The Glitter Dome

This was a great book, and the casting(except Margot Kidder) seems pretty good. What in the heck happened? I would guess this was Stuart Margolin's first and last directing job. To think that John Lithgow actually had to go thru with this makes you appreciate him all the more. Clearly he got his over-acting out of his system with this woofer. Joe Wambaugh should get this film re-done by someone competent, it'd be an academy award winner. I'd like to see that movie, avoid this one at all costs, unless you are a fan of the morbidly unwatchable. And if you are a fan of that, watch a Bush speech instead. Bigger laughs, and bigger tears.

John Lithgow's character, a man who was unable to push away the atrocities he had seen in his work as a cop, was heart-rending tragic. (The scene of an abused little boy whom he had rescued is haunting.) Colleen Dewhurst's character was an odd mix of crustiness, worldliness and a little bit of Mother Teresa, with regard to how she took a runaway teen/porn actress under her wing. Although the movie doesn't address it outright, we suspect that Dewhurst's character was a lesbian. It was interesting to see Willie (played by Margot Kidder), react to being treated like a lady by Garner, after having coming on to him in the S&M manner that she was accustomed to.

No, this movie isn't a great, timeless classic. But I found myself intrigued by the characters and the story. Stuart Margolin directed the movie, acted in it, and also composed music for it. It is interesting to see this versatility from a gentleman who has made a career of playing sleazy slimeballs.

Sgt. Mackey (James Garner) and Sgt. Wellborn (John Lithgow) are handed the case of who murdered a movie studio boss. They try to convince their chief (John Marley) they aren't the guys for the job ("Jeez, we might actually have to solve a case."), but get it anyway and soon find themselves in the seedy underbelly of Hollywood. An adaptation of a Joseph Wambaugh novel, this one comes from producer-director-composer-co-star Stuart Margolin and takes a second to get used to with its juxtaposition of deadly serious and darkly funny bits. It is very un-PC so a lot of the dialogue would never fly today. Garner and Lithgow are fantastic in the leads as partners who really care for each other's well being. There is also one helluva dramatic shock toward the end that was incredibly done. Definitely recommended. Also featuring Margot Kidder, Paul Koslo, and Colleen Dewhurst.

Seedy atmospherics, and heavy themes are handled (sort of superficially) in Stuart Margolin's made-for-television hardboiled police procedural story of a murder involving a Hollywood movie mogul with possible links to a child-pornography ring. James Garner is the disconnected, and dryly sardonic L. A detective on the case, while John Lithgow playing his partner is the in-too-deep, and emotionally unstable cop. Garner's on-going noirish narration was on the distracting side, but his presence maybe more so. Lithgow's performance gave his character much added weight, and convincing dynamics that counter balanced Garner's laidback, and on-the-nose delivery. There's an interesting cast of names to boot with small, but striking turns from Margot Kidder, John Marley and Paul Koslo.

James Garner and John Lithgow shine in this classic as detective sergeants Mackey and Wellborn. I thoroughly enjoyed Garner's character's reaction as a staid old-fashioned sort of cop interacting with extremely sexually liberated Willie played by Margot Kidder. Stuart Margolin's direction gives this film a sort of "Rockford Files" feel. The ending is sad and predictable with Wellborn's (Lithgow) inability to depersonalize the crimes he investigates. But there are some entertaining moments like in Colleen Dewhurst's great scene in which her character, Lorna Dillman, proves herself incapable of the crime. Simply priceless.

If you like Garner and Lithgow, you'll love this one!