ranchgal01

This is a family movie, more along the lines of the Disney movies of the 50s and 60s--For those of you wanting OCtagon--get over it! The kids are the stars, and Chuck is the mythological/fantasy part of this and it does all fit if you watch it in the right frame of mind.

My kids and I enjoyed it for different reasons--they loved the kids getting over on the adults, and all the animals, and fantasy parts.

What I really enjoyed was Michael Beck's father/daughter story, and how her belief and his going downhill and then being reminded what is important and his redemption and getting his life together, gave me a good feeling. He did a fantastic job of it, and made a great father figure.

I also loved Max Gail as the friend who told it like it is, and still made allowances for the fantasy part. It is a family film that no one need worry about who is in the room and who is watching. I enjoyed the hope in this movie.

I really enjoyed this movie, I think Michael Beck does some of his best work here-this is the performance that got him the part of Swan in The Warriors. His portrayal of bruised and damaged Boris Abromvitch is sometimes almost hard to watch, but I couldn't stop watching either. But it is his interaction with the rest of the cast and their reaction to his determination and commitment to his cause that makes this movie great. You want him to heal up and be normal by the end of the movie, when you find out how damaged he is, and when everyone else finds out, and their reactions and rethinking of their own situations, and what matters in their lives--What becomes important. F Murray Abrahams is great as the almost stereotypical "hip" guy, who befriends Boris, and I thought this was a really good drama to watch. I am so glad I found this one.

While this is based on some facts within Clarence Carnes life, as a TV movie, you have to remember it is a movie. I didn't think they were making heroes of anyone, as much as just telling a story, and it's a pretty good story too. Telly Savalas is menacing enough as the escaping leader of the cons. And I think the brutality they showed, showed exactly why they were sent there in the first place. And I really enjoyed ARt Carney as "Birdman" R.Stroud--they showed him more realistically doing research and writing than a lot of other movies about him.

I really enjoyed Michael Beck's portrayal of C.Carnes-even though we know it was somewhat whitewashed. His early innocence being led astray and then his coming to terms with the WHY he was there was good. And his character's learning his way around the prison system was good, and the fact that he survived 18 years in Alcatraz is a story worth watching.

Alex Carras did an interesting portrayal of the Assoc. Warden, and I think that in that time period--I don't think they overplayed the brutality of the Alcatraz system either. This was the LAST STOP!!

I enjoyed this miniseries movie, and I thought the actors did a good job with the material.