I sat down ready to enjoy THE KLANSMAN from looking at the cast list alone. Here was a racial drama featuring acting fave Lee Marvin as a hard-as-nails sheriff combating prejudice in a small Southern town; Richard Burton was on hand playing a crippled loner with Italian beauty Luciana Paluzzi on his arm; Cameron Mitchell was to pop up as a boo-nasty redneck and even clean-cut (at least in those days) O. J. Simpson was putting in an appearance as a vengeful killer. When you combine that cast with ex-Bond director Terence Young, what could go wrong?
It was the script that did this film in. It's boring and predictable. The characters are all stereotypes and the film has absolutely nothing to say about the racial situation in America, other than playing out some predictable showdowns and encounters. The middle section is exceptionally slow, consisting of nothing more than characters chatting while the plot just dawdles along. There seems to be little skill or effort behind this low budget production, and it's fair to say that nobody is on top form, especially the drunken leading stars. There are, however, a few so-bad-it's-good moments, including the hilarious fist fight between Burton and Mitchell. One thing I did like was the epic shoot-out at the climax; although it's predictable, it's handled with some finesse, and it looks like this was where the money went. The print I saw was lousy, full frame and heavily censored. I might find and watch a proper version one day – that is, if I can be bothered
It was the script that did this film in. It's boring and predictable. The characters are all stereotypes and the film has absolutely nothing to say about the racial situation in America, other than playing out some predictable showdowns and encounters. The middle section is exceptionally slow, consisting of nothing more than characters chatting while the plot just dawdles along. There seems to be little skill or effort behind this low budget production, and it's fair to say that nobody is on top form, especially the drunken leading stars. There are, however, a few so-bad-it's-good moments, including the hilarious fist fight between Burton and Mitchell. One thing I did like was the epic shoot-out at the climax; although it's predictable, it's handled with some finesse, and it looks like this was where the money went. The print I saw was lousy, full frame and heavily censored. I might find and watch a proper version one day – that is, if I can be bothered