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thought the film was "expertly performed" and added: "It's the usual heavy
Wambaugh brew: police procedure closely observed without a trace of romanticism, suggesting simply that life in the force is psychological hell. So far, so good. But that very insistence on authenticity is followed by the film
556:
observed: "This is a strong, affecting story but it's also a straggly one, populated by tangential figures and parallel plotlines. The criminals' histories are every bit as convoluted and fascinating as those of the policemen they abducted. Even the courtroom drama is unusually complicated,
29:
331:
Meanwhile, Hettinger's physical condition and emotional state slowly deteriorate as his failure to act more aggressively on the night of the incident is questioned by those in authority and his fellow officers. Wracked with guilt and remorse, he experiences nightmares,
557:
introducing a new legal team with each new trial.... The film is generally crisp and at times exciting, but it's also full of incidents that are only sketchily explained, and minus the all-important narrative thread that might have provided a clear point of view."
313:(LAPD) detectives Karl Hettinger and Ian Campbell are kidnapped by criminals Greg Powell and Jimmy "Youngblood" Smith after being pulled over for an illegal u turn. They are driven to an onion field near
565:
called the film "a highly detailed dramatization" and wrote that James Woods "is chillingly effective, creating a flakiness in the character that exudes the danger of a live wire near a puddle."
505:
Wambaugh helped to produce the film and chose the cast and crew, including actor Ted Danson, who made his film debut. Wambaugh reportedly was determined to make a film superior to the
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format with subtitles in
English, Spanish and French. Bonus features include commentary by director Harold Becker and a featurette about the making of the film.
657:
340:
and thoughts of suicide. Hettinger is forced to resign from the police department after being caught shoplifting and opens up his own gardening business.
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to the detriment of the narrative's dramatic structure; half way through, the whole thing begins to ramble badly. Engrossingly sordid, nevertheless."
317:, where Campbell is shot and killed before Hettinger narrowly escapes as a cloud passes in front of the moon, plunging the onion field into darkness.
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Hettinger's eyewitness account leads to the arrest of the two men, who are tried and convicted of first-degree murder. While they languish on
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on
September 19. It grossed $ 196,716 in its first 5 days from 10 theatres in New York and then expanded to open in Los Angeles and Chicago.
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was used for the trial scenes. The jury panel was taken to an onion field in
Valencia to inspect it as a replica of the scene of the crime.
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was the film's most widely praised element, earning him a Kansas City Film
Critics Circle Award and his first
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The movie opened to positive praise as a true story of justice mishandled.
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Adilman, Sid (September 12, 1979). "Strong
Opening For Toronto Festival".
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released the film as a Region 1 DVD on
September 17, 2002. The film is in
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following a court decision abolishing executions in
California.
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American film distribution : the changing marketplace
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Please note figures are for rentals in US and Canada
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519:and his name was removed from the credits.
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762:"The Onion Field (1979) - Box Office Mojo"
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534:on September 7, 1979 before opening in
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985:"The Day - Google News Archive Search"
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725:
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500:Superior Court of Los Angeles County
792:. UMI Research Press. p. 293.
532:Toronto International Film Festival
13:
1307:English-language crime drama films
916:
720:
14:
1318:
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689:Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
478:The film was shot on location in
235:$ 9.9 million (US) or $ 5 million
1272:Films based on non-fiction books
847:. September 29, 1979. p. 1.
820:(3rd ed.). Woodstock, New York:
816:; Ward, Elizabeth; eds. (1992).
653:National Society of Film Critics
619:Kansas City Film Critics Circle
391:as District Attorney Phil Halpin
1277:Films directed by Harold Becker
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959:"KCFCC Award Winners – 1970-79"
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1262:Films about capital punishment
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786:Donahue, Suzanne Mary (1987).
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311:Los Angeles Police Department
1257:1970s English-language films
633:New York Film Critics Circle
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182:September 19, 1979
7:
890:"Review: 'The Onion Field'"
841:"'Field' full of dollars".
167:September 7, 1979
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1292:Films shot in California
1287:Films set in Los Angeles
917:GA (10 September 2012).
863:"The Onion Field (1979)"
433:as Nana, Jimmy's Grandma
143:Black Marble Productions
1297:American neo-noir films
580:holds an 87% rating on
343:
315:Bakersfield, California
304:
1252:Embassy Pictures films
1242:1979 crime drama films
861:(September 19, 1979).
