'70s Flashback: "The Paper Chase" and "The Warriors"

John Houseman as Professor Kingsfield.

The Paper Chase. James Bridges' 1973 drama about the first year in Harvard Law School has aged well thanks mostly to Timothy Bottoms' appealing performance. Bottoms plays James Hart, a Minneapolis native who initially seems out of place with his classmates--many of whom are affluent and/or brilliant. Hart, though, is a hard worker and doesn't lack confidence (indeed, while he's a genuinely nice guy, he is also self-centered).

Timothy Bottoms (and hair) as Hart.

With Hart as the film's focal point, Bridges keys in on the young law student's relation-ships with: Professor Kingsfield (John Houseman), a demanding teacher of contract law; Susan (Lindsay Wagner), Hart's girlfriend and, as he learns later, Kingsfield's daughter; and Hart's fellow students in his study group. Hart's admiration for Kingsfield, a Harvard legend for 40 years, borders on obsession--at one point, Hart breaks into the law library to read Kingsfield's private papers.

While Houseman won a Best Supporting Actor as Kingsfield, the character remains intentionally enigmatic. We only glimpse Kingsfield outside the classroom environment. Susan reveals a few details about her father, but even their relationship seems more professional than personal. In one of the film's best scenes, it's difficult to know if Kingsfield is being honest or intentionally distancing Hart:

HART: Professor Kingsfield, I just want to tell you that I truly enjoyed your class.

KINGSFIELD: That's fine.

HART: What I meant is, you really mean something to me. And your class has really meant something to me.

KINGSFIELD (after long pause): What is your name?

Lindsay Wagner, pre-Bionic Woman.

The Paper Chase effectively captures the pressures of a prestigious law school, where the grades--not just getting a degree--impact one's future. That's not surprising since the screenplay was based on the novel by John Jay Osborn, Jr., a 1970 Harvard Law School graduate. The film is less successful in exploring the relationship between Hart and Susan. The couple never seems happy together. It's almost as if Susan's presence serves merely to provide a counterpoint to the law school scenes--which are the best part of the movie.

The Paper Chase was adapted into a critically-acclaimed CBS TV series in 1978 with Houseman back as Kingsfield and James Stephens as Hart. Nevertheless, it wasn't a ratings hit and was cancelled after one season. Showtime revived it in 1983, where it ran for three years and ended with Hart's graduation from law school.

Michael Beck as Swan.

The Warriors. Walter Hill's once-controversial 1979 gang film can now be appreciated for what it is: a stylish chase drama with few pretensions. The plot is set into motion when Cyrus, the charismatic leader of the largest gang in New York, calls for a one-night "gang convention" with nine delegates each from over 100 gangs. Cyrus's message is not necessarily a peaceful one; he wants to unite all the gangs so they can control the city's streets. While many gang members cheer, some do not--to include Swan, a member of the Warriors.

When Cyrus is unexpectedly assassinated, the real culprits frame the Warriors and kill its leader. Swan (Michael Beck) takes command and the rest of the film chronicles the Warriors' night-long trek to get back to the safety of its home turf in Coney Island. Along the way, they must negotiate, fight, and flee from the many gangs trying to avenge Cyrus's death.

The outlandish gangs contribute to the film's surreal look: The Punks wear overalls and striped shirts; the Boppers sport purple vests and black pimp hats; the Lizzies is an all-girl gang; and, most famously, the Baseball Furies wear baseball shirts, sport Kabuki make-up, and use baseball bats for weapons.

Deborah Van Valkenburgh as Mercy.

One of the strongest elements in The Warriors is the evolving "romance" that develops between Swan and Mercy (Deborah Van Valkenburgh), a young woman he meets along the way. Beck and Van Valkenburgh have a natural chemistry that enhances the "opposites attract" relationship of their characters. My favorite scene in The Warriors is when, during a rare quiet moment, Swan and Mercy watch a "normal couple" returning from a prom on the subway--knowing their lives will never be like that, assuming they even survive the night.

