A Killer in the Family

"A Killer in the Family" is a made for TV movie that I saw when it first aired in 1983. I remembered how menacing and evil Robert Mitchum was in the lead and when I discovered it on YouTube, I knew I had to see it again.

The story is a real sad one to watch because it's based on a true story. Gary Tison (Mitchum) was serving a life sentence for murder, among other crimes. Oddly, despite this, he seemed like a decent father...and the family visited him often in prison. However, underneath his fatherly exterior, he was a manipulative, vicious and thoroughly despicable man. And, this manipulator was able to convince his teenage sons (Eric Stoltz, James Spader, Lance Kerwin) to help him and a friend escape from prison in Arizona...leading to a huge manhunt. What made this such a big story was following the escape, where Gary Tison senselessly murdered folks and terrorized his sons to keep them in line.

While I could tell you how all this ends, I recommend you just see the film. Then, later, you might want to read up on the case through Wikipedia to learn more that wasn't in the epilogue...such as the status of Gary's friend, Randy (Stuart Margolin).

All in all, this is a well acted and scary movie...a bit more violent and vicious than the stuff you usually saw on TV in 1983...but also incredibly compelling.

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.

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 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.

Remember when American TV movies were decent? It's been 30 years now since those days, but occasionally they'll show up on DVD or on the TV and you'll remember just how compelling and, well, adult they were back then. Certainly not watered down to avoid upsetting anybody, like the ones since then have been.

A KILLER IN THE FAMILY is a great little movie, a wonderful thriller with some truly memorable moments. It's based on a true story too, showing how a murderer's three teenage boys help him to escape from prison, before joining him on what becomes a journey of horror. There are some shocking moments in this, all the more surprising because they come totally out of the blue.

The cast is excellent. Robert Mitchum is still completely menacing as a bad guy, decades after he excelled in the likes of NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, but the actors playing the children are just as good. James Spader is the voice of conscience, Eric Stoltz the go-along, and Lance Kerwin (SALEM'S LOT) the youngster who's completely out of his depth. To say too much about this film would be to spoil it, other than to say it's completely compelling and well worth tracking down.