The Onion Field (1979)

Cast

Christopher Lloyd
as Jailhouse lawyer
Ted Danson
as Det. Ian James Campbell
James Woods
as Gregory Ulas Powell
John de Lancie
as LAPD Lieutnant #2

Get more information about The Onion Field (1979) on IMDb

Genres & Description

Action Crime Drama

6.9 / 10

Gregory Ulas Powell is a disturbed ex-con who recruits Jimmy Lee "Youngblood" Smith, a petty thief, as his partner in crime. Powell panics one night when the two of them are pulled over by a pair of cops for broken brake lights. Powell decides to kidnap the cops, and Smith, as always, reluctantly goes along with Powell's crazy scheme. The group drives out to a deserted onion field in Bakersfield, California, and one officer is shot while the other escapes. The remainder of the film explores the nature of the American justice system, as well as the devastating psychological effects of this event, and the trial on the surviving officer.

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Comments on this trailer
Comments may include spoiler!

Captain Howdy

James Woods looks like a gay porno guy with that fucking hat - @Saturday, November 10, 2018 2:55 AM

Montgomery Mall

Actor Franklyn Seales screaming outburst was spontaneous and not in the script. - @Sunday, October 14, 2018 7:28 AM

Robert Currie

It’s a tough watch - @Tuesday, September 4, 2018 12:06 AM

Georgie Thumbs

If you ever find yourself in this situation, it's always better to go for the criminals gun because most people cannot react fast enough to pull the trigger. And when you go for the gun, you want to immediately get both your arms around the criminals arm that is holding the gun and twist your body so your back is leaning into their belly and chest. That is ideal position that you want to get into and it can be perfected with practice on a friend. A buddy of mine can do this in half a second, about the time it takes to blink. Once you are in that position, it is extremely difficult for the criminal to shoot you. If you have both your arms over their shooting arm, you could basically break their arm without any difficulty on the elbow. It takes a lot of practice, but wow, it's effective as all hell. I've seen guys disarm crooks this way from 10 feet away. Plenty of time to shoot but it's such an unexpected move that by the time they realize what is going on it's too late. Take time to learn this as it may save your life someday, especially if Democrats win elections. - @Saturday, March 17, 2018 3:43 AM

russell owen

when I was a about ten years old. I watched this movie, it stuck with me for 36 years.only got the courage to watch it again .tomm maybe - @Friday, September 22, 2017 12:52 PM

Benjamin Jack Kata Finau

Holy shit, is that Ted Danson?! - @Monday, February 20, 2017 7:01 AM

NotFonda Jane

This movie was required watching when I went through the Police Academy in 1982. NEVER relinquish your weapon, NEVER. - @Wednesday, September 21, 2016 1:48 AM

Derrick Huckaby

Powell died in prison I think from prostate cancer in 2013 or 2014. Dirty SOB. - @Friday, August 12, 2016 12:01 PM

19331937100

One of the best films and books, great acting. - @Sunday, April 17, 2016 11:25 PM

Goughs Bastard

Hettinger was treated appallingly by the LAPD. The ironclad assumption was he MUST have done something wrong at the traffic stop. Cut & dried. Training vids were shown using the traffic stop as something NOT to do. Poor Karl had to give lectures to other cops, and the theme, the point, the assumption was always- "how did you screw up and what should you have done?" As if it were that simple. Then the poor bastard had to live thru trials, re-trials, appeals, etc. At one point the longest trial in US history. Add to that the guilt that most survivors feel, and it's no wonder he had psychological problems. Why be a cop? Those two piss-weak punks outlived him. Powell & Smith had a falling out in prison, as low-lifes tend to. Smith beats the shit out of Powell. Then a friend tells Smith Powell is already going to the gas chamber for the first shot. But if he takes responsibility for the 4 subsequent ones, Smith might not join him, may just get life. So Smith gets on his knees in the shower and blows Powell. First full-on male-on-male sex scene I'd seen in a film. Pretty graphic & disturbing, and it shows nothing much matters to these scum. Not pride, not principles, not even your own sense of self. - @Tuesday, February 23, 2016 3:05 PM

BlueBoy0316

that acting. . . - @Thursday, December 17, 2015 3:14 PM

Ms Session

Is the original film on youtube? - @Friday, August 21, 2015 7:54 AM

Paul Staker

WOOOOOOOO WOOOOOOOO WOOOOOOOO - @Friday, July 31, 2015 2:12 AM

Filme - wahre Begebenheiten

Great movie ! - @Tuesday, December 30, 2014 1:31 PM

Michael Chua

I'm watching this video 5 years to the day this was posted! Even on Halloween, this video is quite gruesome and terrifying... - @Friday, October 31, 2014 9:57 PM

charles pope

Terrific scene Woods is scary but the one who is/lives a nightmare is his buddy Franklin Seals the whole piece is might be Wambaugh's attitudes towards the criminal justice system..Powerful film - @Tuesday, June 3, 2014 2:18 AM

Dloomis494

As any piper knows."There is no more death." - @Wednesday, February 12, 2014 1:08 AM

brad hart

Gregory's dad was my music teacher in elementary and jr high school. Never knew Gregory and am glad of that. - @Tuesday, February 11, 2014 1:42 AM

LepuooL Nydazx

YES. John Savage and James Woods together since Salvador!!??? HELL YEAH - @Thursday, January 23, 2014 3:34 AM

Janet Hennessey

I Have A Copy Of The Movie. Bought It On Line. - @Friday, November 1, 2013 2:39 AM

Angel Face

Scream Jimmy scream. - @Sunday, September 29, 2013 1:56 PM

Chaching

It's not on netflix! Amazon sales for $48 or Region 2 $21 - @Tuesday, September 24, 2013 8:17 PM

