Death Race (1973) (TV)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

David Lowell Rich

Writer:

Charles Kuenstle (writer)

Release Date:

10 November 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War

Plot:

In the North African desert in World War II, a damaged American fighter plane that is unable to take off tries to evade and destroy a pursuing Nazi tank.

Cast

Lloyd Bridges	...	Hans Pimler
Roy Thinnes	...	Arnold McMillan
Eric Braeden	...	Stoeffer
Doug McClure	...	Lt. Del Culpepper
Brendon Boone	...	Pvt. Huffman
Christopher Cary	...	British Radioman
Dennis Rucker	...	Lt. Voelke
Dennis Dugan	...	Pvt. Becker
Ivor Barry	...	Maj. Waverly
William Beckley	...	British Airman
Eric Micklewood	...	British Officer

Also Known As:

Duel in the Desert (USA) (working title)
State of Division (USA)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Company:

Silverton Productions

Trivia:

Milton Rosen's score was originally written for The Young Warriors (1967).

I've got a tank and an airplane and a camera-- Let's make a movie!

I remember this as an intriguing chase film, with a grounded fighter plane being chased across the North African desert by a lone Panzer. Given how movies sometimes get made, I can't help but wonder if this nifty little film came about for one reason, that the producers had access to a vintage tank and a (non-flying) fighter plane for a week or two....

Doug McClure is good as the stalwart American pilot but Bridges is oddly cast as a Rommel wannabe, intruding on the kind of roles Eric Braeden/ Hans Guddergast usually played before breaking into soap operas.