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| Paramount Pictures | Release Date: August 3, 1979 |
Starring:
Bo Svenson, Charles Durning, Dabney Coleman, Dayle Haddon, G.D. Spradlin, John Matuszak, Mac Davis, Nick Nolte, Savannah Smith Boucher, Steve Forrest
Summary:
A semi-fictional account of life as a professional football player. Loosely based on the Dallas Cowboys team of the early 1970s.
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What distinguishes this screen adaptation of Peter Gent’s bestseller is the exploration of a human dimension almost never seen in sports pix. Most people understand that modern-day athletes are just cogs in a big business wheel, but getting that across on the screen is a whole different matter. And in large measure, that success is due to a bravura performance in the lead role by Nick Nolte.
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It's a riveting look at what goes on behind the scenes -- mainly pills, booze and shots. If you ever entertained any fantasies about America's autumnal rite's being good clean fun, this movie should set you straight...At the same time, North Dallas Forty is terrifically funny, done with enough humor and wit to offset any potential heavyhandedness -- a Burt Reynolds movie with bite. [3 Aug 1979, p.25]
The locker room scenes are totally authentic.
Despite its seriousness, the film is also among the funniest sports movies ever made. [01 Feb 2009, p.E4]
Nick Nolte electrifies the football-cum-drugs saga with a remarkable performance as Phil Elliott, a pot smokin', beer swillin', cocaine sniffin' tight end for the North Dallas Bulls. But the erratic direction of Ted Kotcheff and the wayward script are strictly second-string. [10 Jun 2014, p.G15]
Feb 2, 2020
One of the all-time great football flicks. Nolte is PERFECT as the QB. And Jo-Bob? Spooky.
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Apr 17, 2023
North Dallas Forty is a fantastic movie showing the dangers of football. It is my favorite football movie. My one thing is that it is a slow-moving film something that if you don't have a lot of patience I don't think you can handle this movie.
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