Il guanto che uccide

I saw this awhile ago, but I thought of it again after watching the film "Death Walks at Midnight" which also features a giant metal glove used as the murder weapon. The titular glove in this one, however, is not spiked and is used entirely on male victims who really deserve it, and is wielded by ex-football player turned preacher Rosy Grier. Grier plays an innocent man sent to prison, who takes revenge on the men who sent him there using a stolen "high-tech weapon" (the glove). John Saxon, playing a cop for the thousandth time in his career, is the man who tries to stop him and recover the glove. Both characters are pretty sympathetic and as I recall the films ends happily. That's probably one of the reasons it wasn't very successful and remains pretty obscure today. It lacks any real exploitative elements--the violence is pretty tame and there's no sex or nudity. Even the blaxploitation elements aren't too strong here. But if you're not expecting too much, it's worth a look.

Oh God almighty, what a weird film this is! It starts out with a

horrendous theme song (with a singer that sounds like Englebert

Humperdink!), and it follows a grisly attack by a huge soul-brother with a glove that can kill with even a flick of its finger! John Saxon is the only saving grace for this movie as a smooth-talking bounty hunter

tracking the glove-man. Everything else, well, let's put it this way: it's like Ed Wood deciding to make a sleazeball action movie from the

late 70's and early 80's. That's how bad the film is!!

A film like this can't be rated on any normative 1-10 scale which we usually enlist to appraise the world's great cinema landmarks. This movie appeals only to the shrewder connoisseur of the halt and the lame, the distressed, and the warped. There is no scale for such a movie as 'The Glove' (except perhaps if we use negative integers or decimals).

'The Glove' has that quintessential charm of the 1970's movie. The grainy stock, fuzzy sound recording, squinty leading men, large automobiles, aimless & episodic screenplay; yes, everything right down to the sentimental piano notes in the score wordlessly 'decrying the violence deep inside man'.

The plot is simple at first. Hulking Marauder, methodically eliminating Taxpaying Citizens in a Relentless Revenge Ritual. Big and ugly in the black leather outfit (+ black motorcycle visor helmet?? yes!) has some incredible wicked strange instrument of death--fascinating in its own unique way--a bonafide 'restricted' riot-glove {sometimes used by law enforcement personnel in the course of their 1970s duties}. You can still buy these via mail-order, you know. They are fearsome devices. OK so, simple plot wrapped around an obscure piece of morbid guy-gear--true. But this film is not without character or psychology.

I say, any film with Rosy Grier is worth a look. Need I remind you of 'The Thing with Two Heads'? Now, in this movie, Grier plays his role with restraint and aplomb. Let's give him some credit. Even if just for his sheer physical size, he is interesting to watch. Combine that with his wispy, faint-hearted voice (in this film, philosophizing about 'defining boundaries' and 'the cyclical nature of violence' and you have the basic ingredients for a memorable cult film. In one scene he even plays guitar.

In fact, he is jovial throughout most of the flick. It's perfect. He plays the anti-hero well, and by the end of the movie, fully manages to evoke a twinge of sympathy. Makes an engaging contrast with our growing suspicion that of course, it is him committing these brutal executions.

The violent scenes we witness (as the film develops), fyi, are not boring at all! Lovable Aldo Ray (another big guy, remember him from 'Battle Cry'?) getting "the Glove treatment" while he is trying to instead cage some nooky in the shadowy back seat of what looks like a Chevy LeSabre. Coitus interruptus! Fantastic. 70's film-making at its seamy best.

Another great 'Glove revenge' scene: a revisitation of that old stand-by of the 70s thriller--masked assailant and victim thrashing around in a brightly-lit bathroom, with the shower curtain flailing wildly around and the light strobing. Ending with victim seeping blood over white grouted porcelain tile. Classic.

As for John Saxon: he is fine in this movie. He does his best. Makes it look sincere as he can. He has a secretary he is pursuing, debts to pay, a young daughter to raise, a great old Caddy convertible to keep up--this is a sensitive guy. You can see he is not really that into the violent side of his work. This is a character that has some delicacy, not just the usual 70s slob cop/bounty hunter/detective.

Saxon's character is soft-spoken--shrewd--and good at his job, where his job requires brainwork. Where it requires the strong arm stuff--well, we see that he gets by. But here's where the psychology comes in: Grier (the suspect) is not just a dumb ex-con and through their game of cat-and-mouse he gradually works on Saxon and makes Saxon at least see Grier's motives for the crazy glove killings.

So the interplay between Saxon and Grier is basically where it's all at in this film. And of course that fiendish glove. You just gotta wonder what its like both to hit someone with that thing and also to get hit by it. Anyway, Grier, tired of being chased, forces Saxon to give him a fair fight. And he gets it. And that Glove is used one last time.

