Director Robert Aldridge really put quite a cast for this film. But most in a cast had very brief or bit Cameo roles at best but they were still in the picture.
I must say it was quite shocking and now I've heard everything to hear Burt Lancaster, Charles Durning, Richard Jaeckel, Richard Widmark, Paul Winfield and Gerald S. O'Loughlin to be dropping the F-bomb, that S bomb, the Mother F bomb, Etc. I never thought in a million years of watching millions of movies I would here and see these classic gentleman use that type of language but it was great!
sadly this was the last movie for the great Leif Ericson and Charles McGraw. they both had brief roll in this film but they did great with that time they didn't appear till an hour had elapsed. Same thing with the late great William Marshall who a lot of people don't know this but is Paul Winfield real life cousin they did not share any scenes together but this was the only film that they were in it together.
I was really surprised to see one of my all-time favorite Stars appear right at the beginning of the movie none other than bad boy big boy William Smith but he did not last not even 15 minutes and he was killed off. Also another one of my favorite actors mr. Roscoe Lee Browne who also appears at the beginning of the film talking with the president for no more than about 5 minutes and then he was completely gone and never came back.
While there were no major women roles in this film there had two actresses who had filmed major roles for this film but their scenes were deleted!? The president's wife and who would have been first lady was to be played by Vera Miles. And also actress Pippa Scott had a major role but her scenes were deleted as well.
All in all the film is very long but it keeps you glued and interested based just on this fantastic cast in this film. the music by Jerry Goldsmith was excellent it reminded me of like Planet of the Apes so I gave it that science fiction tension feel to it.
The only problem I have with this film is that in the end when they meet the demands of the so-called terrorists they want the president as a hostage why did it not feel the president with a bulletproof vest and wired him so they can hear everything that he was talking but I know that Lancaster or his cronies would have discovered the wire or taken off the vest but here's that issue also again why wouldn't Lancaster Ask for a bulletproof vest for he and his cronies? I would have! so there are some big potholes in the script and from what I heard militaristicly it's not very valid and in a lot of ways but if you can Overlook that then you should be able to enjoy yourself if you don't know too much about weapons and whatnot all in all it's still a wonderful achievement for director Robert Aldrich in getting such a fantastic and diverse cast as always and it's highly recommended.
I must say it was quite shocking and now I've heard everything to hear Burt Lancaster, Charles Durning, Richard Jaeckel, Richard Widmark, Paul Winfield and Gerald S. O'Loughlin to be dropping the F-bomb, that S bomb, the Mother F bomb, Etc. I never thought in a million years of watching millions of movies I would here and see these classic gentleman use that type of language but it was great!
sadly this was the last movie for the great Leif Ericson and Charles McGraw. they both had brief roll in this film but they did great with that time they didn't appear till an hour had elapsed. Same thing with the late great William Marshall who a lot of people don't know this but is Paul Winfield real life cousin they did not share any scenes together but this was the only film that they were in it together.
I was really surprised to see one of my all-time favorite Stars appear right at the beginning of the movie none other than bad boy big boy William Smith but he did not last not even 15 minutes and he was killed off. Also another one of my favorite actors mr. Roscoe Lee Browne who also appears at the beginning of the film talking with the president for no more than about 5 minutes and then he was completely gone and never came back.
While there were no major women roles in this film there had two actresses who had filmed major roles for this film but their scenes were deleted!? The president's wife and who would have been first lady was to be played by Vera Miles. And also actress Pippa Scott had a major role but her scenes were deleted as well.
All in all the film is very long but it keeps you glued and interested based just on this fantastic cast in this film. the music by Jerry Goldsmith was excellent it reminded me of like Planet of the Apes so I gave it that science fiction tension feel to it.
The only problem I have with this film is that in the end when they meet the demands of the so-called terrorists they want the president as a hostage why did it not feel the president with a bulletproof vest and wired him so they can hear everything that he was talking but I know that Lancaster or his cronies would have discovered the wire or taken off the vest but here's that issue also again why wouldn't Lancaster Ask for a bulletproof vest for he and his cronies? I would have! so there are some big potholes in the script and from what I heard militaristicly it's not very valid and in a lot of ways but if you can Overlook that then you should be able to enjoy yourself if you don't know too much about weapons and whatnot all in all it's still a wonderful achievement for director Robert Aldrich in getting such a fantastic and diverse cast as always and it's highly recommended.