CUTTER’S WAY: LOST GEM

I remember hearing about the movie CUTTER’S WAY when it was released back in 1981. I never had the opportunity to see it at the time because it left as soon as it came, a critically acclaimed film that never found an audience. I finally got the chance to see it years later on cable and loved it. I found it hard to believe that it never did well at the box office but the way it was released had more to do with that than anything. Great movies given little push or promotion that are not allowed time for audiences to discover them are multitude in number. Thank goodness home video and then discs have allowed that to change and these movies given a chance to be found.

The movie tells the story of two friends. Alex Cutter (John Heard) is a war torn Vietnam vet who lost an eye, a leg and an arm while there. Bitter and alcoholic he lives with his wife ‘Mo’ (Lisa Eichhorn), another alcoholic loved by both Cutter and Bone, complaining and abusing her mentally. He is not the most sympathetic character you will find on film but as we come to know him there is something there.

Cutter’s friend is Richard Bone (Jeff Bridges), a small time gigolo who’s not the brightest crayon in the box. One night Bone’s car breaks down during a rain storm and he is forced to leave it behind. Before leaving to get help he sees a large car pull into the alleyway he’s stuck in, someone get out of the car and dump a large object nearby and then leave. The next day when he reads that the body of a young woman was found brutally murdered in the alley he becomes a suspect.

While at a parade with Cutter, the two watch until Bone thinks he recognizes the man who dumped the body in the alley. The man is local tycoon J.J. Cord and the odds of him being arrested let alone convicted are slim. Bone lets it go but Cutter has other plans. Still raw from the treatment he received in war at the hands of those in high positions, Cutter begins looking for clues that will bring the guilty man to justice. In so doing he will put himself, his family and his friend in greater danger.

The story may sound simple and in some ways it is. Instead it is the character study of those involved that makes this a great film. It becomes a whodunit wrapped around the characters in the film, in particular Cutter. It elevates it from what could have been a pulp novel into something much more than that.

A large part of the success of the film lies in the performance of John Heard. Prior to this Heard hadn’t found any huge roles to raise him from secondary status. Following this he began to do so with the high profile CAT PEOPLE. Still, he never quite made it to the top when it came to roles which is sad. On display here in this film he showed that he wasn’t a pretty face or a typical leading man but a solid actor whose abilities were rarely tapped. Cutter comes to life in the performance Heard gives here and that’s an amazing ability.

The rest of the cast is equally impressive. Bridges has always been an overlooked actor who deserves more recognition as well, but at least he achieved mega-star status. Perhaps this is due to a better agent or the fact that Bridges was in more populist films. Eichhorn as the beleaguered wife who still loves her husband is great. She brings a sympathy to the character in her suffering and affection.

The history of the film is that it was lost in the shuffle of new executives at the studio and dumped when released. A few bad notices the first week meant that the release was provided with little advertising and left to come and go. That changed week two when several rave reviews arrived and it was given over to their classics division. Even that didn’t save the film from leaving screens at the time. At least it can be rediscovered now.

Twilight Time has again given us the opportunity to watch the film in the cleanest and clearest picture possible. Extras are limited to an isolated score track, audio commentary with film historians Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman and the original theatrical trailer. As with all their titles the quantity of this one is limited so do yourself a favor and make sure you pick one up before they’re all gone.

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