A Great American Tragedy

1972 1h 15m EN

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 4

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A middle-aged aerospace engineer has his whole life changed when he is suddenly laid off from his job. Unable to find work because of his age and a bad economy, he watches his bills pile up, his wife forced to go back to work and his marriage start to break up.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

George Kennedy
Brad Wilkes
Vera Miles
Gloria Wilkes
William Windom
Rob Stewart
Sallie Shockley
Carol
Kevin McCarthy
Mark Reynolds
Hilarie Thompson
Julie Wilkes
James Woods
Rick
Natalie Trundy
Paula Braun

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: J. Lee Thompson
Writers: Caryl Ledner
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

54 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by J. Lee Thompson, shot by J.J. Jones. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by George Duning. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Henry Berman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

ERA

Did you know

George Kennedy and Vera Miles and William Windom carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0068660 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

J. Lee Thompson directs. J.J. Jones behind the camera. George Duning scores. Henry Berman cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
254 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by J. Lee Thompson, shot by J.J. Jones. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by George Duning. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Henry Berman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7George Kennedy and Vera Miles and William Windom carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0068660 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 4 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.