traditional knives in movies

In several discussions of film/television knives, I am surprised that no one seems to have mentioned an old television series (early 1960's ???) about THE (Thomas Hewitt Edward) Cat. While it may not have been a traditional folder, THE Cat always had a nifty throwing knife strapped to his forearm that he used effectively. THE Cat was apparently a former circus aerialist and reformed cat burglar who was a freelance bodyguard or undercover operative who foiled the kidnappers or whoever by using his knife instead of a gun. Not too many shows ever showed knives so prominently.
 
Last edited:
Faiaoga said:
In several discussions of film/television knives, I am surprised that no one seems to have mentioned an old television series (early 1960's ???) about THE (Thomas Hewitt Edward) Cat. While it may not have been a traditional folder, THE Cat always had a nifty throwing knife strapped to his forearm that he used effectively. THE Cat was apparently a former circus aerialist and reformed cat burglar who was a freelance bodyguard or undercover operative who foiled then kidnappers or whoever by using his knife instead of a gun. Not too many shows ever showed knives so prominently.
Click to expand...

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I loved that show!!!

Robert Loggia was T.H.E. Cat, and he preferred a knife, but used a gun on occasion. Great show that was ahead of it's time. Veteran character actor R.G. Armstrong, did a wonderful job of the police Captain McAllister who sort of was a benevolent helper to some of Cat's borderline jobs. Cat could do what the cops couldn't. In a way, it was the forerunner of The Equalizer, with Edward Woodward in the 1980's. Also a great show. But Cat was good with that knife.

Edit to add; are we showing our age?
 
Last edited:
Don't have a photo, but in the interesting Mamet film The Spanish Prisoner, a large coke bottle folding hunter makes several appearances.
 
jackknife said:
Edit to add; are we showing our age?
Click to expand...

Yep, I only have hazy memories of it! :D

MarkPinTx said:
Don't have a photo, but in the interesting Mamet film The Spanish Prisoner, a large coke bottle folding hunter makes several appearances.
Click to expand...

I only threw out a VHS copy of that film the other week, wish I'd watched it again now! :)
 
jackknife said:
:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I loved that show!!!

Robert Loggia was T.H.E. Cat, and he preferred a knife, but used a gun on occasion. Great show that was ahead of it's time. Veteran character actor R.G. Armstrong, did a wonderful job of the police Captain McAllister who sort of was a benevolent helper to some of Cat's borderline jobs. Cat could do what the cops couldn't. In a way, it was the forerunner of The Equalizer, with Edward Woodward in the 1980's. Also a great show. But Cat was good with that knife.

Edit to add; are we showing our age?
Click to expand...

YOU may be showing your age, but I only know of such things because I was very precocious and saw the show when I was a baby. People who show their age will remember seeing Robert Mitchum (American actor) in two films where knives are prominent. Mitchum, who apparently had some real hobo experiences while growing up, was one of the stars in "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" - Mitchum uses his USMC K-Bar to dispatch a kendo-practicing Japanese soldier and help liberate a South Pacific island. Mitchum also acted in "The Yakuza" where Mitchum is an American gangster who helps an old buddy in Japan deal with Japanese gangsters (yakuza). Although Mitchum uses firearms, there are quite a few scenes showing Japanese blades and their use. :cool: Faiaoga "forever young"
 
Last edited:
Faiaoga said:
YOU may be showing your age, but I only know of such things because I was very precocious and saw the show when I was a baby. People who show their age will remember seeing Robert Mitchum (American actor) in two films where knives are prominent. Mitchum, who apparently had some real hobo experiences while growing up, was one of the stars in "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" - Mitchum uses his USMC K-Bar to dispatch a kendo-practicing Japanese soldier and help liberate a South Pacific island. Mitchum also acted in "The Yakuza" where Mitchum is an American gangster who helps an old buddy in Japan deal with Japanese gangsters (yakuza). Although Mitchum uses firearms, there are quite a few scenes showing Japanese blades and their use. :cool: Faiaoga "forever young"
Click to expand...

Actually there's three films that Mitchum uses a knife. In Night Of The Hunter, he plays a psycho lay preacher who packs a switchblade, and will kill to get his hands on a cache of stolen money. And I think I remember in The Yakuza, Mitchum cuts off his own little finger yakuza style because he found out the Japanese girl he was hitting on when he was in the occupation troops after the war, was really the wife of his old buddy, who was believed to have been killed in the war, but his wife didn't know he was really alive. Mitchum was very disturbed by that, and wanted to apologize to his old Japanese buddy yakuza style. I'm sorry, but a 'I'm sorry' card and a bottle of single barrel whiskey would have to do.

Yeah, good knife movie. :thumbup:

Carl.
 
My maternal grandfather, who died when my mother was 10, knew Mitchum and visited him on his property on the Eastern shore. I saw bits and pieces of Night of the Hunter on one of the M.E. stations. My favorite movie that he did was Thunder Road, going to have to check and see if he used a knife in that one.

