Steelyard Blues (1973) User Reviews

Oddball drama about outcasts (Sutherland, Boyle and Fonda) starts shaky, but finds its footing

[Wuchakk · 5/10 · 29 November 2020]

A group of misfits in the Oakland area hang out in a junkyard and an abandoned airstrip. They come up with the harebrained scheme of repairing a PBY Catalina flying boat and escaping their troubles. Donald Sutherland plays the black sheep brother of a district attorney (Howard Hesseman) while Jane Fonda is on hand as a high-priced prostitute sorta romanced by the former. Meanwhile Peter Boyle plays an eccentric bloke who used to work in the circus. John Savage is also on hand.

"Steelyard Blues" was shot in 1971, but not released until 1973. Sutherland & Fonda were an item after the success of "Klute" (1971), but this one understandably failed at the box office and fell into obscurity. It's a drama with amusing touches and not a comedy; although it could be described as a black comedy. It tries to be the early 70's follow-up to iconic counterculture flicks like "Easy Rider" (1969).

In any case, it starts shaky and I was concerned that I had stumbled upon a real dog, but it thankfully finds its footing by the second act as the characters are fleshed out. I suddenly found myself involved in their story. Boyle goes over-the-top to entertain and his Brando scene is a highlight. Another good sequence involves the successful brother (Hesseman) and his 'loser' sibling (Sutherland) having a melee in a cell.

Meanwhile, Fonda's character is a turn-off, but that's just me. The movie was released during the height of the backlash over her 1972 trip to North Vietnam earned her the nickname Hanoi Jane.

The notable soundtrack fittingly features rockin' country blues by variations of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, then known as Better Days; featuring Nick Gravenites and Mike Bloomfield, as well as Maria Muldaur.

The movie runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in Oakland, California, & places nearby.

GRADE: C+

interesting actors

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 14 December 2021]

Career criminal and demolition derby driver Jesse Veldini (Donald Sutherland) gets released from prison. His DA brother Frank Veldin (Howard Hesseman) just wants to keep him out of trouble. He reconnects with hooker/girlfriend Iris Caine (Jane Fonda) and his old friends. They decide to fix up a rundown PBY Catalina airplane. They do various petty crimes to finance the rebuild.

There is a confusing info dump early in the movie. This is trying to be an irreverent comedy but it's more quirky. It's down and out. I don't really know these characters' logic especially Jesse. He seems to be aimlessly searching for something that he doesn't even know. It's a bit muddled. It has the grim of 70's Oakland. I don't find this that much fun but these actors keep me interested. It's a borderline case.

Steelyard Blues...what a summer!!

[tadenmexico · 9 June 2007]

I spent the entire Summer during the making of the film on the set/location of the film, and I would say that being thirteen years of age at the time, it was a heck of ride!!! I learned about racial tension on the streets of Oakland. The local African American population wasn't always crazy about the film crew's presence...lots of discernible anger and tension.I learned about how you try to shoot on location at a real demolition derby with a real live audience. It was organized chaos, and fights were breaking out in the stands and on the track....Peter Boyle was always making everybody crack up with his Marlon Brando imitations.....there was a lot of focus and preoccupation on getting scenes done correctly with pyrotechnics and explosions....hours of debate and preparations...

It was the end of the sixties, and the Vietnam War was going on endlessly with no end in sight....Jane Fonda was blackballed by Hollywood and Steelyard Blues was at least a paycheck.

A piece of Hollywood history during a very uncertain time....

Amateurish Attempt at a Caper Comedy

[jayraskin1 · 3/10 · 14 January 2010]

Given the people involved, it is hard to see why this movie should be so messed up and dull. The writer, David Ward, wrote the amazing caper film "The Sting" two years later, Jane Fonda had just won an Academy Award for Klute, and Donald Sutherland had just done excellent work in films like "Klute," "Start the Revolution Without Me," and "Kelly's Heroes." Plotwise, the movie is a caper tale, with a small gang of bumbling misfits planning a big heist. At the same time the movie wants to be hip satire, a series of comedy sketches of the type that the NBC television show "Saturday Night" would do so well two years later. The bad result is that the plot makes the comedy bits seem awkward and forced and the disconnected comedy bits destroy any kind of suspense that the heist might have. It is quite literally a movie that keeps smashing into itself, just as the cars in the cars in the demolition scenes run into each other.

The only real interest for me was watching Jane Fonda. Her "Iris Caine" is supposed to be a light hearted version of her dramatic Bree Daniels prostitute character in "Klute" Yet, one doesn't believe her for a moment. It is always Jane Fonda pretending to be a prostitute that we are watching. It is as terrible a performance as her performance in "Klute" was terrific. It would be a good lesson for acting teachers to run the two films together to show how the same actress in the same type of role can be great or pathetic. It suggests that actors are only as good as their writers and directors.

