Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966)

........ ........... ............ ............ ........from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI. Colombia and ORLANDO, FLIn retrospect, I'll bet that when I bought this on DVD a few years ago, it had been re-released because of Harrison Ford's uncredited screen debut as a Bellboy (Although he was 23 when DEAD HEAT was filmed, he does look like a 19 year old "boy"!) Ahhhh, There's the Rub! The FORD debut is precisely the reason I decided to purchase it! Well, also because I had seen it twice during its theatrical release at the age of 18 and enjoyed it immensely. Recently, I began compiling a list…."Movies that stand the test of time!", and I can assure you, most whole-heartedly, DEAD HEAT won't be on it!!! This film is extremely dated, both in thematic and in stylistic terms. Even the dialog is peppered with terms you probably haven't heard in ages, like "The FUZZ", for example! (For those of you under 50, "The Police") Although, as usual, James Coburn's screen persona is delightful to watch, there are quite a few occurrences depicted here that stretch suspension of disbelief to the breaking point. Perhaps not so much way back in 1966, but certainly now, nearly half a century later! Coburn's character, Eli Kotch, seems to be 100% impervious to Murphy's Law. Everything goes exactly his way, every single time! In Spanish we say, "Mucha Pelicula!", …."Just TOO much Movie"! Despite some real heavyweight talent in the cast, like Aldo Ray, Robert Webber and Rose Marie, the mostly lackluster dialog makes for rather non-memorable performances all around. DEAD HEAT does have a number of interesting moments sprinkled through its 100+ minute duration, but for a 2015 viewing, I would hesitate to recommend it other than to viewers pining for a little mid-60's Nostalgia! ENJOY!/DISFRUTELA!Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

In January 1966, with the release of the James Bond spoof "Our Man Flint," Nebraska-born James Coburn went from seven years of cinematic dues paying to genuine superstar status. Although he'd been a stalwart character actor in such classic films as "The Magnificent Seven," "The Great Escape" and "Major Dundee," his portrayal of supercool secret agent Derek Flint demonstrated how easily he could carry his own picture. The year turned out to be a great one for Coburn; in August, he appeared in the WW2 comedy "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?," and in December, he closed 1966 out nicely with the breezy heist film "Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round." In this last film of that year's trio, Coburn portrays a character almost as cool and resourceful as Flint: Eli Kotch. Kotch IS his actual name, although, glib and inventive con man that he is, he also sports any number of pseudonyms, as needed. As smooth talking and charming a liar as has ever appeared on screen ("the slickest, swingin'est con man who ever took the world for a ride," as the film's poster described him), Eli, as it turns out, will indeed require all the mandacious prowess he can muster to pull off what he has planned in this film!When we first encounter Kotch, he is in the process of sweet-talking the female psychiatrist at his L.A. prison into giving him a parole. Once on the outside, he breaks that parole immediately, and for the next 1/2 hour of screen time, the viewer wonders just what the heck he is up to, as he systematically cons and robs a succession of women in Denver and Boston while posing as a mortuary worker, a shoe salesman and an exterminator ((two of these women are played by Nina Wayne, the wispier-voiced, younger sister of pneumatic Carol and who some baby boomer TV lovers may recall as "Camp Runamuck"'s Caprice Yeudleman, and "The Dick van Dyke Show"'s Rose Marie, in a relatively rare big-screen appearance). Eli eventually cons a woman named Inger (the lovely Swedish actress Camilla Sparv) into marrying him and unwittingly abetting him in his grand scheme: robbing the International Bank of Commerce in the Los Angeles International Airport, on the same day that the Soviet premier is due to land! But can Eli and his three accomplices pull off this crime, AND keep Inger in the dark, AND get away with the loot? Even supercool Derek Flint might break a sweat during this caper!Truth to tell, unlike such marvelous heist films as "Rififi," "The Killing" and "Topkapi," here, the actual robbery sequence is a bit anticlimactic and disappointing; the buildup to the robbery, however, and the events that follow, as we wonder whether or not our quartet will actually get away with the crime, are pretty exciting. It is fairly fascinating to watch Kotch & Co. carry out their plans, IMF style, especially inasmuch as we have no idea where things are heading. But the scheme that the men carry out is fairly ingenious, and a repeat watch of the film made me appreciate Kotch's thoroughness even more. In the lead, Coburn is just perfect as the charming Eli, who can seemingly think/con/talk himself out of any situation. The actor is immensely likable here, displaying that winning, toothy grin over and over again; how much less of a film this would be without him! Coburn is ably assisted by a dynamite supporting cast here, too. In addition to the ladies already mentioned, there is Aldo Ray as one of Eli's henchmen (Ray had previously appeared in the heist film "The Day They Robbed the Bank of England," as well as "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" with Coburn); Robert Webber, who many will recall as the smarmy adman, Juror #12, in "12 Angry Men," here playing a government agent; Severn Darden as another of Eli's henchmen (Darden would appear the following year with Coburn in the wacky satire "The President's Analyst"); two "Star Trek" alumni, Michael "Roger Corby" Strong (another henchman) and Phillip "Colonel Green" Pine (as the LAX security chief); AND, in his film debut, a young actor named Harrison Ford (unbilled here), playing a hotel bellhop ("Paging Mr. Ellis, paging Mr. Ellis"). "Dead Heat..." has been stylishly directed by Bernard Girard, who was known primarily for his television work, and features a catchy, percolating theme by Stu Phillips. Filmed largely at LAX, the picture seems to be enamored of the comparatively new and futuristic-looking Theme Building, which had been erected in 1961; indeed, I counted a good dozen loving and lingering shots of this most distinctive architectural wonder scattered throughout the film, from numerous vantage points and distances. The bottom line is that "Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round" (and yes, that oddball title DOES eventually make sense) is a most entertaining film, thanks in large part to James Coburn, who, three months later, with the release of the sequel "In Like Flint," would cement his star status even further. So do Kotch & Co. get away with their caper by the film's end and live happily ever after? I wouldn't dream of saying, but I will mention that rather than demonstrating that "crime doesn't pay," this film interestingly posits the notion that the straight road might ultimately be a more lucrative deal....

