Cast and Crew:  James Keach

What It’s About: Louis Thibadeau (Charles Durning), a decorated WWII hero, witnesses a murder by “cocaine cowboys” at his friend Paddie’s (Bert Remsen) diner. The cops want Thibadeau to testify, but his friend, Public Defender Cathryn Bolan (Pam Grier), fears that the drug dealers will kill Louis and his family. Durning tries to do the right thing while dodging attacks, but finally sets himself up as bait, sets traps throughout his home, gets out his WWII surplus weapons and goes back into stone cold killer mode to take out the trash.

Why Watch it Today?:  The Invasion of Okinawa ended today in 1945.  Thibadeau’s combat experience occurred on Okinawa, although Durning served in Europe, fighting on D-Day and during the Battle of the Bulge.  Despite Durning’s real life combat experience, asking us to accept an out of shape 62-year-old Durning as the guy who gets “pushed too far” and wreaks havoc on drug dealers is just incongruous enough to reward fans of the unusual.