Framed

Karlson continues revenge theme with "Framed"
"Framed" (1975) was legendary film noir director Phil Karlson's first film after the gargantuan success of his 1973 biopic of Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser, "Walking Tall." In "Framed", Karlson continues the theme of revenge which has dominated his body of work since the early 1950's. His masterpieces include "Scandal Sheet" (1952), "Kansas City Confidential" (1953) and, of course, "The Phenix City Story" (1955). "Phenix City" is a fact based biopic, along the lines of "Walking Tall," about the murder of the Attorney General Elect of the State of Alabama. Long considered Karlson's greatest achievement, it was made prior to the sentencing of those involved in the Attorney General's murder, and greatly affected the outcome of their trial. "Framed," compares well to Karlson's best works. Karlson always worked on a limited budget. Like Samuel Fuller and Don Siegel, Karlson was a talented and...

In the tradition of Walking Tall...
Baker battles corruption yet again in this worthy follow-up to Walking Tall. All the elements for a classic 70's redneck revenge picture are here: corrupt cops, sicko henchmen, unlikely allies (including Gabe Dell and Brock Peters) and a long-suffering faithful girlfriend (Connie Van Dyke). Joe Don plays Lewis, a bar-owner and gambler who (wait for it) gets framed and is sent to the big house. Befriended by a mobster (John Marley!), Lewis gets enough info and ammo to go after those who took almost everything from him. The violence is brutal and the revenge is quite sweet.
This looks to be Karlson's last movie; if you've seen some of his earlier noirish epics (like Kansas City Confidential and Phenix City Story), you'll know what to expect. This is a GREAT unsung little film.

THE MOST BRUTAL of director Phil Karlson's films is this...his last movie.
As tough a film noir specialist as he was in the 50's...Karlson ignored this part of his MOVIESELF in the early 60's in search of more mainstream success which eluded him. UNTIL WALKING TALL. That film is rough and pretty brutally violent too, but THIS PHIL's swan song is even more violent and even more resonant. The story which is film noir cookie cutter, becomes much more through Karlson's direction and the the screen play (again by Mort Briskin who wrote WALKING TALL) into an indictment of the entire criminal justice system, all politicians, the sadistic prisons, the twisted legal/political entwining which DOES INDEED make the justification the film patent. A late masterpiece from a sorely under-rated director who influenced QUENTIN TARANTINO (RESERVOIR DOGS...SEE THE "EAR SCENE" IN FRAMED w/ cast OUT-OF-CHARACTER PAUL MANTEE Robinson Crusoe On Mars) and probably every Italian director of crime thrillers at the time too. Great performances from ALL in this cast. Especially...

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