1980·Action·1h 41m
7.1
★
When a twisted psychotic kidnaps a young girl, mistaking her for the daughter of a wealthy developer, her father, a hardened ex-cop, doggedly hunts them through New York's seamy streets.
Directed by Robert Butler
ransom
psychopath
manhattan, new york city
child kidnapping
neo-noir
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
James Brolin
Sean Boyd
Cliff Gorman
Gus Soltic
Richard S. Castellano
Lt. Tonelli
Linda Miller
Barbara Boyd
Barton Heyman
Preacher
Sully Boyar
Larry the Dog Catcher
Julie Carmen
Maria
Abby Bluestone
Kathy Boyd
Dan Hedaya
Sgt. Otis Barnes
Mandy Patinkin
Allesandro the Cabbie
Marco St. John
Hampton Richmond Clayton III
Tony Azito
Peep Show Cashier
Crew
Robert Butler
Director
Victor J. Kemper
Director of Photography
Arnold Kopelson
Executive Producer
William P. McGivern
Novel
Michael Haley
First Assistant Director
Howard Duff
Props
Gene Hartline
Stunts
C. Thomas Howell
Stunts
Ted White
Stunts
John Finnerty Jr.
Best Boy Grip
Dennis Sands
Score Engineer
Popular Reviews
19 reviews
Ethan
The sort of New York High & Low reimagining Spike Lee should have made instead. Mean, gritty, and sleazy. The car chase in the first 20 minutes is god damn spectacular and the film never really takes off the gas pedal. A 4k blind buy that lived up to the purchase.
The sort of New York High & Low reimagining Spike Lee should have made instead. Mean, gritty, and sleazy. The car chase in the first 20 minutes is god damn spectacular and the film never really takes off the gas pedal. A 4k blind buy that lived up to the purchase.
Ethan
The sort of New York High & Low reimagining Spike Lee should have made instead. Mean, gritty, and sleazy. The car chase in the first 20 minutes is god damn spectacular and the film never really takes off the gas pedal. A 4k blind buy that lived up to the purchase.
The sort of New York High & Low reimagining Spike Lee should have made instead. Mean, gritty, and sleazy. The car chase in the first 20 minutes is god damn spectacular and the film never really takes off the gas pedal. A 4k blind buy that lived up to the purchase.
hQ0105
7.0★ · 04/04/26
What the hell was he juggling? Stupid ideas?
A solid action thriller with a social drama backdrop. Yes, the premise isn’t new, in fact, I’ve seen at least half a dozen films with the “ambiguous father/father figure on a mission to rescue a vulnerable girl” trope. Night of the Juggler has way too much running, at some point, even I couldn’t catch my breath. James Brolin was extra buff in the 80s.
A fun, slightly unserious film with great social commentary about systemic corruption in power and its consequences for average citizens.
A solid action thriller with a social drama backdrop. Yes, the premise isn’t new, in fact, I’ve seen at least half a dozen films with the “ambiguous father/father figure on a mission to rescue a vulnerable girl” trope. Night of the Juggler has way too much running, at some point, even I couldn’t catch my breath. James Brolin was extra buff in the 80s.
A fun, slightly unserious film with great social commentary about systemic corruption in power and its consequences for average citizens.
What the hell was he juggling? Stupid ideas?
A solid action thriller with a social drama backdrop. Yes, the premise isn’t new, in fact, I’ve seen at least half a dozen films with the “ambiguous father/father figure on a mission to rescue a vulnerable girl” trope. Night of the Juggler has way too much running, at some point, even I couldn’t catch my breath. James Brolin was extra buff in the 80s.
A fun, slightly unserious film with great social commentary about systemic corruption in power and its consequences for average citizens.
A solid action thriller with a social drama backdrop. Yes, the premise isn’t new, in fact, I’ve seen at least half a dozen films with the “ambiguous father/father figure on a mission to rescue a vulnerable girl” trope. Night of the Juggler has way too much running, at some point, even I couldn’t catch my breath. James Brolin was extra buff in the 80s.
