**SPOILERS** I'm giving it a 9 despite strong performances from Kookie (Edd), and a couple of noted dirtbags, Steve Brodie. and Robert Wilkie; who play brothers and professional creeps. Kookie gets to be almost killed, and doesn't get the girl. His friend Ito (Mako) kinda gets her, but it's a "wait and see" in the end.
She (Sandy), is played by Caroline Kido, who, thank God, doesn't even try to speak Japanese. She is really pretty, and a good actress. Mako, for some reason, no matter how hard they try to make him into everything else in his career, always comes across as a good guy; I've always liked his portrayals. I know what you're thinking. A stereotype; probably, but a good one.
Kookie affects their rescue, with the assistance of a dock policeman, an overweight Latino named, I believe, Garcia, who comes to His rescue and saves his life in the nick of time; defeating a couple of stereotypes in the process (It was refreshing to see, by the way), when us boomers think back to the silly overweight, Sergeant Garcia from Zorro fame. Then, in one of the last scenes, the director had Beulah Quo needing a translation from Mako, when before, she had spoken perfect, accent-free English; right back to a stereotype.
Kookie is still being punished for being an ex-hotrodder by driving a Falcon, despite the fact that in 1963, Ford had brought out a nice, sporty Fairlane with a v-8 and a four speed that would've been much more in character, and YEAH, that's still an issue with me. One of the bad guys gets a Fairlane, but, it's a boring 4-door sedan. He has one of the most inventive ways of staging an accident I've ever seen, and he's appropriately iced by his buddies when it fails. You've gotta check out Victor French as an unrecognizable cop in ElCentro, California. The action, however, is all Kookie, and he is still taking payments from J.R. for the Rod he sold him (pretty boy slacker). He goes right after the crooks, and saves his friends; on second thought, I'm upping it to a 10.
She (Sandy), is played by Caroline Kido, who, thank God, doesn't even try to speak Japanese. She is really pretty, and a good actress. Mako, for some reason, no matter how hard they try to make him into everything else in his career, always comes across as a good guy; I've always liked his portrayals. I know what you're thinking. A stereotype; probably, but a good one.
Kookie affects their rescue, with the assistance of a dock policeman, an overweight Latino named, I believe, Garcia, who comes to His rescue and saves his life in the nick of time; defeating a couple of stereotypes in the process (It was refreshing to see, by the way), when us boomers think back to the silly overweight, Sergeant Garcia from Zorro fame. Then, in one of the last scenes, the director had Beulah Quo needing a translation from Mako, when before, she had spoken perfect, accent-free English; right back to a stereotype.
Kookie is still being punished for being an ex-hotrodder by driving a Falcon, despite the fact that in 1963, Ford had brought out a nice, sporty Fairlane with a v-8 and a four speed that would've been much more in character, and YEAH, that's still an issue with me. One of the bad guys gets a Fairlane, but, it's a boring 4-door sedan. He has one of the most inventive ways of staging an accident I've ever seen, and he's appropriately iced by his buddies when it fails. You've gotta check out Victor French as an unrecognizable cop in ElCentro, California. The action, however, is all Kookie, and he is still taking payments from J.R. for the Rod he sold him (pretty boy slacker). He goes right after the crooks, and saves his friends; on second thought, I'm upping it to a 10.