Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round

The 60s was the golden age of the heist genre and this is James Coburn's entry. It's like Michael Caine's "The Italian Job" without the mighty minis. Or Sinatra's "Ocean's 11" without the star studded comradery. Or Steve McQueen's "The Thomas Crown Affair" without the distinctive, tricksy style of direction and McQueen's personal touches (such as the dune buggy sequences) In other words it's lacking some magic spark. Coburn bangs more women than Bond in the first half, as he goes about getting the money together for the job. And a teenage Harrison Ford turns up in a small speaking role as a bell boy.

I saw this film at the cinema in the 1960's and years later, although I had never forgotten the title of the film, I could not remember anything else about it. I decided, therefore, to buy the DVD and pay a long time return visit to this film. In it James Coburn plays a con-man and is at times quite amusing, but I must say, however, that the movie is rather tame and slow and pretty much forgettable. Still it brought back memories of a time now gone, but a time I often wish would return. If you are wanting thrills and excitement, then this film is not for you. However, for those of you who enjoy watching 1960's films then this rather overlooked movie is worth a look.

This film deals with a con-man named Eli Kotch, (James Coburn) who just gets out of prison and decides to lay out his ground work for a large bank robbery at the Los Angeles, California airport. Eli also knows that a Russian Prime Minister will be visiting Los Angeles and flying into the same airport which will distract the police force away from a bank holdup. Eli also meets up with a very sexy blonde named Inger Knudson, (Camilla Spary) who works for very rich people and cons her into doing all kinds of things, Eli even marries her with a fake ID. There is plenty of comedy and some tense moments in a police station. You will never be able to figure out how this picture will end. It will definitely surprise you. Enjoy.

"Dead Heat On A Merry-Go-Round" is a lot like its title: looks and sounds good, but means nothing and ultimately is of no real value. It's a glossy production with a fine music score by Stu Phillips, but it's neither funny enough, nor suspenseful enough, nor clear enough, to work as a heist comedy-thriller. It's made in an deliberately obscure style that is far too pretentious for what is essentially just another bank robbery yarn. James Coburn is ideal for these cocky, cynical roles, but this particular character invokes little sympathy or interest. In fact, the only character with any life here is the quirky, flaky girl played by Nina Wayne; I wouldn't mind it at all if the film abandoned all the other characters and told us her story instead. As it is, "Dead Heat On A Merry-Go-Round" is deadly boring and doesn't spin fast enough. * out of 4.

Not really bad, but certainly not as provocative as its clever title would suggest. The appealing James Coburn is a grifter who jumps parole and plots a bank robbery at LAX on the day the Russian Premier is due to arrive. It takes a LONG time for that plot to become clear. It's episodic, sporadically suspenseful and occasionally funny. Coburn runs into the likes of sexy but bright Nina Wayne, wealthy Boston dowager Rose Marie and the gorgeous Camilla Sparv. Coburn & Sparv have a lot of chemistry, though it's unclear why they're even together. Bernard Girard's script is very malformed. The supporting cast includes a nearly silent Aldo Ray, Robert Webber as an uptight security man, and the always enjoyable Severn Darden as one of Coburn's sweaty cohorts. DEAD HEAT ON A MERRY GO ROUND is perhaps now more famous for featuring the then Columbia Studio contract player Harrison Ford (he has one line).

"Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round" is probably mostly of interest to us nowadays due to Harrison Ford's bit part as a bellhop. Apparently, after the movie bombed, a producer told Ford: "Kid, you ain't got it." Of course, Ford went on to star in the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" trilogies, so he clearly had lots of "it". Anyway, the movie casts James Coburn as ex-con Eli Kotch, plotting a heist in LAX while the Russian prime minister is visiting. Coburn seems to be mirroring his Derek Flint character, right down to being surrounded by hot babes (specifically Camilla Sparv and Nina Wayne). The good ol' Cold War, when the US and USSR could play all sorts of tricks on each other, and there were plenty of beauties to go around. Overall, "DHOAMGR" isn't a great movie, but it's worth seeing. You may notice that playing Mrs. Kirby is Rose Marie, better known as Sally on "The Dick Van Dyke Show". Nina Wayne. Hubba hubba...

Handsomely-produced, location-rich crime-drama with a light touch concerns a recently-paroled crook who gets right down to business upon his release: using a variety of aliases across the US while masterminding a complicated heist on the bank at Los Angeles International Airport. In the flashy leading role, James Coburn never resorts to mugging or other outrageous tactics; he's dry as a martini, but not above a little wily interplay with the ladies. Director Bernard Girard's own screenplay is complicated enough without the asides to the surveillance team surrounding the visiting Russian Premier, and a romantic subplot involving Camilla Sparv (which ties in to the finale) is as obtuse as the film's unwieldy title. Still--for Coburn buffs especially--there are several strong sequences building up to the tightly wrought finish, and the well-chosen supporting cast is solid. ** from ****