Pursuit is a 1972 American made-for-television drama film that screened on the ABC network as an ABC Movie of the Week. It was Michael Crichton's first work as a director. It is based on Crichton's 1972 novel Binary, which he published under the pseudonym John Lange.
| Pursuit | |
|---|---|
.jpg) DVD cover | |
| Based on | |
| Written by | Robert Dozier |
| Directed by | Michael Crichton |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Jerry Goldsmith |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
| Production | |
Executive producer | Lee Rich |
| Producer | Robert L. Jacks |
| Running time | 74 minutes |
| Production companies | 20th Century Fox Television ABC Circle Films |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | December 12, 1972[1] |
Crichton later said the film "looks like a first-time directing job."[2]
Plot
editA political extremist plots to destroy San Diego.
Cast
edit- Ben Gazzara as Steven Graves
- E.G. Marshall as James Wright
- William Windom as Robert Phillips
- Joseph Wiseman as Dr. Peter Nordman
- Jim McMullan as Lewis
- Martin Sheen as Timothy Drew
- Will Kuluva as Dr. Wolff
Production
editDevelopment
editCrichton had long been interested in movies, well before he started his medical career.[3]
Barry Diller wanted to buy the film rights for Crichton's novel to make it an ABC Movie of the Week. Crichton would only agree to this on the provision that he be able to direct. Diller was amenable, but insisted that a more experienced writer, Robert Dozier, do the screenplay. "It was crazy, another writer doing the screenplay of my book for me to direct," said Crichton, "but I was so anxious to direct I went along with it... He had a maiden director, he wanted a pro on the script."[4]
Crichton later declared that film directing was not a complicated craft. "I think you could learn all you need to know in a month," he said. "Orson Welles said four hours. But he was being outrageous".[5]
He said "I was given an enormously talented cast to work with, which pleased and scared me."[6]
Shooting
editFilming took place in April 1972 over 11 days in San Diego.[7][5] The novel would not be published until August 1972.[8] The budget was $400,000.[9] Crichton admitted "On the first day of filming by blood pressure was so high that the insurance doctor was surprised I hadn't fainted."[6]
Crichton:
I like the television movie. I like the form and the speed of it. I think about 80% of the movies I see on the big screens are television movies... I was terrified at first by the actors, but I found the actors will help you every chance they get. The rest of the people have no interest in taking responsibility. You're the big daddy and that's the way they want it.[4]
Crichton says his medical training came in handy being a director. "So much of medicine is doing things for the first time; you learn to plunge right in... I found out if you wanted to be in control of the situation, you had to stay on your feet. Once you sit down, your control evaporates. That's where med school came in too – you're on your feet 15 hours a day."[4]
Reception
editABC were so impressed by the quality of the movie they held it back until December to screen it. It aired opposite the Carol Burnett special Once Upon a Mattress and a repeat of NBC's adaptation of The Snow Goose.[4]
The critic from the Los Angeles Times wrote that "you cannot say that as a director, at least in this maiden effort, Crichton achieves the bone tingling suspense of his novel but Pursuit nonetheless has its own fascination... Marshall is superb; Gazzara, as usual is excellent and heads a fine support cast... Crichton attempted here a realistic, newsreel look to the film which is at its worst when real newsreels from a real political convention are inserted."[10]
The Boston Globe called it "an excellent piece of science-fact suspense."[11]
References
edit- ↑ "Inside TV: Documentary Slated on Health Crisis". Los Angeles Times. 29 November 1972. p. D24.
- ↑ Warren, Bill (1997). "Michael Crichton". Set visits : interviews with 32 horror and science fiction filmmakers. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 254. ISBN 0-7864-0247-4 – via Internet Archive.
- ↑ Arnold, Gary (26 February 1978). "A New Height In Films: Michael Crichton On Directing". The Washington Post. p. F1.
- 1 2 3 4 Smith, Cecil (11 December 1972). "Crichton Debuts as Film Director". Los Angeles Times. p. D27.
- 1 2 Gelmis, Joseph (4 January 1974). "Author of 'Terminal Man' Building Nonterminal Career: Crichton". Los Angeles Times. p. D12.
- 1 2 "Michael Crichton, director with stature". The Herald Journal. December 11, 1972. p. 7. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Stars Signed for ABC-TV Movie". Los Angeles Times. 6 April 1972. p. G20.
- ↑ "A Listing of Recently Published Books". New York Times. 14 August 1972. p. 25.
- ↑ Applebaum, Ralph (January 1978). "Genetic genocide: Michael Crichton". Films and Filming. p. 15.
- ↑ Smith, Cecil (12 December 1972). "Prime Rib Pickings—If Not Preempted". Los Angeles Times. p. E25. Retrieved June 27, 2026 – via newspapers.com.
- ↑ "TV previews". The Boston Globe. December 12, 1972. p. 57.