A Killer in the Family

Robert Mitchum stars in this fine made for TV film, A Killer In The Family as true life serial killer Gary Tison. This one should have been given theatrical release. Mitchum really pushes himself in the acting department playing Tison, a man who made killing a family project.

I did a bit of checking on Gary Tison and Randy Greenawalt played here by Stuart Margolin and their escape from state prison in Arizona and the subsequent crime spree they indulged in and the facts are pretty accurate in this prison. But an actor of Mitchum's ability and charisma are needed to put over a part where a guy who is in prison persuades his three teen sons to leave the straight life and help him escape from the correctional facility which Mitchum is incarcerated in.

You can see it in the family picnic atmosphere where Lynn Carlin brings her three boys to visit dear old dad who acts like a concerned father, even proud of his eldest James Spader who is in college and thinking about a career in law. The other two are nothing special except to their parents, the middle child Eric Stoltz is none too bright and Lance Kerwin is one mixed up teen, but nothing if not normal.

But the two younger ones feel a sense of duty to a father whom they think due to Mitchum's stories is a man wrongly put upon by society. And Spader in the end goes along with the younger ones out of a sense of duty to them as well as his father. But he knows better.

It's quite a jailbreak they pull off, of course planned by Mitchum and Margolin. Once out in society it doesn't take long for both these guys to reveal the kind of amoral sociopaths they are. And the kids are now trapped in Daddy's web of killing.

For a made for TV film it's quite graphically violent, but over 30 years later it still is a powerful film with a powerful performance by Mitchum.

Robert Mitchum does an excellent job of manipulating his three sons into breaking him out of prison. Along with another murderer, Stuart Margolin, they follow their escape plan of sneaking into Mexico, using a hand car, on a long forgotten railway. Unfortunately for the fleeing five criminals, it turns out the tracks were long ago torn up for scrap. What follows is a prolonged desert road trip, with constantly changing cars, and constantly changing destinations. A cold blooded murder that is the consequence of one of these car swaps shows the siblings that Mitchum is nothing more than an escaped killer, and they realize their horrifying predicament. Because the sons are presented as sympathetic characters, despite their felonies, the film generates tremendous tension, and is recommended viewing. - MERK

This made for TV movie is gruesome to watch, but it is a factual depiction of the escape of killers Gary Tison and Randy Greenawalt in 1978, from the Arizona State Prison, and was aided by Tison's 3 sons. It was filmed on location in Southern Utah in 1983, and because I collect films made in that area, I have collected a video copy of this film as well.

After collecting this film, I researched and obtained news clippings of the escape and subsequent murders to determine the accuracy of "A Killer In The Family". As a result, I believe the film which was made by a Utah production company, does indeed follow the events with what I believe is relevant and true accuracy.

The murders of the family, I found very hard to imagine and to view, but it was true unfortunately, with even more gruesome results than were depicted in the film. The final outcome of the ending of the film appears to also follow the true story.

This thing is certainly no masterpiece but worth a look to see a young James Spader give a truly sympathetic performance. Mitchum is a true legend but here he is just walking through. However, Spader (as always) gives it his all. His character was trying to make something of himself and was just looking out for his brothers. He is disgusted by his father and effortlessly matches him wit for wit, throwing in some verbal zingers - I just wish his character physically outsmarted him as well. I don't want to spoil the ending but have to say his fate was cruel and unfair.

This was on tv all the time? Really? I never see it. I had to track down a bootleg from a collector - quality is OK but it sure would be nice to have this thing commercially released on video and dvd. It's a must for Spader fans - it's his best early pre-stardom performance.

This wasn't Robert Mitchum's best work. The movie based on a true story is well worth watching if you should see it listed. It was a TV movie and not available on VHS or anything. Both Robert Mitchum and Stuart Margolin (Angel - Rockford Files) give good performances in their roles.