Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Many very good actors in this production: Richard Kiley, Charles McGraw, Madeleine Sherwood, Robert F. Lyons, Frank Marth, Dana Elcar. Now, about the beautiful lead lady, Jean Seberg. She does not appear throughout the whole movie because she has to be killed halfway. She's OK in her role but, I think, Madeleine Sherwood, which appears even less, is better. Concerning Mr.George Peppard, he's very good, he has a great personality, very convincing, like in any other film I've seen him("Breakfast at Tiffany's", "Operation Crossbow", "The Blue Max", etc.). In conclusion, exceptionally played, carefully directed, with the exception of two things: the final scene, when Capt. Frank Matthews (Peppard) struggles with Paul Martin Sanderson, the real killer (Robert F. Lyons), assisted by the murderer's mother, Mrs. Eileen Sanderson (Madeleine Sherwood), is not at all credible or even exaggerated if not ridiculous. And, intelligent as Peppard's character, a much-experienced policeman, would have gone right after he learned of the murder to catch the killer. But, that's how the scenario is, the scene had to be left for the final.

This movie is incredibly underrated. The performances are all top notch, from Peppard and Seberg down to the smallest role, though Seberg's part is short. In my opinion, Madeleine Sherwood and Robert F. Lyons deserved Oscar nominations for their performances. They were flawless and mesmerizing as the white trash woman and her psycho son. I couldn't take my eyes off them when they were on screen. I so wish the movie was available on DVD! This film should have made a star of Robert F. Lyons. I have no idea why it didn't. It's well-written and believable, nicely directed. Someone please put this out on DVD! I want to watch this again and again.

Check out the top of the Pendulum IMDb page, and you'll see a guy by the name of Stanley Niss, who wrote and produced this movie. He was my father's mother's brother, or great uncle. I recently learned more about my Great Uncle, and I was finally able to dig up my grandma's VHS copy of Pendulum in her condo. Just the fact that they were able to get a movie centered around a rapist rated only PG is enough of an accomplishment, but seeing George Peppard star surprised me even more.So, I popped it in my 18 inch VHS TV and watched. Well, it's the 60's alright, the music, the sets, the wardrobes, the chain smoking, there's no denying that. But all in all, I liked it as a standard courtroom drama, the actors did well with their roles, and though I'm biased, I liked it well enough, and it kept me excited throughout.Afterwards, I looked online and searched for some movie reviews, and saw that Roger Ebert himself reviewed upon its release, though he panned it. Gave it one and a half stars, and called my Great Uncle Stanley's script "written ineptly." Oh well. I had a good time, and I have a small piece of my family history in my hands now.

The one thing that stands out, and possibly because of Peppard's rather "okay" performance, was the work of Robert F. Lyons and Madeleine Sherwood. Lyons makes a wonderful splash as his debut role in this film. I am surprised it has not been commented on before as I see very little work from this period that was on par with this. The work was quite impressive. If you are interested in the detail of an actor's craft, watch these two actors and their chemistry. They are just a joy to watch. Overall,the film was okay. A little slow at times but it has some nice twists that make up for the rather slow story. Hang in there though, it gets exciting toward the end!