George Hamilton plays Capt. Bentley, a Confederate officer and captive in a prisoner of war camp in Utah.
He masterminds a prison break with about eight other soldiers. Their goal: to make it to Mexico; then back home.
Glenn Ford is Maj. Wolcott, a mild-mannered Union officer who can’t wait for the war and the killing to end.
He hates no man. He’s sent after Bentley and the escapees, though with the end of war seemingly so near, he sees it as a waste of time and possibly a waste of some of his men.
But the mission becomes personal when Wolcott realizes the Confederates have a captive, his fiancée, Emily Biddle (Inger Stevens).
The Confederates think Bentley is going to lead them on a quick ride across the Mexico border to freedom.
He has other ideas. He wants one last victory before the war ends. More importantly, he wants Maj. Wolcott to know how it feels to lose.
Glenn Ford as Maj. Charles Walcott in A Time for Killing (1967)
George Hamilton as Capt. Bentley in A Time for Killing (1967)
Review:
A brutal film that’s entertaining, but should have been much better.
The leads turn in fine performances, including George Hamilton as a Confederate officer willing to sacrifice his honor to take Emily’s and defeat at least one Union officer; Inger Stevens as Emily, who once soiled hides the fact that the war has ended so Walcott will get revenge on her behalf; and Ford as Walcott, who learns what it’s like to hate thanks to Bentley.
There’s also an attention-grabbing opening scene in which a Confederate prisoner sentenced to execution mocks the Union commander. Incensed, the commander decides his firing squad should be a group of black orderlies who aren’t familiar with firing guns. They wound, but fail to kill the prisoner. Finally, Walcott takes pity and shoots him dead.
The film’s flaws include doses of humor that seem totally out of place in such a violent film — check out the antics of misfit Union soldiers Owelson and Zollicoffer — and illogical behavior on the part of several of the soldiers when it’s time for the final shootout.
This film marked the first credited role for Harrison Ford. He’s the lieutenant ordered to replace the regular firing squad with orderlies at the start of the film. Fans of the “The Beverly Hillbillies” might also recognize Max Baer Jr. (Jethro) as one of the Rebels soldiers. He loves killing Union soldiers so much he agrees to abide by Capt. Bentley’s word and keep quiet about the war being over so he can keep on killing.
Roger Corman was initially co-producer and director of the film before being replaced.
Harrison Ford in his first credited role as Lt. Shaffer in A Time for Killing (1967)
Directed by:
Phil Karlson
and Roger Corman
Editor’s Note: The credits that run at the end of the film identify characters by last names as opposed to first names and nicknames used in the movie — especially for the Confederate troops. Let me know if any of the photo IDs are incorrect.
Cast:
Glenn Ford … Maj. Charles Walcott
George Hamilton … Capt. Bentley
Inger Stevens … Emily Biddle
Union Troops
Emile Meyer … Col. Harries
Harrison Ford … Lt. Shaffer
Paul Peterson … Blue Lake
Kenneth Tobey … Sgt. Cleehan
Timothy Carey … Billy Cat
Richard X. Slattery … Cpl. Paddy Darling
Kay Kuter … Owelson
Dick Miller … Zollicoffer
Marshall Reed … Stedner
Confederate Troops
Max Baer … Sgt. Luther Liskell
Todd Armstrong … Lt. Prudessing
Duke Hobbie … Lt. Frist
Dean Stanton … Sgt. Dan Way
James Davidson … Little Mo
Charlie Briggs … Sgt. Kellinger
Craig Curtis … Bagnef
Jay Ripley … Lovingwood
Dean Goodwill … Brucey
Runtime: 89 min.
aka: “The Long Ride Home”
Title tune:
“The Long Ride Home”
Paul Peterson as Blue Lake in A Time for Killing (1967)
Timothy Carey as Billy Cat with one of the cantina girls in A Time for Killing (1967)
Memorable lines:
Capt. Bentley, of his fellow prisoners: “I can see you fretting over their feelings, all leaky eyed and lovin’ ’em like a brother. Major, they don’t have one damn bit of love for you. And whether you own up or not, you hate them.”
Maj. Walcott: “I hate no man.”
Bentley: “Well, there’s a little time yet.”
Maj. Walcott to two of his troopers: “You boys know what happens to stragglers? Indians get ’em. And when they do, they pull their innards out and make them walk around a tree. Now if that doesn’t scare you, maybe this will. A man’s intestines are 30 feet long, and that’s more walking than you two have done put together.”
Kay Kuter as Owelson and Dick Miller as Zollicoffer in A Time for Killing (1967)
Emile Meyer as Col. Harries in A Time for Killing (1967)
Capt. Bentley to one of his subordinates: “Somehow, some place, we got to win before we lose.”
Capt. Bentley: “Whether we like it or not, we’ll fight this war for another 100 years. Til all Yankees or no Yankees live n the South.”
Jay Ripley as Rebel soldier Lovingwood and Kenneth Tobey as Union Sgt. Cleehan in A Time for Killing (1967)
Capt. Bentley: “You see, Miss Emily, you’re like all of us (in the South) were. You think nothing like this can ever happen to you. Well it can. It’s happened to a whole country. My country. And there was nothing I could do to prevent that, no matter what. No matter how I fought. Now there’s nothing you can do. And you’re lucky. Because your humiliation will be over soon. But here between us, you and your major are going to know I won.”
Maj. Walcott: “Emily, those men are fighting for a country. For the entire Union. They are laying down their lives for a cause they already won. Well, I can’t help that. I can see men die for their country. That’s my duty. But I can’t see men die for your honor. Or mine.”
Max Baer Jr. as Luther and another Rebel escapee named Lonnie (anyone know who the actor is) in A Time for Killing (1967)
Harry Dean Stanton as Sgt. Dan Way in A Time for Killing (1967)
Charlie Briggs as Kellinger and James Davidson as Little Mo in A Time for Killing (1967)
Inger Stevens as Emily Biddle in A Time for Killing (1967)
George Hamilton as Capt. Bentley in A Time for Killing (1967)
Glenn Ford as Maj. Charles Walcott in A Time for Killing (1967)
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another Rebel escapee named Lonnie (anyone know who the actor is) in A Time for Killing (1967)
My guess is the actor is Craig Curtis. Mainly through process of elimination.
Or the actor is Dean Goodhill. (See my comment above.)
Further to my above comments: fairly certain actor playing Lonnie (Lt. Frist) is Duke Hobbie. 9 prisoners escape from the fort, 1 is killed at the ambush. I’ve identified 7 – so Hobbie has to be the actor in question.