Customer Reviews

Twilight's Last Gleaming

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There are some political thrillers that become "classics" ("The Manchurian Candidate," "Seven Days in May," and "Fail Safe," for example) while others fade into obscurity. "Twilight's Last Gleaming," unfortunately, falls into the latter category, although it deserves wider recognition and viewership.

Burt Lancaster portrays a looney general determined to right a wrong committed by the U.S. government: reveal the real reason behind the War in Vietnam and America's cover-up of this vital information. Commanding three fellow "terrorists" (Burt Young, Paul Winfield, and William Smith), Lancaster takes over a missile silo with the intention of launching it if the government doesn't "fess up" to the American public.

Richard Widmark also portrays a general that must thwart Lancaster's efforts. Charles Dunning is a beleagured President that must decide whether it is essential for the country's future if the information is revealed. His Cabinet is made up of familiar character actors Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Leif Ericson, William Marshall, Charles McGraw, Simon Scott, Joseph Cotten, and Melvin Douglas.

The tension is high in this superior thriller, aided by a stunning Jerry Goldsmith score, split-screen camerawork, and tight direction from Robert Aldrich.

The shocking ending makes this a film deserving of discovery.

I haven't seen this movie since it came out over 30 years ago, but not from lack of trying. There are either legal issues preventing it's re-release or else, as this film itself wants to convince, the powers that be do not want anyone to see it.

Robert Aldrich had already made his great moral parable about the insanity of the Vietnam War with Ulzana's Raid (1972) and now, five years later, he was to team up with Burt Lancaster once again for a full frontal assault. The Lancaster-Aldrich team is right up there with the great actor-director teams of American cinema: Deniro-Scorsese, Lemon-Wilder, Dietrich-Von Sternberg, Scott-Boetticher. This time they add Richard Widmark as Lancaster's nemesis and then get some of the best character actors of the era to contribute some of their finest performances - Roscoe Lee Browne, Joseph Cotten, Melvyn Douglas, Richard Jaeckel, Paul Winfield, a very young Burt Young, and especially noteworthy Charles Durning in what might be his best role as that of the very human President Stevens.

The story is totally improbable, the momentum unstoppable and the action breathtaking with the finest use of split screen ever seen in a Hollywoood movie (a technique Aldrich employed to good effect in The Longest Yard a few years earlier.)

I won't say this a a great movie, or even a good movie. I will say this is an important movie to see, made by America's greatest anarchist action filmmaker, and should not be missed, even though it's not possible to find. Call your congressman.

I saw this picture with my father in the theater. Now I could kick myself for not buying it on video. This picture was probably lumped in with male/ testosterone action flicks and over looked by the public at the box office. The movie is a cat and mouse thriller with Burt Lancaster grabbing the White Houses' attention by controlling a missle silo/bunker complex. As a former Air Force General with high security clearance, he knows how to complete the mission. The film is a study on why a decorated General threatens to start WW III.


On the opposite side of the fence lies the President, played by Charles Durning whose aim is to stop him. The supporting actors are outstanding on all accounts, Richard Widmark, Paul Winfield, Burt Young, Melvin Douglas, to name a few. The actors making up the presidents cabinet are outstanding. The cabinet/advisors must decide- is the General a mad man or can he pull off his threat of missle launch. What is his agenda?


The suspense builds thru the picture, can a missle launch be aborted by negotiation, stealth, or brute force. The ending is a shocker, uncompromising, a statement on what happens in a political chess match. The military advisor tells the president, the buck stops here.... you are responsible, even for past transgressions from a previous presidency.


WOULD SOME STUDIO PLEASE RELEASE THIS FILM ON DVD. THOSE IN THE KNOW ARE WAITING.

I must be one of the few that thoroughly enjoyed this film from 1977. Burt Lancaster leads a team of disgruntled vets (Burt Young, Paul Winfield, and William Smith) on an assault on a missile silo, overcoming the personnel and, eventually, obtaining launch control. With his hands on the trigger of a Titan missile, former (and slightly deranged) General Dell (Lancaster) wants the President (Charles Durning) and his Cabinet to issue a statement admitting negligence in the involvement in the Viet Nam conflict. Such release would be devastating to the nation; thus Durning and company try to devise a plan to satisfy Dell, protect the integrity of the government, and not start a nuclear war.

A tense game of cat-and-mouse erupts between Lancaster, Durning, and Richard Widmark as the general in charge of "taking" Lancaster and friends.

Great performances from the principals abound; the film also features several veteran character actors in small supporting roles: Joseph Cotten, Leif Ericson, Charles McGraw, and William Marshall.

