Amos Lasher loses his wife and home in an accident, finding himself in the care of the state, or specifically speaking, the Sunset Nursing Home. Here he finds the head nurse, Daisy Daws, ruling the cowed patients with an iron hand, but as his determination to get out of Sunset grows, the more sinister his situation becomes.
Reviews
I watched it on a french channel years ago. I searched for it since. And was finally rewarded. What a film. I don't know any movie about retirement homes for elders. I guess there are somewhere. And I am not sure they would be better than this one. OK, every one thinks of ONE FLEW OVER A COCOO NEST, that took place in an insane asylum. OK, Milo's Forman's film is more magnificent. Speaking of it, Kirk Douglas played it on stage, back in the seventies. So may be that explains why he accepted this TV feature. Elizabeth Montgomery is here as her best as the evil female manager, as Louise Fletcher was in ONE FLEW...The opposite characters between Douglas and Montgomery are tremendous. A poignant and painful story which my father was particularly sensitive about before he himself went to a retirement home...Unless to say that he was not excited to go to it.
Kirk Douglas plays the title role in made for television film Amos, a film where he finally transitions into playing senior citizens which he would do the rest of his career. Who knows, at 96 he might yet have another role in him.After losing his wife and home in a tragedy, Douglas is forced into a nursing home run by Elizabeth Montgomery. The sweet and wholesome Samantha Stevens gives way to Nurse Ratched's mentor Daisy Dawes. She runs the home with a corrupt iron hand. She encourages the staff to be cruel and vicious to the residents if they make a complaint. The infirmities of old age are truly explored in this film. Douglas is a former athletic coach and presumably in good shape. But even he's a victim of the staff and Montgomery.Such familiar faces as Pat Morita, Ray Walston, and Dorothy McGuire are other residents who Douglas sacrifices for to bring them respect and justice.Abuses of senior citizen homes was a hot topic back in those times and Amos was both timely and entertaining. Kirk was great in the part, but the real revelation in this film was how evil Liz Montgomery could play.
Kirk Douglas is Amos Lasher, a man who's married and retired and enjoying home life. That is, until he has a car accident, which kills his wife, left him with a broken hip and with little to no money to pay for an operation, recovery, etc. He lost his house and has to go to a rest home for recovery. Little does he know, t.l.c. is the last thing on the mind of Head Nurse Daisy Dawes, played by Elizabeth Montgomery, who plays her role to the hilt. And, Ms. Montgomery gets a very fulfilling send-off for the viewer to enjoy. Fans of Ms. Montgomery, myself included, will love her performance and wish more of her TV movies and work can be found on DVD. I had to find this on VHS. On a entertainment level, this is a very good movie with great actors who know their business, including Ray Walston and Dorothy McGuire. But, the movie takes its entertainment from an otherwise very sobering subject matter, which may be too disturbing and real for some people watching, especially when the viewer might have a parent in a rest home, subjected to such treatment. If you can watch a movie about a rest home, then this is one to see, which is similar to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which was produced by Michael Douglas, the son of Kirk Douglas, the star of this. Kirk's Amos Lasher is a survivor and a fighter and will not go quietly....
This TV movie has excellent acting and a sad commentary on senior care facilities. Kirk Douglas plays a retired baseball player who, after a car accident (that kills his wife) is sent to a old folks home by his kids. Once there he suffers just about every indignity you can imagine. Elizabeth Montgomery plays head nurse who would rather kill off the patients than spend the money required to keep them alive. Ms. Montgomery is brilliant in this role. I don't want to give away any plot twists but there are a few. The best scenes in this movie are between stubborn "Amos Lasher" (Kirk) and "Daisy Daws" (Liz) who butt heads more than once. Dorothy McGuire gives a touching performance as a lonely woman who falls for Amos. Not only good drama but a movie with a social message as well regarding the treatment of our senior citizens.
