Cutter’s Way(1981)

Richard Bone (Jeff Bridges) is living temporarily with Alex Cutter (John Heard) and Mo Cutter (Lisa Eichhorn) in Santa Barbara, working as a salesman at George Swanson’s boat dealership. One rainy night, Bone’s car breaks down, and he witnesses a man disposing of something in a garbage can. The next day, the body of seventeen-year-old Vicky Duran is found in the same garbage can, making Bone a suspect.

Believing he saw oil baron J.J. Cord (Richard Dysart) disposing the body during a parade, Bone and Alex, a Vietnam veteran with significant physical and emotional scars, decide to investigate. Alex, who has largely turned to alcohol to cope with his war experiences, devises a plan to expose Cord by sending him a blackmail letter, hoping Cord’s payment will prove his guilt. This scheme involves Vicky’s sister, Val Duran (Ann Dusenberry), who seeks justice for her sister.

Their plan seems to rekindle Alex’s will to live, but it also strains the relationships among Rich, Alex, and Mo. The plot escalates when Alex’s house burns down with Mo inside, leading Alex to suspect Cord of trying to silence Bone. Alex then steals an invitation to a party at Cord’s house, planning to confront him. At Cord’s, Alex attempts to kill Cord but is injured when he crashes through a window after stealing a horse. As Alex lies dying, Bone confronts Cord, who ambiguously responds to the accusation of murder. Bone then helps Alex fire a gun at Cord as the scene cuts to black.