Winter Kills (1979)

Director:

William Richert

Writers:

Richard Condon (book)
William Richert (writer)

Release Date:

11 May 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

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

Plot:

19 years after President Timothy Keegan was assassinated, his brother Nick discovers a dying man claiming to have been the gunman...

Plot Keywords:

1960s | Philadelphia Pennsylvania | Assassination Of President | Tank | Dead Woman

Cast

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
Irving Selbst	...	Irving Mentor
Chris Soldo	...	Jeffreys
Robert Courtleigh	...	First Mate of T.K. (as Robert Courleigh)
Peter Brandon	...	Doctor
Joe Spinell	...	Arthur Fletcher
Ira S. Rosenstein	...	Orderly on T.K. (as Ira Rosenstein)
Kyle Morris	...	John Kullers
Phil Lito	...	Police Driver
Barbara Richert	...	Woman Cyclist
Jake Strider Hughes	...	Child on Cycle (as Jake Hughes)
Patrice Bough	...	Secretary Onee
Eloise Hardt	...	Secretary Two
Gladys Hill	...	Rosemary
Kim O'Brien	...	First Blonde Girl
Candice Rialson	...	Second Blonde Girl
Bill P. Wilson	...	Admiral
Loyd Catlett	...	Z.K. Dawson Guard
Michael Bond	...	Flight Engineer
Helen Fagan	...	Stewardess (as Helene Fagan)
Peter Kilman	...	Pilot
Gianni Russo	...	Co-Pilot
Peter Koshel	...	Cop-Casino Latino
Lisette Álvarez	...	Cuban Singer (as Lissette)
Robert F. Boyle	...	Desk Clerk (as Robert Boyle)
Sidney Lanier	...	Raymond-The Butler
Helen Curry	...	Black Maid
Derrick Lynn-Thomas	...	Maitre d'
Jesse Veliz	...	Cuban Man in Havana
Robert Wolcott	...	Shoeshine Boy
Robert Moresco	...	Intern
Agneta Eckemyr	...	Nurse One
Tisa Farrow	...	Nurse Two
Billie Allen	...	Receptionist
Joseph Ragno	...	Doorman (as Joe Ragno)
Loutz Gage	...	Butler
Camilla Sparv	...	Beautiful Woman One
Andrea Claudio	...	Beautiful Woman Two
Erin Gray	...	Beautiful Woman Three
Susan Walden	...	Beautiful Woman Four
Rebecca Grimes	...	Beautiful Woman Five
Jennifer Keith	...	Beautiful Woman Six
Amanda Jones	...	Beautiful Woman Seven
Berry Berenson	...	Morgue Attendant
Tim Culbertson	...	Security Guard
Regis Mull	...	Cop with Keifetz
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Helen Kelly	...	Gambler at the Casino (uncredited)
Elizabeth Taylor	...	Lola Comante (uncredited)
John Warner	...	President Tim Kegan (uncredited)

Directed by
William Richert

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Richard Condon		book
William Richert		writer

Produced by
Fred C. Caruso	....	producer (as Fred Caruso)
Leonard J. Goldberg	....	executive producer
John H. Starke	....	associate producer (as John Starke)
Robert Sterling	....	executive producer
Daniel H. Blatt	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond

Film Editing by
David Bretherton

Casting by
Ross Brown
Hank McCann

Production Design by
Robert F. Boyle		(as Robert Boyle)

Art Direction by
Norman Newberry

Set Decoration by
Arthur Jeph Parker

Costume Design by
Robert De Mora

Makeup Department
Del Acevedo	....	makeup artist
Kathryn Blondell	....	hair stylist (as Kathy Blondell)

Production Management
Ira Loonstein	....	production manager
Bill Venegas	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Arnet	....	second unit director
Peter R. Scoppa	....	first assistant director (as Pete Scoppa)
Bill Scott	....	second assistant director (as William P. Scott)
Chris Soldo	....	assistant director
Jim Danforth	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Sam Gordon	....	property master
Joseph Hurley	....	production illustrator
Clay Johnston	....	construction foreman (as Clay Johnson)
William Maldonado	....	construction coordinator (as Bill Maldonado)
Harold Michelson	....	production illustrator
Ted Mossman	....	assistant property master
Thomas Saccio	....	property coordinator (as Tom Saccio)
Ray Villalobos Sr.	....	painter foreman (as Ray Villalobos)
S. Bruce Wineinger	....	propmaker foreman (as Bruce Wineinger)

