CISCO PIKE (1972)

 

Kris Kristofferson, in his film debut, stars as the title character, a struggling musician who has been dealing marijuana in order to survive. After getting busted several times by Sgt. Leo Holland (Gene Hackman), Pike has given up dealing and is trying to get his music and song writing career back on track. Then Holland shows up with a huge amount of marijuana and blackmails Pike into selling it for him. Pike is reluctantly drawn back into his former way of life. This very laid-back film records his experiences as he attempts to do the crooked cop's bidding and not get himself into even more trouble along the way. 

CISCO PIKE is a nice, nostalgic time capsule for us Baby Boomer types, and very typical of the films oriented towards the youth culture in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Kristofferson is quite effective and natural, and in this first film establishes himself as one of the iconic images of the cinema during this period. Another iconic actress of the period, Karen Black, gives a warm, believable performance as Pike's girlfriend. Hackman is terrific as the cop-turned-narc who becomes more emotionally unhinged with every scene. Also giving an excellent performance is Harry Dean Stanton, credited here as H. D. Stanton, as Pike's former music partner who has more than enough serious troubles of his own.

Kristofferson does a little singing in the film, but his songs are heard mainly on the film's soundtrack. "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again") and "The Pilgrim" are both featured on his LP "The Silver Tongued Devil And I", released the same year as this film.

Also featuring Viva, Allan Arbus, Roscoe Lee Brown, Joy Bang, Antonio Fargas, and musician Doug Sahm. The director was Bill L. Norton.