Framed

"Framed" (1975) was legendary film noir director Phil Karlson's first film after the gargantuan success of his 1973 biopic of Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser, "Walking Tall." In "Framed", Karlson continues the theme of revenge which has dominated his body of work since the early 1950's. His masterpieces include "Scandal Sheet" (1952), "Kansas City Confidential" (1953) and, of course, "The Phenix City Story" (1955). "Phenix City" is a fact based biopic, along the lines of "Walking Tall", about the murder of the Attorney General Elect of the State of Alabama. Long considered Karlson's greatest achievement, it was made prior to the sentencing of those involved in the AG's murder, and greatly affected the outcome of their trial. "Framed", compares well to Karlson's best works. Karlson always worked on a limited budget. Like Samuel Fuller and Don Siegel, Karlson was a talented and resourceful filmmaker whose films are often more than they seem. On the surface, Karlson's films appear to be violent exploitation pieces; but, they are much more. Each of Karlson's efforts, particularly the ones mentioned here, are morality plays. Their protagonist is usually a morally just man who wanders too close to immorality, and pays a price. Gambling is often featured as the tempting vice in Karlson's films and "Framed" is no exception. Joe Don Baker, a remarkable and underrated actor, stars here as a small time gambler who owns a bar with his girlfriend, Connie Smith. Following a successful out of town game, Baker is robbed by an unknown assailant and then nearly killed (in one of the most graphic scenes in any Karlson film) by a crooked Deputy Sheriff responding to the scene. In self-defense, Baker kills the officer. Proving once again that there is corruption at every level of the legal system, Baker is sent to prison by a corrupt District Attorney, a corrupt Judge and a corrupt attorney. There's even corruption at a higher level that will ultimately be revealed. While in prison, Baker meets a powerful mob figure (a fine supporting performance by John Marley), and thereby sets in motion his revenge. Vigilante justice is often also a theme of director Karlson. With or without a badge, Karlson's protagonists carry out true justice in spite of the law, while gaining revenge for themselves. They are ultimately heroes because they can be seen as protectors of "the little people" who are downtrodden by the corrupt hierarchy. "Framed" also contains another Karlson trademark: promotion of racial equality. Karlson's films contain some of the most powerfully accurate portraits of racial prejudice along with black characters who are thoughtful and intelligent. Brock Peters, a fine actor, is very good as a deputy who comes to Baker's aid. What other filmmaker, appealing to a largely white southern audience--well, yes, a predominately "redneck" audience--would have had the courage to feature such characters in his films. An intelligent study of Karlson's body of work is long overdue, and "Framed" should be part of that study. It is entertaining and has something to say about our society. It is expertly directed and the performances are above par. If you are looking for an exciting, action packed film with something extra, look no further than "Framed."

"Framed" seems like it would be well received on the drive in circuit. You have a very sympathetic character, Joe Don Baker, framed and sent to prison, by at least a bunch of corrupt city officials. I could have done without a couple of boring lounge songs, but then you wouldn't get easy on the eyes, Connie Van Dyke. John Marley as an imprisoned mafia type adds considerably to what is already above average acting for an exploitation film. There are some nice car wrecks, including a train creaming a Chevy, and more than enough violence. Surprisingly there is no nudity, which seems inappropriate considering the intended audience. "Framed" is a good revenge flick, and is recommended. - MERK

A rather nasty, low-budget revenge thriller starring Joe Don Baker as a high-rolling professional card-player who encounters a deputy sheriff after escaping an earlier shoot-out set-up. When he kills the cop in clear self-defence, he's quickly railroaded by the so-called justice system, which includes his own solicitor and it seems the rest of the police department, is coerced into taking the rap for the "crime" and so goes to prison. The baddies even send a couple of heavies round to Baker's nightclub-singer girlfriend to stop her background efforts to help him and in fact take this to extremes by raping her under threat of a gun.

Rather like the internee in Stevie Wonder's great contemporary song, "Living For The City", Joe Don unsurprisingly leaves prison embittered and hardened, determined to exact revenge on those who put him inside and abused his girl. While in prison, he's made a couple of useful buddies, one a crime boss with connections and the other a paid hitman, who both come in very handy later on in the proceedings.

From there, you can pretty much get out your abacus to tally up the acts of violence and body count both of which steadily accumulate. You know how these things regularly turn out and this last-man-standing scenario isn't about to offer up any surprises in that respect.

With plenty of brutal scenes of violence depicted, including an unnecessarily cruel slaying of a guard dog, I suppose we must be grateful for the small mercies of the director not going all "Straw Dogs" in the treatment of the sexual attack on the singer, but nonetheless the acting is mixed in quality, although Baker certainly projects his tough-hombre persona even, it seems, while wearing crimplene slacks and a safari jacket.

Listen, I never watched any of the "Death Wish" movies which probably inspired this and I note as a sidebar that this type of feature has sort of come back into vogue, with Liam Neeson's "Taken" movies, not to mention Denzel Washington's "Equaliser" films, but this effort is a rather cheap and nasty affair, being a lot less well acted and directed, making me wish I'd done what Baker failed to do and that is, turn the other cheek when it came up on the screen.

I had seen Framed a couple of times back in the mid 1970s, and I remembered it as a solid drive-in revenge drama on a par with its companion piece, the original 'Walking Tall.' After just watching it again, I have to say I am stunned at how good it really is. It's well acted (the female lead, Conny Van Dyke is perhaps a little weak), tightly scripted with realistic dialog and believable action, and briskly paced. It contains a slew of potentially stock characters, including several corrupt police and political officials, a mafia boss and one of his henchmen, a single honest African-American policeman, and some Southern redneck hoodlums. Still, instead of appearing flat and contrived, they all manage to seem distinct, well-enough rounded, and logically consistent with their context in the story. The direction is totally professional but as straightforward and simple as the story it's telling. It's like the best TV movie you've ever seen with a moderate amount of profanity and a few scenes of ultra-realistic violence thrown in. Altogether, the effect is a kind of realism that can sometimes be mistaken as amateurish but will in fact stand up to some serious scrutiny. It may not have the glossy sheen of a big-budget Hollywood thriller, but Framed also avoids the plot holes, caricatures, and over the top stunts that weaken so many of them. That's not to say it lacks for action. There's plenty of mayhem and bloodshed and even an actual train wreck. And if you like to see the good and bad guys get what's coming to them, Framed will definitely deliver. In short, Framed is a damned good movie, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes action flicks.

I haven't seen either the original Walking Tall or the new one but I found this movie to be a great revenge type picture. It has a good lead up to the incident that leaves the protagonist to be framed, it then shows his suffering for that and moves on to payback. There are all sorts of great supporting actors that really looked the part. There is plenty of brutal violence that will have you cheering because it is the protagonist who is dishing it out. Look out for a Tarantinoesque scene. You'll know when you see it. I think Tarantino mentioned he liked the original Walking Tall somewhere so hes probably seen Framed too. I wouldn't watch this movie again but I would check out the director's work especially Walking Tall.