The Ultimate Thrill (1974)
39KThe Ultimate Thrill (1974). 1h 50m | PG
“With a title like this, sadly itu0026#39;s anything but the ultimate thrill maybe a mild, predictably frosty one. A rock solid cast (Britt Ekland, Eric Braeden, Michael Blodgett and Barry Brown) and nice scenic location work of Vail, Colorado keeps you watching. There are a couple of dangerous looking stunt work involving cat and mouse chases scenes with a helicopter (my pick of the two) and the climatic final chase with a wind glider after some poor Joe on skies. Sadly theyu0026#39;re not as suspenseful as they should have been, but for most part lackadaisical. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHowever the most intersecting facet is the lead up to them and thatu0026#39;s the focus on the ruthless industrialist tycoon Roland Parley (a superbly intense performance by Braeden) and his twisted philosophy. u0026quot;No man deserves the best unless heu0026#39;s willing to die for itu0026quot;. This sadistic guy is searching for simulation, and he gets it in a variant on the most dangerous game theme firstly by accident (because of his wifeu0026#39;s imagined infidelity), but because of the high he goes about setting up the situation that leads to a deadly game, where losing isnu0026#39;t an option. Britt Eklandu0026#39;s alluring, if fragile character becomes the unknowing pawn in his insane jealously. It all becomes a game life, business and romance. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe story is simple minded and gradually builds upon the patchy circumstances, but the characters are somewhat complex in their shades of grey. Script-wise it can come over sounding clumsy and jarring in its shifting tones, but underneath thereu0026#39;s certain uneasiness and the character motivations actually engage. Michael Blodgett and Barry Brown are fitting enough and are two different extremes in characteristics (one cocky and the other brooding) as the two unlucky Joes that get caught up with the Parleys.”