Now let me tell the story, I can tell it all
About the mountain boy who ran illegal alcohol
His daddy made the whiskey, son, he drove the load
When his engine roared,
They called the highway thunder road.
Sometimes into ashville, sometimes memphis town
The revenoors chased him but they couldn't run him
Down
Each time they thought they had him,
His engine would explode
He'd go by like they were standin' still on thunder
Road.

And there was thunder, thunder over thunder road
Thunder was his engine, and white lightning was his
Load
There was moonshine, moonshine to quench the devil's thirst
The law they swore they'd get him, but the devil got
Him first.
On the first of april, nineteen fifty-four
A federal man sent word he'd better make his run no
More
He said two hundred agents were coverin' the state
Whichever road he tried to take, they'd get him sure as
Fate.
Son, his daddy told him, make this run your last
Your tank is filled with hundred-proof,
You're all tuned up and gassed
Now, don't take any chances, if you can't get through
I'd rather have you back again than all that mountain
Dew

Roarin' out of harlan, revving' up his mill
He shot the gap at cumberland,
And screamed by maynordsville
With g-men on his taillights, roadblocks up ahead
The mountain boy took roads that even angels feared
To tread.
Blazing' right through knoxville, out on kingston pike
Then right outside of Beardon, there they made the fatal
Strike
He left the road at ninety, that's all there is to say
The devil got the moonshine and the mountain boy
That day
 
jackknife said:
Actually there's three films that Mitchum uses a knife. In Night Of The Hunter, he plays a psycho lay preacher who packs a switchblade, and will kill to get his hands on a cache of stolen money. And I think I remember in The Yakuza, Mitchum cuts off his own little finger yakuza style because he found out the Japanese girl he was hitting on when he was in the occupation troops after the war, was really the wife of his old buddy, who was believed to have been killed in the war, but his wife didn't know he was really alive. Mitchum was very disturbed by that, and wanted to apologize to his old Japanese buddy yakuza style. I'm sorry, but a 'I'm sorry' card and a bottle of single barrel whiskey would have to do.

Yeah, good knife movie. :thumbup:

Carl.
Click to expand...

Yeah, he's a real bad 'un in Night Of The Hunter, even has 'Love' & 'Hate' knuckle tattoos if I remember rightly! :D In The Yakuza, I think he did more than 'hit' on the other guy's wife! I think the other guy was called Ken, and when he returned from the dead, the Mitchum character was living with his wife and kid, and he had to pretend he was her brother. Mitchum only finds out the truth towards the end of the film, after he's returned to Japan many years later, and after Ken has helped save his neck I think. Despite his shame, Ken has a sense of obligation to the Mitchum character, who fed and protected his family in his absence. It's a good film, but then Bob Mitchum didn't make many bad 'uns :)
 
The Yakuza is one of my top 10 all-time "guy" films, and the sword fighting seems especially realistic to me, not being a sword fighter.
Maybe others who practice such things could weigh in with their opinions.

The other classic Mitchum film is Cape Fear, where he plays about the worst "bad guy" in film history.
I'm sure there is a knife in there, somewhere!
 
black mamba said:
The Yakuza is one of my top 10 all-time "guy" films, and the sword fighting seems especially realistic to me, not being a sword fighter.
Maybe others who practice such things could weigh in with their opinions.

The other classic Mitchum film is Cape Fear, where he plays about the worst "bad guy" in film history.
I'm sure there is a knife in there, somewhere!
Click to expand...

It's been years since I've seen The Yakuza. Might have to seek it out.

I do have Cape Fear however, and remember seeing it as a kid and finding Max Cady a scary character! :D I can only remember a kitchen knife in that one, though I think there's another knife in the re-make (in which Mitchum has a cameo).
 
Last edited:
Thought I'd add a few pics :)

7373152202_4bea5213f3.jpg


tumblr_lhhegamMMu1qcqs6eo1_500.jpg


night+of+the+hunte+-+from+backtomyoriginalpoint.blogspot.comr.jpg


r-cape-fear-1962-large570.jpg
 
Jack Black said:
r-cape-fear-1962-large570.jpg
Click to expand...

Right there is the root of Mitchum's great talent. Look at that face. He really doesn't have to posture, threat, brandish a weapon. As Max Cady, he just has to be there. He's a threatening menace just by being.

Mitchum had no equal in bad boy stature. He didn't need a knife. He just gave you 'the look.'

Carl.
 
jackknife said:
Right there is the root of Mitchum's great talent. Look at that face. He really doesn't have to posture, threat, brandish a weapon. As Max Cady, he just has to be there. He's a threatening menace just by being.

Mitchum had no equal in bad boy stature. He didn't need a knife. He just gave you 'the look.'

Carl.
Click to expand...

Right Carl, the original doesn't need the violence of the re-make, for sheer menace, Mitchum absolutely steals it.
 
A reminder that this thread is supposed to be about knives.

All other discussion belongs in the lounge.
 
I don't know if it has already been said but the Duke boys always carried Buck 110's on their belts in the Dukes of Hazard if I remember right. It has been a while back but I really wanted one of those when I was a kid. I have a few of them now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top