In many ways, The Warriors sets the stage for Hill's more polished (and better) 1984 picture Streets of Fire. Both films take place principally at night in an urban setting, employ rock and pop music to great effect, and feature a romantic "odd couple."

The climax on a Coney Island beach provides an effective
contrast to the night-long chase in the city.

When The Warriors was originally released, it was linked to three outbreaks of violence at theaters where it was playing. The film does not condone nor glamorize violence. And it doesn't seek to manipulate its audience in the manner of films like Death Wish and Billy Jack. Unfortunately, any film with a topical subject matter has the potential to affect its viewers in an undesirable way, despite its intentions.

Streets of Fire: A Rock 'n' Roll Fable

Walter Hill’s self-proclaimed “rock n’roll fable” clanked at the boxoffice when originally released in 1984. But my wife and I enjoyed it immensely and, over the years, Streets of Fire has gained in stature. Some critics now praise its unique look, terrific music, and skillful blending of genres. The plot seems lifted from a 1950s biker film, but the sometimes corny dialogue recalls “B” Westerns of the same period. Hill avoids specifying a setting; it’s just “another place, another time.”

A high-octane concert performance by Ellen Aim (Diane Lane) and the Attackers kicks off the film. But before she even finishes her song, Ellen is “stolen” by the motorcycle gang, the Bombers. With the hapless police unable to take on the Bombers, diner owner Reva (Deborah Van Valkenburgh) looks elsewhere. She writes her brother Tom Cody (Michael Paré), Ellen’s former flame, and asks him to come home.

Tom, still embittered by his breakup with Ellen, initially refuses to rescue the kidnapped singer. He changes his mind when Ellen’s current boyfriend and manager (Rick Moranis) agrees to pay $10,000. As he explains to his sister: “They always hire bums like me for jobs like this.” With newfound crony McCoy (Amy Madigan) and Ellen’s manager in tow, Tom ventures into Bomber territory to free Ellen.

Hill’s fast-paced direction keeps the film moving at a speedy clip, especially during the rescue scene. I love the remarkably concise six-shot sequence in which Tom rescues Ellen, with each shot lasting no longer than a second or two: (1) Tom kicks open the door; (2) Ellen looks at him from the bed she’s tied to; (3) Tom snaps open his knife; (4) we see a close-up of Ellen’s hand tied to a bedpost; (5) Tom cuts the rope; and (6) Tom and Ellen run through the doorway.

Visually, Hill fills the screen with contrasts, dressing up drabness with eye-candy. With the exception of Ellen, the main characters are costumed in muted earth-tone colors and live in dreary, rundown buildings. But, during the frequent night scenes, the town sparkles playfully with bright neon signs of blue, yellow, orange, and pink.

Complementing the bright lights are glittering music performances by Fire, Inc. (with Lane lip-syncing), the Blasters, and others. Hill’s affection for the music is apparent—the film closes with two energetic stage performances which almost play like music videos. The terrific closing song, songwriter Jim Steinman’s grandiose “Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young,” sadly flopped when released to radio. However, the other closing song, “I Can Dream About You,” turned into a surprise Top 10 Billboard hit for its writer Dan Hartman.

The cast of Streets of Fire features many memorable faces. Lane and Willem Dafoe (as gang leader Raven) would each enjoy long acting careers. Rick Moranis established himself as a dependable supporting actor in comedies such as My Blue Heaven and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Bill Paxton, featured in a small role as a bartender, made the biggest leap. Over a decade later, he finally snagged leading roles in “A” films like Twister and A Simple Plan.

Unfortunately, such good fortune did not await Michael Paré. A good-looking, brooding performer, Paré did not fulfill the promise of Streets of Fire and the earlier Eddie and the Cruisers. He would make one more minor hit, The Philadelphia Experiment, then be relegated to low-budget action films that often went straight-to-video. One can almost imagine him saying: “They always hire actors like me for films like that.”