Several misfits decide to restore a PBY flying boat and fly to a place where they can enjoy total freedom but a few obstacles hamper their plans.Several misfits decide to restore a PBY flying boat and fly to a place where they can enjoy total freedom but a few obstacles hamper their plans.Several misfits decide to restore a PBY flying boat and fly to a place where they can enjoy total freedom but a few obstacles hamper their plans.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 1 nomination total
- Rocky
- (as Dan Barrows)
- Rookie Cop
- (as Edward Greenberg)
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- Writer
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe movie was actually filmed in 1971 shortly after Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland had co-starred in the very different picture Klute (1971). The production required re-shoots and had a few delays and was not released anywhere until 1973. Fonda and Sutherland, who briefly had a real-life personal relationship around that time, were also both involved in "The FTA Show", a wartime entertainment gig which toured towns in the USA which had military bases nearby. The show was a satirical event protesting the Vietnam War. Several other people connected with 'Steelyard Blues' were also involved and this notably included actor Peter Boyle. The three also had just appeared in a feature film version of the show [See: FTA (1972)].
- GoofsDuring the scene at the airfield when Eagle is dressed as a soldier and is shooting arrows, he is heard saying "Up yours, Kraut!" but his lip movements clearly don't match the "up yours" part.
- Quotes
Frank Veldin: I need to talk over a couple things with you. You layin' off the cars?
Jesse Veldini: Yeah, for a while. Thought I'd get my old job with the wrecking crew back first, do some straight work for a while, till I get enough to open my own pack. Then you're gonna' see something, Frank. Not just your average, small-time fender dentin', hell no! We're gonna' do *real* demolition! And we're not gonna' just limit ourselves to cars, no sir! We're gonna' bring in campers... tractors... Dump trucks, school buses. Grain threshers - anything you want. And then when we get goin' good, then we're bringin' in the best of all: mobile homes! Can't you just see those two mothers mashin' into each other? Woooh!
Frank Veldin: [unimpressed] God damn it Jessie, sit down.
- Crazy creditsThe Committee is in the opening cast list
- Alternate versionsWhen originally broadcast on NBC in 1979, the film was retitled "The Final Crash".
- ConnectionsReferenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)
- SoundtracksBeing Different Never Been a Crime
Written by Nick Gravenites and Mike Bloomfield (as Michael Bloomfield)
The plot's just goofy enough to fit right in with a band of free spirits wanting to escape dull conformity. Seems they conspire to restore an airplane that's the size and shape of a warehouse so they can fly away to somewhere. That means having to get enough money for outfitting the wreck. For this misfit bunch that means organizing a pick-pocket attack on downtown suits. Grinning along is Sutherland's ex-con Veldini as the ring-leader. Trouble is he's got a respectable brother in the DA's office who aspires to higher elective status, and that means putting a halter on embarrassing brother Veldini. Meanwhile, there's Fonda as a big-haired hooker whose client list seemingly includes every suit in town. Plus seeing Hesseman as the DA, clean-shaven and in a spiffy suit, took me some getting used to after years of his scuzzy dj on WKRP, Cincinnati.
All in all, the 1971 flick (delayed release) amounts to a shady character comedy. There is a mild '60's era subtext but it's more implicit than explicit. At the same time, the non-conformists may be humorous but they're certainly not glorified as an alternative life-style. Then too, it's the byplay between the edgy characters that carries what chuckles there are. Nonetheless, I can see why some folks might dislike the results- no one is particularly likable, even Sutherland's lead character, while the comedic effects depend on the dubious personalities. Anyway, for the most part, I enjoyed the 93-minutes, despite the drawbacks.
- dougdoepke
- Dec 17, 2018
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Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $20,000
- Runtime1 hour 33 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1