The Glitter Dome

James Garner and John Lithgow shine in this classic as detective sergeants Mackey and Wellborn. I thoroughly enjoyed Garner's character's reaction as a staid old-fashioned sort of cop interacting with extremely sexually liberated Willie played by Margot Kidder. Stuart Margolin's direction gives this film a sort of "Rockford Files" feel. The ending is sad and predictable with Wellborn's (Lithgow) inability to depersonalize the crimes he investigates. But there are some entertaining moments like in Colleen Dewhurst's great scene in which her character, Lorna Dillman, proves herself incapable of the crime. Simply priceless.

If you like Garner and Lithgow, you'll love this one!

This was a great book, and the casting(except Margot Kidder) seems pretty good. What in the heck happened? I would guess this was Stuart Margolin's first and last directing job. To think that John Lithgow actually had to go thru with this makes you appreciate him all the more. Clearly he got his over-acting out of his system with this woofer. Joe Wambaugh should get this film re-done by someone competent, it'd be an academy award winner. I'd like to see that movie, avoid this one at all costs, unless you are a fan of the morbidly unwatchable. And if you are a fan of that, watch a Bush speech instead. Bigger laughs, and bigger tears.

Sgt. Mackey (James Garner) and Sgt. Wellborn (John Lithgow) are handed the case of who murdered a movie studio boss. They try to convince their chief (John Marley) they aren't the guys for the job ("Jeez, we might actually have to solve a case."), but get it anyway and soon find themselves in the seedy underbelly of Hollywood. An adaptation of a Joseph Wambaugh novel, this one comes from producer-director-composer-co-star Stuart Margolin and takes a second to get used to with its juxtaposition of deadly serious and darkly funny bits. It is very un-PC so a lot of the dialogue would never fly today. Garner and Lithgow are fantastic in the leads as partners who really care for each other's well being. There is also one helluva dramatic shock toward the end that was incredibly done. Definitely recommended. Also featuring Margot Kidder, Paul Koslo, and Colleen Dewhurst.

John Lithgow's character, a man who was unable to push away the atrocities he had seen in his work as a cop, was heart-rending tragic. (The scene of an abused little boy whom he had rescued is haunting.) Colleen Dewhurst's character was an odd mix of crustiness, worldliness and a little bit of Mother Teresa, with regard to how she took a runaway teen/porn actress under her wing. Although the movie doesn't address it outright, we suspect that Dewhurst's character was a lesbian. It was interesting to see Willie (played by Margot Kidder), react to being treated like a lady by Garner, after having coming on to him in the S&M manner that she was accustomed to.

No, this movie isn't a great, timeless classic. But I found myself intrigued by the characters and the story. Stuart Margolin directed the movie, acted in it, and also composed music for it. It is interesting to see this versatility from a gentleman who has made a career of playing sleazy slimeballs.

Take the worst of 1980's excess, sprinkle every murder mystery/cop drama cliche on top, and toss in phoned-in performances and awful direction, and you've found your way to The Glitter Dome.

James Garner (Al Mackey) is a street-wise "seen-it-all" detective. He drinks hard, brings home whatever he can get at bars, and wanders his way through crime scenes making smart-aleck remarks.

John Lithgow (Marty) is the cop with a conscience. Plagued with nightmares about a child he couldn't save, the straight-laced detective just can't play in Mackey's world of drama.

Together, they are confronted with solving the murder of a studio head tangled in Hollywood excess. Along the way, they confront the seedy side of Hollywood and the people who make it their life.

Mackey pairs up with "Willie" (Margot Kidder), an actress with an attitude and a love of being tied up by detectives like Mackey.

Everything about The Glitter Dome smells "made for TV" at a time when the networks were trying to match pay cable's ability to throw sex, violence and more sex on screen for a TV audience unaccustomed to such fare. But you won't care for a minute.

Nothing about The Glitter Dome is redeemable. The movie quickly becomes confusing to the point where Garner's narration is the only way you can be prepared for the scenes that follow. But you'll be dropping the popcorn after hearing ridiculous narrative like:

"The only thing that has deteriorated faster than the earth's atmosphere is Hollywood Boulevard, which on any given night is a great place to take the family if you want to sell your kids."

Additionally, Kidder's performance as "Willie" is an embarrassment. Kidder can play controversial characters, but you feel the frustration at what appears to be the director's need to have his characters emote.

Nothing illustrates that more than the ridiculous performance by director AND actor Stuart Margolin, who camps it up as heir to the studio Herman Sinclair. Was no one willing to throw him against a wall and say, "stop this right now!" Anyone watching this has to wonder if perhaps the film was a documentary about how movies like The Glitter Dome get made in the first place.

Garner, Lithgow, and Kidder must have known The Glitter Dome was essentially a Hollywood mortgage payment after checking out a script that includes the "seen it in every crime drama ever made" mad as hell Captain Woofer who wants this murder solved NOW and the surreal nighttime skating rink that serves as a nexus for information about what really happened to the murder victim.

Avoid this film at all costs, unless you want a nostalgic look back at 1980's era bad TV movies littered with extras with enormous 80's hair. Any Law & Order episode will give you more depth and satisfaction than a trip to The Glitter Dome.