Inside Moves
Inside Moves is a 1980 American drama film directed by Richard Donner.[1] The film is based on the book of the same name by Todd Walton,[2] with a script by then writing duo Valerie Curtin and Barry Levinson.
| Inside Moves | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Richard Donner |
| Produced by | R.W. Goodwin Mark M. Tanz |
| Written by | Valerie Curtin Barry Levinson |
| Based on | Inside Moves by Todd Walton |
| Starring | John Savage David Morse Diana Scarwid Amy Wright Tony Burton |
| Music by | John Barry |
| Cinematography | László Kovács |
| Edited by | Frank Morriss |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Associated Film Distribution |
Release date |
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Running time | 113 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
After a suicide attempt leaves a man named Roary (John Savage) partially crippled, he finds himself living in a rundown house in Oakland, California. He spends a lot of time at a neighborhood bar, which is full of other disabled people, and becomes best friends with Jerry (David Morse), the barman with a bad leg.
Jerry gains the attention and respect from the Golden State Warriors when he scrimmages a player and loses narrowly.
Jerry's luck turns round when one of the professional basketball players lends him the money for an operation to fix his leg. Once he is fully healed, Jerry goes on to become a basketball star, fulfilling his lifelong dream. However, he abandons his old friends by pretending they never existed.
Cast
- John Savage as Roary
- David Morse as Jerry Maxwell
- Diana Scarwid as Louise
- Amy Wright as Anne
- Tony Burton as Lucius
- Bill Henderson as Blue Lewis
- Steve Kahan as Burt
- Jack O'Leary as Max
- Bert Remsen as Stinky
- Harold Russell as Wings
- Pepe Serna as Herrada
- Harold Sylvester as Alvin Martin
- Arnold Williams as Benny
- George Brenlin as Gil
- Gerri Dean as Hooker
- William Frankfather as Fryer
Production
In his 2006 audio commentary for Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, Donner states that he agreed to direct Inside Moves only to take his mind off of being fired and replaced from Superman II. He referred to Inside Moves as "the smallest film I could do that was just very near and dear to me, at that point, and I felt this is going to take my mind totally off that."
Diana Scarwid's performance as Louise, Roary's girlfriend, earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.[3] The movie also marked the return to the screen by disabled veteran Harold Russell, thirty-four years after his Oscar-winning role in The Best Years of Our Lives.
Donner's biographer James Christie relates how the director confused Cinematographer Kovács with his fellow Hungarian Vilmos Zsigmond, referring to him as "Vilmos" repeatedly. When Zsigmond dropped by the set to visit, Donner had T-shirts made up that read "MY NAME IS NOT LÁSZLÓ" and "MY NAME IS NOT VILMOS" for each of them. Later, they switched shirts and confused everyone.[4]
Reception
Emanuel Levy gave it a grade C+.[5]
References
- "Inside Moves". TCM database. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
- Walton, Todd (1978). Inside Moves. New York City: Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-9850355-8-7.
- "The 53rd Academy Awards (1981) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
- Christie, James (2010). You're the Director...You figure it out. The Life and Films of Richard Donner. BearManor Media. p. 152. ISBN 978-1-59393-527-6.
- Emanuel Levy (June 9, 2011). "Inside Moves (1980): Donner's Disability Melodrama, Starring John Savage and Diana Scarwid in Oscar-Nominated Performance | Emanuel Levy". Emanuellevy.com.