Winter Kills – 1979
Who really killed our president?

Director
William Richert

Writers
Richard Condon book
William Richert

Producers
Daniel H. Blatt producer
Fred C. Caruso producer
John H. Starke associate producer
Robert Sterling executive producer

Cast
Jeff Bridges – Nick Kegan
John Huston – Pa Kegan
Anthony Perkins – John Cerruti
Eli Wallach – Joe Diamond
Sterling Hayden – Z.K. Dawson
Dorothy Malone – Emma Kegan
Tomas Milian – Frank Mayo
Belinda Bauer – Yvette Malone
Ralph Meeker – Gameboy Baker
Toshirô Mifune – Keith
Richard Boone – Keifitz
David Spielberg – Miles Garner
Brad Dexter – Captain Heller One
Michael Thoma – Ray Doty
Ed Madsen – Captain Heller Two
Irving Selbst – Irving Mentor
Chris Soldo – Jeffreys
Robert Courtleigh – First Mate of T.K.
Peter Brandon – Doctor
Joe Spinell – Arthur Fletcher
Ira S. Rosenstein – Orderly on T.K.
Kyle Morris – John Kullers
Phil Lito – Police Driver
Barbara Richert – Woman Cyclist
Patrice Bough – Secretary #1
Eloise Hardt – Secretary #2
Kim O’Brien – First Blond Girl
Candice Rialson – Second Blonde Girl
Bill P. Wilson – Admiral
Loyd Catlett – Z.K. Dawson Guard
Michael Bond – Flight Engineer
Helen Fagan – Stewardess
Peter Kilman – Pilot
Gianni Russo – Co-Pilot
Lisette Álvarez – Cuban Singer (as Lissette)
Robert Boyle – Desk Clerk
Sydney Lanier – Raymond-The Butler
Helen Curry – Black Maid
Jesse Veliz – Cuban Man in Havana
Robert Wolcott – Shoeshine Boy
Robert Moresco – Intern
Agneta Eckemyr – Nurse One
Tisa Farrow – Nurse Two
Billie Allen – Receptionist
Joe Ragno – Doorman
Loutz Gage – Butler
Camilla Sparv – Beautiful Woman #1
Andrea Claudio – Beautiful Woman #2
Erin Gray – Beautiful Woman #3
Susan Walden – Beautiful Woman #4
Rebecca Grimes – Beautiful Woman #5
Jennifer Keith – Beautiful Woman #6
Amanda Jones – Beautiful Woman #7
Berry Berenson – Morgue Attendant
Tim Culbertson – Security Guard
Regis Mull – Cop with Keifetz
Jake Hughes – Child on Cycle
Peter Koshel – Cop-Casino Latino
Derrick Lynn-Thomas – Maitre d’
Gladys Hill – Rosemary, Pa’s secretary (uncredited)
Elizabeth Taylor – Lola Comante (uncredited)

Review by Theo Robertson

Winter Kills (1979)

Ah WINTER KILLS , based on the novel by Richard Condon which deals with a conspiracy that killed the president of the United States 20 years ago . I knew Condon also wrote THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE which dealt with a similar theme and was looking forward to seeing an intelligent thriller.

WINTER KILLS left me cold . It’s not a thriller – It’s a piece of worthless crap , possibly the worst movie I’ve seen this month and boy have I seen a lot of bad movies in June . The problem lies in both the direction and the script and seeing as William Richert was responsible for both then he should be blamed entirely for this unfunny farce.

There’s two things wrong with this movie . First off is the way everything is presented in a totally over the top manner . It’s not as OTT as say something like that James Bond movie with David Niven and Peter Sellers but everything has a farcial edge to it with actors completely mugging their performances . This might have been justified if there was entertainment value to the movie but there’s none . As a satire it’s very silly , so silly that it becomes almost unwatchable . Secondly the scenes seem to have been cut so much that they’re rendered senseless . Take for example a scene where the hero is confronting a loopy militia leader called Dawson . Dawson tells the hero he has 30 seconds start then it cuts to the hero being on board a plane . The scenes begin and end with no rhyme nor reason.

A dire movie that’s an ordeal to sit through