SnoopyStyle Near the end of WWII, the Nazis hope to trade a truck load of secret documents for amnesty with the Americans. General Helmut Kladen (Richard Lynch) is tasked to bring the truck to the Americans at the Swiss borders. Years later, LAPD Barney Caine (George C. Scott) is investigating the murder of Tom Neeley. Neeley was the Major who intercepted the Nazi truck. With his last effort, he writes 'Gene' with his blood. Titan Oil chairman Adam Steiffel (Marlon Brando) becomes part of the investigation but he has powerful influences. Caine goes to Germany to investigate an old secret operation codenamed Genesis which he suspects is connected to the case. He uncovers a Nazis formula for making gasoline from coal which oil interests are willing to kill to bury.This thing is slower than molasses. Director John G. Avildsen is very hit and miss. This is definitely a miss. The investigation is a grind. It reminds me of TV police procedurals of that era. George C. Scott is the only driving force in the movie. He is pushing this through only by his will power. Marlon Brando looks old and fat. He's fine as a villain and it's nice to see him. The movie isn't asking much from him.The premise is compelling and would make a good thriller. The movie is just too slow for too long. It desperately needs more action and much better pace. It's good to see two acting icons but I wish they had a better movie to act in. I have to comment on the Nazi strip club. I don't like it not because it's controversial, but because it looks so cheesy. Like the movie, it needed better style to make something more compelling.

mike dewey This film may have even more relevance today than in 1980, when it was released. Most in this country would love to be left to their own devices by marketing/consuming fuel based on American coal derivatives like those delineated in the "Genesis" formula instead of depending upon foreign petroleum. The parallels outlined here are close to today's, especially the popular theories these days that big oil is suppressing valid fuel alternative projects that would undercut their energy dominance, hence, their financial status.Unlke some other reviewers, I thought the film moved along at a nicely orchestrated pace, making it, perhaps, a more analytical movie than a Hollywood flash-and-dash melodrama. The film follows a logical progression of events that lets the viewer absorb the contents in easy to swallow doses, that is, as long as he/she pays attention to the plot development.I was impressed by mostly all the actors, especially Marthe Keller, who acquitted herself very well in her portrayal by staying well within her character and by her impeccable timing and fluid delivery. Mr. Brando's rather short stint in the film was punctuated by terse, cynical and penetrating dialog, playing the enterprising villain who continually cuts to the chase with large doses of street-wise metaphors. George C., as usual, is a no-nonsense good cop who only wants to see justice prevail, regardless of who gets burnt. Yet inside him, demons from the past lurk and can't help but surface from time to time: you can see it in the non-verbal communication that Mr. Scott so characteristically exudes.Thanks to TCM for showing these kinds of films that are usually omitted on other movie channels.

Ralph Caught this while doing some work at my desk and saw it had George C Scott, a favorite of mine. It had a really bad feel to it on a made for TV movie level, so I kept it in the background so I could get some snippets as this looked really really boring and it's all that was on at the time. Anyway if your political bents swing towards the Greenpeace crowd than you will rate this a 7 to 10, since I'm on the other end of the political spectrum it gets a 2. I love secret Nazi formula thriller stuff, and one that holds as much promise as the "formula" here did along with Scott should have come much better. That said the movies only redeeming qualities was it's similarities of Brando's character to Dick Chaney, and the speech in the end when Scott says "Your the reason why old people have to eat out of garbage cans!". That and a weird scene with strippers on stage in Germany with swastika pasties on, that was kind of interesting, you had to be there. I think both of these actors pulled some stunts during the academy awards and they were the forerunners of todays mostly leftist Hollywood actor crowd, and this movie has a clear political bent to appeal to that audience with dialog like the old people and trash cans. I'm surprised he didn't mention anything about soup lines, but I might have just missed it as this movie was hard to stay focused on and for once I preferred to do some work than follow this boring drivel. 2 of 10 stars, Scott didn't make all that many truly great movies in his career, but I certainly remember the ones he did do, this one wont be remembered as one though.

Juliette2005 I give this a high rating simply because of George C. Scott and Marlon Brando, who rise above muddled material and breathe life into an otherwise clunky TV movie. The plot is basically oil/greed ripping off the nation, and if I didn't know better I'd say Brando was channelling Dick Cheney, but the music and the script and the camera work (zooms, anyone?) are so cheesy that it's hard to stay with this movie.However. The performances are fresh and fun and strangely lively, all the actors are magnificent, and true or not- it's a nice little commentary on modern greed in America (and the world).A fun watch if you've nothing better to do than watch great actors go head to head.