Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966)
(On Cable TV, April 2022) Some movies you almost like, such as Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round. A film that features James Coburn as a conman/thief in the middle of a mid-1960s caper is a hard proposal to refuse. But despite some promising elements and a great deal of charisma from Coburn (alongside co-stars such as Aldo Ray and Camilla Sparv), the film doesn’t rise up to its potential. Yes, there’s Coburn romancing several beautiful women (not necessarily a characteristic that has aged well), a heist that involves the visit of the Premier of the Soviet Union in Los Angeles and a wonderfully ironic finale, but it’s all a bit laborious and unfocused (the action moves from Boston to Los Angeles) and not quite as lighthearted as it could have been. Most modern reviews of the film don’t fail to mention Harrison Ford’s brief screen debut as a bellhop discussing phone matters with Coburn – it’s that kind of film ripe for a walk-on scene stealer. (To be clear: Harrison isn’t particularly remarkable, but neither is the film.) Well-done heist movies feel as if they’re the easiest thing to put together, but a lot of work and wit are required to create something that flows gracefully, and writer-director Bernard Girard can’t quite get the mixture correctly: While the misogyny of the film now feels much worse than it must have back then, it betrays an unbalanced ratio between toughness and humour that simply keeps Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round on the ground when it should be flying away. No amount of Coburn charm and lovely actresses can compensate for that.