The Big Fix (1978 film)
The Big Fix is a 1978 American political comedy thriller film directed by Jeremy Kagan and based on the novel by Roger L. Simon, who dramatized his own novel for the screen.[2][1] It stars Richard Dreyfuss as private detective Moses Wine and co-stars Susan Anspach, Bonnie Bedelia, John Lithgow, and F. Murray Abraham.[2]
| The Big Fix | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster, with the tagline "...so go figure." | |
| Directed by | Jeremy Paul Kagan |
| Produced by | Carl Borack Richard Dreyfuss |
| Written by | Roger L. Simon |
| Based on | The Big Fix by Roger L. Simon[1] |
| Starring | Richard Dreyfuss Susan Anspach Bonnie Bedelia John Lithgow Ofelia Medina Nicolas Coster F. Murray Abraham Fritz Weaver |
| Music by | Bill Conti |
| Cinematography | Frank Stanley |
| Edited by | Patrick Kennedy |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | Universal Pictures |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 108 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3,800,000 (estimated) |
| Box office | $13,000,000 (USA) (October 1978) |
Plot
A former 1960s student activist turned private detective searches for a missing Berkeley activist with whom he shared "the barricades."
Former campus activist turned private investigator Moses Wine is contacted by Lila, an old girlfriend from his radical college days. She wants him to work for Miles Hawthorne, who is a candidate running for governor of California. Moses is told about a flyer being distributed around the state; this bears a doctored photo of Hawthorne standing beside a 1960s radical named Howard Eppis, who had been convicted in absentia for inciting violence against the government and has been living as a fugitive since, libelously claiming that Eppis is supporting Hawthorne for governor in a clear attempt to destroy Hawthorne's chances for being elected.
Moses sets out to find out who is responsible—with deadly results.
Cast
- Richard Dreyfuss as Moses Wine
- Susan Anspach as Lila Shea
- Bonnie Bedelia as Suzanne
- John Lithgow as Sam Sebastian
- Ofelia Medina as Alora
- Nicolas Coster as Nicholas Spitzler
- F. Murray Abraham as Howard Eppis
- Fritz Weaver as Oscar Procari, Sr.
- Ron Rifkin as Randy Esterhaus
Reception
The Big Fix received critical reviews that were no better than fair, and was not a box-office success, when it was initially released.
References
- Simon, Roger L. (1973). The Big Fix (1st ed.). San Francisco: Straight Arrow Books. ISBN 978-0879320485.
- Canby, Vincent (November 19, 1978). "The Big Fix Film Review". The New York Times. New York City: The New York Times Company. Retrieved June 5, 2015.