If you are a De Niro completest, "Sam's Song" (aka "Line of Fire", a/aka "The Swap" (recut) is a 'must see' right before the 4 hour great "1900". I saw it as "The Swap". De Niro circa 1969 is the best part of the film, and listen: Everyone starts somewhere. Debra Winger's (Paula's) best friend - Lisa Blount - from an Officer and a Gentleman - is also featured here with a solid, brief performance. Those aside, "Sam's Song" was hardly a career springboard, proof that Darwinian "Survival of the Talented" theory lives on in Hollywood.
The acting is on par with (say) . . . TV's Superman Series (50s vintage - featuring the original Lois Lane) or maybe TV's Lost in Space. On that basis in fact, it rivals Gone with the Wind. It's all a matter of perspective. On the B Scale, it's an 8. On the A scale: 5! On that compromised basis, I liked it. Michael said it best in The Big Chill: "Ever gone a week without a rationalization?"
I discovered my copy at a flea market for $2.50, the right price for this caliber of art. It's a collector's item. If you can find a copy, buy / rent it. It is typical low budget, B-grade fare. Expect little and be satisfied.
The acting is on par with (say) . . . TV's Superman Series (50s vintage - featuring the original Lois Lane) or maybe TV's Lost in Space. On that basis in fact, it rivals Gone with the Wind. It's all a matter of perspective. On the B Scale, it's an 8. On the A scale: 5! On that compromised basis, I liked it. Michael said it best in The Big Chill: "Ever gone a week without a rationalization?"
I discovered my copy at a flea market for $2.50, the right price for this caliber of art. It's a collector's item. If you can find a copy, buy / rent it. It is typical low budget, B-grade fare. Expect little and be satisfied.