Remembrance of things past

[j12997967 · 7/10 · 3 March 2007]

"I dunno nothing about climbing... except onto broads and motorcycles." --Peter Boyle replies to Donald Sutherland in a Brando voice when asked to climb into someplace to steal something.

"A '50 Studie!" --Donald Sutherland exclaims when he sees a 1950 Studebaker at a demolition derby, the only model he had yet to crash into in his derby driving days before prison.

Most, if not all, of the members of the comedy group The Committee appear in the movie and there's a great bit that defies description involving Hessman, his henchman, a sort of movie-prop housefront with someone pretending to be an out-of-control guard dog barking at the window while one of the others tries to hold him back.

I think Sutherland said in a Playboy interview that it was during the filming of this movie that Jane Fonda raised his consciousness.

Sigh, I never would have seen most of my favorite movies if it weren't for revival houses that brought this and other classic or off-beat movies back from time to time. Sadly, most of those theaters are long gone too these days.

Great fight scene between Boyle and Sutherland.

[squelcho · 7/10 · 17 July 2005]

A warm fuzzy movie from a stoned era. Rebels without a clue decide to flee the rat race in a surplus flying boat. A few problems rear their ugly heads. Like their being permanently broke, the plane needing some major rebuilding, and their inability to hold down anything approaching a full time job. Boyle is in fine form as the down at heel mechanic and the fight between him (knife) and Sutherland (felt tip pen) is a comedy classic. A fine goofy feelgood ensemble piece that plays like they busked it for laughs. It would probably seem quaint and a bit dated if I saw it now, but back in the 70s it was a breath of fresh air. With a faint whiff of hash about it.

Quotable Lines

[CryMeARiver722 · 7/10 · 16 December 2006]

I recall seeing the movie in '73 and enjoying it. I was about 24 then, and it seemed like a "normal" film with "normal" people doing "normal" things, at the time! lol.

What I've been trying to figure out for decades now, is if this is the Sutherland/Fonda film where he rolls the black super ball (which he refers to as a "marble") from the back of the empty bus down the aisle, past Fonda, the only other passenger, as she sat up front ignoring the ball, which was clearly, a message from him. Without turning to acknowledge him, she hurriedly gets off the bus, trying to slip away into the night. He gets off the bus, catches up with her and asks: "Why didn't you answer my marble?" Somebody! Please! Tell me if this is the film that the line came from! I'm desperate to "get closure" on this one! lol. Been using the line all these years thinking it was from "Klute", but that's wrong! Nobody I've ever known seems to recall what I would term "THE classic line" from the film.

Thanks! CMAR

Old time Charm

[none-102 · 9/10 · 2 March 2001]

A film that holds up much better than its original reviews would let on. Although Fonda looks a bit disoriented at moments, there are a couple of scenes between her and Sutherland where the two simply radiate the star power that made them famous. Overall the film has a charm and warmth to it that, despite a little clumsyness at times, still makes it very much worthwhile and displays an interesting idiosyncratic type of humor and counterculture charm we haven't seen much of in recent years.

Not a must-see on a saturday night, but a precious gem for the connoisseur.

Light hearted, hip and fun . . .

[tech-4 · 10/10 · 6 August 2001]

Steelyard blues is a terrific addition to the Woodstock, or anti-establishment, era movies which include Easy Rider, Vanishing Point and Zacharia, to name a few. Peter Boyle is priceless as he does an impression of Marlon Brando and later scales a building without the use of ropes -- also a terrific early performance by KWRP's Howard Hessman. Don't miss this hip, fun farce. They don't make em like this anymore. Fantastic sound track featuring Maria Muldaur -- among others.

Fantastic suspension of disbelief

[v00n · 8/10 · 13 December 2006]

... required.

Escapism grounded in grim reality. You just really want them to get away with it, and then, even when it's all going horribly wrong, they somehow do!!! Excellent early 70s vibes aplenty.

Sadly, Peter Boyle passed away today, so I should point out that his presence lights up the whole film. I can never understand why he never got more character parts.

I include this film with a number of other early 70s films such as Easy Rider, Two Lane Blacktop and The Getaway. Intelligent escapism, with a tinge of cannabis. Cannot understand why it doesn't have a DVD release, especially when many other, lesser, movies are brought into the equation. It deserves the whole extras/commentary/scene setting that Fear and Loathing got, after all!

two brothers in combat over their distinctly separate lifestyles.

[wsegen · 10/10 · 8 August 2006]

my favorite line(s), while eagle is climbing up the hangar wall.

"how does he do that?" "Have you ever worked in a circus?" "No." "I can't tell you."

The story is Cain and Abel. Abel, supported by his friends and Cain, supported by his societal structure are at odds when the Abel brother, Jesse, gets out of jail and tries to avoid thievery, which he had used to support his "habit" of driving demolition derby cars. Frank, the Cain character, happens to be running for public office and doesn't want to be embarrassed by Jesse.

