Margin for Murder (1981)

Director:

Daniel Haller

Writers:

Calvin Clements Jr., Alex Lucas (story),

Stars:

Kevin Dobson, Charles Hallahan, Cindy Pickett

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Dobson	...	Mike Hammer
Charles Hallahan	...	Pat Chambers
Cindy Pickett	...	Velda
Donna Dixon	...	Daisy
Asher Brauner	...	Jerry Adams
Floyd Levine	...	Machetti
John Considine	...	Krone
Aarika Wells
Renata Vanni	...	Mama De Fellita
Charlie Picerni
Nicholas Hormann	...	Actor
David Downing
Elizabeth Wickersham
Carol Hamner
Katia Christine

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

mike hammer

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 October 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mickey Spillane's Margin for Murder

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hamner Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

A TV movie based on "I, the Jury"

Kevin Dobson is Mike Hammer in this version of "I, the Jury" by Mickey Spillane - this one called "Margin for Murder," directed by Daniel Haller in 1981. It also stars Cindy Pickett, Donna Dixon, Charles Hallahan, Asher Brauner and John Considine. When a friend of Mike's is murdered in what appears to be a car accident, Mike refuses to accept and sets out to prove a) it was murder; b) whodunit, and c) why. Nothing will keep him from the case, including the murders of two people who knew too much.

Many actors have played Mike Hammer. I for one was not enthusiastic about Stacy Keach's Hammer, but I loved Ralph Meeker's. Mickey Spillane as an actor just didn't make it. Dobson has the New York sensibility and the toughness that it takes to make a good Mike, and while he's not as sexy as Meeker, his performance works just fine in this story. Velda is played by Cindy Pickett in a very straightforward, un-bimbo-like manner. There's a nice little subplot involving some puppies marked for the pound that Mike takes to Velda's so they can find homes for them.

All in all, a pretty good TV movie. Unfortunately, the version I saw on Fox Movie Channel obviously had a scene missing. I have absolutely no understanding of this - I can understand a cut on a normal station where they have less time now for a movie than they had in 1981 because of commercials, but FMC has no commercials. Seems rather ridiculous.