The film is slow paced and we never really know why the Bob Mitchum character killed his wife. We saw her fall at the end of stairs on the floor and dead. Their young son witnessed this and was called on to be a witness for the prosecution at the trial.
The boy grows up in orphanages and comes of age and goes to visit his dad in prison while picturing certain scenarios after meeting his dad. He then finds out that dad was paroled and is living with Brenda Vaccaro in some trailer.
As the son, John Michael-Vincent has many emotional problems including extreme sexual attractions to women including Vaccaro who is molested by him. Mitchum almost strangles the boy but his fatherly instincts kick him, the two talk about life and he tells his son that he will one day be 20 and rides away. We're bewildered by all this as Vincent walks away.
The boy grows up in orphanages and comes of age and goes to visit his dad in prison while picturing certain scenarios after meeting his dad. He then finds out that dad was paroled and is living with Brenda Vaccaro in some trailer.
As the son, John Michael-Vincent has many emotional problems including extreme sexual attractions to women including Vaccaro who is molested by him. Mitchum almost strangles the boy but his fatherly instincts kick him, the two talk about life and he tells his son that he will one day be 20 and rides away. We're bewildered by all this as Vincent walks away.