Scott LeBrun
The talents behind the highly successful "Walking Tall" - actor Joe Don Baker, screenwriter Mort Briskin, and director Phil Karlson - reunite for another reasonably compelling combination of action and melodrama, filmed on location in Tennessee.Baker is likable as gambler Ron Lewis, who's thrown in prison for killing a deputy sheriff (Roy Jenson) in self defense. Watched over in prison by benevolent kingpin Sal Viccarrone (John Marley), Ron does his time and of course is stubbornly determined to find out who did him wrong, in this adaptation of a novel by Art Powers and Mike Misenheimer.It's to Karlsons' credit that this is as entertaining as it is: it's briskly paced and directed, with a fairly twist-laden story that's not hard to follow. The supporting cast is full of familiar faces who give strong performances. Lovely Conny Van Dyke plays the leading lady, and she does a fine job while also getting the chance to sing a few tunes. Standing out are the rock solid Brock Peters as a brave deputy and former Dead End Kid Gabriel Dell as Rons' fellow jailbird Vince Greeson. Also appearing are John Larch as the sheriff and Warren J. Kemmerling as the mayor, as well as Paul Mantee, Walter Brooke, Joshua Bryant, Hunter von Leer, Les Lannom, Hoke Howell, and Red West; wrestler H.B. Haggerty is particularly fun as a thuggish cop who wants to get back at Ron seeing that the cop Ron killed was his cousin."Framed" gets fairly grim, with a pair of creeps dispatched to violate Van Dykes' character, and has some brief bursts of gory violence, especially in one memorable torture sequence. There's also a fantastic train-car collision as a major highlight. Patrick Williams' music score is another asset. The villains are just as corrupt and heinous as we could hope for in a film of this kind, and we're left in little doubt that Ron will see things through to the bitter end.While this isn't anything truly special when all is said and done, it's still pretty entertaining while it lasts.Seven out of 10.
tehck
I had seen Framed a couple of times back in the mid 1970s, and I remembered it as a solid drive-in revenge drama on a par with its companion piece, the original 'Walking Tall.' After just watching it again, I have to say I am stunned at how good it really is. It's well acted (the female lead, Conny Van Dyke is perhaps a little weak), tightly scripted with realistic dialog and believable action, and briskly paced. It contains a slew of potentially stock characters, including several corrupt police and political officials, a mafia boss and one of his henchmen, a single honest African-American policeman, and some Southern redneck hoodlums. Still, instead of appearing flat and contrived, they all manage to seem distinct, well-enough rounded, and logically consistent with their context in the story. The direction is totally professional but as straightforward and simple as the story it's telling. It's like the best TV movie you've ever seen with a moderate amount of profanity and a few scenes of ultra-realistic violence thrown in. Altogether, the effect is a kind of realism that can sometimes be mistaken as amateurish but will in fact stand up to some serious scrutiny. It may not have the glossy sheen of a big-budget Hollywood thriller, but Framed also avoids the plot holes, caricatures, and over the top stunts that weaken so many of them. That's not to say it lacks for action. There's plenty of mayhem and bloodshed and even an actual train wreck. And if you like to see the good and bad guys get what's coming to them, Framed will definitely deliver. In short, Framed is a damned good movie, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes action flicks.
udar55
I was finally able to see this thanks to the new Legend DVD release. Just like WALKING TALL before it, the film certainly covers a lot of ground and hits about 50 different genres including Southern revenge, police corruption, political corruption, rape-revenge, prisons, mean guards, gambling, mafia, hit men, and lounge acts. As always, Joe Don Baker is great as the rugged Southern type who seeks personal justice. In the end, the script tends to be a bit flabby and it could have been cut down by about 20 minutes though. Make sure to keep an eye out for a stunt involving a car vs. train that is insane. No way anyone in Hollywood would attempt that today!
benone79
I haven't seen either the original Walking Tall or the new one but I found this movie to be a great revenge type picture. It has a good lead up to the incident that leaves the protagonist to be framed, it then shows his suffering for that and moves on to payback. There are all sorts of great supporting actors that really looked the part. There is plenty of brutal violence that will have you cheering because it is the protagonist who is dishing it out. Look out for a Tarantinoesque scene. You'll know when you see it. I think Tarantino mentioned he liked the original Walking Tall somewhere so hes probably seen Framed too. I wouldn't watch this movie again but I would check out the director's work especially Walking Tall.
AD
