IMDb RATING
6.9/10
6.1K
YOUR RATING
A satire of American professional football in which a veteran pass-catcher's individuality and refusal to become part of the team family are bitterly resented by his disciplinarian coaches.A satire of American professional football in which a veteran pass-catcher's individuality and refusal to become part of the team family are bitterly resented by his disciplinarian coaches.A satire of American professional football in which a veteran pass-catcher's individuality and refusal to become part of the team family are bitterly resented by his disciplinarian coaches.
- Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations
Savannah Smith Boucher
- Joanne Rodney
- (as Savannah Smith)
Alan Autry
- Balford
- (as Carlos Brown)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis movie was made and released about six years after its source semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Peter Gent was published in 1973. The name of the football team in the movie is the North Dallas Bulls, loosely based on the real-life NFL Dallas Cowboys, for whom Gent played between 1964 and 1968.
- GoofsWhen Phil is walking into Conrad Hunter's office building which is supposedly in Dallas, the Westin Bonaventure Hotel is plainly visible. This hotel is in Los Angeles and is an iconic building of five glass cylindrical towers.
- Quotes
O. W. Shaddock: Every time I call it a game, you call it a business, and every time I call it business, you call it a game.
- SoundtracksCuba
Performed by The Gibson Brothers
Written by Jean Kluger & Daniel Vangarde
courtesy of Island Records
Featured review
Honest and straightforward account of the lives of football players.
"North Dallas Forty" can rightfully take its place among the greatest of sports based movies. It's an intelligent, unflinching look into the world of professional (American) football, and the assortment of characters that inhabit the world. There's no need for flashy filmmaking here; the drama is strong enough to carry the story, along with some completely authentic performances. People unfamiliar with this movie will note that there's not necessarily a lot of game action; the concentration is on the action taking place off the playing field.
The pivotal character is Phillip Elliott (Nick Nolte), a weary seen-it-all veteran of the game, a top notch receiver conscious of all the punishment that his body has taken over the years. Phillip knows the game very well, but he's not too interested in playing a different sort of game, with the hard-driving coaches (G.D. Spradlin and Charles Durning) and the greedy team owner (Steve Forrest). Fortunately, he does have one good friend: star quarterback Seth Maxwell (singer Mac Davis).
This is scripted by director Ted Kotcheff ("First Blood"), producer Frank Yablans, and author Peter Gent, who wrote the semi-fictional novel on which the movie is based. Based on the Dallas Cowboys team of the early 1970s, it takes its time telling the story, contrasting the more philosophical and low key nature of Phillip with gung-ho defensive players like O.W. Shaddock (real life football star John Matuszak) and Jo Bob Priddy (amusing live wire Bo Svenson). We feel completely sympathetic towards Phillip, and can also practically feel the pain that he experiences after every game. There are several key emotional scenes, especially towards the end.
Nolte is excellent in the lead role, and as one can see, the supporting cast is full of rock solid actors (also among them is Dabney Coleman as Forrests' younger brother). Nolte and Davis have very fine chemistry and one can buy them as friends. Dayle Haddon, as a love interest for Nolte, isn't terribly effective because she comes off as just too aloof.
Compelling material, even for people who aren't necessarily football fans.
Eight out of 10.
The pivotal character is Phillip Elliott (Nick Nolte), a weary seen-it-all veteran of the game, a top notch receiver conscious of all the punishment that his body has taken over the years. Phillip knows the game very well, but he's not too interested in playing a different sort of game, with the hard-driving coaches (G.D. Spradlin and Charles Durning) and the greedy team owner (Steve Forrest). Fortunately, he does have one good friend: star quarterback Seth Maxwell (singer Mac Davis).
This is scripted by director Ted Kotcheff ("First Blood"), producer Frank Yablans, and author Peter Gent, who wrote the semi-fictional novel on which the movie is based. Based on the Dallas Cowboys team of the early 1970s, it takes its time telling the story, contrasting the more philosophical and low key nature of Phillip with gung-ho defensive players like O.W. Shaddock (real life football star John Matuszak) and Jo Bob Priddy (amusing live wire Bo Svenson). We feel completely sympathetic towards Phillip, and can also practically feel the pain that he experiences after every game. There are several key emotional scenes, especially towards the end.
Nolte is excellent in the lead role, and as one can see, the supporting cast is full of rock solid actors (also among them is Dabney Coleman as Forrests' younger brother). Nolte and Davis have very fine chemistry and one can buy them as friends. Dayle Haddon, as a love interest for Nolte, isn't terribly effective because she comes off as just too aloof.
Compelling material, even for people who aren't necessarily football fans.
Eight out of 10.
helpful•61
- Hey_Sweden
- Sep 16, 2015
- How long is North Dallas Forty?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Die Bullen von Dallas
- Filming locations
- Los Angeles, California, USA(Conrad Hunter's Building)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $26,079,312
- Gross worldwide
- $26,079,312
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