Search - The Onion Field on DVD

A marvelous account of a true tragedy

Jeffrey Leach | Omaha, NE USA | 05/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've never read a book from Joseph Wambaugh, the ex-cop turned author who wrote the source material for this movie, but I sort of feel like diving into his works after seeing how great this cinematic translation of a true event worked out. "The Onion Field" the movie went on receive good reviews. I think the success of the film comes from the fact that Wambaugh retained complete control over every aspect of the film's production. According to an extra on the DVD, director Harold Becker, Wambaugh himself, and some of the author's friends put up the money to make the movie. That's a smart move if you can swing it. Keeping the Hollywood suits out of the filmmaking process cuts down significantly on pesky interruptions and annoying demands for all sorts of post-production changes. A typical studio might well have turned "The Onion Field" into a different creature entirely, and we the audience would be all the poorer for it. This is a masterful movie, a film that examines the heinousness of murder, the myriad failings of the criminal justice system, and the psychological problems that everyone involved in such a gruesome crime experiences afterwards.

"The Onion Field" introduces us to two Los Angeles cops, Ian Campbell (Ted Danson) and Karl Hettinger (John Savage). The two have just become partners, and they couldn't be more unalike. Campbell loves playing bagpipes and is a friendly, talkative sort of fellow. Hettinger is quiet and somewhat awkward. We get the feeling they'll make a good team out on the road, though. Then the movie introduces us to a couple of pathetic losers, ex-cons Gregory Powell (James Woods) and Jimmy Smith (Franklyn Seales). The two men know each other because they spent time together in the same prison, and it's fairly obvious they have a weird psychological relationship with one another. Powell is a mouthy jerk, a big talker whose stint behind bars proves he isn't as big a fish as he thinks he is. Smith is quieter, but he's a follower that needs the attention Powell provides. The two plan to rob a liquor store as a way of starting their crime spree. Unfortunately, Campbell and Hettinger end up pulling the two men over on the pretext of a minor traffic infraction. The resulting stop leads to a series of events that find Powell and Smith taking the two cops hostage.

Here's where the title of the film comes in. Out in the sticks, out where the onion fields lay, the two criminals viciously gun down Ian Campbell. Hettinger, who willingly turned his gun over to the criminals, manages to escape the two and find help. At this point, the movie turns to a brutal examination of the American justice system and the psychological helplessness Hettinger feels over the death of his partner. Powell and Smith, quickly apprehended by the authorities, stand trial for capital murder. The courtroom quickly devolves into histrionics. Powell and Smith each claim the other killed Campbell, argue with the court over their representation, and thus drag out their trial and subsequent appeals for years. At one point, Powell even represents himself. Meanwhile, Hettinger feels the scorn of his fellow officers over the fact that he turned his gun over. Unable to deal with the guilt of living when Campbell died, he begins acting out in strange ways that cause him even more grief. "The Onion Field" follows both of these stories as the years melt away, as the specifics of the crime dissolve into endless hearings and heartrending grief. Becker and Wambaugh made a devastatingly powerful film, and one that holds up with repeated viewings.

I have no complaints with the film. None. Not a scrap of celluloid goes to waste here. The only problem I have with reviewing "The Onion Field" is picking out my favorite scenes. I liked the banter between Campbell and Hettinger at the beginning of the film. I liked the complex portrayals of Powell and Smith. I liked the depiction of the heinous crime. I liked everything that followed. I would be remiss, however, if I didn't focus in on several amazing scenes, the most amazing of which involves John Savage's character. An excellent actor too often relegated to b-movie schlock, his performance here is worthy of an Oscar. You can FEEL his guilt like it's a palpable force. The scene where he considers taking his own life simply blew me away. How he hits rock bottom and then comes to live with his guilt is both believable and marvelously rendered. I'd also like to say a few words about James Woods. He's a favorite actor of mine, and this movie only confirmed my opinions about him. He depicts Powell's over the top character without making it hammy--an ability he still summons at will today. The part where he puts his mother on the witness stand and proceeds to question her should be shown at acting schools across the country. It's that good.

The DVD version of "The Onion Field" contains two significant supplements. The first is a commentary track from director Harold Becker, the second a short featurette containing interviews with Ted Danson, John Savage, Joseph Wambaugh, James Woods. Both supplements add significant details to the film, so you should definitely give both of them a spin after watching the movie. At this point, let me give you a final reason why you should pick up "The Onion Field". In a time when Hollywood essentially made movies that gave cops the middle finger, this movie shows us in detail the agony a police officer goes through after a tragic, on the job incident. We often hear the criminal's side of the story (far too often, in my opinion) and maybe some stuff about the victim's family, but we never see what happens to the law enforcement officers. There's one more reason you should watch the movie. Now get out there and see it!"