The Onion Field poster & wallpaper

Christopher Lloyd, Dianne Hull, Franklyn Seales

One night in 1963, two plainclothes LAPD officers were abducted by armed small-time criminals after a routine traffic stop, then driven to a remote area where one was brutally executed. The other offi...( read more  read more... )cer managed to escape and the perpetrators were captured and brought to trial. Despite overwhelming evidence, the slayers managed to drag the justice process on for years through appeals and delaying tactics, one of them making use of the prison law library to become a "jailhouse lawyer." Taken from the Joseph Wambaugh book, The Onion Field is a true story about a case that changed LAPD policies forever. More than a simple police procedural, though, the film is a character study that follows the aftermath of the murder for all involved. John Savage, as the surviving officer, is called on over and over to reenact the event in court, chided by his superiors and eventually fired from the force, with redemption a long way off. He does a great job in a harrowing role as frustration, guilt, and depression cause his life and career to disintegrate over time. There are impressive early performances by Ted Danson and James Woods (setting the tone for countless raw-nerve, psycho-lowlife roles that Woods would take on in the future). The compelling script, written by ex-cop Wambaugh (with no studio interference), is a reminder of why he's one of novelist James Ellroy's favorite writers. It's a story of tragedy and hope, dignity and pain, with a potent emotional payoff. --Jerry Renshaw

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70% liked it

1,196 ratings

R, 126 min.

Directed by: Harold Becker

Release Date: September 21, 1979

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DVD Release Date: September 17, 2002

Stats: 47 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (47)

  • jaynyca1
    December 21, 2007
    jaynyca1
    It's the true story of two LAPD offices and a night in an onion field that will change lives for years to come!. . .
  • JDFortuneFan
    June 8, 2007
    JDFortuneFan
    This is an older film and I believe the book unfolds much better than the film. This is a true story about a senseless execution by petty criminals. This film will make you angry. Your anger will be directed at our justice system. This movie shows you just how the victims are...( read more) often treated as though they were the criminal. Chilling... James Woods plays the psychotic killer to perfection.
  • vrtualme
    June 8, 2007
    vrtualme
    the book is so good.
  • estellechester32
    January 8, 2007
    estellechester32
    this is a must see, i enjoyed it
  • DemonicNightmare
    September 28, 2006
    DemonicNightmare
    This looks really crap.
  • mikebeyer44
    August 10, 2006
    mikebeyer44
    James Woods never topped the performance he gave here.

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The Onion Field Trivia

  • Ted Danson wasn't exactly a household name before 'Cheers'. Which of these movies included him in the cast?  Answer »
  • Who played the slain officer in The Onion Field?  Answer »
  • Ted Danson wasn't exactly a household name before 'Cheers'. Which of these movies included him in the cast?   Answer »
  • Ted Danson wasn't exactly a household name before 'Cheers'. Which of these movies included him in the cast?   Answer »
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