There are elements of a Classic here, it just does not quite come together. Gregory Peck's Independent Film Company is one of them involved producing this which means Peck as a bit of a Producer. While the plot seems kind of simple, it contains a lot of good elements. John Frankenheimer ( original Sinatra - Manchurian Candidate) is a fine director who if the script had been slightly better might have had a classic here.
I love the Johnny Cash sound track. Recently his song "Ring Of Fire" had had a bit of a revival and if you watch this one, the title song here might get one as well. Cash whole soundtrack is a breath of fresh air over the usual elevator music behind some films of this type. Gregory Peck lacking in classic dialogue still shows plenty of acting chops a the Sheriff who is bored in middle age in a small town.
Tuesday Weld has one of her best roles here. She seduces the sheriff and as far as I am concerned the camera as well. She is the daughter of a family of moonshiners who have just come to town (though this is much more serious than when it happened on the Andy Griffith show on MeTV). Meanwhile, the righteous sheriff has church every Sunday and a wife at home. Estelle Parsons (Roseann's mom on the Connors) is the wife who wants to excite him after years of marriage but time and the kids have taken their toll.
He first meets Weld whose little brother is driving the family truck too fast and crooked on a road. He catches her in the truck as the little brother runs off into the woods. He resists her charm but lets her talk him out of an arrest. Then as he keeps meeting her and the family she wears him down until he makes love to her.
The sheriff discovers the family still and warns them the Feds are in town looking for their operation. Meanwhile like a spider he gets more and more involved and tries to keep the Feds from finding that still. His wife hears about the affair through small town gossip and decides to leave him and takes the kids. Now he is free to chase down his dream.
It's a classic older man younger woman romance but the family gets in the way. As the feds close in, they have to leave town and he chases them down because they take her with them. I'll leave the ending alone here, but any red blooded person who would have turned down a chance to romance Tuesday Weld would have been a big loser. She is charming, and the film works quite well. It might not be a classic but is worth a look for anyone with time to spare. Now playing on Amazon Prime, very good print too.
I love the Johnny Cash sound track. Recently his song "Ring Of Fire" had had a bit of a revival and if you watch this one, the title song here might get one as well. Cash whole soundtrack is a breath of fresh air over the usual elevator music behind some films of this type. Gregory Peck lacking in classic dialogue still shows plenty of acting chops a the Sheriff who is bored in middle age in a small town.
Tuesday Weld has one of her best roles here. She seduces the sheriff and as far as I am concerned the camera as well. She is the daughter of a family of moonshiners who have just come to town (though this is much more serious than when it happened on the Andy Griffith show on MeTV). Meanwhile, the righteous sheriff has church every Sunday and a wife at home. Estelle Parsons (Roseann's mom on the Connors) is the wife who wants to excite him after years of marriage but time and the kids have taken their toll.
He first meets Weld whose little brother is driving the family truck too fast and crooked on a road. He catches her in the truck as the little brother runs off into the woods. He resists her charm but lets her talk him out of an arrest. Then as he keeps meeting her and the family she wears him down until he makes love to her.
The sheriff discovers the family still and warns them the Feds are in town looking for their operation. Meanwhile like a spider he gets more and more involved and tries to keep the Feds from finding that still. His wife hears about the affair through small town gossip and decides to leave him and takes the kids. Now he is free to chase down his dream.
It's a classic older man younger woman romance but the family gets in the way. As the feds close in, they have to leave town and he chases them down because they take her with them. I'll leave the ending alone here, but any red blooded person who would have turned down a chance to romance Tuesday Weld would have been a big loser. She is charming, and the film works quite well. It might not be a classic but is worth a look for anyone with time to spare. Now playing on Amazon Prime, very good print too.