Guys, a good fight scene like this deserves our esteem. Take another look at what's going on. Would you accept the terms of the final fight as laid down by Grier? You can at least see how smart he is, by arranging it just in this manner? Its clever resolution to what would be, in any other movie of the same stripe, just another shootout.

This movie is worth recalling in any retrospective of twisted B-violence flicks. I personally, will always recall 'The Glove' with some fondness.

Shot in 1978 but released in 1980, "The Glove" (also known under an alternate title as "Blood Mad") is a competent B-movie featuring John Saxon as a latter-day bounty hunter, not unlike the character played by Steve McQueen in his final pic "The Hunter". A gratuitously violent subplot involving vengeful Roosevelt Grier provides the film's title but throws it off its dramatic tracks in an unsuccessful effort to cater to the blood 'n guts market.

Saxon plays an ex-ball player and ex-cop, eking out an existence by chasing down bail jumpers. He voices over his world-weary lament in well-written film noir fashion, but the film's episodic structure, and flat, unatmospheric direction fail to capture the ambience of those '40s pics.

Saxon's possible big score comes when a Prison Guards Association offers a $20,000 reward for the apprehension of Grier, who is on a revenge rampage beginning with his brutal attack on guard Aldo Ray at film's outset. Grier was motivated by the ruthless treatment he received in prison from guards equipped with a "riot glove". Supposedly invented in the '60s to deal with student riots and outlawed after its use in prisons, the metal and cloth glove is the film's gimmick. Dressed in black with helmet and the glove on to wreak revenge, Grier looks like a refugee from "Rollerball" in his violent scenes. Stuck with an absurdly underwritten role, Grier is Mr. Nice Guy when not cracking heads, wont to serenade ghetto kids with his guitar.

As pic meanders along to the inevitable he-man showdown between Saxon and Grier. Saxon impresses with a strong, personable performance which indicates he could be a solid detective-type hero if given better material. Girlfriend Joanna Cassidy is a distinctive presence stuck in a non-role, while various guest stars (including the late Joan Blondell) have little to do in their episodic cameos. Social consciousness in the violent finale is very poorly conceived as the filmmakers contrive to whip up audience support for mob violence and then cop out with "There has to be another way" line of dialog. Tech credits are okay.

My review was written in January 1981 after a 42nd St. Theater screening.

Sam Kellog is a worn out bounty hunter of Los Angeles, who takes on a job, which would pay him $20,000 big ones and help with his martial problems. For tracking down an ex-convict, Victor Hale, who's dressed up in riot gear and is beating prison guards to death with a steel laced glove that was invented by the police and was first used on him. So, it's payback time for Victor, but Sam is determined to find his man and bring him in despite the warnings.

Are you ready for a good old beating. Well, don't be expecting much venom here, as when it was time for a beating. It's nothing more than comic, b-grade action fodder, which is inadequately done. But that in mind the action is kept at a minimal and we simply follow the life of the struggling bounty hunter, Sam looking into the case of Victor, but it gets put on the back-burner at times, by falling into some side-projects. They do feel unnecessary and nothing more than fillers to the overall picture, as it does take half of the film before Sam and Victor first get in contact and get things moving. Just like a fellow reviewer mentioned, it's more so a character study with a touch of noir and social commentary to boot. It's very hammy in its treatment of it, but Saxon (the reason why I took the chance with the flick) makes great of the meek material.

"The Glove" is an odd chunk of cheap and slightly dim schlock that bathes itself in cheesy glory and is entertainingly goofy. Unintentionally, of course. But it just doesn't live up to its cracking idea, since it basically sits there for too long, after the pounding opening and somewhat colourful poster artwork, has you believe. There's a real erratic mood because of scrappy direction by Ross Hagen. He stages some fun clashes with the crushing fist and manages to get a real grungy look to the flick with its scummy surroundings coming off the screen. How about that unusually sleek, broad and quite smooth music score. The theme songs kind of stick to you and the time goes by so quickly, which makes it an enticing treat.

The story is rather typical detective stuff with Saxon's crisp and smoking voice-over running throughout the film and being one of the high notes. It blends a variety of ingredients and savvy interactions with its scathing, wry and bold dialogues. John Saxon turns in a charming lead performance as the steely-eye bounty hunter, Sam Kellog. Rosey Grier (former football player) simply fills out the costume by bringing an enforcing and unstoppable figure, which is totally opposite to his subdue attitude and husky voice, the anti-hero Victor Hale. He's rather hypnotic whenever on screen and the interplay between the two leads was always on the boil. Making up the rest of the studded b-cast is the always lovely Joanna Cassidy, Keenan Wynn, Jack Carter the rich tycoon and the unlucky Aldo Ray.

Interesting, if not totally successful exploitation, but thanks largely to the prolific performances of Saxon and Grier. It's enjoyably, uncanny trash.