Alicia I love this movie so much

Artivels Undescribable Perfection

Greenes Please don't spend money on this.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

fedor8 There must be a logical explanation why this movie is completely overlooked, and why it's been one of the hardest-to-find American films for decades. Although, the latter may well be directly related, at least somewhat, to why this is a complete unknown to most people, even film buffs. I've had it sitting on my waiting list since the 90s; no other movie has eluded me for that long, especially not in the era of free downloads. There were times I was questioning the very existence of this film - that's how impossible it was to find.Maybe it was a box-office flop, as so many good and great movies are/were, but then again many financial duds get TV re-runs, over and over and over, have their own special DVD/BluRay releases even, so that alone certainly wouldn't explain much. Is it too wild and experimental? Not at all. (In fact, that would only make the movie more appealing for the lunatic fringe, which is always growing, especially among snowflake millennials filled with helpless sadistic rage and aggression.) Is it some odd hence rare example of Hollywood making a politically incorrect movie that doesn't suit movie fans accustomed to political propaganda? No. Is the movie some kind of stereotypical boring commercial fluff with little appeal value to any demographic? Far from it.The theme may be quite original and there is no movie quite like it, but this is basically a slightly off-the-wall comedy that almost anyone should be able to enjoy. (Or perhaps I'd been watching Monty Python for so long that my sense of the "normal" in terms of comedy is a little skewered.) Having never read the synopsis beforehand - combined with the cult status it "enjoys" as an unfindable movie - lead me to half-expect some bizarre "New Hollywood" LSD trip with gore, which would have explained a lot, but that's not what this is about at all. It is in many ways a typical movie of its period (the best period in cinema): original, wonderfully shot, and unique.If there is one flaw, it would be the predictability of Keach getting some poetic (in)justice by landing on his own chair. I saw that coming well in advance. Nevertheless, in the film's defense, there are one or two plot-twists right after that, which cement the quality and fun factor of TTE.

steveo122 This here thing purely is an oddity. This is most definitely a Stacy Keach movie and most definitely a 'southern period wacky black comedy' product of 1970. Despite the absurdity of the plot, the writers keep it on point. Might be a good companion piece to "The Ninth Configuration" 1980. If for no other reason than a young M. Emmet Walsh at work.

gregory-81 This movie made a huge impact when I saw it in the theater. I was a tough (or so I thought) eighteen year old young man here in Vancouver when I saw it in 1970. I think that it might have played for a week.I loved the humanity and charm that Stacy Keach brought to the executioner's role. I remember the loving way that he would sooth the fears of the condemned as they faced the terrors to come. It was a job that had to be done, and if he was the one to do it, he demanded craftsmanship and style.The ending caught a deep nerve and I cried as I left and walked home. (It remains the only film that I can say that about). It is amazing how a film that is almost unknown has remained so brilliant in my mind.I suspect that I might give it a higher rating if I ever saw it again.

Ténèbre Rarum (Dario_the_2nd) A short word on this marvelous rare to find movie; Well what can I say, except we find here a Stacy Keatch in what my humble opinion may be, one of his greatest roles ever put by him onto screen. He's an executioner who gets paid 100 bucks for each execution. The year we're in is 1918 South states of America. `The traveling executioner' is a black comedy love-story with a western undertone. It's the music that creates that pleasure full funny western feeling. What for sure is marvelous in this movie. The moment he's starting philosophizing to the condemned to death by his electric chair are `quality moments' in this movie. Not even to mention the funny truck he drives thru the country to visit every possible jail to for fill his task. The conversations are sometimes hilarious. Example, the moment he rents out hookers to some inmates. They each have to pay him, and on the amount they pay, he decides how much time they get.Executioner, `Well for this you get room 5 and 4 minutes'. Inmate, `What kinda cover can I shoot in 4 min?' Executioner, `Well you gat from now 4 minutes, so start shooting'.So the humor is one of a kind, and the love tale is great. `The contract killer badly in love with his victim'. The story goes on to a strange, though org. road. I try not to spoil too much, but will the executioner exchange his chair for her life, or will he even meet his own electric chair for real by trying to save her. Well it is a fact he doesn't leave any way unexplored to rescue her from her death sentence. Are you in for a funny black romantic comedy movie. With a superb, strong acting Stacey Keatch go for this one, for sure a must see!Dario/