Sound Department
Norval D. Crutcher	....	sound effects editor (as Norval Crutcher)
Robert Glass	....	sound re-recording mixer
Charles Grenzbach	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bud Grenzbach)
Morley Harris	....	boom operator
Robert Knudson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Buzz Knudson)
Christopher Newman	....	sound mixer (as Chris Newman)
Teresa Eckton	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Larry L. Fuentes	....	special effects foreman
Augie Lohman	....	special effects
Richard Ratliff	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jim Danforth	....	effects consultant (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Bailey	....	additional photographer
John Bailey	....	camera operator
Arthur J. Boyle	....	best boy
Michael Genne	....	first assistant camera (as Mike Genne)
Wilson S. Hong	....	photographer: title (as Wilson Hong)
John C. Kirk	....	electrician
Rick Martens	....	gaffer (as Rick Martin)
Danny Marzolo	....	best boy (as Dan Marzolo)
Robert Moore	....	key grip (as Bob Moore)
Fred Muncey	....	electrician (as Fred R. Muncey)
Tim Ryan	....	dolly grip
Jack Shannon	....	still photographer
Johnny Walker	....	second assistant camera
Brian Hamill	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Betty DeStefano	....	wardrobe assistant (as Betty De Stefano)
Mina Mittelman	....	costumer (as Mina Mittelman Short)
Vicki Sánchez	....	costumer
Don Vargas	....	costumer (as Donald Vargas)

Editorial Department
Suzanne Fenn	....	assistant editor
José Antonio Torres	....	assistant editor
David Block	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Jeff Carson	....	music editor
Garry Ulmer	....	music scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Gene Clinesmith	....	transportation captain
Arthur F. 'Mickey' McAteer	....	transportation captain (as Mickey McAteer)

Other crew
Selma Brown	....	auditor
Mark Hurwitz	....	location manager
Shari Leibowitz	....	production secretary
Cathy Nonas	....	assistant: Mr. Richert
Don Record	....	title designer
Robert Rooney	....	publicist
Hannah Scheel	....	script supervisor (as Hannah G. Scheel)
Ron Weber	....	craft service

Production Companies

• Winter Gold Productions

Distributors

• AVCO Embassy Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• New Line Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Zeiderman, Oberman & Associates Inc.  accountants
• Gomillion Sound  sound editing
• La Da Productions  music editing
• Sally Perle & Associates  extras casting
• Blowitz & Canton  publicity

Also Known As:

Runtime:

97 min | Netherlands:96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | Australia:M | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Death Valley National Park, California, USA

Company:

Winter Gold Productions

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.

Quotes:

John Cerruti:I'm so glad you're here! I receive so few outsiders. Who to trust? Who to trust? All of the nerves, but none of the flesh.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Who Killed 'Winter Kills'? (2003) (V)

OFFBEAT, TO SAY THE LEAST

William Richert's "Winter Kills" is a strange, offbeat film, to say the least. It begins seriously, but then changes tones and becomes a searing black comedy. I felt a little guilty about enjoying the film so much, considering that it's about a political assassination cover-up.

But, then I changed my mind. After all, this, "Prizzi's Honor" and the great "The Manchurian Candidate" were all based on novels written by the same author, Richard Condon. The one thing these films all have in common are that they are savage comedies about serious subjects. So perhaps that was the tone Condon was going for. The humor will escape some, but those who can appreciate dark humor will love it.

The film also contains a gallery of great performances by top talent. The cast includes Jeff Bridges, John Huston (a great actor as well as a great writer and great director), Anthony Perkins, Sterling Hayden, Richard Boone, Eli Wallach and in a cameo, Elizabeth Taylor. They make the most of this material and play it very straight. This is the key to the film's success. If they had played it slyly, it may not have worked as well.

But it's not fair to praise the cast only. William Richert also deserves praise for maintaining such uneven shifts between tones and for telling such a potentially confusing storyline with style and grace. It's such a solid script and such strong direction that he should have received Oscar nods for his work.

"Winter Kills" exists in two versions. In 1980, Magnetic Video briefly released the theatrical cut, which was edited to deemphasize the comedy and rush-released by Avco Embassy. However, in 1983, Richert was given the green light to re-edit his film. This version, with the original ending restored and many of the comic moments restored, was released by Embassy Home Entertainment in 1984.

My rating applies to the 1983 re-edit, although I would really like to see the original 1979 edit. If anyone out there has a copy of the 1980 Magnetic Video release, e-mail me.

**** out of 4 stars (1983 re-edit)