The Executioner's Song 1982
7 / 10
The Executioner's Song
In this fact-based made-for TV film, Gary Gilmore, an Indiana man who just finished serving a lengthy stay in prison, tries to start anew by moving to Utah. Before long, Gary begins an ill-advised romance with the troubled Nicole Baker, a teenage single mother. As their relationship quickly deteriorates, Gary goes on a murderous rampage, leaving two dead. During his trial, he demands capital punishment; a media circus ensues and outsiders look to profit from his story.
In this fact-based made-for TV film, Gary Gilmore, an Indiana man who just finished serving a lengthy stay in prison, tries to start anew by moving to Utah. Before long, Gary begins an ill-advised romance with the troubled Nicole Baker, a teenage single mother. As their relationship quickly deteriorates, Gary goes on a murderous rampage, leaving two dead. During his trial, he demands capital punishment; a media circus ensues and outsiders look to profit from his story.
Videos & Photos
All 1 Videos & 5 Photos
cast
Full Cast & Crew
... Gary Mark Gilmore
... Brenda Nicol
... Nicole Baker
... Vern Damico
... Larry Samuels
... Johnny Nicol
User reviews
See All 1 Reviews29 May 2023 by CinemaSerf
t was always going to be a challenge to dramatise this Norman Mailer book. It is a complex and intricate story of ex-con "Gary Gilmore" (Tommy Lee Jones) who is released back into society after serving a sentence for armed robbery. He quickly meets Nicole (Rosanna Arquette) with whom he has a child, before that all goes wrong and his life spirals out of control again. Determined to buy a white pick up truck from a local dealer, he turns to robbery to fund this - needlessly killing two men as he goes. He is easily identified, arrested and sentenced to death by firing squad (his choice) after insisting that all appeals be abandoned. It is clear, to me anyway, that "Gilmore" is ill - psychopathic, perhaps, and TLJ manages the role with some skill. Arquette also shines , she portrays the teenage mother vacillating from terror of the man to adoration in a convincing, earthy, manner. It's the pace of the thing that got me; it all takes far too long to get anywhere. It simply doesn't need to be 2¼ hours long and the last twenty minutes drag out the inevitable conclusion unnecessarily. Eli Wallach features all to sparingly as does Christine Lahti and though Jones delivers a powerful performance that does much to sustain this depiction of this very flawed human being, I found myself actually just a little bit bored by it all.
Directors:
Release Date:
Sep 10, 1982 (United States)
Run Time:
2hr 15`
MMPA Rating:
NR
Original Language:
English
Production Countries:
United States
Status:
Released
Plot Keywords:
Related Movies To
The Executioner's Song
t was always going to be a challenge to dramatise this Norman Mailer book. It is a complex and intricate story of ex-con "Gary Gilmore" (Tommy Lee Jones) who is released back into society after serving a sentence for armed robbery. He quickly meets Nicole (Rosanna Arquette) with whom he has a child, before that all goes wrong and his life spirals out of control again. Determined to buy a white pick up truck from a local dealer, he turns to robbery to fund this - needlessly killing two men as he goes. He is easily identified, arrested and sentenced to death by firing squad (his choice) after insisting that all appeals be abandoned. It is clear, to me anyway, that "Gilmore" is ill - psychopathic, perhaps, and TLJ manages the role with some skill. Arquette also shines , she portrays the teenage mother vacillating from terror of the man to adoration in a convincing, earthy, manner. It's the pace of the thing that got me; it all takes far too long to get anywhere. It simply doesn't need to be 2¼ hours long and the last twenty minutes drag out the inevitable conclusion unnecessarily. Eli Wallach features all to sparingly as does Christine Lahti and though Jones delivers a powerful performance that does much to sustain this depiction of this very flawed human being, I found myself actually just a little bit bored by it all.
Cast & Crew of
The Executioner's Song
Directors & Credit Writers
... Director
Cast
... Gary Mark Gilmore
... Brenda Nicol
... Nicole Baker
... Vern Damico
... Larry Samuels
... Johnny Nicol
... Earl Dorius
... April Baker
... Spencer McGrath
... Jimmy Poker-Game
... Ida Damico
... Val Conlan
... Rikki Wood
... Pete Galovan
... Sterling Baker
... Kathryne Baker
... Ron Stanger
... Lt. Nelson
... Noall Wootton
RG
Ray Girardin... Snyder
Videos & Photos of
The Executioner's Song
Videos ( 1)
Photos ( 5 )
Related Movies To
The Executioner's Song
The Accountant² (2025)
0 /10
When an old acquaintance is murdered, Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax, to help. In partnership with Marybeth Medina, they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.
Run Time: 2hr 13` . MMPA: R . Release: 23 Apr 2025
Director: Alina Gatti , Mariela Comitini , Fernando Chien
Producer: Nicole Abellara Hallman , Kevin Halloran , Sasha Veneziano
Stars: Ben Affleck , Jon Bernthal , J.K. Simmons , Cynthia Addai-Robinson , Daniella Pineda , Allison Robertson
STRAW (2025)
0 /10
What will be her last straw? A devastatingly bad day pushes a hardworking single mother to the breaking point — and into a shocking act of desperation.
