Wow! CORKY, which played the drive-in circuit briefly in 1972 (it was the only Blake starring role I missed back then), must be listed among Robert Blake's greatest and most intense performances of the late 60s and early 70s. However, be warned that Corky Curtiss is a totally unsympathetic character who treats everyone horribly, is on an ego trip, and sets out to wound the people who care for him. The film begins in Texas, where Blake and his pal played by the under-rated Chris Connelly, are driving in minor car races on the weekend and working for shop owner Patrick O'Neal during the week. Blake is married to Charlotte Rampling, who looks the part but whose accent wavers and sounds like Duchess Sarah Ferguson auditioning for Hee-Haw. After alienating everyone in the town and abandoning his wife, Blake and Connelly take off to take on the southern racing circuit. Blake's abusive behavior toward the easygoing Connelly finally makes CC split from Blake, and Blake's a**hole behavior winds up digging himself a deeper hole and leaving him more alone and stranded. He fails to learn anything from this, and I'll leave you the viewer to watch the final 20 minutes...everything from when Blake meets the two boys at the swimming hole on through the violent ending. If you are a Blake fan, you will go crazy over this film. He's over-the-top from beginning to end, struts around without his shirt on and with a beer in his hand, jives everyone he meets, and perfectly captures the loud, offensive, boorish, vain good-old-boys we all can't stand in real life. The film's title during its making was LOOKIN' GOOD (and there is a song by that title played in the middle of the film), and that fits things well as about the only thing that Blake cares for is strutting' and LOOKIN' GOOD. Talk about an anti-hero, Corky Curtiss makes Kowalski from VANISHING POINT and the leads of TWO LANE BLACKTOP look like Mother Teresa. This is the kind of post-James Dean, out-of-control Method performance that only a few people, Mickey Rourke among them, can get away with. To the film's credit, it gets small-town life down perfectly in every detail. When Charlotte Rampling is trying to get a GED, working two jobs, and pulling her life back together, I thought "I KNOW dozens of people just like her," just like I know dozens of people like her a**hole husband Corky. It's no surprise this film wasn't a hit, although that could also have been due to distribution, because who would want to see such a downer of a film? The Robert Blake fan, that's who. And if you are one, track down a gray market copy of this film immediately. Mine was taken from an old 1980's TNT TV broadcast, but the days when films like this were shown on TV are long gone. As this was an MGM release, perhaps you could write Turner Classic Movies--I'd LOVE to see Robert Osborne's introductory comments about CORKY! This would be perfect on a double bill with THE DAREDEVIL, starring George Montgomery (see my review of the latter). Blake was untouchable in his prime, and films such as this one contain the proof. Director Leonard Horn, who passed away a few years after this, worked mostly in television, except for the strange 1970 release THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART. With that and Corky as his two big-screen directorial efforts, one wonders what Mr. Horn would have done if he'd been given creative freedom to make low-budget feature films instead of TV episodes and TV movies. Someone should interview Blake or Rampling (Connelly, O'Neal, and Ben Johnson are gone) about this film and about Leonard Horn.
6 Reviews
One of Blake's Best!
tam_5514 June 2002
Warning: Spoilers
This movie, to me, is one of Blake's finest performances, and I don't care if it did poorly at the boxoffice back in 1972. The story opens with Blake's character Corky Curtiss, out for a drive in the country with wife, kids and his best friend, Billy (Christoper Connelly) in his cherry '69 Cuda. Then there is a street race with a '69 Camaro and Corky wins.
The story of Corky is basically an auto mechanic/sometimes dirt track racer from a small Texas town who yearns for the big time as a stock car racer. After a run-in with his boss during a dirt track race, Corky, who is dissatisfied with the meager existence of family and job life, walks out on his family with hopes and dreams of being a famous stock car racer. After picking up Billy (Christopher Connelly) the adventure starts when a drunken Corky gets punched in a honky-tonk bar for harrassing a young woman named Rhonda (Pamela Payton-Wright).
The two men travel across the South as drifters, heading for Atlanta. When Corky's attitude costs him his friendship with Billy, he moves on with his quest alone. Corky enters into a stock car race, and when he is near the finish line, he waves to the crowds and confident he's first place champ. Then his race car spins out, and loses the race. After demanding a trophy anyways, he is forced to hock it for needed money. Eventually he heads home when his luck runs out. When Corky finds out his wife got a job and was hired by his ex-boss, he accuses her of having an affair with the boss. He gets a gun, shoots and kills the boss, and is chased by the police. He drives into a demolition derby, and smashes all the cars up before his car flips, explodes and that is the end of Corky, and the movie.
Cameo appearances by NASCAR legends help, such as Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, and others.
Robert Blake gives a superb performance, in his own way, in his own Blake style. His character is that of a born loser, but at the same time likeable. Corky's wife, Peggy Jo (Charlotte Rampling) gives an alright performance, even if Ms. Rampling is British. Roddy McDowell has a small part in the movie too.
I would like to have this movie on video. If anyone out there has a copy or knows anyone who does, please e-mail me. Many thank's!
The story of Corky is basically an auto mechanic/sometimes dirt track racer from a small Texas town who yearns for the big time as a stock car racer. After a run-in with his boss during a dirt track race, Corky, who is dissatisfied with the meager existence of family and job life, walks out on his family with hopes and dreams of being a famous stock car racer. After picking up Billy (Christopher Connelly) the adventure starts when a drunken Corky gets punched in a honky-tonk bar for harrassing a young woman named Rhonda (Pamela Payton-Wright).
The two men travel across the South as drifters, heading for Atlanta. When Corky's attitude costs him his friendship with Billy, he moves on with his quest alone. Corky enters into a stock car race, and when he is near the finish line, he waves to the crowds and confident he's first place champ. Then his race car spins out, and loses the race. After demanding a trophy anyways, he is forced to hock it for needed money. Eventually he heads home when his luck runs out. When Corky finds out his wife got a job and was hired by his ex-boss, he accuses her of having an affair with the boss. He gets a gun, shoots and kills the boss, and is chased by the police. He drives into a demolition derby, and smashes all the cars up before his car flips, explodes and that is the end of Corky, and the movie.
Cameo appearances by NASCAR legends help, such as Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, and others.
Robert Blake gives a superb performance, in his own way, in his own Blake style. His character is that of a born loser, but at the same time likeable. Corky's wife, Peggy Jo (Charlotte Rampling) gives an alright performance, even if Ms. Rampling is British. Roddy McDowell has a small part in the movie too.
I would like to have this movie on video. If anyone out there has a copy or knows anyone who does, please e-mail me. Many thank's!
Great performance by Blake
Wizard-87 May 2013
This movie doesn't seem to have made a significant splash when it was first release, and it's all but been forgotten more than forty years later, rarely getting played on TV. Watching it, I think I understood why the movie hasn't built much of a fan base. Don't get me wrong - it's not a BAD movie. For starters, it has a great performance by Robert Blake in the title role. But Blake plays such an unsympathetic part, a person that puts his own welfare way more than everyone else around him (including his character's family), that I see many people being turned off and wondering, "Why I am watching such an unlikable person dig his own grave?" I also suspect that what happens at the end will turn off people as well - what happens not only is a downer, it seems to come out of another movie entirely. But if you are prepared (and willing) to see a movie about a failure of a person sink deeper and deeper, it's more likely that you'll find the movie interesting on some level.
Worthy Forgotten Car Movie
dacuda24 January 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This review is more to give correct info on automotive part of movie. Which was filmed in 1970! This movie has main characters Robert Blake's car, Which is one of only a handful, made through George Barris Customs Shop '67 Plymouth Barracuda SXB Formula S Fastback! These were offered to public! This had the endorsement of Chrysler-Plymouth Division for Limited Production Car Field etc. It is a 383ci 4 speed Formula S Fastback with power steering, power brakes, it has a full-width taillight lens with sequential turn signals that had red white and blue stripe that runs around circumference of trunk! Outside exhaust that could be hooked up if permitted by the state you lived in, Flame-Thrower road lights are installed in flat-black-finished modified grille opening, and the park lights are moved to lower valance. The whole car is painted in pearlescent blue and contrasting candy blue, red white and blue accent stripes help set off this pleasingly restyled SXB Barracuda.
As said This had Endorsement of Chrysler-Plymouth Division for limited car field! The original prototype for the SXB had short in height spoiler-wing built into tail but all others of small number built had like the high tail-wing of the later Dodge Daytona And Plymouth Superbird Wings on the back as seen in the movie car.
There was also a Barracuda SXB used in an episode of the TV show "Knight Rider"- the "19th Hole" season 3 episode 16 from 1985 but this one had a completely different taillight setup! But was definitely one of these Ultra Rare Cars! One of which is still around and shown here and there at certain car shows around the country maybe you have had the privilege to see this Cool Rare Factory Endorsed Custom that was offered starting with the '67 Plymouth Barracuda Fastback! I don't know if any Notchbacks Are Convertibles were given this treatment but the auto-world always has surprises! An original story article was done on this car offering in "Motor Trend" magazine by Steve Kelly on Barracuda '67 model Limited Production of the George Barris SXB Barracuda.
This is a largely unknown movie that actually is significant like other car themed movies and just happens to use a rarity as main character car in movie and should therefore be in all car themed movie lists and ratings but sadly isn't! As it has yet to be offered in legitimate Letterbox Widescreen form from TCM, WHICH I believe holds the rights to this significant automobile themed movie. We would hope the owner of this movie would do it justice with an official legitimate WIDESCREEN release of this Forgotten Gem! The movie in itself, ignoring the automotive side, is acted and done well by all involved and is actually worth watching for a good portrayal of the way some people are! Robert Blakes Character just seems to get into all kinds of situations and trouble! I'd love to have a DVD WIDESCREEN VERSION of this lost classic! Which just happens to have a Cool Rare Factory Endorsed Custom or two in it! Cars were made by Richard "Korky" Korkes who also did '65 conversion of original '55 Lincoln "Futura" concept car to the well known "Bat Mobile" that went recently for $4.3 Million! At auction! It seems like this movie and main character might have been named after Richard "Korky" Korkes name but with a C of course! This movie also has an attractive Charlotte Rampling, Patrick O'Neal and has some real life NASCAR Racers and also know by the alternate title "Looking Good" I hope this clears up misinformation on the car at least used in this movie.
As said This had Endorsement of Chrysler-Plymouth Division for limited car field! The original prototype for the SXB had short in height spoiler-wing built into tail but all others of small number built had like the high tail-wing of the later Dodge Daytona And Plymouth Superbird Wings on the back as seen in the movie car.
There was also a Barracuda SXB used in an episode of the TV show "Knight Rider"- the "19th Hole" season 3 episode 16 from 1985 but this one had a completely different taillight setup! But was definitely one of these Ultra Rare Cars! One of which is still around and shown here and there at certain car shows around the country maybe you have had the privilege to see this Cool Rare Factory Endorsed Custom that was offered starting with the '67 Plymouth Barracuda Fastback! I don't know if any Notchbacks Are Convertibles were given this treatment but the auto-world always has surprises! An original story article was done on this car offering in "Motor Trend" magazine by Steve Kelly on Barracuda '67 model Limited Production of the George Barris SXB Barracuda.
This is a largely unknown movie that actually is significant like other car themed movies and just happens to use a rarity as main character car in movie and should therefore be in all car themed movie lists and ratings but sadly isn't! As it has yet to be offered in legitimate Letterbox Widescreen form from TCM, WHICH I believe holds the rights to this significant automobile themed movie. We would hope the owner of this movie would do it justice with an official legitimate WIDESCREEN release of this Forgotten Gem! The movie in itself, ignoring the automotive side, is acted and done well by all involved and is actually worth watching for a good portrayal of the way some people are! Robert Blakes Character just seems to get into all kinds of situations and trouble! I'd love to have a DVD WIDESCREEN VERSION of this lost classic! Which just happens to have a Cool Rare Factory Endorsed Custom or two in it! Cars were made by Richard "Korky" Korkes who also did '65 conversion of original '55 Lincoln "Futura" concept car to the well known "Bat Mobile" that went recently for $4.3 Million! At auction! It seems like this movie and main character might have been named after Richard "Korky" Korkes name but with a C of course! This movie also has an attractive Charlotte Rampling, Patrick O'Neal and has some real life NASCAR Racers and also know by the alternate title "Looking Good" I hope this clears up misinformation on the car at least used in this movie.
Lead foot. Rough ride.
SanFernandoCurt13 May 2013
Hollywood really has it in for auto racers. Whenever they're portrayed on screen - by Kirk Douglas, Clark Gable, Jeff Bridges, anyone - they are God's own SOBs, selfish, brusque, users. 'Corky' takes the cake. The makers of this movie evidently don't know the difference between 'anti-hero' and 'bust-out a**hole'. 'Corky' is one piece of work.
But it's worth a gander for seeing Charlotte Rampling - a real favorite of mine - pushing a baby carriage around a low-rent Southwestern carnival. It's THE milieu that's dead last in any list of places Rampling would be least likely to show up. ...Something of a mind-bender, that scene.
But it's worth a gander for seeing Charlotte Rampling - a real favorite of mine - pushing a baby carriage around a low-rent Southwestern carnival. It's THE milieu that's dead last in any list of places Rampling would be least likely to show up. ...Something of a mind-bender, that scene.
Searching forever for this movie
gar57922 April 2002
This was by far one of the best hot rod movies I have ever seen. The last time I saw this movie I was in the fourth grade back around 1972. I have been searching for a copy of this movie for the last ten years. If ANYBODY has a copy of this movie, I am willing to pay TOP DOLLAR for a copy of it. Please e-mail me and let me know. I can assure you that I can (and will) definitely make it worth your while. :-)
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