The Glory Boys (1984) User Reviews

Unbelievable Performance by Anthony Perkins

[spencerthetracy · 15 November 2002]

This is one of those movies that remind you of those TV offerings that are broadcast live, so no editing or retakes can make what you see seem perfect. It has a real start and stop feel to it and takes a long time to build up to its conclusion. Its frustrating watching competent actors, who are given a mediocre script, try to hash it out as best they can. The most successful in this attempt is clearly Anthony Perkins. His performance, despite the material and strange direction, is one of the finest I've seen in a very long time. His British accent is flawless, and the intensity and believability with which he delivers his lines is astounding. Most remarkable is his nervous, conclusive delivery of lines before putting away of one of the bad guys and after when he walks away from the fallen terrorist. I played it over and over. Its acting like none other. I believe that of all the roles in Mr. Perkins' great career, this was his finest performance. Its just too bad that the movie had to be sub-standard. Of mention, is Aaron Harris' wonderful job in portraying an Irish hired hit man. 2 out of 5 stars.

Perkins gives his finest performance?

[Hunthome · 1/10 · 14 December 2007]

Sorry but he does not ,in fact he is an embarrassment in this throughout and yet another case of 'I wish they hadnt made that American Actor try to do an English accent'...Perkins seems uncomfortable in this from beginning to end,you get the feeling he got the job by fax,flew straight to the UK and was on set before he had even had a chance to check in to his hotel and get a good nights sleep.The Irish Villain is wildly over the top and unbelievable and his girlfriend is ridiculous.I have too much respect for Steiger to say much more that he is given much to do.These terrorism scare - movies made for TV in the 80s really haven't aged well at all .Shame that two fine stars like Perkins and Steiger had stuff like this on their resumes at all really.Funnily enough Steiger played an IRA man himself a little earlier in 'Hennessy' which again,hasn't help up well.

They don't make these kinds of films to act. They do it for a free vacation.

[mark.waltz · 3/10 · 16 June 2021]

The 1970's and 80's were filled with films like this. Action thrillers of every kind that utilized exotic locations all over Europe or Asia or Africa and told all sorts of convoluted political based Crime story that somehow ended up involving terrorism. Rod Steiger and Anthony Perkins get top billing and are joined by Joanna Lumley (long before she uttered the phrase "Sweetie, darling"), Alfred Burke and Sheila Allen in a plotline that tries to desperately hide its convoluted structure by pretending to be overly intelligent about a subject that they know that the audience is probably too naive to understand or don't have the time or interest to do research on. So you get lots of chase sequences, shootouts, intense dialog which gives clichéd explanations as to the reasons certain things continuously happen and keeps your attention simply because you're desperately paying attention to figure out who is who and on what side, and what exactly is the purpose of all this bloody violence.

Steiger overacts and Perkins underacts ( most likely in a desperate attempt to hide the fact that he doesn't really know what's going on either), with Steiger as an Israeli nuclear scientist in danger of an assassination attempt, and terrorists from the IRA and PLO either out to kill or protect him. There are far too many characters and far too many sides make heads or tails of everything going on, and the dialogue is trite and vapid. When the script calls for quiet, profound moments, it fails miserably because none of these characters are particularly noble. After a while, you're just out for the location footage and action scenes and to await Steiger's next melodramatic wife. Only Lumley and Allen gain any sympathy, especially the later as Steiger's loving wife. I'm glad I saw a cut version of this (down by 30 minutes) because I don't think I could have stomached much more.

Mediocre thriller on terrorism

[angelsfang · 23 August 2008]

First of all let's get some things out of the way. I'm amazed that one of the reviewers here praised Anthony Perkins' perfect English accent. I was working on subtitles for this title and Perkins practically gave up on trying an English accent for MOST of the title, except in one or two scenes, such as when he was in the hospital room and was interviewing one of the injured bad guys, he was trying to act all suave and James Bond so he pulled an okay English accent. But really he was rescued by his clever lines, although his delivery was good.

I thought The Glory Boys did a decent job trying to show both sides of the coin, mainly, the bad guys' motives. The Irish IRA guy pulled off a good performance. You could see by his emotions that he was torn by what he was doing, and near the end he's finally given closure in which he says he's tired, tired from running all the time. I know about the events that took place and still taking place with Northern Ireland and Britain, so I know what he fights for, though The Glory Boys doesn't even bother to mention a single detail, other than in the beginning when his girlfriend asks him where he comes from, and "if he blows things up". The Palestinian guy was okay, at first he was a bit unsure since it was his first time going on such a mission, but later he becomes determined. We don't exactly know why, other than when Perkins says they are all fanatics or something. It's not the most PC, The Glory Boys, but the ending was touché.