Take Down (1979)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Kieth Merrill

Writers:

Eric Hendershot (writer)
Kieth Merrill (writer)

Release Date:

January 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Just once...everyone has to be a winner!

Plot:

An unqualified teacher finds himself saddled with coaching duties after a small group of high school seniors form a wrestling team in a last ditch effort to end a 9-year losing streak against a rival school.

Plot Keywords:

Wrestling | High School Wrestling | Independent Film

Cast

Edward Herrmann	...	Ed Branish
Kathleen Lloyd	...	Jill Branish
Lorenzo Lamas	...	Nick Kilvitus
Maureen McCormick	...	Brooke Cooper
Maxx Payne	...	Ted Yacabobich (as Peterson, Darryl)
Stephen Furst	...	Randy Jensen
Toney Smith	...	Chauncey Washington
Salvador Feliciano	...	Tom Palumbo
Boyd Silversmith	...	Jack Gross
Nicolas Beauvy	...	Jimmy Kier (as Nicholas Beauvy)
Kevin Hooks	...	Jasper MacGrudder
Scott Burgi	...	Robert Stankovich
Lynn Baird	...	Doc Talada
Ron Bartholomew	...	Warren Overpeck
Vincent Roberts	...	Bobby Cooper

Also Known As:

Fighting Chance (Philippines: English title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

American Fork, Utah, USA

Company:

American Film Consortium

Trivia:

This was Disney's first "PG" rated film, five years before they launched Touchstone Pictures to expand into the "adult" market. The company's name never appeared on this title though: the only reference to the Disney name was that it was released thru Disney's Buena Vista Distribution company.

Quotes:

Ted Yacabobich: [trying to recruit school band player Randy] Wrestling's not that tough. I mean, was it that hard to play the tuba? It wasn't that hard.
Randy Jensen: The tuba doesn't want to hurt me.

In Lamas' first big movie role he is vulnerable,sensitive and endearing

This is Lamas'( Falcon Crest, Renegade) first big role in a movie. He gives us his most sensitive performance. He even pens a song for the movie which he performs. You also see Maureen McCormick acting her most Marcia Bradyist and an early performance by Stephen Furst(St Elsewhere, Babylon5). It is the story of a down and out town. The people have been down so long they don't even try to get up. Just before graduation a small group of kids decide they want one win before a life of defeat and they give it everything. Their great hope is Nick(Lamas) who has enough problems of his own( a drunken father who he covers for at work so often that he will probably not graduate). Can one 18 year old boy with the world against him find the courage in himself to succeed against all odds?