The California Kid

DVD – The California Kid (1974 TV Movie)The Western landscapes used as scenery and the early 70s style reminded me a lot of another made-for-TV movie, Steven Spielberg’s “Duel”. While not as good as that mini-masterpiece, “The California Kid” has a lot to offer.The plot is simple but classic. An over-the-top Sherriff, played by Vic Morrow, has a bad habit of chasing drivers and forcing them off the road to their deaths. The film opens with an out of town victim being subject to the sheriff’s wrath; prompting his brother (Charlie Sheen) to come to the town to investigate. Charlie arrives in a hot rod with a paint job that screams attitude. The confrontation begins.Being a TV movie, the pacing is fast but it allows for character development. As well as Vic Morrow and Charlie Sheen’s characters, you get to know a little about those played by Nick Nolte and Michelle Phillips. The car chases are thrilling with the Western scenery providing the perfect backdrop.Actors of the caliber of Morrow, Nolte and Sheen are not going to disappoint and they don’t here. Since Vic Morrow passed in 1982, this is a wonderful opportunity to see him on the screen. He was a very distinctive villain.A very watchable film and great value at around $6.

I'm not real sure why I bought this movie. I saw it at a drive-in, way back in the 70's and maybe I just wanted to re-live some of those old memories. The plot is very simple. A small town sheriff likes to run speeders off the road. And Martin Sheen wants to find out how his friend got killed. The acting is good, and there's enough action to keep your interest. A young Nick Nolte is also in this movie. I almost didn't recognize him. I like this movie because it has that early 70's, good 'ol boy atmosphere.

This is a movie I watched as a teen, and I thought it was so cool. Being a car guy, the premise of an outsider showing up in town with a badder hot rod than the locals [in this case the sheriff] just is exciting. Now days this movie is probably considered "camp", but for it's time, it was truly amazing.

Revenge is sweet and in the end the bad guy (Sheriff Roy Childress) gets what he's got coming. What goes around comes around. I've always said that any actor that can make you hate him, has played his part very well. Vic Morrow (may he rest in peace) did an excellent job in making you dislike him in this movie.A very young Martin Sheen and Nick Nolte also played their parts with excellence. I'm trying to figure if the Michelle Phillips in this movie is the same Michelle Phillips from the Mamas and the Papas. After a little research I learned that Michelle Phillips is the same one from the Mamas and the Papas.

Saw this TV movie when it first came out & loved it. I could never find a copy for my own other than poor quality youtube posts. When I found this, it was a nostalgia dream-come-true! Super quality w/ interactive menus and scene selection!

Great "B" movie with Martin Sheen as the kid and Vic Morrow as the crazy sheriff in a late 50's town. The town is known as a speed trap and if a motorist doesn't pull over when told to the sheriff exacts his revenge in the form of his front push bumper ramming you off the road and down a steep cliff. Some cool car scenes with a 34 Ford 3 window coupe, a 51 Ford that gets pushed off the cliff by the sheriff, and the sheriffs' 57 Plymouth with alleged souped up poly v8. Claims to have 2 fours on the intake! We never see that. The camera shows the steering wheel and dash of the Plymouth and it seems to match the year, but the shots of the gas and brake pedal are clearly not from MOPAR. Very low budget. So focus on the cars and the young actors. Sheen, Nick Nolte and Michele Phillips were easy on the eyes back in the day.

Got a Hot-Rod heart? Interested in a tale where the bad guy gets undone by his own scheme? 'The California Kid' might just be what you're looking for. Based on actual tales of speed-traps set up in rural areas to bilk unwitting travelers, this film captures the look and feel of one such scenario. Vic Morrow plays the scheming sheriff and quickly earns the scorn of the audience - a mark of a good actor. After he causes the death of two sailors who are only trying to make it back to their base before they're considered AWOL - Martin Sheen shows up in his sharp looking '34 Ford Street Rod, looking for answers to his brother's death. He quickly sizes up the situation and without explanation develops a plan to expose the sheriff. Good co-star performances by Michelle Phillips, and Nick Nolte round out the 'known' actors in this film - but the rest of the cast performs just as well. Better than expected for a made-for-TV movie.

I have wanted to see this movie again since I saw it way back in 1974. When I discovered I could buy it, I did immediately and watched it (along with my car-enthusiast husband). I was not disappointed. The story is tight, fast, and full of wonderful actors. I remembered Martin Sheen and Michele Phillips. I did not remember that Nick Nolte was in it. My husband and I found one error. This is just for trivia's sake. The year is supposed to be 1958. The license on the California Kid car had the black background, not issued until 1963. So many movies I enjoyed long ago no longer entertain like they did. This movie was not like that. It was a great ride.

If you like 70s road movies this is a must-not exactly a road movie as it's based in one small California town where Martin Sheen turns up with a James Dean look and a real cool car to search for the guy who killed his brother-ie the bad sheriff who deals with highway speeders in a serious way! Full of car chases,great mountain vistas and starring Sheen, Vic Morrow, a young Nick Nolte & Mammas & the Papas beauty Michelle Phillips this is one of the best TV movies ever made & is a real forgotten gem. The print is superb.

What's not to love about this film. I bought it because I'm into Hot Rodding and Street Rodding cars and therefore it's one of a collection of Hot Rod films in my collection. It has a reasonable story-line and a very young Matrin Sheen and incredibly young Nick Nolte. If you're into Rods, Cars in general or just a film about getting one over on the corrupt lawman then this is the film for you.

This is another entry from the ABC Movie Of The Week series that has finally found a place on DVD.This is A great film with the Cool as Ice and young as Hell! looking Martin Sheen playing "The Mysterious Stranger" who turns up in Town to find out who killed his Brother.Was it the Nasty Town Sheriff,played by the Brilliant and menacing Vic Morrow?.You'll have to watch and see.Excellent.

At last, after waiting several years, Universal released one of my favorite hot rod movies, the California Kid. Build by Pete & Jake in the 80's, the 34 Ford seen in this movie released a new never seen before wave in the hot rod world. And thanks to Martin Sheen, who brings out the 'rebel' in the hot rod against the cop who tries to kill people, again, this is what hot rodding was all about in the early forties and fifties. Great scenery, good cast, shame that there aren't any extra's, but it was worth the wait!

very good