Jesse and his friends meld into one wacky , seemingly improv group. Many of the support cast has Second City credit as well as the San Francisco Committee. Alan Myerson was the Committee's director. And Peter Boyle extends his talents beyond even those he later displayed on SNL opposite John Belushi. Jane Fonda unobtrusively adds the new woman movement of the 70's when asked what she could contribute to the group's project of rebuilding a plane for escape to freedom. "I could help with the welding," she says, totally out of the character she has become while Jesse was in jail

Howard Hesseman is the perfectly suave villain, Garry Goodrow the perfectly wacky techie.

There is so much to say about the music. Bloomfield, maria muldaur, nick gravenites, on and on. just a great uplifting soundtrack, very bluesy and toe tapping.

Edgy 60's-type Comedy

[dougdoepke · 17 December 2018]

Wacky comedy with an anti-establishment edge. But then what would be expected of social critics like Fonda and Sutherland. The surprise here is Peter Boyle who steals the show with Eagle's loony antics. He's both amusing and scary at the same time. It's a bravura performance.

The plot's just goofy enough to fit right in with a band of free spirits wanting to escape dull conformity. Seems they conspire to restore an airplane that's the size and shape of a warehouse so they can fly away to somewhere. That means having to get enough money for outfitting the wreck. For this misfit bunch that means organizing a pick-pocket attack on downtown suits. Grinning along is Sutherland's ex-con Veldini as the ring-leader. Trouble is he's got a respectable brother in the DA's office who aspires to higher elective status, and that means putting a halter on embarrassing brother Veldini. Meanwhile, there's Fonda as a big-haired hooker whose client list seemingly includes every suit in town. Plus seeing Hesseman as the DA, clean-shaven and in a spiffy suit, took me some getting used to after years of his scuzzy dj on WKRP, Cincinnati.

All in all, the 1971 flick (delayed release) amounts to a shady character comedy. There is a mild '60's era subtext but it's more implicit than explicit. At the same time, the non-conformists may be humorous but they're certainly not glorified as an alternative life-style. Then too, it's the byplay between the edgy characters that carries what chuckles there are. Nonetheless, I can see why some folks might dislike the results- no one is particularly likable, even Sutherland's lead character, while the comedic effects depend on the dubious personalities. Anyway, for the most part, I enjoyed the 93-minutes, despite the drawbacks.

Must see

[curtanddeb · 9/10 · 11 December 2008]

This is one of my favorite movies from the '70's. Peter Boyle steals the show, he is just over-the-top hilarious. Sutherland shows signs that he is becoming a famous actor, even though he doesn't seem to be trying very hard, but then that's Donald. Fonda seems like she is still trying to learn how to act. Then again, maybe it was just because they all may have been stoned during the entire film (although that subject does not come up in this movie). The scene at the demolition derby is one of my favorite scenes ever, even though I'm a car guy and it kills me to see the '50 Stude destroyed. This is probably more of a guy film even though Fonda brings out the "new woman".

Nice

[GOWBTW · 9/10 · 14 October 2017]

It's kind of ironic that someone wants to have his/her own place in this world. But if you have been in trouble with the law, you would considered to be an outcast to society. A rebel is a person who won't conform to society means. Donald Sutherland plays Jesse Veldini, a demolition driver who seems to be on the edge. Howard Hesseman plays Frank, his brother and D.A. who seems to help his brother get on the straight and narrow. Jesse is notorious for wrecking every kind of American car during his times in the demolition derby. When he sees the 1950 Studebaker, he has to wreck it. With all the other misfits he hangs with, they get to restore a plane. This movie is a barrel of laughs. And it's a reunion of Donald Sutherland and Jane Fonda. Two years ago, they did "Klute" where Sutherland played a cop. Fonda plays a prostitute again in this film. This is a story of find a place in society, more like finding your own world. What a better place to be like the junkyard. The ultimate treasure yard. I enjoyed it very much. 4 out of 5 stars.

Not quite Klute 2

[Dodger-9 · 3 August 2000]

After making the cult classic, Klute Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland followed their big screen collaboration with this amusing black comedy about a bunch of oddballs repairing an old plane in the hope of flying away from it all.

Some fair moments of high farce, and a good supporting cast, including Peter Boyle.

However, the off set stories, such as the alleged fling between producers Julia Phillips and the late Don Simpson, proved to be far more interesting than the movie itself.

best comedy bit Donald Sutherland ever did

[screaminmimi · 8/10 · 25 March 2008]

Not a great movie, but the scene between Sutherland's character and his brother in the brother's office is worthy of the best Marx Brothers material.

Unlike the other commentators here, I found Peter Boyle's work in this movie annoying and overwrought, and that's why I gave it an 8. But everything Sutherland did in this movie was comedy magic and totally unexpected, given his reputation as a serious actor.

Fonda, on the other hand, seemed to be phoning it in, doing a watered down caricature of her Bree Daniels persona in "Klute." Too bad, there was a lot of talent in this picture.