Pray for the Wildcats
Encyclopedia
Pray for the Wildcats is a 1974 U.S.
television film that originally aired as an ABC Movie of the Week
. It is a thriller-drama about a psychopathic business executive chasing his workers on dirtbikes through the desert after he killed a young man. The film was directed by Robert Michael Lewis and starred William Shatner
and Andy Griffith
. It co-starred Robert Reed
, Marjoe Gortner
, Angie Dickinson
, and Lorraine Gary
.
The film was released in 1987 on video by Republic Pictures Home Video
. Its running time is 100 minutes. It was mainly shot in the Baja California
desert, although the Mexican
town scenes were shot on location at Old Tucson.
Sam Farragut (Griffith) is a sociopathic
business executive in Southern California
who forces a team of advertising agency
employees (Shatner, Reed, Gortner) to embark on a dangerous dirtbike trip to the Baja California
desert
in order to compete for his business.
The men are Warren Summerfield (Shatner), a suicidal
middle-aged ad executive who has been fired from the agency; the strait-laced Paul McIlvian (Reed) who is disattentive to his wife (Dickinson) and brash art designer Maxon (Gortner) who feels suddenly trapped after his girlfriend (Janet Margolin
) announces she is pregnant. There are numerous long sequences of motorcycle riding on desert
backroads.
Summerfield has been having an affair with McIlvian's wife. He has not told his wife (Gary) that he was fired and is simply serving out his tenure at the agency while looking for a new position. His wife is actually aware of the affair.
Farragut convinces the ad men to make the motorcycle journey on the pretext of looking for a location to shoot a commercial. In reality, Farragut is reckless and looking to involve the men in spontaneous edgy adventure of his own manipulation. After they leave, McIlvain's wife suspects that Summerfield is planning to kill himself for the insurance
money, but she cannot convince Summerfield's wife to instigate a search.
The four men travel deeper into Mexico
on isolated dirt roads. At one point Summefield contemplates plunging off a cliff. After being humiliated by a young American couple in a Baja bar, Farragut tracks them down on the beach while accompanied by Maxon. He tries to offer the young man one hundred dollars in order to sleep with his girlfriend, claiming he is a "hippie
with money." Although rebuffed, he persists and is soon fought by the young man.
Although the young man appears to be winning the fight, Farragut seizes an axe
and destroys the radiator
of the couple's car. After returning to the others, Farragut and Maxon don't inform them of the incident. They are later confronted by the Mexican
police
who tell them that the young man died trying to hike to safety and that the girl may die as well.
Overnight in the town, Summerfield discovers the truth and tries to convince McIlvain to help him turn Farragut in to the police. McIlvain resists out of prudency. The next morning, Farragut and Maxon leave on their own for the airport to fly home. They are pursued by Summerfield, who catches up with them. Maxon returns to the town, and Farragut pursues Summerfield across the desert in a motorcycle chase. As Farragut chases Summerfield along a high cliff, Summerfield ditches his bike while Farragut loses control and plunges over the cliff to his fiery death.
The three ad men return to the U.S. with Farragut's remains. McIlvain's wife informs him she wants a divorce
. Maxon's girlfiend tells him she is no longer pregnant, implying she has had an abortion
. Summerfield, with a new lease on life, is greeted warmly by his wife.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television film that originally aired as an ABC Movie of the Week
ABC Movie of the Week
The ABC Movie of the Week is a weekly television anthology series, featuring made-for-TV movies, that aired on the ABC network in various permutations from 1969 to 1975.-History:...
. It is a thriller-drama about a psychopathic business executive chasing his workers on dirtbikes through the desert after he killed a young man. The film was directed by Robert Michael Lewis and starred William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
and Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith
Andy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film A Face in the Crowd before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead...
. It co-starred Robert Reed
Robert Reed
Robert Reed was a prolific American character actor of stage, film and television. In his first big break, he played Kenneth Preston on the popular 1960s TV legal drama, The Defenders, alongside E. G. Marshall. But he was best remembered for portraying the father, Mike Brady, on the popular...
