Incident on a Dark Street

Incident on a Dark Street is a television movie and looks like a pilot for a television show that never materialised.

It has a large cast but focuses on a few characters. Paul Hamilton Jr (Robert Pine) is anew recruit in the Justice department's office in Manhattan. He does not want to convict marijuana users but the big dealers and traffickers. Joe Dubbs (James Olson) is their stern but fair boss whose job is to mouth platitudes.

The main plot is ADA Peter Gallagher (David Canary) is contacted by Frank Romeo (Richard Castellano.) He works for mobster Dominic Leopold and Frank has the dirt on him. So did Frank's brother but Leopold had him killed with an ice pick. That's what you do to squealers.

Even then Frank is unsure whether to be a grass, so the DA's office play hardball to get Frank to talk. The weak link are two local government officials Deaver Wallace (William Shatner) and Edmund Schilling (Murray Hamilton) who are on the take from Leopold. They are also unwittingly in hock to Leopold having taken loans from a company he owns.

A starry cast. Castellano was in The Godfather. Robert Pine is the father of Chris Pine and here we have the original Captain Kirk.

The story is humdrum though. Castellano essentially trying to make his mind up while a hitman is stalking him. The story could had wrapped in a hour.

1973's Incident On a Dark Street has probably not aged well in the 32 years since it's airing on, I'm guessing, NBC. Unlike myself, a child of the 70's, younger viewers might not enjoy the common reference points of wide lapels, land barges, and over-coiffed hair. The cast is chock full of familiar television faces with everyone doing a professional job, but the young un's might cringe at all the young farts who are now old or dead farts.

Yet, there are enough twists and turns in the plotting, adequate to very good performances (check out Kathleen Lloyd's face as she quietly, with dignity lets an assistant US attorney know what's in her future), and avoidance of relentless shoot-em-ups to make you take this old, failed pilot for a series seriously (although the attack on one character by an assassin in a street-sweeper is ludicrous and the bombing of the same guy later on is pretty nauseating, considering you see a shower of blood and gunk go kersplash!).

So, plunk down your buck the next time you're in the check out aisle at Wal-Mart. You might just figure you got a rebate

Well I watched "Incident on a Dark Street" and I see why it was a failed TV pilot...

The Good,, The Bad,, and The Ugly,,,,

The BAD The three leads James Olson (Never have liked him much although he was quite good in "The Andromeda Strain" due more to Robert's Wise's wonderful direction and a great script), David Canary ( He was quickly back in soap operas again after this) and Robert Pine ( He was in the TV show "Chips" after this gig) ,anyways the three leads are all milquetoast in this made for TV movie...

The Good But this guilty pleasure does have a few things going for it...1st of all its Shatner playing the a total slime ball ( I can not recall him playing such a lowlife in any other role, but your the expert in that dept)... No one emotes despair quite like Bill in his ridiculous mustache, lamb chop sideburns and bad oily hairpiece. Be sure to check out the sexy 70s outfit Bill's goodtime girl is sporting...

The Ugly,,,, And there's Richard Castellano, you know him from the "Godfather"...there has never been a more miserable character who exudes uncomfort and misery as Richard here, the Mob lowlife turned snitch...Smoking cigs down to the filter,,, sweating and panting after taking 3 steps,,,He almost busts his ass a few times when he has to do some physical things on film... I think this is more of a Richard really being this character than acting... He garners so much screen time in this , so you might as well enjoy his performance,,, kinda like watching Curly Howard in a wool suit two sizes too small.. Be sure to check out his life and death chase scene from a Street Sweeper!!!

and lots of familiar faces in lesser roles adding to the 70s feel of this flick..John Kerr,Gilbert Rowland,Wesley Lau...There's pre "Charlies Angels" David Doyle ( who once again proves he couldn't act his way out of a wet paper bag)..Murray Hamilton (playing a lowlife so well as he had to all of his acting life,,,Did Murray do a guest shot on every TV show in the 60s???, it sure seemed like it)....Kathy Lloyd (who fares OK in a small role),,, and last but not least there is Jennifer Kulik as Ann , which proves Director Buzz Kulik was not above casting his own daughter in the film...

For Shatner's and Castellano's performances,,, this is worth a look...

INCIDENT ON A DARK STREET stars James Olson as District Attorney Joe Dubbs, who, along with his team, are on the case of a notorious mobster named Leopold (Gilbert Roland). After an informant meets with an unfortunate end, Dubbs is helped by the man's brother (Richard Castellano).

As an early1970's made-for-TV movie, it suffers from the ravages of time, yet manages to remain entertaining.

William Shatner co-stars as Deaver Wallace, a sleazy real estate developer in cahoots with the mob. Personally, I find him to be the best part of the movie. With his mammoth sideburns (more like side pelts!) and a droopy mustache resembling a fruit bat perched under his nose, Shatner plays the same role he plays in most, if not all of his movies. Namely, himself!

Also, watch for a pre-JAWS Murray Hamilton and Kathleen Lloyd...

Lots and lots of hair. The only enjoyment in watching this film is the nostalgic kind. That early 70's TV look, that cast, and those hairdos. Shatner is startling to look upon at first, with his oily hair and lamb-chop sideburns (not to mention his outfits). Then there is Richard Castellano, who is never less than repugnant to view, with a terrorist-torn-out-of-bed hairstyle that is a work of grunge art. His character is not much better.

As for the content of this TV movie, there's little to say. It was a pilot for a proposed 1973 NBC series called 'The Prosecutors.' It never got past this film. Familiar cast, familiar story, plodding execution. With almost iconic types like David Doyle and Murray Hamilton popping up, along with the camp master himself Shatner, it's hard to pay much attention to the story: you spend more time thinking "I remember that actor!" Unfortunately, the star of the film is the colorless James Olson. Now, if Shatner had been put in place of Olson this might have been far more entertaining. Oh, and Susan Stafford has a small role. Very pretty, but showed far more brains and talent when she got OUT of showbiz later.