Skullduggery

The first half of the movie tastes like a remake of a jungle expedition in one of those old Tarzan classics starring Weissmuller, the second half tries to be something like a class in philosophy - what makes a human human etc. Sadly, despite a good cast and production both parts never really blend well together. The first part was entertaining to me, a simple but fun adventure movie, the second part was a rather boring affair to me - an attempt to make something significant but not really engaging, and in the context of the first half (adventure, romance) it just feels too much out of tune.

Between an eclectic television career and hitting big with the big-screen DELIVERANCE, Burt Reynolds appeared in mostly westerns and/or adventure b-movies... two of the latter titled IMPASSE and then SKULLDUGGERY, with Reynolds as one of those cocky fortune hunters, here smitten with classy female scientist Susan Clark while paired with friendly sidekick Roger C. Carmel...

But right when the expedition into the scenic, potentially perilous mountains of Papua New Guinea begins... with the man and dame sleeping together too quickly to evolve into an AFRICAN QUEEN-style anti-chemistry romance... a group of ape-like/missing-link creatures are discovered, and quickly exploited...

First in a spontaneous, companion-like fashion by Reynolds, trying to make something of the country's phosphorus that he was initially seeking... then becoming burdened slaves to sophisticated British heavies in what's offbeat enough to derive from European cinema before confusing American audiences, never capturing any particular audience, cult or otherwise, since Burt Reynolds was relatively unknown...

Although he's more affable and loose than the rudimentary monotone before discovering the value of self-deprecating scoundrels... and the moral dilemma turned third-act courtroom drama about enslaved primal creatures is simply too deep and idealistic for what should be (and what somewhat began as a) traipsing adventure.

As another person has commented, this movie deals with some very important social and very HUMAN issues and should be viewed for what it is, not what you wish it would have been.

If you are looking for a brainless action film, look somewhere else. This film is more likely to generate a strong emotional reaction than to wow you with fancy stunts and cliché jungle adventure shtick.

People today are so used to excessive action films that gems like this one seem to be misunderstood or simply ignored. I am hoping this makes it's way to DVD so it can be appreciated in it's original theatrical format.

For the thinking person who can appreciate something with a lot more depth than the 'tomb raider' ilk it may get lumped in with it is definitely worth a viewing.

Continuing my plan to watch every Burt Reynolds movie in his filmography in order, I come to Skullduggery.

Plot In A Paragraph: Douglas Temple (a likable Burt Reynolds) manages to wrangle his way on to a jungle expedition in New Guinea when anthologist Sybil Greame (Susan Clarke) lands in his territory. While she searches for old bones, he searches for phosphor (which is used in the "new" colour TV's) they not only discover both, but a whole lot more.

I'm amazed by what I read on here sometimes, as some of the people rating this movie 2/10 or worse 1/10 clearly just didn't get it. Even if it was made today this movie would still ring true.

Burt Reynolds is incredibly likable and shows great promise for more important roles. However "Skullduggery" winds up a bit of a mismatch due to an inconsistent mix of humour and human drama. That's down to bad editing and poor direction.

I watched this movie in the early seventies, at my hometown in Mexico. I must have been 14 or 15 at the time. I liked the movie a lot not because of the acting, but because of the subject, which captivated me. The ethical and philosophical question of what constitutes humanity. Maybe the cinematographic quality of the film is not great, but having seen this movie only once and still remembering its impact on me after almost forty years is a tribute to its merits. I remember vividly the shock the climax scene caused in me, and the anger at the injustice done to the poor critters, and their unresolved fate, which undoubtedly would not be a good one if we go by the conventional wisdom of the time. I do believe this movie is much better conceptually than it is generally considered. I hope it will someday be released on DVD. I would certainly buy it.