Leo, trying to get to Joe and Tucker. Fico and his men aren't any different from Tucker's mob, except that they're prepared to start shooting sooner to get what they want. Tucker decides to hang tough and expects everyone, including Leo, to do the same, even when Fico starts sending thugs around to frighten everyone. Soon Joe is beset by problems on three fronts -- he wants his brother out of Tucker's combination and safe; he is trying to romance Leo's bookkeeper (Beatrice Pearson), who is too nice a girl for who he is; and his own well-being is threatened by both Fico and Tucker, and a state investigator who has already tapped the phone of Joe's otherwise respectable partner. All of these threads are pulled together in the final section of the film, which is as violent and disturbing, yet poetic and graceful a resolution as any crime film of the 1940s ever delivered. Force of Evil was star-crossed almost from the start, as many of the people involved, including star John Garfield and director Abraham Polonsky (a writer making his debut behind the camera, with help from assistant director Don Weis in doing the camera set-ups and blocking), were suspect at the time for their leftist political views. Indeed, the company that made Force of Evil, Enterprise Productions, was also in trouble for the leftist leanings of its films in the midst of the Red Scare, and went out of business just as the movie was finished -- dropped by United Artists and picked up by MGM, of all studios, Force of Evil made it into theaters during Christmas week of 1948, not the ideal schedule for something as grim (albeit great) as this film was. As it turned out, it was Polonsky's last chance to direct for more than 20 years, and Garfield's last completely successful film. And a movie that should have been a triumph for all concerned ended up a cult favorite. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

Eight-year-old Beau Bridges essayed his first leading role in Zamba. Bridges plays a young boy who, with his mother (June Vincent), is stranded in the middle of the African jungle. Through circumstances beyond their control, mother and son are separated. She manages to reach civilization and organize a searching party for her son. Meanwhile, the boy is adopted by a friendly gorilla named Zamba (actually veteran stuntman Ray Corrigan in an ape suit). Comedy relief is provided by George O'Hanlon, taking a break from his "Joe McDoakes" short subjects. One wonders if clips from Zamba will resurface when Beau Bridges receives his AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in the year 2019. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Beau Bridges guest stars as Pvt. Orville Putnam, King Company's newest replacement. Anxious to be accepted by his fellow soldiers, Putnam hides the fact that he is interested in botany--and also neglects to tell anyone that he is only 15 years old (it seems he fibbed to his draft board). Despite his lack of life experience and his innate clumsiness, Putnam proves to be an asset to the platoon when he uses his knowledge of all things botanical to save their lives! (Incidentally, Beau Bridges was actually 24 years old at the time of this episode). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on the same H.G. Wells story as his later Food of the Gods, this silly but good-looking fantasy from Bert I. Gordon is among his more entertaining films. The young Ron Howard plays Genius, who develops a substance which causes animals to grow to monstrous size. After eight kids (led by Beau Bridges and Tisha Sterling) crash their car in the mud, they dance and get drunk, then steal some food containing the growth-gunk, causing them to attain huge physical size as well. It's up to the good teens of the town (including Tommy Kirk, Johnny Crawford from The Rifleman, and "Mickey" crooner Toni Basil) to set things right. That involves a gas-like antidote and a lot of subpar musical numbers from the likes of Freddy Cannon and the Beau Brummels. Joseph Turkel and Rance Howard are also in the cast, and a jokey ending features a number of midgets including Felix Silla, best known as Cousin Itt on TV's The Addams Family. The first in a projected 13-picture production deal with Joseph E. Levine, Gordon followed this with the William Castle-inspired Picture Mommy Dead. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Jason (Chuck Connors) rides into a small town to visit Frank Allison (John Anderson), who once saved his life. Unfortunately, the reunion is neither happy nor lengthy: Allison is scheduled to be hanged the next day. It now falls to Jason to prevent Allison's embittered son Lon (Beau Bridges) from exacting revenge against the townsfolk for his father's execution. Featured in the cast is Whitney Blake, the mother of actress Meredith Baxter and the co-creator (with husband Alan Manings) of the long-running sitcom One Day at a Time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Atta Girl, Kelly was originally a three-part drama, telecast in March of 1967 on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. Kelly is a German shepherd, born on a breeding farm for seeing-eye dogs in Morristown New Jersey (where the story was filmed). Once