TRACKDOWN

US, 1976, 98 minutes, Colour.
James Mitchum, Karen Lamm, Anne Archer, Erik Estrada, Cathy Lee Crosby, Vince Cannon.
Directed by Richard T. Heffron.

Trackdown is one of many tough action thrillers made during the 1970s. Small-budget, focus on sleazy locations and high action violent drama, this film is considered one of the better examples of its kind.

The film portrays a young woman going from a Montana ranch to try her luck in Los Angeles. She is immediately mugged, abducted, gang-raped by Mexicans. She is then forced into prostitution. Her brother comes from Montana to try to find her and encounters all kinds of obstacles – which, single-mindedly, he overcomes.

The film was a star vehicle for Robert Mitchum’s son James who did not appear in many top-ranking films. Anne Archer was at the beginning of her career. Erik Estrada succeeded on television with CHIPS. The cast also includes Cathy Lee Crosby and a young Ray Sharkey.

Richard T. Heffron made quite a number of films at this period, many of them telemovies.

1. The success of the film as action drama, seventies style, the atmosphere of realism?

2. What was the purpose of this film: in terms of entertainment, moral values and preaching, social message? How well were all these aspects blended?

3. The importance of America in the seventies? The country and mounting contrast with Los Angeles and the big city? Use of colour, locations, the atmosphere of Los Angeles?

4. The way the film sketched in the, atmosphere of the country: Jim and his going off, cowboy style, Betsy and her life in the country, leaving home?

5. The focus of the film on Betsy and her arrival in Los Angeles? Her naivety and the contrast of the exploitive city? The staging of the robbery? Her dependence on Jude, her wariness and yet her love for him? The sexual aspects? Her weakness of character and its being exploited in the rape, her being drugged, being sold? The ugliness of this atmosphere? The fact that it really happens to so many thousands of girls? Audience antipathy towards it and sympathy for Betsy?

6. The world of Tommy Lee and Liz? The sleazy world of the clubs and call-girls? Wealth based on this kind of exploitation? The film's authentic presentation of this? The various go-betweens, in the sale of girls? Johnny Dee’s henchmen etc.?

7. The portrayal of Betsy as willing to be exploited? Liz taking charge of her, buying the dresses, grooming her for hostess and prostitute work? The fascination of the money, the initial reserve about sexuality? Her easy entrance into this way of life? The change in audience sympathy towards her?

8. The lead-up to Betsy’s being bashed? The violence of her injuries and death? Her not being taken to hospital? The consequences for Johnny Dee and his henchmen?

9. The contrast of Jim as sure of himself and yet naive, entering Los Angeles? The prospect of searching for a lost girl, the difficulties in the trackdown? The police and their being overworked. the social workers unable to help? The cowboy methods of Jim? How appropriate for Los Angeles?

10. How important was the character of Lynn? Her busyness at the Centre? Jim’s challenge, her willingness to help him, their relating well? Her attitudes of realism towards the situation, compassion? The contrast with his fascist ways of doing things? How well did they help each other in finding Betsy?

11. The tracking of Jude and persuading him to help? The genuineness of his attraction to Betsy? The details of his helping Jim? The irony of his double-crossing Johnny Dee and leading him to his death? The portrayal of the violence and audience reaction to it?

12. How justified the deaths of the henchmen and of Johnny Dee? The portrayal at length of the heroics in the lift?
The seeming heroics and yet their failure? Jude’s faking of death?

13. The portrayal of the violent climax out in the desert? Was this the only way to handle the situation? Was it too much vigilante and individual administration of justice?

14. How important is a presentation of this kind of story as a warning of vice in our cities? How important the themes of responsibility and the details of ways of acting, and coping?