tavm Review of Captain America

Captain America (1979 TV Movie)

This version of Captain America was pretty entertaining for the year it was made

[6/10 · 4 June 2011]

Having just seen the 1944 Republic Captain America serial, I decided to now watch the later 1979 TV movie adaptation meant to be a pilot to a new series that didn't materialize. In this one, Steve Rogers (Reb Brown) seems to be a beach bum artist who previously was in the military. Yep, now Universal got the alter ego name right this time but this still isn't Joe Simon & Jack Kirby's creation (just as well their names are nowhere in the credits just like the Republic serial). The steroid F.L.A.G that his late father developed and used on himself would eventually be injected in this Rogers after he almost got killed by some villains who know about his background. The person doing the injection is one Dr. Simon Mills (Len Birman) who becomes Steve's mentor as we learn about Mills' association with the late dad. Assisting him is one Dr. Wendy Day (Heather Menzies who is notable as both Louisa in The Sound of Music and the wife of the late Robert Urich). A romance develops between them. The plot of this one concerns a man who calls his late wife's name before dying in front of Steve and who has some connection with the villain Lou Brackett (Steve Forrest). I'll just stop there and just say that the whole thing has the TV movie feel of the late '70s with the action not very compellingly exciting compared to the Republic version I just saw though there's still some nice chases that is complimented by the Mike Post-Pete Carpenter score. The dialogue borders on cheesy especially when the daughter of the dead man (Robin Mattson) cries over his passing and such lines like "shoving Captain America down their throats" and the constant saying of trucks "pulling out" abound! And the fight scenes are almost sleep inducing. Still, it wasn't too bad what with Ms. Menzies so easy on the eyes (no wonder she posed for Playboy) in that one-piece swimsuit and Birman able to sell those exposition lines like he means it. And while Brown wasn't a great actor, he certain had the handsome presence that the part needed. So on that note, this version of Captain America seemed a nice relic of its sunny California '70s time.