Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > There Was a Crooked Man... (1970)
There Was a Crooked Man...
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

There Was a Crooked Man... (1970) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 13 | slideshow) Videos
There Was a Crooked Man... (1970) -- Open-ended Trailer from Warner Brothers Pictures

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   1,172 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 14% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Writers:
David Newman (written by) &
Robert Benton (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for There Was a Crooked Man... on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 December 1970 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Western more
Tagline:
Once upon a time, there was a crooked man. When he was good, he was very, very good. And when he was bad, it was murder...
Plot:
Charm, intelligence and success in criminal career doesn't prevent Paris Pitman Jr. to start doing ten years in prison... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
NewsDesk:
Veteran Actor Hume Cronyn Dies at 91
 (From WENN. 16 June 2003)

User Comments:
There Was a Crooked Man... more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Kirk Douglas ... Paris Pitman, Jr.

Henry Fonda ... Woodward W. Lopeman

Hume Cronyn ... Dudley Whinner
Warren Oates ... Floyd Moon
Burgess Meredith ... The Missouri Kid

John Randolph ... Cyrus McNutt
Lee Grant ... Mrs. Bullard
Arthur O'Connell ... Mr. Lomax

Martin Gabel ... Warden LeGoff
Michael Blodgett ... Coy Cavendish
C.K. Yang ... Ah-Ping
Alan Hale Jr. ... Tobaccy (as Alan Hale)
Victor French ... Whiskey
Claudia McNeil ... Madam
Bert Freed ... Skinner
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
126 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15 (video) | UK:AA (original rating) | Portugal:17 (cut version) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In the climactic prison uprising, actress Barbara Rhoades is last seen wearing a corset (with amply jiggling cleavage), a decorative hat and one elbow-length glove. But interviews with Rhoades, and an actress who'd turned down the role, reveal that the scene went further and Rhoades was filmed virtually nude. At least one still photo (apparently from the movie) shows Rhoades nude from the waist up, wearing the same hat and elbow-length glove mentioned above. (She turned down a proposed Playboy pictorial.) In a pre-release interview, Rhoades told interviewer Dan Lewis that she didn't realize her scene would be so "explicit" until the day of shooting. Her character reportedly flees "after her clothes are torn off in a prison scene and she races across the desert in her birthday suit." Actress Eileen O'Neill was offered the role but turned it down. "When I read the script, my character is ravaged by the revolting prisoners and they tear her clothes off. She then had to run nude from the prison to an outside area lit with floodlights." Even costar Michael Blodgett "excitedly" told Hollywood gossip columnist Marilyn Beck, "It's a prison story, wild and new...man, such nudity!" Why the explicit nudity was deleted is unexplained, and the footage is presumed lost. By today's standards, what remains is fairly tame: a couple glimpses of the bare backside of star Kirk Douglas, a glimpse of a bare breast here and there, and some mildly risque drawings. Promoted as a "cynical western," "There Was a Crooked Man" was released on Christmas Day 1970. It did poorly at the holiday box office. more
Goofs:
Continuity: After escaping from prison, Pitman visits the widow Bullard and leaves the prison mule in her corral and takes a horse. After being bitten by the snake and dying, the warden takes his body back on the horse he rode, which now is a mule again. more
Quotes:
Woodward Lopeman: Why do you work at it so hard proving you're a son-of-a-bitch.
Paris Pittman Jr.: Because I am. It's my profession and I'm on top!
more
Movie Connections:
Edited into La classe américaine (1993) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
There Was A Crooked Man... more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
13 out of 19 people found the following comment useful:-
There Was a Crooked Man..., 16 January 2005
9/10
Author: Oliver-50 from United States

Terrific mix of comedy/western/prison film about clever thief Kirk Douglas who lands himself in jail after robbing a rich man of $500,000 which he's hidden in a mountain. Honest, forthright sheriff Henry Fonda becomes warden of the jail with the intent on reforming the prisoners not punishing them. Kirk Douglas must plan his escape with the help of some colorful prisoners by bribing them. Very underrated and overlooked gem of the 70's wonderfully directed by Academy Award winning director Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Full of humor, excitement, and entertainment. Cynical and funny script has some great twists and the cast is perfect.

***1/2 out of ****

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for There Was a Crooked Man... (1970)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Fun question zawora
Alternate ending porsche1974-1
It is on Encore Western Channel on 9-7-08! wtl471629
How Much Warren Oates? samariley
dvd smrfldemployee
Pitman and Warden LeGoff bullit2513
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Nevada Smith Brubaker Privilege Stir Crazy The Big Doll House
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.