jnorgle A movie about rape is generally thought to be cheesy, feminist and overacted. The Rape of Richard Beck redefines what a movie such as the aforementioned is all about. Richard Crenna stars as Richard Beck, a mild-mannered, sensible police sergeant with an independent streak, having been a cop for over 20 years. The backstory succeeds in creating a normal, non-crafted individual without seeming forced. It should be noted those that have seen Rambo should be careful to not compare the two characters when watching.The first 35 minutes of the film both serve as a means to introduce characters and as a way to juxtapose the old Richard and his life versus the new, affected one. The formula works.What truly builds the film's level of competence are Crenna's small nuances he gives to Beck and the small but poignant change that is visible on his face before and after he is raped. The entire cast puts on a great performance as their characters are pitted against Crenna's Beck and one cannot help but have moments of pause. I suggest looking at Crenna's face at the beginning of the film and after the rape. There is a dramatic, and yet not dramatic, change in his face; his demeanor that help in making this film notches above the usual fare of movies on television. The term "gang rape" is not used in this film, perhaps because Richard was only raped by two men, or because it was not made clear if one raped him and the other held him down. The film does not give many details about the rape, perhaps because that is not what the story is about. It is a documentation of one man's life before and after a violent sexual assault. The ending of the film leaves one with a question about the rapists themselves, although one must wonder if it is simply bad acting or the look on the rapist's face: He looks woefully sorry from behind the police glass when finally identified. My first thought was he was high on drugs and would not have raped Richard otherwise and now must live with what he did. However, it is a question that will never be answered.If you ever have an hour and a half to spare, this movie is well worth the watch, and you may watch parts over and over because it is just that powerful.

Angela Lee (angilee-1) I saw this movie when it first came out on television. At the time, and still today, male rape is rarely spoken about. It is under reported even more than crimes against women. I found this little gem at Big Lots in Huntington Beach California for only $1.50...It does not come in the fancy book style DVD package, but in a little cardboard holder. Crenna's picture is on the cover, under the title Deadly Justice. Hearst owns the rights. It is in the video section. Richard Crenna was always one of my favorite actors and he had a lot of guts to take on this subject matter. Meredith Baxter has a small but important part as the rape counselor. At the end Beck becomes a speaker to graduating police cadets about how rape can happen to anyone, even a man, even a cop. Great movie!!!

Politicon This movie truly is remarkable. I know the title might sound a little off-putting to some but if you stick with it you're in for a real cinematic pleasure.It tells the story of Richard Beck, a no nonsense police officer in America. Throughout the early stages of the film, we see him reacting to various sexual assaults in a light manner. He doesn't think it's possible that someone could actually feel stress, humiliation or even shame at being anally sexually abused. However, eventually some young hoods take his anal-virginity leading to Richard Beck feeling at constant unease around other men.It's such an eye opener that Beck really was raped that made him an enlightened human being. Thank god this man was raped, for otherwise he would be stuck in his old ways and we can now all sleep easy knowing that he knows that rape is wrong.

Isaac5855 This bold and thought-provoking TV movie centers on a bigoted and sexist police officer (the late Richard Crenna) who has always believed that rape victims "ask for it", but finds himself re-thinking his belief after he is sexually assaulted himself. This was definitely new territory where TV movies were concerned but it was done with care and taste. Crenna's gutsy performance won him an Emmy Award in a disturbing film that raised quite a few eyebrows. I was impressed with the filming of the actual assault scene. A scene that could have been cheap and exploitative was done with style without compromising the integrity of what was going on in the scene. A serious adult movie experience for those who like a component of challenge in their entertainment.