Run Time: 1hr 45` . MMPA: R . Release: 05 Jun 2025
Director: Nicholas Hiles , Kyler Griffin , Derrick Doose
Producer: Carole Wurst , Tyler Perry , Tony Strickland
Stars: Taraji P. Henson , Sherri Shepherd , Teyana Taylor , Sinbad , Rockmond Dunbar , Ashley Versher
Shadow Force (2025)
0 /10
Kyrah and Isaac were once the leaders of a multinational special forces group called Shadow Force. They broke the rules by falling in love, and in order to protect their son, they go underground. With a large bounty on their heads, and the vengeful Shadow Force hot on their trail, one family's fight becomes all-out war.
Run Time: 1hr 43` . MMPA: R . Release: 01 May 2025
Director: Robert Ratner , Paulo Orellana , Jayson Merrill
Producer: Nick Satriano , Juliana Muñoz , Carlos Rey del Castillo
Stars: Mark Strong , Kerry Washington , Omar Sy , Da'Vine Joy Randolph , Method Man , Ed Quinn
Ballerina (2025)
0 /10
Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Eve Macarro begins her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.
Run Time: 2hr 5` . MMPA: R . Release: 04 Jun 2025
Director: Chad Stahelski , Darrin Prescott , Matej Kricner
Producer: Kaley Smalley Romo , Ana de Armas , Chad Stahelski
Stars: Ana de Armas , Ian McShane , Anjelica Huston , Norman Reedus , Keanu Reeves , Lance Reddick
Out of Exile (2023)
0 /10
Recently paroled thief Gabriel Russell tries to balance his life and mend a troubled family as an FBI agent hunts him down, along with his crew after a botched armored car robbery.
Run Time: 1hr 47` . MMPA: R . Release: 20 Jan 2023
Director: Kyle Kauwika Harris
Producer: Kelley Gann , Marcus Cox , Jacob Snovel
Stars: Adam Hampton , Karrie Cox , Kyle Jacob Henry , Ryan Merriman , Peter Greene , Hayley McFarland
A Working Man (2025)
0 /10
Levon Cade left behind a decorated military career in the black ops to live a simple life working construction. But when his boss's daughter, who is like family to him, is taken by human traffickers, his search to bring her home uncovers a world of corruption far greater than he ever could have imagined.
Run Time: 1hr 56` . MMPA: R . Release: 26 Mar 2025
Director: Tom White , Kaya Frances Moore , Eddie J. Fernandez
Producer: Bill Block , Chris Long , Sylvester Stallone
Stars: Jason Statham , David Harbour , Michael Peña , Jason Flemyng , Arianna Rivas , Noemi Gonzalez
Conjuring the Cult (2024)
0 /10
After discovering his blood-soaked daughter dead in the bathtub, David Bryson attends a self-help group to help save him from his ghostly nightmares. But when a group of mysterious cult-like women offer to help him resurrect his daughter. David's choices will not just decide his fate... but the fate of his dead daughter's SOUL.
Run Time: 1hr 33` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Oct 2024
Director: Calvin Morie McCarthy
Producer:
Stars: Neil Green , Elissa Dowling , Chynna Rae Shurts , BJ Mezek , Jason Brooks , Brad Littlefield
The Accountant (2016)
7.3 /10
As a math savant uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities and the body count starts to rise.
Run Time: 2hr 8` . MMPA: R . Release: 13 Oct 2016
Director: Ivan J. Fonseca , Janine Gosselin , Amir R. Khan
Producer: Brianne Freeman , Vicki L. Sawyer , Sommer Oliver
Stars: Ben Affleck , Anna Kendrick , J.K. Simmons , Jon Bernthal , Jeffrey Tambor , Cynthia Addai-Robinson
Front of the Class (2008)
8.1 /10
A boy with Tourette's syndrome overcomes criticism and discrimination to achieve his dream of becoming a teacher.
Run Time: 1hr 35` . MMPA: . Release: 07 Dec 2008
Director: Peter Werner
Producer: Andrew Gottlieb
Stars: James Wolk , Treat Williams , Dominic Scott Kay , Sarah Drew , Kathleen York , Joe Chrest
Breathing In (2023)
0 /10
1901, South Africa. As the Second Anglo-Boer War rages on, a wounded General seeks refuge in the small home of a woman and her young daughter. As the hurt man settles in, he begins noticing that something is off about the two women, particularly the daughter, and before long, he’ll learn the real reason for why they’ve invited him and for how they’ve survived on their own for so long.
Run Time: 1hr 45` . MMPA: . Release: 18 Oct 2023
Director: Jaco Bouwer
Producer:
Stars: Michele Burgers , Sven Ruygrok , Jamie-Lee Money , Lionel Newton
Baywatch (2017)
5.5 /10
Devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchannon butts heads with a brash new recruit. Together, they uncover a local criminal plot that threatens the future of the Bay.
Run Time: 1hr 56` . MMPA: R . Release: 25 May 2017
Director: Carmen Soriano , Seth Gordon
Producer: Deanna Brigidi , Scott Sheldon , Dana Goldberg
Stars: Dwayne Johnson , Zac Efron , Priyanka Chopra Jonas , Alexandra Daddario , Jon Bass , Hannibal Buress
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
7.4 /10
Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.
Run Time: 2hr 20` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 11 Jul 2017
Director: Ana Oparnica Sebal , Trisha Burton , Kimi Webber
Producer: Peter Chernin , Rick Jaffa , Natasha Wehn
Stars: Andy Serkis , Woody Harrelson , Steve Zahn , Karin Konoval , Michael Adamthwaite , Ty Olsson