User Reviews

Shown as an ABC-TV "Movie of the Week" in March, 197O, "The Challenge" has all but disappeared from view--yet it lingers in the memory of those who saw it then, and has acquired enough of a cult following to allow collectors to share amateur DVD and VHS copies of the film, usually made from the same red-tinted 16-mm print.

(NOTE to ABC and 2Oth Century-Fox: none of us really wants to watch this film, or any other, on a "pirate" video. Release an authorized, good-quality "official" version and we'll jump at it. Think about it; I know you will.)

Adding to the film's obscurity is the somewhat generic title "The Challenge," which is shared by at least half-a-dozen other movies of varying merit. The above-mentioned print shows the title "Surrogate," which doesn't exactly set off bells of recognition with potential viewers, but hits somewhat closer to the mark.

The "surrogates" in question are Jacob Gallery (Darren McGavin in a rare performance worthy of his talent), an irreverent American mercenary, and Yuro (Mako), soldier in the army of an unnamed Communist country clearly modeled on Red China. They represent the "lowest common denominator" in warfare: two champions dueling on an isolated Pacific island to see whose nation will take possession of a nuclear payload-carrying-satellite that crashed in the ocean.

Among a truly stellar supporting cast, James Whitmore is the American in charge (National Security Adviser?), big-voiced Skip Homeier plays the State Department rep who pushes for Gallery as the U.S. champion, Broderick Crawford is General Meyers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who'd rather send his own Major Bryant (an impossibly young Sam Elliot)in place of the unconventional Gallery, and the legendary Paul Lukas (in his last film role) is the U.S. expert on all things Oriental, who offhandedly predicts that Gallery will lose--and precisely how.

(Incidentally, the highly individualistic Gallery, a court-martialed ex-officer, is one in a series of "nobly rebellious" characters created by writer Marc Norman--who, a quarter-century later, would win an Academy Award writing similar characterizations for Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow to play in "Shakespeare in Love.")

The scene that sears the memory occurs when a wounded and dying Gallery sees that Bryant, in violation of all the rules (written and unwritten)has been sent in as a backup by General Meyers, and has the drop on Yuro. Ordered by Bryant to "Use your weapon. USE IT!" Gallery, nodding, damn well does--

--ON BRYANT, not Yuro!

Shortly afterward, Gallery finds that Yuro has likewise eliminated his own backup, leaving the two badly wounded adversaries free to proceed to the concluding scene of their personal drama, an object lesson in futility.

Released at the height of the Vietnam controversy, "The Challenge" no doubt ignited fires of its own, especially with the Bryant shooting scene, which apparently represents Gallery honoring a higher loyalty than patriotism--truth, perhaps? It's an attitude found more often among thoughtful patriots than among those flag-fondlers and bell-ringers who blindly chant "my country, right or wrong" in any and all circumstances.

Besides being well-made and well-acted, "The Challenge" carries a message that cries out to be heard--now, even more than then.

A lot of technical talk dominates the first 40 minutes of this film before anything remotely resembling a challenge occurs, and by the time it does, the movie becomes a silent competition between Darren McGavin and Mako to win the one on one war, and the two different structures makes it difficult to remain interested. Audience interest in the subject matter will vary depending in the individual's paying attention to detail, and for me, unless you grab me right away, it's going to take a lot to bring me back. Some good supporting veterans really get to do nothing here, and after an hour, I realized it was still be a struggle to get through the last 12 minutes.

****SPOILERS**** With an state of the art high tech spy satellite landing in neutral waters off the cost of an unnamed communist nation in the Pacific Rim it's decided by both sides the USA & and whoever that unnamed communist country is to each have one of their best men to duke it out on the island and the winner gets control of the object. That instead of having a possibly third world war breaking out between the two countries with thousands of deaths on both sides. The man that the US chooses is former green beret and now high paid mercenary "Blood & Guts" Jacob Gallery, Darren McGavin, and in the red or communist corner the flashy and slippery Yuro played by Mister Marco who's known to hit them, his enemies, when they least expected.

This game of cat and mouse on the island between Gallary and Yuro goes on for some five days with either side getting the upper hand where it's decided by Gallary's boss Gen. Lewis Meyers, Brodick Crawford, to sent in reinforcements. Which is against the rules of the battle in bringing in hot shot and gong ho Capt. Bryant, Sam Elliott, to give Gallary, who by now is dying of gangrene, assistance. The same goes for Yuro in order for him to tip the scales in his favor his country sends a new man to help him do in Gallery without his knowing about it.

***SPOILERS*** The fact that both sides, the USA & unnamed communist country, were playing dirty to win turned both Gallery and Yuro against them in feeling that it wasn't a fair fight. Still Gallery later finished Yuro off but did it on his own by first blasting Capt.Bryant who was planning to off him, and get the credit of knocking off Yuro, all to himself. As for Youro he took care of his help by tripping and hanging him up to dry. It's later before he was killed by Gallery Yuro tried to talk him into joining forces against their two countries for double-crossing both of them. With his mission accomplished and getting his hands on the high tech satellite, that looked like Maconodo cigar, Gallery passed out and later died from both exhaustion as well as gangrene but only after he threw the satellite in the ocean thus preventing his country, the USA, from getting its hands on it!

I am perfectly aware that I watched a real gem here. A rare and interesting TV movie that not many people saw. A sort of political fiction adventure movie. A movie which is in the anti communist move, with many bitter accents in the meaning of this strange tale. We, of course, think of John Boorman's HELL IN PACIFIC, starring Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune. Mako and Darren Mac Gavin are excellent. And, as another user said, I could have seen Steve Mac Queen in the lead character. A connection to Vietnam war is in the middle of this very interesting plot. There would be more features like this one.

I love TVM for this reason, we find stories we can't purchase in more classic movies, released in theatres.

Catch it if you can...