A movie about how people just fall through life (both literally & figuratively). Burt Lancaster, Gene Hackman & Scott Wilson show up in a small town to perform their barnstorming act. While rooming at Wilson's relative's home, Lancaster embarks on an affair with the lady of the house (Deborah Kerr). Kerr is trapped in a loveless marriage to academic William Windom & longs desperately to get out. Lancaster just wants to get out of life! A melancholy film from the great John Frankenheimer. There are many astounding daredevil feats and the acting is fine. However, the movie really is very lifeless and quite frankly more than a little boring. Sheree North provides a brief spark as a party girl picked up by Hackman. There's a great music score by Elmer Bernstein and cinematography by Philip H. Lathrop.

Oh brother is this film a misfire! Awful does not even begin to describe it. I flew to Kansas to meet with the director to pitch a project and he was so drunk I walked out of the meeting. No wonder this film is such a mess. By the time he made the film he was a basket case and every minute of this dreadful film says that. There is so much that is wrong with it that it really is hard to begin but for me the scene in a topless bar was the last straw. The last thing I needed to see were a bunch of twirling breasts in my face! And to top that even poor Deborah Kerr was talked in to exposing herself in a love scene. Oh my God! After The King and I and Heaven Knows Mr. Allison! Oye!

The motel scene(shot in Wichita, Kansas on South Broadway) was filmed across the street from where I lived. In one shot you can see my house and the bar next door. Being a curious person, I wandered over early in the morning to see the "movie stars" up close. Was I surprised! Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr did not look too good in the early morning light with no make-up and in their bathrobes. In fact I had to be told who they were. I loved the movie, by the way. I did enjoy watching all of the people and how they worked with other. And Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr looked a lot better after a couple of cups of coffee and some make-up. I recommend this movie to anyone.

Most books of movie reviews agree with the other reviewer here, they like it a lot. Well I just saw this movie and I thought it was pretty awful. The incredible cast (Hackman, Lancaster, Windom, Kerr, Bonnie Bedelia, Sheree North) is just wasted. The dialogue is spoken with so many long pauses the movie would be 30% shorter if you edited it to sound like real people talk.And to accept the plot, you must accept these premises:Professional sky divers are scared every time they go up.Professional sky divers would risk their lives to pop the chute too low to the ground to give the crowd a thrill.It's dangerous to jump with a "cape" because you will think you can fly and forget to pull the rip cord.Does any of this sound reasonable to you? I will say this, there are some spectacular aerial photography scenes at the start and end of the movie, and yes Debbie looks great for 48!