Skunkyrate Gripping story with well-crafted characters

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Scotty Burke It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

donwc1996 Oh brother is this film a misfire! Awful does not even begin to describe it. I flew to Kansas to meet with the director to pitch a project and he was so drunk I walked out of the meeting. No wonder this film is such a mess. By the time he made the film he was a basket case and every minute of this dreadful film says that. There is so much that is wrong with it that it really is hard to begin but for me the scene in a topless bar was the last straw. The last thing I needed to see were a bunch of twirling breasts in my face! And to top that even poor Deborah Kerr was talked in to exposing herself in a love scene. Oh my God! After The King and I and Heaven Knows Mr. Allison! Oye!

Scott LeBrun Actor & director combo Burt Lancaster and John Frankenheimer team for this appealing film that explores the lives of three sky divers, played by Lancaster, Gene Hackman, and Scott Wilson. They come to a small Midwest town named Bridgeville where they stun the locals with their aerial feats. Meanwhile, they affect the lives of some of the local woman. Mike Rettig (Lancaster) finds himself falling for Elizabeth Brandon (Deborah Kerr), who happens to be the aunt of Malcolm Webson (Wilson).Fundamentally, this is a good story (scripted by William Hanley, based on the novel by James Drought) well told, and it's punctuated by absolutely dazzling sky diving footage. Some viewers may wish there was more of this type of thing in the movie and less romance. The film flirts with melodrama (such as a back story involving Elizabeth) but Frankenheimer and the actors help keep it on an even keel.It's the cast that makes this worth watching. The majority of the performances are agreeably subtle, with the exception of Hackman, who's playing the extrovert of the group anyway. Lancaster and Kerr have a very alluring sex scene; both actors look incredibly good. Hackman strikes up a relationship with a hottie waitress (Sheree North) while Wilson is attracted to the college student (Bonnie Bedelia) who's boarding with the Brandons. North absolutely sears the screen. William Windom is good as Kerrs' husband whose aloof nature is a factor in her being turned on by Lancaster.Frankenheimer gets great use out of the real Midwestern locations (this was filmed in various parts of Kansas); the movie is definitely a real slice of Americana. Overall it's endearing enough and exciting enough to make it an okay view; it's ultimately rather predictable, but it remains watchable throughout.Seven out of 10.

MartinHafer Whoa...this was not the sort of film I'd assumed it would be! While I knew that the film would be about skydiving, I didn't think it would have some of the adult content that it did. While seeing Sheree North naked was a bit of a surprise, she was playing a stripper. However, when moments later I saw Deborah Kerr(!!) and Burt Lancaster naked, I knew that this was NOT what I had expected! This was clearly the late 60s when it came to its sensibilities and in a way it was a shame, as I am sure audiences of the time were a bit hesitant to see films like this or send Junior to see it! This was NOT the Deborah Kerr of "Black Narcissus"!! As for Lancaster, with "The Swimmer" and some other adult roles to his credit already, seeing his butt didn't surprise me very much...but Ms. Kerr?! The angelic and sweet Ms. Kerr?! As for the movie, while it was not a great film or a must-see, there is a lot to admire. Most importantly, the camera work is very, very impressive--particularly for 1969. Having a cameraman following the skydivers as they jumped wasn't easy. Because of this, the 'making of' film "The Sky Divers" is a great addition to the DVD as it talked about and showed the many technical problems posed by such a demanding shoot.The plot is not particularly action-packed (despite all the skydiving) but is more like a tale of three very tired men...men who go from city to city putting on jumping expositions to make a buck. It's obvious they aren't getting rich this way and perhaps they hate it in a way, but it's their life. This turned out to be an interesting case study--although it was not particularly easy to connect with any of them. And, at times, it was easy to dislike or be confused by the characters. For example, why did Kerr cheat on her husband? And, for that matter, why did the husband (William Wyndom) go through his role like he was a zombie? Overall, an interesting film but one I don't strongly recommend--especially since, although John Frankenheimer loved this film (probably because he was proud of the technical aspects), it's not among his best work.By the way, near the beginning of the film, you see some folks talking with the three leads about parking for the upcoming parachute jumping exhibition. Oddly, one of the men in the scene is asleep and the magazine he's been reading is blanked out--like they do on MTV when videos show people with pot leaves on their clothes. Why did they do this AND why does this appear on the DVD? Was it this way originally in theatrical release? I was so curious that I tried listening to the commentary track but it said nothing. I assume the magazine was a Playboy or something but I still wonder why the DVD has it blanked out...especially since you DO see a high amount of nudity throughout the film (for the time it was made).

ozthegreatat42330 Directed by John Frankenheimer, best known for his political thrillers, this is one of the few films to take a serious look at the increasingly popular thrill sport of sky diving. Burt Lancaster, Gene Hackman and Scott Wilson represent three different points of view of sport parachuting. For Hackman it is a business, for Wilson it is about escape and acceptance, for Lancaster it is something more personal. Seven gifted amateur sky divers did over 2000 jumps to create the stunt work in this film. Between uncooperative winds and rain and with settings in parts of seven different Kansas locations they managed to pull together this film, which will have you on the edge of your seat all the way through. Excellent supporting turns are put in my Debra Kerr and William Windom