Executive Action

Critics Consensus

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Movie Info

If you think that Oliver Stone invented the "political paranoia" movie, take a glance at Executive Action sometime. Based on Mark Lane's Rush to Judgment, the conspiracy theorist's bible, Executive Action perpetuates the popular urban legend that John F. Kennedy was assassinated at the behest of a right-wing cartel with military and industrial interests. The film further hypothesizes that Lee Harvey Oswald not only didn't pull the trigger, but was also set up as a disposable dupe (this notion wasn't even new in 1973). Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan and Will Geer play the sinister conspirators. In the film's coda, still photos of 18 witnesses to the assassination are shown, while the accompanying text informs us that all of these people had died between 1963 and 1973. We are further told that the odds against this coincidence are one in a trillion. When Oliver Stone's thematically similar JFK came out in 1991, viewers with long memories were quick to notice the eerie similarities between the Stone film and Executive Action -- right down to choice of camera angles. Hmmm....a conspiracy, perhaps?

Rating:

PG
Genre:

Classics, Drama, Mystery & Suspense
Directed By:

David Miller
Written By:

Dalton Trumbo
In Theaters:

Nov 7, 1973 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Oct 23, 2007
Runtime:

91 minutes
Studio:

WARNER BROTHERS PICTURES

Watch it now

Cast

Burt Lancaster
as Farrington

Will Geer
as Ferguson

Robert Ryan
as Foster

Gilbert Green
as Paulitz

John Anderson
as Halliday

Paul Carr
as Gunman

Colby Chester
as Tim

Walter Brooke
as Smythe

Ed Kemmer

Ed Lauter
as Chief

Sidney Clute
as Depository Clerk

Deanna Darrin
as Stripper

Lloyd Gough
as McCadden

Robert Karnes
as Man At Rifle Range

James MacColl
as Oswald Imposter

Joaquín Martínez
as Art Mendoza

Dick Miller
as Riflemen Team B

Hunter von Leer
as Riflemen Team B

John Brascia
as Riflemen Team B

Oscar Orcini
as Jack Ruby

Tom Peters
as Sergeant

Paul Sorenson
as Officer Brown

Richard D. Hurst
as Used Car Salesman

Sandy Ward
as Policeman

William Watson
as Technician Team B

Richard Bull
as Gunmen Team A

Lee Delano
as Gunmen Team A

Edward Kemmer
as Reporter

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Critic Reviews for Executive Action

All Critics (7) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (4) | Rotten (3)

The film, a worthwhile watch, was ignored by both the public and media.

Feb 22, 2015 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Corajoso para sua época, traz um roteiro incomodamente plausível (e extremamente bem pesquisado) de Dalton Trumbo e uma montagem didática e tensa.

Mar 2, 2008 | Rating: 4/5

Pablo Villaça
Cinema em Cena
Borderline interesting, conspiracy-based Kennedy assassination stuff.

Dec 24, 2005 | Rating: 3/5

Steve Crum
Video-Reviewmaster.com
While not thoroughly convincing it is consistently engrossing.

Nov 20, 2003 | Full Review…

Tony Mastroianni
Cleveland Press

View All Critic Reviews (7)

Audience Reviews for Executive Action

Jul 02, 2016

Long before Oliver Stone's conspiracy theory movie, JFK, there was this movie, Executive Action. Worth watching for it's provocative theory that President John Kennedy was assassinated by a band of wealthy right-wingers for their personal gain. Unfortunately, Burt Lancaster and Robert Ryan, great actors, seem to go through the motions. But, the story is engaging, especially for fans of political intrigue.

Aldo G Super Reviewer
Jun 16, 2011

This was really the first mass media piece to put out a conspiracy theory about the Kennedy Assassination. Unfortunetly it was banned and shunned almost right away. The film admits from the start that it blurs some facts and details with Dalton Trumbo's imaginative non-fiction. It's hard to believe that this came out only 10 years after said watershed event, considering how much attention Oliver Stones "JFK" got for being contraversial almost another 20 years later.

Sean G Super Reviewer