Joe ** (1970, Peter Boyle, Susan Sarandon, Patrick McDermott, Dennis Patrick, Audrey Caire) – Classic Movie Review 6162

Peter Boyle gives a remarkable performance of repellent power as Joe Curran, in director John G Avildsen’s revolting, nasty-toned 1970 right-wing tract that was a huge hit against the apparent peace-and-love mood of the times in America.

Boyle plays a bigoted, racist builder who gets mixed up with a businessman, Bill (Dennis Patrick), who has just killed his junkie daughter Melissa (Susan Sarandon)’s druggie, drug-dealing hippy boyfriend (Patrick McDermott) in an argument.

Boyle’s tremendous acting skills are more on show than the film’s story-telling skills in the screenplay by Norman Wexler, though Wexler was Oscar nominated for Best Story and Screenplay.

Boyle does it well, but that is no excuse for this horrible film from Cannon.

It is Sarandon’s film début, aged 24.

Also in the cast are Patrick McDermott, Dennis Patrick, Audrey Caire, K Callan, Gloria Hoye, Tim Lewis, Estelle Omens, Bob O’Connell, Marlene Warfield, Mary Case, Jenny Paine, Robert Emerick and Frank Moon.

It is shot by John G Avildsen, produced by David Gil and scored by Bobby Scott.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6162

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com