A fun, slightly unserious film with great social commentary about systemic corruption in power and its consequences for average citizens.
Jacob Paddison
9.0★ · 02/12/26
Maybe not the most psychotic crime thriller ever — that award would go to Russell Mulcahy's Ricochet — but certainly in the upper echelons of insane cinema, and by far the filthiest, most madcap of any of the '70s NYC crime flicks. Like The French Connection on steroids.
Just like the poster depicts, James Brolin literally tears the city into pieces trying to track down his kidnapped daughter, held for ransom by Cliff Gorman in an all time villainous role — and in a darkly comedic twist, he got the wrong kid! His intentions were to bargain with a rich land developer a million dollars for the life of his child, instead he ended up kidnapping a look-a-like, the daughter of broke ex-cop James Brolin. And once that happens 15 minutes in, the insanity just keeps piling on, reaching a historical all-time high when Dan Hedaya waltzes on screen with a shotgun in a truly unhinged shootout in broad daylight.
Mandy Patinkin has a 2 minute cameo as the gay Puerto Rican guy from Seinfeld.
Just like the poster depicts, James Brolin literally tears the city into pieces trying to track down his kidnapped daughter, held for ransom by Cliff Gorman in an all time villainous role — and in a darkly comedic twist, he got the wrong kid! His intentions were to bargain with a rich land developer a million dollars for the life of his child, instead he ended up kidnapping a look-a-like, the daughter of broke ex-cop James Brolin. And once that happens 15 minutes in, the insanity just keeps piling on, reaching a historical all-time high when Dan Hedaya waltzes on screen with a shotgun in a truly unhinged shootout in broad daylight.
Mandy Patinkin has a 2 minute cameo as the gay Puerto Rican guy from Seinfeld.
Maybe not the most psychotic crime thriller ever — that award would go to Russell Mulcahy's Ricochet — but certainly in the upper echelons of insane cinema, and by far the filthiest, most madcap of any of the '70s NYC crime flicks. Like The French Connection on steroids.
Just like the poster depicts, James Brolin literally tears the city into pieces trying to track down his kidnapped daughter, held for ransom by Cliff Gorman in an all time villainous role — and in a darkly comedic twist, he got the wrong kid! His intentions were to bargain with a rich land developer a million dollars for the life of his child, instead he ended up kidnapping a look-a-like, the daughter of broke ex-cop James Brolin. And once that happens 15 minutes in, the insanity just keeps piling on, reaching a historical all-time high when Dan Hedaya waltzes on screen with a shotgun in a truly unhinged shootout in broad daylight.
Mandy Patinkin has a 2 minute cameo as the gay Puerto Rican guy from Seinfeld.
Just like the poster depicts, James Brolin literally tears the city into pieces trying to track down his kidnapped daughter, held for ransom by Cliff Gorman in an all time villainous role — and in a darkly comedic twist, he got the wrong kid! His intentions were to bargain with a rich land developer a million dollars for the life of his child, instead he ended up kidnapping a look-a-like, the daughter of broke ex-cop James Brolin. And once that happens 15 minutes in, the insanity just keeps piling on, reaching a historical all-time high when Dan Hedaya waltzes on screen with a shotgun in a truly unhinged shootout in broad daylight.
Mandy Patinkin has a 2 minute cameo as the gay Puerto Rican guy from Seinfeld.
Oli Dauberman
8.0★ · 01/07/26
that car chase in the beginning is just absolutely incredible. also love the sleazy, rotten-to-the-core big apple setting and the banter between Brolin’s character and his daughter in the beginning. good stuff. 4K looked excellent!
that car chase in the beginning is just absolutely incredible. also love the sleazy, rotten-to-the-core big apple setting and the banter between Brolin’s character and his daughter in the beginning. good stuff. 4K looked excellent!