Synopsis:
With support from his father (John Huston) and girlfriend (Belinda Bauer), the brother (Jeff Bridges) of an assassinated president tries to follow an increasingly bizarre maze of clues leading to identifying the killer.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Anthony Perkins Films
• Black Comedy
• Dorothy Malone Films
• Eli Wallach Films
• Elizabeth Taylor Films
• Father and Child
• Jeff Bridges Films
• John Huston Films
• Murder Mystery
• Political Conspiracy
• Ralph Meeker Films
• Richard Boone Films
• Sterling Hayden Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, “Comic fantasist William Richert wrote and directed this cult film adapted from a novel by Richard Condon” (who had written The Manchurian Candidate 15 years earlier). He points out that the “picture has off-the-wall humor, bizarre characters, innumerable plot twists, [and] strange moments” — including “girlfriend Belinda Bauer talking to Bridges while sitting on the toilet:”

… “Huston walking around in red bikini shorts:”

… “Bridges riding out of Dad’s earshot to yell back, ‘You stink!'”:

… “loco spy-network wizard Anthony Perkins carrying on a calm conversation with Bridges although Bridges has just broken his arms:”

… and “a doorman in a temper tantrum,” among others.

However, he points out that “there are too many loose ends and overly eccentric characters” (no kidding!), noting in particular that “we could do without Sterling Hayden’s war-games fanatic.”

He adds that “it seems as if none of the star actors read the whole script,” given that “scenes have little connection to one another.” Perhaps worst — though this is meant to be a darkly comedic paranoia thriller — is that “the tongue-in-cheek approach makes what could have been a provocative vision of the corrupt American power elite into something quite trivial.”

I agree. This seems like a film that may have once felt more relevant given its proximity to JFK’s assassination, but now merely seems too purposefully disjointed and quirky for its own good. With that said, among the many cameos or supporting performances to watch out for are Richard Boone:

… unbilled Elizabeth Taylor:

… Eli Wallach:

… Ralph Meeker:

… and Dorothy Malone.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Jeff Bridges as Nick Kegan
  
• Vilmos Zsigmond’s cinematography
  

Must See?
No; while this film clearly has its fans, I’m not among them.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• DVD Talk Review
• NY Times Original Review
• Spinning Image Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Time Out Capsule Review