Winter Kills (1979)

The Pickering Commission concluded that a lone gunman killed the US President in 1960, in Philadelphia, but 19 years later a dying man confesses to be one of the real hit-men who killed President Kegan, sparking an investigation.

Director:

William Richert

Writers:

Richard Condon (book), William Richert (written for the screen)

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, John Huston, Anthony Perkins

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Bridges	...	Nick Kegan
John Huston	...	Pa Kegan
Anthony Perkins	...	John Cerruti
Eli Wallach	...	Joe Diamond
Sterling Hayden	...	Z.K. Dawson
Dorothy Malone	...	Emma Kegan
Tomas Milian	...	Frank Mayo
Belinda Bauer	...	Yvette Malone
Ralph Meeker	...	Gameboy Baker
Toshirô Mifune	...	Keith
Richard Boone	...	Keifitz
David Spielberg	...	Miles Garner
Brad Dexter	...	Captain Heller One
Michael Thoma	...	Ray Doty
Ed Madsen	...	Captain Heller Two

Storyline

19 years after President Timothy Keegan was assassinated, his brother Nick discovers a dying man claiming to have been the gunman. While trying to avoid his wealthy and domineering father's attempts to control his actions, Nick follows the clues that have been handed to him. As he progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to discern the real trails from the dead ends, and increasing dangerous as unknown parties try to stop Nick from uncovering the truth.

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Plot Keywords:

1960s | investigation | u.s. president | fall to death | seeing father die | 

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Taglines:

They are the power. Protected by violence and ruled by corruption. [Video]

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 May 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Attentäter und Hintermänner

Filming Locations:

Death Valley National Park, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Winter Gold Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The picture was co-financed by two alleged marijuana drug dealers, Leonard J. Goldberg and Robert Sterling. Sterling was sentenced to forty years gaol for marijuana smuggling whilst Goldberg, sixteen days before the film was premiered on 11 May 1979, was found handcuffed and shot in his New York flat, allegedly a hit by mobsters for Goldberg's debt payment failure, on 25 April that year.

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Goofs

When Yvette refuses Nick's marriage proposal, she puts her right hand on his face. When the angle changes she suddenly has both hands on his face.

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Quotes

Nick Kegan: Why won't you marry me?
Yvette Malone: You hardly know me.
Nick Kegan: We see each other, I talk to you all the time.
Yvette Malone: You talk to my machine.
Nick Kegan: Ah so what, I can tell the difference!
Yvette Malone: That's a beginning.
Nick Kegan: I'm making an honest proposal of marriage!
Yvette Malone: Tell you what. I'll give you a copy of my answering machine tape and you can take it with you.
Nick Kegan: Come on, don't toy with me.
Yvette Malone: I'm serious!
[...]

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Connections

Featured in No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos (2008)

User Reviews

Very underrated

"Winter Kills" is based on a novel by Richard Condon ("The Manchurian Candidate") about a man who confesses to having killed the President on his death bed. The President's brother (Jeff Bridges) witnesses the confession and stumbles upon a conspiracy plot involving more murder and silencing.

This movie somehow slipped under the radar years ago. Whereas "Manchurian Candidate" got the attention it rightfully deserved, "Winter Kills" was killed by its controversy and production faults.

It was allegedly filmed in 1975 and only released in 1979, although I can't find any evidence to back this up. What I do know is that it was given an X rating in the UK, and when a movie in the UK gets an X rating, you know something's wrong.

I'm not sure why it received such a harsh rating but evidently that had something to do with its box office failure. I suppose its themes (clear allusion to the JFK assassination) were too heavy - not to mention the violence was rather explicit.

Seen today, this movie is an underrated gem. John Huston delivers a great performance as Bridges' father, while Bridges is equally great. The music in the film is eerie and tense - without it, I doubt the film would be quite as good as it is.

It was directed by William Richert (who played the gay Bob Pigeon in "My Own Private Idaho") and he does a fine job. The movie builds its suspense well; the only segment I didn't like too much was when Bridges goes to visit his father for the first time. I felt it went on too long and was out of place.

Other than that, this is a very good film and a sadly underrated conspiracy theory movie that never got its chance to make a mark.