The Spikes Gang

"Three boys wanted to be like their hero, Harry Spikes. They got their wish. Soon they were worth a fortune. DEAD or ALIVE."

1974 1h 36m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 45

WesternAction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Three teenage farm boys stumble upon Harry Spikes, a local bandit wounded in a gun battle. While Harry is recuperating, he regales the young men with stories of his exciting past. The adventurous tales inspire them to start a gang of their own. Failing at their first attempt to rob a bank, the boys convince the gruff Spikes to teach them the ways of the desperado.

“Three boys wanted to be like their hero, Harry Spikes. They got their wish. Soon they were worth a fortune. DEAD or ALIVE.”

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Cast

Lee Marvin
Harry Spikes
Gary Grimes
Will
Ron Howard
Les
Charles Martin Smith
Tod
Arthur Hunnicutt
Kid White
Noah Beery Jr.
Basset
Marc Smith
Abel Young
Don Fellows
Cowboy

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Richard Fleischer
Writers: Irving Ravetch, Harriet Frank Jr.
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

ERA

Did you know

52 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Richard Fleischer, shot by Brian West. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Lee Marvin and Gary Grimes and Ron Howard carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Three boys wanted to be like their hero, Harry Spikes. They got their wish. Soon they were worth a fortune. DEAD or ALIVE.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0072198 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Richard Fleischer directs. Brian West behind the camera. Fred Karlin scores. Frank J. Urioste cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

152 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Richard Fleischer, shot by Brian West. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Fred Karlin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Frank J. Urioste shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Lee Marvin and Gary Grimes and Ron Howard carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Three boys wanted to be like their hero, Harry Spikes. They got their wish. Soon they were worth a fortune. DEAD or ALIVE.".
8IMDB entry: tt0072198 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 45 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.