The Hard Ride

One of the few motorcycle themed films that tried for something different than the usual approach, and largely failed because of it. Most of these biker gang films were action films with an occasional dose of romance (or more likely, pure lust), to fill the time between scenes of rumbles or long rides across the California desert. This is really a romantic drama with occasional action scenes to break up the emoting. Clearly, this is the wrong approach to take in a motorcycle film, "Easy Rider" aside.

Robert Fuller (of "Emergency" and many other roles) is a Vietnam vet who returns home. His buddy Lenny has left him his totally tricked out cycle and he is supposed to take charge of it and bring his "friend" Big Red to Lenny's funeral. Fuller hooks up with Lenny's ex-squeeze Cheryl, and goes in search of Big Red. He also runs afoul of a local bike gang and a few pill popping punks in a beat-up hot rod (some kind of super obscure car that I could not recognize...I think it was a foreign number, possibly a Hillman). Plenty of time is spent on long romantic rides and deep philosophical discussions...all to the detriment of the viewer.

If you're making a motorcycle gang film, you've got to let the sleaze come to the fore. Sure, there were some fights, conflicts, tension, and menacing, dirty, unshaven bikers on view here. So I can't rate this film TOO low. But, overall, I'd have to say: guys, nice try, but, it didn't work out how you hoped it would. Some people may like the change of pace here, but for me, I felt somewhat disappointed.

For a "B" film, it is not too bad. Controversial for its time with themes of interracial love, illegal drug use, free love, liberated women and Viet Nam. Some decent music and a surprise ending in a relatively "tame" biker flick, make it entertaining enough if you like Robert Fuller.

After his best friend "Lenny" (Alfonso Williams) is killed while serving in Vietnam, "Phil" (Robert Fuller) is given permission to escort the coffin back to the United States and make the necessary funeral arraignments. To that effect, since Lenny was an orphan and had no family members, his only requests were to have his priest "Father Tom" (Marshall Reed) to preside over his funeral and for a motorcycle gang led by a man named "Big Red" (Tony Russel) to attend as well. To help with that, Lenny advises Phil to get in touch with his former girlfriend "Sheryl" (Sherry Bain) who might know where to find him. On a final note, Lenny also bequeaths an extremely valuable motorcycle to Phil with the hope that he can make good use of it. The main problem, however, is that this motorcycle just happens to be highly coveted by another motorcycle gang leader named "Grady" (William Bonner) and he is willing to do anything to get possession of it. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this film started off reasonably well and had a few good action scenes here and there along with a fairly good musical score as well. Unfortunately, there was one particular scene that I didn't especially care for and caused me to lower my evaluation somewhat lower. Average.

For a PG rated Biker/Exploitation flick it's not bad. There's better out there if you're a first timer to this sub-genre. On the other hand, if you're not a big fan of violence or rape which a lot of these seem to delve into then this is probably best for you.

It's a good thing that Robert Fuller got himself a long running gig in Emergency for six years after this film got inflicted on the movie going public. I'd hate to think of this as his career epitaph.

The former star of Laramie plays a Marine Vietnam vet who accompanies his dead buddy's body back to his small California town for burial. He also has been willed 'Baby' his late friend's motorcycle .

It's quite a machine. In fact the local bikers who the late friend rode with don't think it should go to an outsider. Therein lies the plot of this silly epic.

I mean if you're into motorcycle movies with curvaceous women than you can't go wrong here. Marlon Brando or James Dean wouldn't have been caught dead in this film.