Best friends Richard Bone and Alex Cutter are two middle-class guys living in an upper-class town. The Santa Barbara buddies get dragged into a murder mystery when Richard accidentally spots a man ditching a body into a trash can.
From the depths of film archives in 1981 comes the release of a wonderfully restored “Cutter’s Way” starring future Oscar winner Jeff Bridges as Richard Bone and John Heard as the title character. Having seen the film on cable (back in the day) around 45 years ago, before video-on-demand, I probably watched the movie at least half a dozen times because nothing else was on television. Still, something about the narrative stuck with me ever since. Much of the resonance consists of John Heard’s portrayal of Alex Cutter in perhaps his finest role – a long-haired disabled Vietnam war vet in a leather jacket sporting a serious limp, missing his left arm below the elbow, and donning a black pirate eyepatch.
Set in Santa Barbara, California, the film opens with Bone in a hotel room entertaining a wealthy resident. He leaves the swanky place juxtaposed by his broken-down Austin-Healy – his good looks give him a pass, mingling with the rich. When the dilapidated vehicle sputters to a stop due to engine failure, Bone partially witnesses the dumping of a female body in high heels in an alley during a downpour. Late at night, with few options, Bone leaves his car behind and makes his way to an inebriated Cutter holding court by spewing sarcasm and taunting the locals. Though invariably impolitic, Cutter is quite the literate savant, quoting Shakespeare and Melville with equal ease.
The next morning, Santa Barbara police, who ran the plates, bring Bone in for questioning in handcuffs, though he is not much help recounting the previous night’s events. However, later, Bone thinks he sees the man who dumped the dead girl’s body during a parade, who turns out to be a wealthy oil magnate named J.J. Cord, played menacingly by Stephen Elliott. Cutter comes alive at once, very keen to solve the murder mystery like a seasoned interrogative professional.
It’s a little weird watching Heard as an edgy Cutter after subsequent performances in popcorn comedies like “Home Alone.” His surprising and insightful revelations include the manner in which he deals with traumatic events that one might expect to exacerbate his penchant for booze. But instead of going on a bender, Cutter responds, ”Routine drives me to drink – tragedy I take straight.”
Bone warns Cutter and the dead girl’s sister, Valerie (Ann Dusenberry), that if he’s right about the suspect for the murder, Alex is the one likely to be nailed to the mast of a leaky boat. Lisa Eichhorn as Maureen Cutter or “Mo,” plays an unapologetic alcoholic, yet very aware of her surroundings. She tries to ignore Cutter’s vulgar commentary on life and seems to be the only voice of reason in the bunch.
Alternating between lucidity and insanity, Cutter is utterly unpredictable. He parks his car in his driveway after ramming his neighbor’s vehicle to the curb. Everything seems funny to him, even when it’s not. Later, when the police arrive to take the report, Alex has adopted a calm, coherent demeanor. His handicapped status gives him lots of leeway with others, including the cops.
During one of his many tirades, a very jaded and erudite Cutter makes frequent note of an uncomfortable history in the U.S. against indigenous populations, events that in today’s environment tend to get papered over and referred to as woke. Themes of injustice and inequality permeate the story, but much of the charm stems from the character development by both Heard and Bridges, who play off of each other magnificently. The film may move slowly for present-day audiences, so it’s probably best to think of “Cutter’s Way” as a time capsule on celluloid.
The screenplay by Jeffrey Alan Fiskin is adapted from Newton Thornburg’s novel ‘Cutter and Bone’. Directed by Ivan Passer, “Cutter’s Way” represents a period of transition in Hollywood, from gritty 1960s films like “Easy Rider” and “Five Easy Pieces” to more mainstream, big-budget blockbusters. As such, Cutter’s Way” is sort of an anomaly, with the neo-noir components on full display – a sixties movie essentially shot in the eighties that generously rewards repeated viewings.
Now available on Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD™ and Blu-ray™ from RADIANCE FILMS
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