In my original review of this film, I mistakenly referred to the vehicle's owner as "Jake Jacobs". Somehow, I got Mr. Jacobs confused with his partner and friend, Mr. Pete Chapouris, for which I apologize to both gentlemen.It should be noted that Mr. Chapouris is the builder of "The California Kid" and he is also a well-known and respected hot-rodder out of California.(The original coupe is on display at "Pete & Jake's Hot Rod Parts", in Peculiar, MO, under the care of Mr. Jerry Slover. According to reports, the "California Kid" and its stable mate, "Jake's Coupe" have been driven more than 250,000 miles since their original construction as hot-rods).

I decided to rent this movie because of its interesting cast and also because the 1970s was the golden age of the made for TV movie. But as the end credits started to roll, I felt kind of let down by what I had just seen. Don't get me wrong - this isn't a terrible or merely bad movie. Vic Morrow is good as the villain, and what's really interesting is that the script doesn't make his character a COMPLETE creep - we learn he has a trauma in his past. And Martin Sheen does well as a laid back protagonist. In fact, pretty much the entire movie is very laid back, and that's the problem. There is no grit, no feeling of tension, and what happens in the climax is telegraphed so early on that there is no surprise when it actually happens. There's also very little action during the entire 74 minute running length to liven things up. More often than not this car movie seems to be just spinning its wheels. I've seen worse, but the movie lacks enough spark to be a real grabber.

Speed traps, they can be a pain. But for a sheriff in a California town, it can be lethal. Getting a ticket is bad enough, but what this lawman does, it's even worse. 1958, Clarksburg, California, there's a curve known for high speed traps. And if you're not careful, you will get popped. That's what happened to some Navy men one day. But rather than getting pulled over, they get run off the cliff by the sheriff. In comes a stranger in a 1934 Ford coupe hot rod who would later challenge the sheriff. It turned out that the stranger is the brother of the Navy sailor killed in the accident. And speaking of accidents, the sheriff lost his family in one which made him totally unhinged. The sheriff really crossed the line when he chased the brother of the town mechanic and ran him off the road. Now with two angry brothers, it's time for the ultimate showdown. After spending time adjusting his car to that curve, he really puts it to the test. As for that sheriff, just say justice has been served. Martin Sheen plays it cool, Michelle Phillips shined on as the café worker. And Vic Morrow did well as the "bully with the badge". A very cool TV movie there!

For those of us Baby Boomers who arrived too late on the scene to appreciate James Dean et. al., Martin Sheen showed us The Way in this great feature.The premise is easy enough: cool hood meets small town sheriff and All-Hell ensues, but the nuts and bolts of this movie enthrall the car nut in all of us. No, this isn't Casablanca, nor is it great Literature, but it IS a serious movie about cars, rebellion, and the genius that is Martin Sheen.Enjoy this and appreciate it for what it is, and for what Martin will become. I loved this movie growing up as a teen in the 70's, and you will too.