Footsteps (TV 1972)

A football coach is hired by a small college to shape up its football team, and he finds himself in trouble with local gamblers who don't want the team to improve.

Director:

Paul Wendkos

Writers:

Hamilton Maule (novel), Alvin Sargent,

Stars:

Richard Crenna, Joanna Pettet, Forrest Tucker

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Crenna	...	Paddy O'Connor
Joanna Pettet	...	Sarah Allison
Forrest Tucker	...	Bradford Emmons
Clu Gulager	...	Jonas Kane
Ned Beatty	...	Frank Powell
Mary Murphy	...	Martha Hagger
Beah Richards	...	Jessie Blake
Bill Overton	...	J.J. Blake
Allen Garfield	...	Brewster
Al Lettieri	...	Zimmerman
Robert Carradine	...	Gas Station Attendant
Lou Frizzell	...	Meat Inspector
James Woods	...	Reporter
Jack Colvin	...	Crowther
Jennifer Lee	...	Doreen

Storyline

A football coach is hired by a small college to shape up its football team, and he finds himself in trouble with local gamblers who don't want the team to improve.

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Plot Keywords:

football | college | coach | gambler | one word title | 

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Genres:

Drama | Sport

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 October 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Footsteps: Nice Guys Finish Last

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metromedia Productions, Stonehenge Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Good Film with Memorable Performances

Footsteps (1972)

*** (out of 4)

Nice made-for-TV drama about a football coach (Richard Crenna) who gets one last shot for a comeback when he goes to a small school to coach defense. He ends up being torn between the head coach (Clu Gulager), a dirty booster (Forrest Tucker) and a woman (Joanna Pettet) who just wants him to do the right thing. FOOTSTEPS is a pretty good little gem that manages to be entertaining throughout its 73-minute running time thanks in large part to a great cast giving great performances. Crenna certainly delivers a strong performance here as he not only has to act tough but also has a lot of quiet moments where he needs to build the character and does so just fine. He's given excellent support from Pettet, Tucker and especially Gulager in his role as a former friend demanding more than anyone should have to give. We also get a nice supporting bit from Ned Beatty and you can spot a young James Woods and Robert Carradine. The film falls into many traps that often come with these made-for-TV movies and the biggest problem is that the material is just way too predictable for its own good and especially the final twenty-minutes when a star player gets injured. It's funny watching this film today because it hits on so many issues that are on the front page of sports today. This includes concussions, players being paid and what coaches will do in order to win.