An effective Jerry Goldsmith score adds immensely to the unfolding drama.

This movie, even though it has been hushed up for many years, is hopefully now begining to get the attention it deserves. Excellent acting by Lancaster et. al. Richard Widmark was supurb as well. This movie, unlike most of the crap coming out of Hollywood these days, requires the audience to think. Super movie. I will watch it over and over.

I remember this movie from when I was a kid and started following the past (and future) career of Burt Lancaster because of it. I notice alot of his older movies coming out on dvd recently...where the H is this one? Who's arm in Hollywood do you have to twist to get quality entertainment like this out on dvd? I do remember seeing it released years ago on laserdisc. Great movie, great suspense with great (and plausible) ending.

I first saw "Twilight's Last Gleaming" on late night TV back in 1984.
It impressed me then and I since acquired the film on VHS. Recently I have been able to pick up this film on DVD by importing it from Japan. This is the only official DVD release that this film has had to date incidentally
This is a remastered transfer and the end result is well worth the price of this not so cheap DVD. The DVD set has two discs, one with the 144 min version and the olther with the 93 min version. You also get some beautiful artwork and a booklet full of stills from the film.

"Twilight's Last Gleaming" is one of Robert Altman's best and most gripping films. The plot sees a framed and embittered former Airforce General - Lawrence Dell (Burt Lancaster) bust out of jail and with the aid of three inmate accomplices, take over a US nuclear silo which has 9 Titan missiles, all with nuclear warheads. Dell achieves this by using his own in depth knowledge from his time in the US airforce and hold the government to ransom with a demand for $20 million plus a public disclosure of a document that minutes the real reasons for going to war in Vietnam.
Gripping from start to finish, "Twilight's Last Gleaming" is one of the very best political thrillers ever made, and at times is a real white knuckle ride, such is the tension. Lancaster is superb and the film has great performances too from a stellar cast that includes Richard Widmark, Paul Winfield, Charles Durning, Burt Young, and Melvyn Douglas.

Along with "Emperor Of The North", this remains one of Robert Aldrich's greatest films. Sadly and criminally, it is also one of his most unknown.
Pick it up on DVD from cdjapan.co.jp

This is truly a forgotten classic. Charles Durning who plays the president has said this was his best role. He also said this was the biggest disappointment in his acting career,because he thought this film should have had much more success. The scences between Lancaster and Widmark are priceless. "You try one more stunt and I'LL LIGHT UP THE f------ sky!!!

I just saw this again on DVD---Yes it is available in Japan,with Japanese subtitles. It is called "Silo 3" over there. I had forgotten how much rough language was in this film.

If you liked Fail Safe, 7 days in May,you will love this.

I LOVE(d) THIS MOVIE! I saw this movie "Twlight's Last Gleaming" in the theatre (United Artists, Theatre # 1, Sunrise Mall, Massapequa, NY) when first came out in 1977, AND LOVED IT! It is exciting! Due to the actors involved, the director, the quick cuts / editing, the music, and especially because of the split-screen, which makes it exciting, and keeps you riveted, and helps the tension build! I do own the laserdisc, but it is on 3 sides (2 discs), and what gets me: on the second side, there is a flaw on the disc, making it "stop" while playing!, and having "wiggly" lines before stopping, freezing (if anyone owns laserdiscs, you should know what I am talking about). THAT is one of the reasons why we need a DVD.... NOW! And since it got lost when it was in the theatres (that is, it bombed), Hollywood SHOULD release it on DVD! PLEASE Hollywood, listen to your public: RELEASE IT ON DVD! STOP re-releasing the same movies 2 and 3 times, in all different "shapes and sizes", that is, re-releasing the same movies in all different editions (like SPECIAL EDITION, DIRECTORS CUT, COMMEMORATIVE EDITION, COLLECTORS EDITION, etc.!) RELEASE "NEW" (old, classic) MOVIES! Introduce people, the public, especially the young(er) ones to "old" classic movies, which stood for entertainment, instead of the modern, new Hollywood mindless "junk" which Hollywood keeps churning out! We should all write to the studio, and also to companies like ANCHOR BAY, which usually listens to the public, and puts out these type movies on DVD! And they put out Special Editions also! Thanks, and by the way, I am Liz' husband Paul writing this, under her sn; she allowed me. (By the way, I met Charles Durning, at Kennedy Airport in New York, back in 1983 or 1984; nice guy, short). -PAUL 9MAY2007

Have to agree with the other reviews. This is an excellent movie and should be on DVD by now.