, Marjoe Gortner
Marjoe Gortner
Hugh Marjoe Ross Gortner, generally known as Marjoe Gortner , is a former revivalist who first gained a certain fame in the late 1940s when he became the youngest ordained preacher at the age of four...
, Angie Dickinson
Angie Dickinson
Angie Dickinson is an American actress. She has appeared in more than fifty films, including Rio Bravo, Ocean's Eleven, Dressed to Kill and Pay It Forward, and starred on television as Sergeant Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson on the 1970s crime series Police Woman.-Early life:Dickinson, the second of...
, and Lorraine Gary
Lorraine Gary
Lorraine Gary is an American actress best known for her role as Ellen Brody in Jaws, Jaws 2, and Jaws: The Revenge...
.
The film was released in 1987 on video by Republic Pictures Home Video
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
. Its running time is 100 minutes. It was mainly shot in the Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
desert, although the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
town scenes were shot on location at Old Tucson.
Plot summary
Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
business executive in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
who forces a team of advertising agency
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
employees (Shatner, Reed, Gortner) to embark on a dangerous dirtbike trip to the Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
in order to compete for his business.
The men are Warren Summerfield (Shatner), a suicidal
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
middle-aged ad executive who has been fired from the agency; the strait-laced Paul McIlvian (Reed) who is disattentive to his wife (Dickinson) and brash art designer Maxon (Gortner) who feels suddenly trapped after his girlfriend (Janet Margolin
Janet Margolin
Janet Margolin was an American theater, television and film actress.- Early life :Margolin was born in New York City, the daughter of Benjamin Margolin, an accountant who was born in Russia and was founder and president of the Nephrosis Foundation, now the Kidney Foundation of New York...
) announces she is pregnant. There are numerous long sequences of motorcycle riding on desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
backroads.
Summerfield has been having an affair with McIlvian's wife. He has not told his wife (Gary) that he was fired and is simply serving out his tenure at the agency while looking for a new position. His wife is actually aware of the affair.
Farragut convinces the ad men to make the motorcycle journey on the pretext of looking for a location to shoot a commercial. In reality, Farragut is reckless and looking to involve the men in spontaneous edgy adventure of his own manipulation. After they leave, McIlvain's wife suspects that Summerfield is planning to kill himself for the insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
money, but she cannot convince Summerfield's wife to instigate a search.
The four men travel deeper into Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
on isolated dirt roads. At one point Summefield contemplates plunging off a cliff. After being humiliated by a young American couple in a Baja bar, Farragut tracks them down on the beach while accompanied by Maxon. He tries to offer the young man one hundred dollars in order to sleep with his girlfriend, claiming he is a "hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
with money." Although rebuffed, he persists and is soon fought by the young man.
Although the young man appears to be winning the fight, Farragut seizes an axe
Axe
The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
and destroys the radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
of the couple's car. After returning to the others, Farragut and Maxon don't inform them of the incident. They are later confronted by the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
who tell them that the young man died trying to hike to safety and that the girl may die as well.
Overnight in the town, Summerfield discovers the truth and tries to convince McIlvain to help him turn Farragut in to the police. McIlvain resists out of prudency. The next morning, Farragut and Maxon leave on their own for the airport to fly home. They are pursued by Summerfield, who catches up with them. Maxon returns to the town, and Farragut pursues Summerfield across the desert in a motorcycle chase. As Farragut chases Summerfield along a high cliff, Summerfield ditches his bike while Farragut loses control and plunges over the cliff to his fiery death.
The three ad men return to the U.S. with Farragut's remains. McIlvain's wife informs him she wants a divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
. Maxon's girlfiend tells him she is no longer pregnant, implying she has had an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. Summerfield, with a new lease on life, is greeted warmly by his wife.
External links
- IMDB entry for Pray for the Wildcats
- http://www.thelightningbugslair.com/2009/03/you-dont-know-shat-pray-for-wildcats.html
- Pray for the Wildcats on DVD