The Challenge

I was a dumb 15 year-old kid when this movie was aired and, boy, did it ever impress me. Not only was it a mind-tripper at the time as far as plot and action, but this piece of art introduced me to Darren McGavin, treated me with the likes of James Whitmore, Mako and Broderick Crawford, and presented future biggies Sam Elliot and Adolph Caesar (who knew?!) Also appearing is the great Joe Bernard, supporting actor icon. Neat twists throughout the flick and its ending just about killed me. I rate this work as essential viewing in the same vein as "Fail-Safe" and "Ice Station Zebra". Sure do wish I could feast my eyes on it again. Come to think of it, I'll bet something like this has probably already happened in our lifetime. Chilling, man!

I saw this flick when I was a crazy, mixed up 15 year old kid and simply fell in love with it. ABC Movies Of The Week were quite the thing back then, and this little gem was truly a piece of work. Armed with steely ambition, the film's intense performers serve it very well. MCGAVIN, WHITMORE, CRAWFORD, an unknown but outstanding SAM ELLIOT, the Oscar nominated ADOLPHE CAESAR who died before his time, and awesome JOE BERNARD in another fine support bit. Over the years, I've thought about this motion picture and wondered why it stuck around inside me. If only they'd make films like this again. They probably won't. If only conflicts could be settled like this. Perhaps they have. SEE THIS MOVIE!

I have been looking for this film for 25 years. It was on the old ABC Movie of the week several times and I have not seen it since. Everyone that I have ever mentioned this movie to just goes Duh I don't know, or they try and tell me it's a Lee Marvin movie (wrong flick).

I saw this movie when it originally aired in 1970, and I loved it. I also remember the trailers from the week before that centered around the weapon Gallery used (a double barreled sub-machine gun),really cool ! The idea that two countries would decide to settle their differences and avoid all out war by choosing their toughest soldier to fight it out on a deserted island was great. Sadly, both sides plot to stack the deck and keep an ace up their sleeve, a starkly realistic twist. I've been trying to get a tape of this movie for twenty years, and will gladly pay a reasonable finders fee for a copy.

I too, saw this movie when it first aired on ABC television as their Movie of the Week. The cast is very strong with some outstanding character actors taking what could have been a very hoaky movie and execute the story with believability. Mako and Darrin McGavin have an interesting relationship and interact well as they try to kill each other. Neither care much for their governments but, fight to win in spite of that. This movie has been highly under rated. I too, would like to see this movie get released, either back out on to syndication or DVD. A good Cold War movie. It's fun to see movies where actors are just starting out, Sam Elliot is the case in point here. He plays the Army's choice (and the ace up the sleeve) for the Champion. He is the by the book professional soldier who follows orders against McGavin as the unorthodox mercenary who is preferred by the State Department. Brodrick Crawford is the General who would rather not play this game and James Whitmore is the political suit who has to make the whole game work.