Stars: John Savage, James Woods, Ted Danson, Ronny Cox, David Huffman, Franklyn Seales

Director: Harold Becker

Summary: Author Joseph Wambaugh's fact-based novel brought to the screen, about the senseless murder of a policeman and the heart-breaking complications which ensued.

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One night in l963, two plainclothes LAPD officers were abducted by armed, small-time criminals after a routine traffic stop, then driven to a remote area where one was brutally executed. The other officer managed to escape and the perpetrators were captured and brought to trial. Despite overwhelming evidence, the slayers managed to drag the justice process on for years through appeals and delaying tactics, one of them making use of the prison law library to become a "jailhouse lawyer". Taken from the Joseph Wambaugh book, The Onion Fieldis a true story about a case that changed LAPD policies forever. More than a simple police procedural, though, the film is a character study that follows the aftermath of the murder for all involved. John Savage, as the surviving officer, is called on over and over to re-enact the event in court, chided by his superiors and eventually fired from the force, with redemption a long way off. He does a great job in a harrowing role as frustration, guilt and depression cause his life and career to disintegrate over time. There are impressive early performances by Ted Danson and James Woods (setting the tone for countless raw-nerve, psycho-lowlife roles that Woods would take on in the future). The compelling script, written by ex-cop Wambaugh (with no studio interference), is a reminder of why he's one of novelist James Ellroy's favourite writers. It's a story of tragedy and hope, dignity and pain, with a potent emotional payoff. --Jerry Renshaw

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Audio Commentary - 1. Harold Becker - Director, Documentary - 1. THE RETURN TO THE ONION FIELD, Trailer
Year:	1979
Release Date:	September 8, 2003
Runtime:	121 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	M P 213 D
Label:	Take One Collection
Keywords:	General, Field, Onion, Drama
Genre:	Drama