Tunggul Wirajuda

@kenpalmer1965 as a psychopath i don't think powell has any remorse over killing campbell. Only way you can get any remorse from that asshole is by getting the punisher to gut him alive. But unfortunately we won't have that chance anymore would we - @Saturday, August 10, 2013 4:00 AM

Monte Walsh

WOW, Mario...that is something to really be proud of...most people would never want to admit being even REMOTELY related to a double cop killer. You need to re-think who you look up to. - @Monday, July 29, 2013 6:13 AM

mario casale

greogry powell is my blood related cousin have a picture with him and his parent's. - @Monday, July 29, 2013 3:34 AM

Robert Curtis

Well done for a low budget movie. It is on DVD. Should be on blu ray. - @Friday, June 28, 2013 5:26 AM

SUNMAYDEN518

I think it may be on netflix - @Saturday, May 18, 2013 3:43 PM

SUNMAYDEN518

great movie - @Saturday, May 18, 2013 3:40 PM

goldenchyld69

Ted Danson died and then reincarnated a CSI investigator. - @Wednesday, April 17, 2013 7:53 PM

Caveman6666x

Moral? If you ever have cause to kidnap a pig or two, might as well kill the fuckers anyway. - @Sunday, December 23, 2012 2:12 PM

Monte Walsh

UPDATE....Gregory Ulas Powell died in Vacaville State prison at the ripe old age of 79, August 12th, 2012 Rot in hell, motherfucker! - @Monday, October 29, 2012 8:32 AM

Monte Walsh

The LAPD was wrong,wrong, wrong, to crucify Karl because, it's like the "old salt " says later in the movie "It's up to the cop on the street to decide to give up his gun or not". Personally, If I were in Hettinger's position, gun out, in a mexican stand-off with Powell, I would have taken the shot... - @Monday, October 29, 2012 8:27 AM

Monte Walsh

The book is even BETTER, you won't put it down till you're done. - @Monday, October 29, 2012 8:16 AM

MrStorway

Really good movie, can watch it again and again... - @Friday, October 19, 2012 12:34 PM

pbstratocaster

Classic movie - dont miss it. Can be watch at all times. - @Sunday, September 16, 2012 2:28 PM

LilAndy72

James Woods a real A.hole but awesome actor :) - @Tuesday, September 4, 2012 3:47 PM

kenpalmer1965

I heard that the intersection where the initial traffic stop took place,Carlos and Gower, has been renamed Ian Campbell Way. But don't quote me because I heard it on the news when they announced Greg Powell's death. - @Sunday, August 26, 2012 6:50 AM

kenpalmer1965

And now, Greg Powell recently died in prison at the age of 79 about a week and a half ago. I couldn't believe his attorney actually wanted to parole him because he was diagnosed with terminal prostrate cancer. Big deal! The bottom line is he was a bonafide psychopath and still a menace to society. I hope he suffered the entire way out. I also hope the memory of him murdering Officer Ian Campbell haunted him for the rest of his life. - @Sunday, August 26, 2012 6:36 AM

kenpalmer1965

This was a particular brutal crime. Anyone who would disarm and kidnap two police officers and force them to drive to a remote location such as the Onion Field is a complete psycopath. There was absolutely no reason for this murder to occur. And Powell was definitely wrong about the little Lindbergh law. Since when did he become a lawyer during his life of crime? Officer Hettinger would die of liver disease in 1994 at the age of 59. Jimmy Lee Smith died in prison in 2007. - @Sunday, August 26, 2012 6:30 AM

malcolmhighvideo

The movie is uneven as it tries to stay true to the wambaugh novel... - @Tuesday, August 14, 2012 12:40 AM

ColtDeltaElite10mm

Well the son if a bitxh murderer Powell finally died in prison yesterday (8/12/12). Prostrate cancer ate him. I hope it was a painful death. Rot in hell Powell. - @Monday, August 13, 2012 5:05 PM

luvdomus

James Woods' portrayal of the killer is absolutely chilling. This is a great movie, even though it meanders a bit. - @Thursday, August 9, 2012 1:02 AM

2000toddowen

The most unfortunate thing is that so little has been learned or corrected from the events of March 1963 in an onion field near Wheeler Ridge. I pick up the papers these days and read of at least four police departments within fifty miles of me that are presently embroiled in scandals, corruption, interdepartmetal fueding, political jockeying, planting of evidence, etc. Glad my dad steered me away from following in his footsteps. Ian was right. It's a thankless job. - @Friday, February 10, 2012 12:49 PM

Castor

@martinsolis1970 Yeah, grat movie. Couldn't find it either. - @Sunday, January 29, 2012 5:20 PM

spirg

Hope the bastard rots in jail , I don't care if he's got cancer , I wish he got it when he was born !! He ruined 2 families !!! 2 kids grew up fatherless .... DROP DEAD !!!!!!!!! - @Wednesday, January 11, 2012 5:13 AM

robert hagedorn

The book was great. They should have dropped this prick off a tall building. Let him feel a little terror. All police officers should carry a back up gun. Maybe two. - @Tuesday, January 3, 2012 7:12 PM

Marco Freitas

Very gritty and suspenseful scene. - @Tuesday, December 27, 2011 7:24 AM

bluekeet

@welcometoorefuge It's a good thing this old fucker was denied parole even though he has cancer, not wishing anything bad to people, but c'mon this guy took the life of another human. Life is very precious. No one has the right to decide when someone should die. - @Friday, October 21, 2011 5:06 AM

code2high

@welcometoorefuge and bury him ALIVE! - @Tuesday, October 18, 2011 11:16 PM

FA Barragan

He is the only one that is still alive of the 4. Should of been the first to go back in 1963 when sentanced to death for his crime. - @Monday, October 17, 2011 4:25 AM