The Borgia Stick

Tom and Eve Harrison seem to be living the good life. Nice home, picket fence, trendy life style, sporty friends. However, its not at all what it appears. In reality, their life together is a sham. Tom and Eve are covers for a crime syndicate and their "marriage" a mere front for the criminal activities therein. By day, Tom goes off to "work" donning disguises and wheeling-and-dealing syndicate money while Eve sets up a responsible household, caters to her "husband", takes part in civic activities and sees to it they blend into the unsuspecting community. Living together but ultimately lonely, separate lives and not knowing a thing about each others' past as per syndicate code, a wrench is thrown into the proceedings when they discover that they are deeply in love and want to leave the syndicate to lead a "normal" existence together. The syndicate has other plans.

Don Murray and Inger Stevens are perfect in their roles of two pawns trapped in a much bigger chess game. The virile Murray, in particular, shows a natural fortitude for this type of edgy, clean-cut anti-hero. Usually wasted as a frivolous love interest, the gorgeous, honey-voiced Stevens gets the fleeting chance to display her dramatic talents especially as their sedentary lives begin to unravel.

Durable Barry Nelson acquits himself well here as the next-door-undercover cop whose onto their charade while Fritz Weaver offers smooth, cultivated menace as a syndicate leader. Along the way you'll spot a number of familiar TV faces in minor, pre-stardom roles, including Conrad "Diff'rent Strokes" Bain, Ralph "The Waltons" Waite and Sorrell "Dukes of Hazzard" Booke.

The movie is appropriately tense throughout and there are a number of interesting plot turns and twists to keep the cat-and-mouse proceedings moving as our couple desperately try to elude both the police and the syndicate. One eerie moment occurs in a funeral parlor where Murray and Stevens are laid out. The fact that Miss Stevens died a suicide only three years later offers a sad, peculiar foreshadowing for this lovely and tragic leading lady.

A most adroit and intriguing time-filler.

Okay. Now I'm hooked. I was only 7 when the movie was released but I saw the movie (probably in B&W) on our kitchen TV. I don't even really recall what the movie was about but I vividly recall a scene watching them run down railroad tracks...and after 48 years it remains one of a handful of movie names that I remember. I think I might have been only 9 or 10 when I saw it.

After reading the other reviews here with so many others recalling the movie from those many years ago I can't help but wonder why we all so hooked on a seemingly insignificant movie.

Huh-after 47 years I searched it on IMDb to see if I'd see what the hell there was in this movie that so impressed me almost 50 years ago. Now I am scared-maybe ill see it again and end up needing therapy..

Intrigued more then ever now.

I saw this made-for-TV film when it aired in the sixties. I was twenty at the time, and while the details escape me, it conveyed enough paranoia and creepiness to sustain a strong impression of the film for nearly fifty years now. It's basically about two people who want to leave "an organization" and discover it's a tenacious entanglement. The film also holds as a metaphor for anyone who has worked in business or government and felt trapped by their involvement.

Also lasting for nearly fifty years is my memory of being on the edge of my seat with the twists and turns of the plot. On a video web site, I found a trailer for the film that must have run as a promo for its airing on television. They filmed on location in the New York City area, which gives it a sense of gritty realism. Highly recommended if you come across it.

After the present-day funeral of Don Murray (as Thomas "Tom" Harrison) and Inger Stevens (as Evelyn "Evie" Finch), we flashback to see their story… The attractive married couple is set-up in suburban New York by a Mafia-like organization called "The Company" (explained in the script as a more modern term for "The Syndicate"). Mr. Murray (once Andrew "Andy" Mitchell) was recruited due to some embezzlement problems, and Ms. Stevens (once Ellen Coogan) was into drugs and a street gang. Basically, Murray's job is to launder money while Stevens provides bedside manner...

Trouble begins when Murray decides he wants the life he is pretending to lead. Envying neighbor Barry Nelson (as Hal Carter) and his growing family, Murray declares his love for Stevens and desire to have children; moreover, Murray wants to leave "The Company". As you might imagine, this isn't going to be easy. Stevens frighteningly refuses. Then, Murray's cover is threatened when a man from his past arrives on the scene. Sensing the man (whom you'll recognize as Ralph Waite from "The Waltons") is a threat, Murray must report him to "Company" leader Fritz Weaver (as Anderson)...

"The Borgia Stick" is a well-produced NBC-TV movie from 1967. Its quality and success helped return made-for-TV dramas to popularity; a 1950s staple, the TV drama had been replaced by theatrical films. But, by the late 1960s, the television-produced "Movie of the Week" was a ratings winner. Murray and Stevens are excellent; they are allowed a lot of natural, sexy chemistry. Producer Richard Lewis, writer A.J. Russell, and director David Lowell Rich would have been a winning team, if "Emmy Awards" had their categories intact. The crew re-teamed for "A Lovely Way to Die" (1968).

Some combination of this crew of New York City filmmakers might have familiar with a certain afternoon TV thriller - or, they must have used the same agency. For whatever reasons, they employed (at least) six "Dark Shadows" (circa 1966-1968) TV players in not only "The Borgia Stick" but also "A Lovely Way to Die". That's more than producer Dan Curtis allowed in the average episode of the supernatural serial. Herein catch (then) "DS-regulars" Hugh Franklin and Dana Elcar along with semi-regulars or bit players Conrad Bain, House Jameson, Barnard Hughes, and Ed Crowley – all in living color.

******** The Borgia Stick (2/25/67) David Lowell Rich ~ Don Murray, Inger Stevens, Barry Nelson, Fritz Weaver

What a great TV movie! Too bad it is not available on video. This is a very fast paced thriller. Excellent performances by all. The story line is tight and really keeps the viewer focused on the next plot twist. Have seen this film 12 to 15 times and would love for it to be issued on video.