Clay Pigeon (released in the UK as Trip To Kill) is a 1971 American action film directed by Lane Slate and Tom Stern and written by Ronald Buck, Jack Gross Jr. and Buddy Ruskin. The film stars Tom Stern, Telly Savalas, Robert Vaughn, John Marley, Burgess Meredith and Ivan Dixon. The film was released in August 1971, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Contents
Plot
A Vietnam War veteran has been using illegal drugs, but eventually decides that he wants to escape that life. But before he can leave it behind, a CIA narcotics agent recruits him to go undercover in Los Angeles to help expose other ex-soldiers who are involved in drug dealing and drug kingpin Neilson.
Cast
Tom Stern as Joe Ryan
Telly Savalas as Redford
Robert Vaughn as Neilson
John Marley as Police Captain
Burgess Meredith as Freedom Lovelace
Ivan Dixon as Simon
Jeff Corey as Clinic Doctor
Marilyn Akin as Angeline
Marlene Clark as Saddle
Belinda Palmer as Tracy
Mario Alcalde as Jason
Peter Lawford as Government Agent
Reception
Critical response
Roger Greenspun of The New York Times wrote in his review: "Clay Pigeon also makes no sense. But its directors, Tom Stern and Lane Slate, have a certain willingness to take each moment as it comes, and its absurdities more often seem the products of a super-active exuberance than of a failed imagination. In its particular field—sex and violence—"Clay Pigeon" just falls short of being very good."
Release
Clay Pigeon was released in theatres in August 1971. The film was released on DVD on April 27, 1999, and later on July 6, 2010, by PolyGram Filmed Entertainment.