CUTTER'S WAY

Directed by Ivan Passer.  Written by Jeffrey Alan Fiskin. 
Starring Jeff Bridges, John Heard and Lisa Eichhorn.
1981, 105 minutes, Color, Rated R.

While there is a murder in this and the bulk of the plot is spent trying to solve who did it, it's not really a murder mystery.  Based on the novel Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg, the main three characters (Jeff Bridges, John Heard and Lisa Eichorn) are pretty unlikable, but very believably drawn.  Well, perhaps not Jeff Bridges, who seems a bit uneasy in his role but Eichorn and Heard are very good.  Bridges is on his way to being the leading man of AGAINST ALL ODDS, but can't quite pull off the confidence needed here.  In hindsight, however, you can see that it's coming for him.

The title character "Cutter" is an ANGRY one-armed Vietnam vet who takes to the mystery as a potential source of personal redemption.  The movie is ultimately about lost dreams and something of a downer.  This doesn't mean it isn't well made.

It was one of the last United Artists films, too.  It was made a little after HEAVEN'S GATE.  Czech director Ivan Passer had made the underrated SILVER BEARS (1978) previously to this film, was an odd choice for this film.  Well worth seeking out.