Even though the casting of this movie distracted me (leads Harry Guardino and Bradford Dillman, as well as "bad guy" Pat Hingle were all staples of various Clint Eastwood movies of the '70's and '80's), I legitimately couldn't imagine anyone else besides these three uniquely charismatic actors in their roles! Even though the movie was a supposed reworking of the Gregory Peck film "Mirage", this picture totally stands on its own as a showcase for lifelong character actors, here in starring roles, who showed, without a shadow of a doubt, that stardom was clearly where they deservedly belonged! Aside from the previously mentioned, gloriously talented actors, there was also on hand the supremely skilled Hope Lange, and the phenomenally talented, insanely mesmerizing Diana Hyland (here, as Guardino's wife)! Throw in exceedingly competent, suspenseful direction by the veteran helmer James Goldstone, and what emerges is a below-the-radar, audience-pleasing masterpiece that is every bit as memorable as the "big-ticket" feature film it supposedly copied!
