Electra Glide in Blue (1973)

75% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
73% of users liked it
(2,217 ratings)

A police officer who would rather use his brains than his gun is put into a situation where neither can help him in this police drama. John Wintergreen (Robert Blake) is a sawed-off and street-smart Arizona motorcycle cop who dreams of climbing the ladder and becoming a police detective, but his… More A police officer who would rather use his brains than his gun is put into a situation where neither can help him in this police drama. John Wintergreen (Robert Blake) is a sawed-off and street-smart Arizona motorcycle cop who dreams of climbing the ladder and becoming a police detective, but his ambitions are scoffed at by his partner, Zipper (Billy "Green" Bush). Wintergreen's superiors tend not to take him seriously due to his short stature, but when he stumbles upon the site of a murder, he digs up enough relevant evidence to insure his advancement to detective status. However, after a few days on the job, Wintergreen begins to realize just how corrupt his superior Poole (Mitchell Ryan) truly is after Poole attempts to frame a local hippie, Bob Zemko (Peter Cetera), for a crime he didn't commit. Adding fuel to the fire is Poole's discovery that he and Wintergreen have been dating the same woman, dancer-turned-barmaid Jolene (Jeannine Riley). Electra Glide in Blue was the first (and to date only) directorial credit for James William Guercio. Successful in the music industry as a manager and producer, Guercio was best known for his association with the top-selling jazz-rock group Chicago; several members of the band appear in the movie, as does a young Nick Nolte in a bit part. On a note of sad irony, Terry Kath, the longtime Chicago vocalist who died in 1978 from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, plays a gun-wielding killer in this film. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 46 min.
Directed By: James William Guercio
Written By: Michael Butler
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Jun 1, 1973 Wide
On DVD: Mar 22, 2005
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
It's far from perfect, but it's often moving (and frequently gorgeous).
Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com
One of the great unsung films of the 1970s. It's so good you come away wishing James William Guercio had done more films.
Brian Thomas, Now Playing Magazine
A 1973 modern western that's almost an anti-biker biker film.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
Sawed-off Robert Blake gets the Big John Wayne treatment in this homage to John Ford and American Westerns.
Jon Niccum, Lawrence Journal-World
Weird little anti-hero tale
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
James William Guercio was the producer of Chicago albums in the Seventies, and this is his only directorial effort.

Read all 6 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Ken S

Electra Glide in Blue was a bad title, but everything else about it is pretty stellar. Performances are top knotch all round, the script taught and tight, and the cinematography... Did I mention it's shot by Conrad Hall?
El Hombre I

Electra Glide In Blue is a character study of an earnest and honest man doing America's second most unpopular job. Fans of early 1970s drive-in cinema, edgy action flicks will dig this picture. Some scenes are unforgettable, while others come off as amateurish, including the… More
Electra Glide In Blue is a character study of an earnest and honest man doing America's second most unpopular job. Fans of early 1970s drive-in cinema, edgy action flicks will dig this picture. Some scenes are unforgettable, while others come off as amateurish, including the dialogue. In terms of structure and plot, there are plenty of similarities to "Easy Rider." Instead of a pair of hippies, it's John Wintergreen (Robert Blake) and his bike-riding cop partner "Zipper" Davis (Billy Green Bush on the edge of irritating), who happens to be a bit more sadistic and corrupt. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view&current=electraglide.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/electraglide.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Michael G

Probably the most underrated movie of the 70s. Picture a right wing Easy Rider told from a pious cop's point of view and you're getting warm. Incredible cinematography by Conrad Hall.
Lesley N

1970's classic film as little motorcycle cop with big simple heart dreams of being a homicide detective in a land where prejudice, cynicism, and just-looking-out-for-number-one-ism rules. A great character study, and unlike FORREST GUMP, it doesn't go for an easy… More
1970's classic film as little motorcycle cop with big simple heart dreams of being a homicide detective in a land where prejudice, cynicism, and just-looking-out-for-number-one-ism rules. A great character study, and unlike FORREST GUMP, it doesn't go for an easy happy-by-numbers ending.