It is Tim Bottoms all the way, from over-active athletics to fear-numbed sickness. Director Margolin gave his young star a clear open go, and he certainly went places. The other roles are mainly TV-actor style. Ellen Geer gives expert body language as the Principal. I'd have liked to see more of the young girl-friend, who does have winsome charm, yet pops out of the story for a long time without enough explanation. May this originally have been written as a miniseries? The Albuquerque backdrops and clean air give a shining character to the look of the film: finally I figured why the team are the "Dukes". Full marks to the writers for relying on plain humanity and avoiding hokum.
Review of A Shining Season