she is of a manageable age, Kelly undergoes a four-week indoctrination under the guidance of novice seeing-eye-dog trainer Beau Bridges. Kelly's first two masters are a recently blinded ex-football player (James Olson), and a long-sightless attorney (Arthur Hill) who feels that Kelly will never be able to replace his first seeing-eye dog. For its first telecast, Atta Girl, Kelly was introduced by Walt Disney himself--one of his last on-camera assignments before his death in December of 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Joe Cartwright's impending marriage to the lovely Sally Cutler (Shirley Bonne) is threatened by the girl's unwanted suitor Horace (Beau Bridges), who is not only clumsy and inept, but also potentially dangerous. When Horace accidently strangles Sally to death, Joe swears vengeance. Ben tries to prevent his son from making a mistake he'll regret the rest of his life. Also appearing are Lurene Tuttle as Mrs. Cutler and Roy Roberts as Bristol. First shown on January 8, 1967, "Justice" was written by Richard Wendley. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ben Hecht's reminiscences from his youth as a cub reporter in 1910 Chicago makes an uneasy transition to the screen in this Norman Jewison production. During the Galena, Illinois, Independence Day celebration of 1910, Ben Young (Beau Bridges) determines that it is time to seek his fortune and sets out by train to Chicago. Once in Chicago, Ben has his money stolen, and he faints from hunger. To his rescue comes Queen Lil (Melina Mecouri), a local madam, who takes him to her brothel, where he is allowed to stay on the top floor of the house. Queen Lil gets Ben a job on the Chicago Journal and he meets the gruff, but kind, editor Francis X. Sullivan (Brian Keith). Sullivan takes Ben on a drinking tour of the Tenderloin, where Ben's naiveté is given a good working-over as Ben experiences the political realities of the city. Ben decides to devote his life to reforming the shady politics of Chicago. Meanwhile, reform leader Axel P. Johanson (George Kennedy) is trying to obtain a ledger of civic corruption compiled by Honest Tim Grogan (Hume Cronyn). During a party for Grogan at Queen Lil's, Ben inspires friendly prostitute Adeline (Margot Kidder) to change her evil ways. Her first act as a reformer is to steal Grogan's ledger and join the Salvation Army mission. But everyone thinks that Ben has stolen the ledger, and soon Sullivan, Queen Lil, Grogan and Johanson are all after him to get the ledger back. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Wealthy, insensitive young Beau Bridges buys an inner-city tenement, planning to evict the present occupants and construct a luxury home for himself. But once he ventures into the tenement, he grows quite fond of the low-income ethnic types who dwell within. He even kicks over the traces of his WASP upbringing by romancing black tenants Diana Sands and Marki Bey. Though essentially a comedy, The Landlord offers several painful truths about ghetto existence. Essentially, Beau Bridges acts as the audience's "eyes:" we learn as he learns, we grow as he grows. The Landlord represents the first directorial effort of Oscar-winning film editor Hal Ashby. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Leon Prochnik adapted the evocative Robert Moresco play Child's Play for the screen, with Sidney Lumet assuming directorial duties. Beau Bridges stars as a young teacher at an exclusive Catholic boy's boarding school named Paul Reis. An outbreak of violence and brutality among the students has Reis perplexed. He suspects that one of the older professors is responsible for inciting the mayhem. The two most likely suspects, played by James Mason and Robert Preston, are long-standing rivals who blame each other for the student turmoil. One of the old enemies goes so far as to discredit the other -- but his motives are at great odds with the religious doctrine taught within the school's walls. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Young Joey Grant (Ike Eisenmann) is thrown for a loop when his parents (played by Beau Bridges and Margaret Blye) split up. Even worse, Joey's dad has been ordered out of the house, and must take up residence in a hotel room. What happens following this traumatic incident is told (sometimes literally) from Joey's point-of-view -- and don't expect everything to be tied up in a nice, neat, "happily ever after" package. My Dad Lives in a Downtown Hotel was adapted from Peggy Mann's book of the same name. ~ All Movie Guide

Beau Bridges plays an uptight insurance clerk. Ron Leibman plays Bridges' laid-back pal, who talks Beau into skipping work in order to drive Leibman to the airport. This little trip across town turns into an idyllic trek up the California coast. While Leibman wheels and deals in his efforts to con the Establishment, Bridges loosens up with several nubile females, totally forgetting his proper fiancee Janet Margolin. While it has all the earmarks of a typical "youth trip" film of the 1970s, Your Three Minutes Are Up scores with its believable characterizations and its perceptive view of California's mixed-up social values. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide