In fact the only reason to view this is for the fact that the cast, most of them, drag this tepid melodrama above water.
Roger Moore, I asked myself, what's he doing in this? It must be for the fact that he had a chance to play a role out of type for him. He does a good turn as the psychiatrist who is over his head in attempts on his life.
Elliot Gould is wonderful as the easygoing detective, until he is shown to be a mob sycophant. Then his portrayal becomes routine and hammy. This is typical for Gould, as he always plays serious and laconic characters well, and "yes-men" poorly. It isn't in his nature.
Art Carney is memorable as the private detective. Anne Archer and David Hedison do good work if pretty standard for each.
However, Rod Steiger is a shame. Where was the director when he needed toning down? He is just too overblown and intense to be believable. The fact is that Rod Steiger is a director's actor, he is able to take direction and create nuances when he is given that direction, and when he is let loose, he is not. Point in case, In the Heat of the Night, a similar character for him, alternating appropriately between outrage and understanding, well-done and well-directed role wins him an Oscar. Or how about his role of the Mexican bandit in Sergio Leone's Fistful of Dynamite? Again, directed well, he turns in a stellar performance.
In this movie, it is embarrassing to see, for he's much better than what results are here. Other than the performances, this is a routine cop-mob-murder mystery.
Roger Moore, I asked myself, what's he doing in this? It must be for the fact that he had a chance to play a role out of type for him. He does a good turn as the psychiatrist who is over his head in attempts on his life.
Elliot Gould is wonderful as the easygoing detective, until he is shown to be a mob sycophant. Then his portrayal becomes routine and hammy. This is typical for Gould, as he always plays serious and laconic characters well, and "yes-men" poorly. It isn't in his nature.
Art Carney is memorable as the private detective. Anne Archer and David Hedison do good work if pretty standard for each.
However, Rod Steiger is a shame. Where was the director when he needed toning down? He is just too overblown and intense to be believable. The fact is that Rod Steiger is a director's actor, he is able to take direction and create nuances when he is given that direction, and when he is let loose, he is not. Point in case, In the Heat of the Night, a similar character for him, alternating appropriately between outrage and understanding, well-done and well-directed role wins him an Oscar. Or how about his role of the Mexican bandit in Sergio Leone's Fistful of Dynamite? Again, directed well, he turns in a stellar performance.
In this movie, it is embarrassing to see, for he's much better than what results are here. Other than the performances, this is a routine cop-mob-murder mystery.