Parallax View, The (1974) – Nostalgia Central

A gunman assassinates front-running Presidential candidate Senator Charles Carrol (William Joyce) as he speaks to assembled constituents and backers in Seattle, Washington, thanking them for lending him support in this State’s recent primary elections.

His wife, Kit (Bettie Johnson), standing by his side, is unwounded in the attack. FBI agents capture the assassin (Chuck Waters) only to lose him moments later.

The rest of the film concerns ten witnesses to the assassination. When one of them, his former girlfriend, Lee Carter (Paula Prentiss), comes fearfully to newspaper reporter Joe Frady (Warren Beatty) – who also witnessed the murder – stressing that six witnesses subsequently have died ‘accidentally’, he scoffs.

When she is killed violently, Frady begins investigating.

He begins to realise that the assassination was part of a conspiracy involving the Parallax Corporation, an enigmatic training institute, and uncovers a sinister and destructive force in operation with a far-reaching impact on the nation.

In between all the shootings, viewers are treated to the old reliable car chase and fist fight and a nice airliner bomb plot. All this is not very innovative, but it is well done.

Joseph Frady
Warren Beatty
Lee Carter
Paula Prentiss
Austin Tucker
William Daniels
Jack Younger
Walter McGinn
Bill Rintels
Hume Cronyn
Sheriff L.D. Wicker
Kelly Thordsen
Thomas Richard Linder
Chuck Waters
Deputy Red
Earl Hindman
Senator Charles Carroll
William Joyce
Mrs Charles (Kit) Carroll
Betty Murray (as Bettie Johnson)
Parallax Assassin
Bill McKinney
Chrissy
Jo Ann Harris
Schecter
Ted Gehring
Shirley
Lee Pulford
Gale from Salmontail
Doria Cook-Nelson
George Hammond
Jim Davis
Former FBI Agent Will Turner
Kenneth Mars
Tucker’s Aide
William Jordan
Senator Jameson
Edward Winter
Commission Spokesman #1
Stacy Keach Sr.
Commission Spokesman #2
Ford Rainey
Joy Holder
Alma Beltran
Ralph Scoletta
Joe Di Reda
Senator Gillingham
Robert P. Lieb
Herbert Moon
William Swan
Buster Himan
John S. Ragin
Harry Lutz
Vernon Weddle
Prof. Nelson Schwartzkopf
Anthony Zerbe

Director
Alan J. Pakula