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Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
Brand: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
EAN: 9780792853367
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
ISBN: 0792853369
Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: MGM (Video & DVD)
Region Code: 1
Release Date: September 17, 2002
Running Time: 122 minutes
Sales Rank: 9777
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Theatrical Release Date: 1979
Editorial Review:
Description:
From a real-life American tragedy, this tale of thoughtless brutality, cold-blooded murder and hard-won justice is 'a prowling, gripping, disturbing movie' (Newsweek). Starring John Savage and James Woods and featuring a stunning attention to detail and an unflinching emotional honesty, The Onion Field is 'intriguing, absorbing, powerful, well-acted' (Film Journal) – and riveting from beginning to end. On March 9, 1963, LAPD officers Karl Hettinger (Savage) and Ian Campbell (Ted Danson) pull over a vehicle for making an illegal U-turn – and find themselves held at gunpoint by two seasoned armed robbers. Forced to give up their guns and drive to a deserted road, both officers face the horror of becoming victims in a mob-style execution...but only one is able to escape into the bleak darkness of an onion field.
Amazon.com:
One night in 1963, two plainclothes LAPD officers were abducted by armed small-time criminals after a routine traffic stop, then driven to a remote area where one was brutally executed. The other officer managed to escape and the perpetrators were captured and brought to trial. Despite overwhelming evidence, the slayers managed to drag the justice process on for years through appeals and delaying tactics, one of them making use of the prison law library to become a 'jailhouse lawyer.' Taken from the Joseph Wambaugh book, The Onion Field is a true story about a case that changed LAPD policies forever. More than a simple police procedural, though, the film is a character study that follows the aftermath of the murder for all involved. John Savage, as the surviving officer, is called on over and over to reenact the event in court, chided by his superiors and eventually fired from the force, with redemption a long way off. He does a great job in a harrowing role as frustration, guilt, and depression cause his life and career to disintegrate over time. There are impressive early performances by Ted Danson and James Woods (setting the tone for countless raw-nerve, psycho-lowlife roles that Woods would take on in the future). The compelling script, written by ex-cop Wambaugh (with no studio interference), is a reminder of why he's one of novelist James Ellroy's favorite writers. It's a story of tragedy and hope, dignity and pain, with a potent emotional payoff. --Jerry Renshaw
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Outstanding acting, great directing.
I had never seen this film but I thought it might be worthwhile because of the writer, director and cast. I have to say that this is one of the best law enforcement movies I've ever seen. I highly recommend this film to anyone interested in true life police / crime dramas.
Rating: - Book worm/Movie addict
I was very interested to learn about this true story it was very informative I was so interested i purchased the book also
Rating: - A marvelous account of a true tragedy
I've never read a book from Joseph Wambaugh, the ex-cop turned author who wrote the source material for this movie, but I sort of feel like diving into his works after seeing how great this cinematic translation of a true event worked out. "The Onion Field" the movie went on receive good reviews. I think the success of the film comes from the fact that Wambaugh retained complete control over every aspect of the film's production. According to an extra on the DVD, director Harold Becker, Wambaugh ... Read More
Rating:  - Unsatifying
When the movie finally ended, I felt let down and unsatisfied. The story lacked thematic focus--it tried to be a cop thriller, a legal thriller, and even, to some extent, a psyhological thriller and ended up being none of these. Because of this lack of focus, the story was devoid of ongoing escalating suspense leading to a power-punch ending. The ending left me flat, and even worse, we're never told who actually fired the four all-important gun shots, as both suspects accused the other.
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Rating: - Smart, Well Crafted, Real - Truly Excellent
Released in 1979, The Onion Field never seems dated, (apart from seeing a VW bug swerve to avoid a Corvair). It moves with cold, clear-eyed deliberation, fueled by great writing, acting, and directing. Ex-cop Joseph Wambaugh, who wrote the book and screenplay, had been burned by the Hollywood studio system's adaptation of The Choirboys. Wisely, he and director Harold Becker funded much of The Onion Field themselves in exchange for total creative control. The result is a rich, textured masterpiece ... Read More
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