Joe (1970)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

John G. Avildsen

Writer:

Norman Wexler (written by)

Release Date:

15 July 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Keep America Beautiful

Plot:

Bill, a wealthy businessman, confronts his junkie daughter's drug-dealing boyfriend; in the ensuing argument...

Plot Keywords:

Bar | Drug Dealing | Factory Worker | Bathtub Scene | Hospital

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Peter Boyle	...	Joe Curran
Dennis Patrick	...	Bill Compton
Audrey Caire	...	Joan Compton
Susan Sarandon	...	Melissa Compton
K Callan	...	May Lou Curran (as K. Callan)
Patrick McDermott	...	Frank Russo
Tim Lewis	...	Kid in soda shop
Estelle Omens	...	Woman in bargain store
Bob O'Connell	...	Man in bargain store
Marlene Warfield	...	Bellevue nurse
Mary Case	...	Teenage girl buying drugs
Jenny Paine	...	Teenage girl buying drugs
Reid Cruickshanks	...	American bartender
Rudy Churney	...	Man in bar
Robert Emerick	...	TV newscaster

Also Known As:

The Gap (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:R (Ontario) | Australia:R | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Finland:K-18 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Trivia:

Reaction to this film disturbed actor Peter Boyle for years. He refused the lead role in The French Connection (1971) and other roles that glamorized violence after people cheered his role in this project.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: Microphone briefly visible over Joe's head in phone booth.

Quotes:

Joe: Forty-two percent of all liberals are queer, that's a fact. The Wallace people did a poll.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'Serpico': From Real to Reel (2002) (V)

An Unlikely Friendship

Wealthy businessman Bill Compton (played by Dennis Patrick) accidentally kills his daughter's hippie boyfriend after an argument. Panic-stricken, he retreats to a bar, and meets Joe Curran (played by Peter Boyle): a loud-mouth, angry, bigot who is bitter over how his beloved country has become. Unintentionally, Bill allows Joe to find out that he just killed a hippie. And this is only the beginning. "Joe" is a classic film of an unlikely friendship. A bond between two men, one of a white-collar background, the other of a blue-collar background. Bill & Joe have one thing in common, they are disgraced over how crazy the world has become. Dennis Patrick & Peter Boyle have both given very realistic portrayals of their characters. Director John G. Avidsen with this "pre-Rocky" effort, directs this low-budget gem with the same finesse as a movie with a $100 million budget. The script is loaded with excellent character development and very snappy, realistic dialog. In spite of its strengths this film does have its weaknesses. The script falls asleep roughly 3/4 of the way through, but it wakes up just in time for the jarring climax. This film also features a very early and uninspiring performance by a 24-year old Susan Sarandon as Bill's daughter Melissa, along with her hippie boyfriend Frank, portrayed very blandly by Patrick Mc Dermott. One could only be thankful that he was killed off early in the film. In spite of its few flaws this is one of those forgotten films of the 70's that should not be. Even though "Joe" is very dated to today's standards, the chemistry between Dennis Patrick & Peter Boyle is completely relevant today, and it is the glue that holds the whole film together.