Seeing this heist film made me yearn for the no-nonsense efficiency of Kubrick's classic The Killing (1956). I can't recall any other heist film that generated absolutely no tension or suspense the way this one does. Instead the screenplay is cluttered with parts that fit together about as well as a bombed-out house. Writer Girard treats connecting threads as a needless distraction, which I guess we're supposed to take as the mark of European sophistication, 1960's style. Instead, we're treated to the wolfish Coburn's irresistible way with women, something about a Soviet premier on a visit, nameless guys who sort of appear and reappear leaving few tracks, and something about getting money from a bank after it's closed. The idea is to toss them all into the air and see how they come down.Now, it might be argued that the movie is not really a heist film at all. That it's really not a genre film despite superficial appearances. Rather, the robbery and its planning are merely events leading up to some kind ironic point in the end about Eli outsmarting himself. Or some such more general point than merely a heist film. Okay. But the same general problem remains—the movie's just too slow and disjointed to hold interest regardless how it's defined.Despite all, there are several redeeming features. There's ditzy Nina Wayne (Frieda) looking and sounding like her sexy sister Carol doing one of her hilarious bits on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Then there's the LA airport looking like a giant spider that's decide to squat on the city. And for old movie fans, it's an easy gig for Aldo Ray who gets marquee billing and about three lines of dialog. And finally, there's the neat twist ending—too bad this flash of inspiration is so slow in coming. In my book, it's one of the disappointing crime films of its time.

James Coburn plays the ultimate con artist in writer & director Bernard Girand's complex but rewarding heist thriller "Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round" that slickly defied the standard thinking of its day. Aside from its surprise ending, "Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round" is chiefly remembered today as "Star Wars" leading man Harrison Ford's film debut movie as a lowly bellhop in one scene. As amoral heist thrillers go, "Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round" qualifies as one of the best ever made and the suspense will keep you poised on the edge of your seat or sofa right up until fade-out.*****Please read no farther if you haven't seen this wonderful movie.Since its formulation in 1930 and its enforcement in 1934, the self-censorship office of the Motion Pictures Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) ruled what filmmakers could insert in their films. The MPPDA stipulated that crime must not pay and criminals could not get away with their crimes. Essentially, these rules stayed in place until the 1960s when filmmakers had to resort to more risqué material to lure adults away from television. "Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round" emerged possibly as the earliest film to show that crime could pay and pay well.Coburn plays a chameleon of a crook called Eli Kotch. Kotch uses his considerable charms on a prison psychologist to get out of stir. Later, he masterminds several small jobs around the country to obtain $30-thousand dollars in order to finance the major set-piece of the movie: a daring, daylight bank heist at Los Angeles International Airport. The cheeky thing about Coburn's character is plans to pull the heist while virtually every policeman in Los Angeles is at the airport. Interestingly enough, the State Department, is working on security precautions for the Soviet Premier when he arrives in America at LAX, and Milo Stewart (Robert Webber of "$") is pulling hairs to make sure that nothing goes awry during the Russian's visit. Meanwhile, Kotch marries an innocent bystander, Inger Knudson (pretty Camilla Sparv of "Downhill Racer") as a front so he can go to L.A. without attracting attention.Girand doesn't waste a moment in this taut, efficient thriller that requires patience from its audience as the writer & director painstakingly orchestrates this melodrama. The surprise ending is terrific. Watch this one.