'North Dallas Forty'
A retrospective movie review by Walter Frith
Peter Gent's best selling novel about dirty dealings within a fictional National Football League team was turned into a borderline satire for the big screen in 1979 and it's title was 'North Dallas Forty'. Frank Yablans, the film's producer, also scripted from Gent's novel and depicted its focus primarily on a star wide receiver (Nick Nolte in one of his finest performances) and his relationship with the team's front office, star quarterback, the women in his life anda large part of the movie showcases his performance on the football field.
Nolte's character is probably just as unattractive as most of the other characters in this film yet there seems to be a dose of moral integrity within his character placing him above the rest of the cast. The only exception to this is the team's star quarterback (Mac Davis) who turns in a fine performance and proved he's more than just a country and western singer.
The football team showcased in 'North Dallas Forty' is primarily made up of macho misfits and a few wise cracking no-talents who are promptly dealt with by the team's coach (G.D. Spradlin) who is obsessed with winning a championship. The team's owner (Steve Forrest), his little brother (Dabney Coleman) and a team co-ordinator (Charles Durning) are all embroiled in the business end and politics of the game and have no tolerance for those players who won't "play ball" OFF the field.
The spirit of competitive action is predominant throughout 'North Dallas Forty' and its rough edge is indicative of one of the world's most physically demanding sports. There are plenty of scenes on the gridiron showcasing the dirty play that was most dominating in the 1970's and the NFL has cleaned up its act greatly in the last 20 years and some of it may have been influenced by this film. Truly a stunning and realistic presentation of gritty characters and explosive personalities and definitely not a film for the faint of heart. Directed with hard hitting drive by Canadian born filmmaker Ted Kotchoff.
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