Cutter's Way (1981)

Director:

Ivan Passer

Writers:

Jeffrey Alan Fiskin (writer)
Newton Thornburg (novel)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Cutter does everything his way. Fighting. Loving. Working. Tracking down a killer.

Plot:

Richard spots a man dumping a body, and decides to expose the man he thinks is the culprit with his friend Alex Cutter.

Plot Keywords:

Blackmail | Murder | Vietnam Veteran | Based On Novel | Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Jeff Bridges	...	Richard Bone
John Heard	...	Alex Cutter
Lisa Eichhorn	...	Maureen Cutter, 'Mo'
Ann Dusenberry	...	Valerie Duran
Stephen Elliott	...	J. J. Cord
Arthur Rosenberg	...	George Swanson
Nina Van Pallandt	...	Woman in the Hotel
Patricia Donahue	...	Mrs. Cord
Geraldine Baron	...	Susie Swanson
Katherine Pass	...	Toyota Woman
Francis X. McCarthy	...	Toyota Man (as Frank McCarthy)
George Planco	...	Toyota Cop
Jay Fletcher	...	Cord Security Guard
George Dickerson	...	Mortician
Jack Murdock	...	Concession Owner

Also Known As:

Cutter and Bone

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:R (Ontario) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Santa Barbara, California, USA

Company:

Gurian

Trivia:

The initial budget was supposed to be $3.3 million but then United Artists executive David Field found out that U.A. would only make the movie if the filmmakers were able to reduce the price tag to under three million dollars. Passer and company played along. Then, United Artists said that the film needed a big name star for it to succeed at the box office. The studio liked Jeff Bridges' work in the dailies for Michael Cimino's opus Heaven's Gate and said that they would only further support the film if the filmmakers got the actor to be in their movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Alex Cutter is charging across the estate on a horse, his missing arm changes sides briefly.

Quotes:

Alex Cutter: I don't drink. You know, the routine grind drives me to drink. Tragedy, I take straight.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)

Soundtrack:

We're Old Enough to Know

it's a great, great film...

Cutter's Way is one of my most favorite films. The characterization is excellent, the plot is both persuasive and surprising, and the acting is flawless--Lisa Eichhorn, whom I'd never heard of before, in particular. It's a travesty that virtually no one has heard of this film; all I can say is that it is well worth watching, if you can find it at your video store or watch it on late-night TV....