The film Pendulum came out when use of the Miranda decision was fairly new and police departments all over the nation were still grumbling about it as convictions were being overturned. Such a conviction overturned was that of rapist Robert F. Lyons and that really bothers the arresting officer George Peppard.Still Peppard is ready for a career change. He's been appointed to the staff of the crime committee of US Senator Paul McGrath. By the way McGrath is one smooth politician and definitely not one to be in a foxhole with.Peppard is going to need all the friends he can get because he is accused of murdering his wife Jean Seberg and her boyfriend Harry Lewis while catching them in the act. I've always found it amazing that some of the biggest law and order types when they get in a jackpot always want to make sure those rights are available.Still of all the lawyers he could have picked Peppard chooses civil libertarian Richard Kiley, the same man who got Lyons's conviction reversed. That has all his cop buddies raising their eyebrows like Charles McGraw, Frank Marth, and Dana Elcar. Pendulum concentrates on its ironical message to the extent that it really forgets to put in a good mystery. No doubt who is the doer of this deed from the gitgo.A lot of familiar faces are in Pendulum, but possibly the best performance in the film is from Madeline Sherwood. As Lyons's much put upon mother she has an aura of quiet desperation in her role and her scenes with Lyons and Peppard really count.Nice picture with a message that is still relevant today.

Check out the top of the Pendulum IMDb page, and you'll see a guy by the name of Stanley Niss, who wrote and produced this movie. He was my father's mother's brother, or great uncle. I recently learned more about my Great Uncle, and I was finally able to dig up my grandma's VHS copy of Pendulum in her condo. Just the fact that they were able to get a movie centered around a rapist rated only PG is enough of an accomplishment, but seeing George Peppard star surprised me even more.So, I popped it in my 18 inch VHS TV and watched. Well, it's the 60's alright, the music, the sets, the wardrobes, the chain smoking, there's no denying that. But all in all, I liked it as a standard courtroom drama, the actors did well with their roles, and though I'm biased, I liked it well enough, and it kept me excited throughout.Afterwards, I looked online and searched for some movie reviews, and saw that Roger Ebert himself reviewed upon its release, though he panned it. Gave it one and a half stars, and called my Great Uncle Stanley's script "written ineptly." Oh well. I had a good time, and I have a small piece of my family history in my hands now.

BIG SPOILER When the movie was released ,many people were disappointed because they did not expect Jean Seberg to disappear after 38 minutes ,a la Janet Leigh in "psycho" .You can also feel Hitchcock's influence in the bad son/alcoholic mother relationship which provides the low point of the movie though:it's a pity it's so underwritten because it could have taken the movie to another level.All in all,the movie holds up rather well today after 40 years but at the time it had to fight with blockbusters such as "Bullitt" and it lost.It's probably not a great thriller,but it's for sure an entertaining one.Good support by Madeleine Sherwood.

The one thing that stands out, and possibly because of Peppard's rather "okay" performance, was the work of Robert F. Lyons and Madeleine Sherwood. Lyons makes a wonderful splash as his debut role in this film. I am surprised it has not been commented on before as I see very little work from this period that was on par with this. The work was quite impressive. If you are interested in the detail of an actor's craft, watch these two actors and their chemistry. They are just a joy to watch. Overall,the film was okay. A little slow at times but it has some nice twists that make up for the rather slow story. Hang in there though, it gets exciting toward the end!