Anything with Steve McQueen I have to give a high rating, simply because he us "Tge King of Cool". For a teenage boy, just beciming a man, I am a tremendous fan of Steve McQueen. "Bullitt" came out in 1968; tge year befir I got my druvers livense at afe 15. I loved riding my brother's Hobda 305 "Scrambler" and espicially his Kawasaki 175cc dirt bike because it was so lightweight but nomble with a load of torque. It was the forerunner of today's dirt bikes. I would spend days rampung hills, copyobg McQueen. In fact, my 2 favirite male actors from the 20th Century are are very clear: The 1st half was James Cagney, and tge 2nd Steve McQueen. I have never seen anyone with screen presence that McQueen had. That is why he will alwsys be the "King of Cool" Anyway, "Sheriff Willis" is played by a very tall (6'6") character actor named Michael Green (later spelled "Greene") who almost 25 years on, is in 1of my favorite films ditected by William Friedkin, "To Live and Die In L.A." (1985), which is an electrifying film about a counterfitter played by Willem Dafoe, who is brilliant in the lead role of the film. Green(e) has very little screen time in this show, but it is a little better in Friedkin's film., but his career as an actor was just beginning. Jyst a little trivia for you film fans. William Friedkin directed my favorite horror film "The Exorcist" (1973) and The French Connection" (1976). "The Exorcist", Ridley Scott's "Alien" (1979) and Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" (1980) remain my top 3 horror films ever. "The Shining" is truly an epic gothic horror film. That is because Kubrick is the greatest director in history in my opinion. All 3 of these films are extremely original. Even though they are all based on books or short stories, Kubrick only used what he wanted from Stephen King's well known novel. King and his fans were upset. Too bad. Stephen King wouldn't make a.patch on Stanly Kubrick's trousers. King pouted and helped to make his own version (a very bad idea for a writer) into a made-for-TV-film. Apologies for all the digressing, but it is necessary for a real film fan, if you really want to know "movie trivia".
3 Reviews
Donner Directs This One With Excellent Film Noir Feel
ccthemovieman-126 October 2010
This was an outstanding episode and perhaps the first (and only?) "Wanted: Dead Or Alive" that had a strong film noir look it. The direction and photography in here are outstanding: pure noir with tons of light and shadows and cool camera angles.
The story is a tough, brooding one and if you didn't know there were more episodes, you'd get nervous thinking the could be the end of "Josh Randall" (Steve McQueen.). It was that dark and intense a story!
Richard D. Donner directed this episode. Yes, he's the movie director who went on to big fame with Superman, all the Lethal Weapon films, The Omen, Ladyhawke, Maverick and other successful films. Donner directed a lot of TV shows before he got into movies, this one being one of his first. He directed four episodes in Wanted: Dead Or Alive's final season here. His career began just a year earlier with a Zane Grey Theater episode in 1960.
Richard Greene, as "Sheriff Willis" and Jay Adler as "Ferris" lended sharply to film noir atmosphere with hardened and spooking characters, respectively. McQueen did his usual superb job.
The story is a tough, brooding one and if you didn't know there were more episodes, you'd get nervous thinking the could be the end of "Josh Randall" (Steve McQueen.). It was that dark and intense a story!
Richard D. Donner directed this episode. Yes, he's the movie director who went on to big fame with Superman, all the Lethal Weapon films, The Omen, Ladyhawke, Maverick and other successful films. Donner directed a lot of TV shows before he got into movies, this one being one of his first. He directed four episodes in Wanted: Dead Or Alive's final season here. His career began just a year earlier with a Zane Grey Theater episode in 1960.
Richard Greene, as "Sheriff Willis" and Jay Adler as "Ferris" lended sharply to film noir atmosphere with hardened and spooking characters, respectively. McQueen did his usual superb job.
Unbelievable storyline
dmschiff16 February 2019
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
