The California Kid

Speed traps, they can be a pain. But for a sheriff in a California town, it can be lethal. Getting a ticket is bad enough, but what this lawman does, it's even worse. 1958, Clarksburg, California, there's a curve known for high speed traps. And if you're not careful, you will get popped. That's what happened to some Navy men one day. But rather than getting pulled over, they get run off the cliff by the sheriff. In comes a stranger in a 1934 Ford coupe hot rod who would later challenge the sheriff. It turned out that the stranger is the brother of the Navy sailor killed in the accident. And speaking of accidents, the sheriff lost his family in one which made him totally unhinged. The sheriff really crossed the line when he chased the brother of the town mechanic and ran him off the road. Now with two angry brothers, it's time for the ultimate showdown. After spending time adjusting his car to that curve, he really puts it to the test. As for that sheriff, just say justice has been served. Martin Sheen plays it cool, Michelle Phillips shined on as the café worker. And Vic Morrow did well as the "bully with the badge". A very cool TV movie there!

Prior to THE CALIFORNIA KID, the only work I had seen from Director Richard Heffron was the ST LOUIS BANK ROBBERY, which I found less than impressive.

Although of a completely different context, I found THE CALIFORNIA KID a far better film. Very tight script, focusing expressly on the actions of a backwater town sheriff who lost his wife and child to a hit and run driver, and proceeds to wreak revenge on all those he spots speeding through town and around a bend that has claimed some seven lives in the recent past.

There is also a suggestion of official corruption by the town mayor, who wants to keep the system going to not pay taxes.

Martin Sheen plays McCord, arriving in town in a souped up classic car with CALIFORNIA KID printed on the painted flames.

Vic Morrow plays the vindictive sheriff with a professional approach to duty, and he wastes no time giving McCord a ticket for doing 38 miles/hour in a 35 miles/hour zone.

Inevitably, McCord is less than pleased and ever more determined to learn more about his brother's demise in one of the aforesaid fatal bend accidents, and finds evidence that his car may have been pushed out of the road from behind.

He also wastes no time establishing that the sheriff's car has big metal bars on his front bumper that might well be used to push cars off the road.

A very young Nick Nolte plays a local mechanic who gets paid for towing vehicles involved in accidents.

Good production values, strong script and cinematography, make this a top notch TV film.

One detail I did not understand: why McCord did not want to leave his boot prints on the sand by the point where his brother's car flew off the road.

I also found the death of Nolte's brother a bit contrived, but it does not damage the film.

Well worth watching. 7/10.

I caught this movie about 8 years ago, and have never had it of my mind. surely someone out there will release it on Video, or hey why not DVD! The ford coupe is the star.......if you have any head for cars WATCH THIS and be blown away.

For those of us Baby Boomers who arrived too late on the scene to appreciate James Dean et. al., Martin Sheen showed us The Way in this great feature.

The premise is easy enough: cool hood meets small town sheriff and All-Hell ensues, but the nuts and bolts of this movie enthrall the car nut in all of us.

No, this isn't Casablanca, nor is it great Literature, but it IS a serious movie about cars, rebellion, and the genius that is Martin Sheen.

Enjoy this and appreciate it for what it is, and for what Martin will become. I loved this movie growing up as a teen in the 70's, and you will too.

To be honest it's not really a classic, even as the acting is above mediocre it is too slow to stand up nowadays. On the other hand for those out there who love old American cars it's a must see because the '34 Ford that's been driven by Martin Sheen became a classic in the custom world.

The story itself is easy piecy. Two marines die in a car crash, and suddenly in the small town with a dominating sherriff (Vic Morrow) Michael McCord (Martin Sheen) arrib-ves to investigate what happened. You can see from miles what is happening.

There's also a young Nick Nolte to see as a wrecking yard holder. This flick was a pure TV movie back then. If you can stand the slow moving story then it's worth picking uo for the '34 Ford and the '57 Plymouth police cruiser.

Worth noting is that Laurie Bird has a main lead, she was the girlfriend of Art Garfunkel but made suicide in '79.

Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 0/5 Story 2,5/5 Comedy 0/5