Prior to THE CALIFORNIA KID, the only work I had seen from Director Richard Heffron was the ST LOUIS BANK ROBBERY, which I found less than impressive.
Although of a completely different context, I found THE CALIFORNIA KID a far better film. Very tight script, focusing expressly on the actions of a backwater town sheriff who lost his wife and child to a hit and run driver, and proceeds to wreak revenge on all those he spots speeding through town and around a bend that has claimed some seven lives in the recent past.
There is also a suggestion of official corruption by the town mayor, who wants to keep the system going to not pay taxes.
Martin Sheen plays McCord, arriving in town in a souped up classic car with CALIFORNIA KID printed on the painted flames.
Vic Morrow plays the vindictive sheriff with a professional approach to duty, and he wastes no time giving McCord a ticket for doing 38 miles/hour in a 35 miles/hour zone.
Inevitably, McCord is less than pleased and ever more determined to learn more about his brother's demise in one of the aforesaid fatal bend accidents, and finds evidence that his car may have been pushed out of the road from behind.
He also wastes no time establishing that the sheriff's car has big metal bars on his front bumper that might well be used to push cars off the road.
A very young Nick Nolte plays a local mechanic who gets paid for towing vehicles involved in accidents.
Good production values, strong script and cinematography, make this a top notch TV film.
One detail I did not understand: why McCord did not want to leave his boot prints on the sand by the point where his brother's car flew off the road.
I also found the death of Nolte's brother a bit contrived, but it does not damage the film.
Well worth watching. 7/10.