704:MGM Home Entertainment
622:Best Supporting Actor
293:Woods' performance as
1126:The Ragman's Daughter
708:anamorphic widescreen
658:Best Supporting Actor
638:Best Supporting Actor
584:based on 15 reviews.
498:. A courtroom of the
445:as LAPD Lieutenant #2
385:as Sgt. Pierce Brooks
272:book of the same name
153:AVCO Embassy Pictures
1302:1970s American films
1214:Domestic Disturbance
844:Screen International
449:William J. Sanderson
409:as Chrissie Campbell
267:, based on his 1973
190: (New York City)
1267:Films about lawyers
898:. December 31, 1978
684:Golden Globe Awards
427:as Det. Glenn Bates
397:as Jailhouse lawyer
290:in his film debut.
112:Charles Rosher, Jr.
1112:Films directed by
1077:TCM Movie Database
1010:"Onion Field, The"
965:. 14 December 2013
868:The New York Times
822:The Overlook Press
748:"AFI|Catalog"
553:The New York Times
403:as Helen Hettinger
68:by Joseph Wambaugh
1282:Films set in 1963
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939:"The Onion Field"
919:"The Onion Field"
766:Boxofficemojo.com
696:
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530:premiered at the
407:Priscilla Pointer
395:Christopher Lloyd
326:life imprisonment
274:. The film stars
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507:1977 adaptation
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455:Charles Cyphers
439:as prison guard
425:Richard Venture
379:as Ian Campbell
368:Franklyn Seales
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336:, weight loss,
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265:Joseph Wambaugh
263:and written by
243:The Onion Field
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512:The Choirboys
509:of his novel
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227:$ 2.6 million
226:
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211:United States
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160:Release dates
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129:Eumir Deodato
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1166:The Big Town
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1019:16 September
1017:. Retrieved
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994:16 September
992:. Retrieved
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969:16 September
967:. Retrieved
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900:. Retrieved
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872:. Retrieved
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771:16 September
769:. Retrieved
765:
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736:. p. 7.
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548:Janet Maslin
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467:Richard Herd
451:as Young Con
419:Sandy McPeak
330:
319:
308:
301:nomination.
299:Golden Globe
292:
259:directed by
242:
241:
240:
199:Running time
62:
1182:Sea of Love
667:James Mason
665:(tied with
661:(4th place)
641:(3rd place)
615:James Woods
484:Los Angeles
469:as Beat Cop
457:as Chaplain
437:Steve Conte
401:Dianne Hull
372:Jimmy Smith
359:James Woods
350:John Savage
338:kleptomania
295:Greg Powell
280:James Woods
276:John Savage
203:126 minutes
91:James Woods
87:John Savage
73:Produced by
39:Directed by
1237:1979 films
1231:Categories
714:References
699:Home media
645:Nominated
496:California
474:Production
461:Sandy Ward
377:Ted Danson
288:Ted Danson
269:true crime
257:drama film
246:is a 1979
232:Box office
186:1979-09-19
171:1979-09-07
136:Production
99:Ted Danson
1198:City Hall
1174:The Boost
963:Kcfcc.org
902:March 17,
874:March 17,
601:Category
588:Accolades
542:Reception
383:Ronny Cox
334:impotence
322:death row
309:In 1963,
117:Edited by
103:Ronny Cox
1044:AllMovie
488:Maricopa
480:Valencia
413:K Callan
251:neo-noir
248:American
216:Language
125:Music by
83:Starring
59:Based on
1075:at the
895:Variety
733:Variety
604:Result
562:Variety
523:Release
219:English
208:Country
184: (
177:Toronto
169: (
138:company
1217:(2001)
1209:(1998)
1201:(1996)
1193:(1993)
1190:Malice
1185:(1989)
1177:(1988)
1169:(1987)
1161:(1985)
1153:(1981)
1145:(1980)
1137:(1979)
1129:(1972)
828:
796:
608:Ref(s)
598:Award
224:Budget
175: (
254:crime
1150:Taps
1055:IMDb
1021:2017
996:2017
971:2017
904:2016
876:2016
826:ISBN
794:ISBN
773:2017
669:for
625:Won
492:Taft
490:and
344:Cast
305:Plot
282:and
1064:at
1053:at
1042:at
550:of
494:in
370:as
361:as
352:as
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722:^
486:,
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906:.
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188:)
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173:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
