Number One (1969)

Now past the age of forty, an aging pro football quarterback (Charlton Heston) finds his skill fading and the question of retirement looms closer. But football is all he's ever known. Directed by Tom Gries (BREAKHEART PASS), a potentially potent film finds itself bogged down in cliches. When there's a soft focus scene with Heston and Diana Muldaur making love in front of a fireplace while Dominic Frontiere's muzak drips away, you know the film has lost its way. Heston gave one of his best career performances the year before in WILL PENNY also directed by Tom Gries but that was a far superior movie. Heston gives another fine performance here (it's clear he and Gries worked well together) but his performance can't save the film. To his credit, Heston doesn't hesitate to show the unlikability and hubris of his character. It's the kind of part usually reserved for the likes of Kirk Douglas. If you're a Heston fan (as I am), the film is worth seeing for his performance although you realize the movie isn't very good early on. I'm not a football fan at all which made the recurring football scenes excruciating to sit through. With Jessica Walter, Bruce Dern, John Randolph, Mike Henry, Bobby Troup, Al Hirt and Steve Franken.