Review of Steelyard Blues (1973) by Ola G — 03 May 2017

The ex-con Jesse Veldini (Donald Sutherland) has a passion for demolition derbies. He has wrecked almost every possible car, but violates his parole when confronted by a 1950 Studebaker. This embarrasses his brother, Frank Veldini (Howard Hesseman) a politically ambitious district attorney who wants Jesse to clean up his act. Trying to get away from Frank's good intentions and find a happier life against the norms of society, Veldini ends up out of town with his other brother Kid (John Savage), the crazy Eagle Thornberry (Peter Boyle), and his hooker girlfriend Iris Caine (Jane Fonda), trying to restore an old Consolidated PBY Catalina to an airworthy state, whatever it takes...

"Steelyard Blues" is to be frank an incoherent unfunny mess that just makes no sense. With this ensemble what could go wrong? The writer, David Ward, wrote "The Sting" two years later, Jane Fonda had just won an Academy Award for Klute, Donald Sutherland had done excellent work in films like "Klute," "M*A*S*H" and "Kelly's Heroes" while Peter Boyle and John Savage had not yet done their best work. It´s supposed to be a caper but at the same time the movie wants to be a hip satire, presenting a series of comedy sketches that just feels incoherent as said and not funny at all. The result is that the caper plot makes the comedy parts awkward and forced. So we get a really disconnected comedy in our hands. The only plus in "Steelyard Blues" is a great soundtrack.

Trivia: Because Fonda, Sutherland and Boyle were active in anti-war activities when this movie was made, it seems that "Steelyard Blues" was not given a wide release or much publicity. Nevertheless, it is memorable for its portrayal of oddball characters, and found a warm reception among college students and non-conformists. With its anti-establishment message and hip soundtrack by musicians Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, Nick Gravenites, Maria Muldaur and others.