The Worst Film Ever

Blistering performances.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Dean Jagger was Elvis' father in King Creole, and he is Natalie Wood's father in Cash McCall. This movie is from 1960, right about the time James Garner left the Maverick TV series due to his contract dispute with Warner Brothers. The movie is very businessy and very New Yorkish, white men in suits and ties. Garner is a young wheeler dealer who buys Jagger's plastic company, then sets his sights on Natalie. Garner says he thoroughly enjoys making money, so his character has something in common with Bret Maverick, although Bret made his playing poker. Bret was not the marrying kind, while Cash McCall is. I was 14 when this movie was in theaters and remember it being advertised in the local paper. I finally watched it online.

Starts off promisingly, but fizzles out about halfway through when it seems as if the screenwriters didn't really know what to do with the situation or characters, making this nowhere near as memorable as it could have been. The cast is first-rate, from Garner on down, but why this sharp, brisk business drama had to turn into a romantic farce (complete with misunderstandings) is a mystery to me. Nina Foch, always very welcome to see, is wasted in an unbelievable role as a hotel manager who develops an unfounded crush on Garner, which messes up his romance with Natalie Wood, yadda yadda. (Also, why the silly narration about what happened in Maine? It was as if the writers felt the audience would be confused by a flashback.) A really good cast given an unfocused script. I have to wonder if the movie wouldn't have been vastly improved by dropping the whole Garner-Wood romantic subplot altogether, and just having it be about businessmen dealing with each other - the cast was certainly good enough to carry that sort of story and make it interesting.

The characters are interesting and the insight into big business is as current now as then (except for salaries) I would give it two thumbs up. The movie includes bits of spice from jealousy and envy to seduction and romance. It has all the makings of a good family movie as well as strong personalities, with James Garner and Natalie Wood giving the movie much grace and charm. I am very anxious for this movie to come out as an authorized DVD that I can purchase. I have an old copy on VHS, but we have watched it so many times that it is wearing out. This movie would appeal to both men and women as it has such an active business side as well as a romance side, so it would make a great date movie and does not include any violence.

When you first hear of this flick, you think it is like most of Garner's "Light Comedy" from the 60's - Not so. This film shows the a steamy underside of the Big Business "Scene" and the kind of trickery that goes on... And how even an honest down to earth deal could be made to look like a swindle, with a little jealousy and backstabbing added when least expected- And for that you have to give proper credit to Nina Koch for playing a kind of reverse "Erica Martin" from Executive Suite.Garner is surrounded with some of the great character actors of the time: Dean Jagger, E. G. Marshall (From "12 Angry Men"), Otto Kruger (From Hitchcock's "Saboteur" and "Magnificent Obsession"), Edward Platt ("Chief" from "Get Smart").And of course Natalie Wood, and in this film she gives one of her best... She is an absolute firecracker. I like the fact that the interaction between Garner and Wood is a little subdued.One thing that is amazing, is that this was directed by Joe Pevney, who directed some of the best episodes of Star Trek Original Series.