User reviews

My entire family was riveted to the "Chiefs". I feel that it is one of the best written and casted films to this day. I'd promote this movie until I die. It was intelligently written, eluding to hideous crimes without the overkill of blood and gore. Anyone that appreciates old cars, old cycles and vivid acting would benefit to rent, buy or borrow Chiefs. I like to tell anyone that will listen that they will be on the edge of their seats for most of the movie. I was a teenager when it came on TV. To this day I can remember how I felt during the 'handlebar scene'. Sad to say, this movie's plot is the first thing I think of every time I hear of a disappearance or kidnapping in the real world. I'd rate this as one movie I would want on my TV line up once a year. A remake is in order if it could be cast with such strong actors again.

I first watched this movie when it debuted on television in 1983, I was 19 years old. My whole family would get together each night for the ac- casion. I have to say, that even though the movie was quite long, it grapped at you for more and with that, it was well worth to watch. It has got to be the best "Chief" movie of all times. I loved it then and still feels the same for it now in 2004. I use to rent this movie to show other people who didn't get the chance to see it, and they all felt it was the best thing going. Even 21 years later, it's still the best thing going. I strongly recommend "CHIEFS" to all those who has not seen it. I applause all the characters especially Charlton Heston, what a great man. This is a must see.

I still place Stuart Woods's "Chiefs" among the best police dramas ever written. Since I learned that a TV adaptation of the book was made, I've always wanted to see it, and, a few months ago, I finally bought the DVD release of the series. I actually did not expect much, but what I received surprised me - and it was a positive surprise. The series is an excellent adaptation of the novel and manages to do it justice, which is a rarity... as is the fact that very little of the book's plot is omitted. Certainly, some of the details - such as Will Henry's growing obsession with the mysterious murders, and the technical sides of his investigation - have to be treated superficially, but every important subplot and aspect of the book is present in the film; consequently, the series manages to be just as thrilling and involving as the novel. Amusingly enough, the credits on the box of the DVD misled me slightly - I assumed Charlton Heston, Keith Carradine and Billy Dee Williams would be playing the three chiefs, chronologically; of course, this is not the case.

If you like movies about dusty, small southern towns that are hiding a crime/mystery/secret, then this one's for you! It has all of the elements to keep you watching. Centered around the police chiefs of the town and serial killer, over a long period of time. Psssst....The men who play the police chiefs are all great actors.

Chiefs was one of the best mini-series of the 80s, it's the story of a town in the deep south state of Georgia. It's seen through the eyes of a leading citizen and civic booster Charlton Heston. And it's the story of 3 police chiefs in different eras of the 20th century.

In fact when the series opens Delano, Georgia has grown so that the place needs some local law enforcement. So Heston and the other town fathers create a position of police chief and in a contest between two local farmers Wayne Rogers and David Carradine. Rogers is selected. Early on he's killed and the wrong man is identified as the killer.

The second chief story has an abused kid in a white trash family who has grown up with hate and rage and bigotry. Brad Davis wins the acting honors in this series with his portrayal. But whatever else he is Davis has a good police instinct and it costs him his life and the town thinks he just up and left town.

Things come full circle when Billy Dee Williams becomes the third chief and discovers and solved what the first two chiefs gave their lives for.

Chiefs is a flawlessly cast production. What terrible secret did Delano have? I think it was best said about another infamous southern town Scottsboro, Alabama. If what happened in that railroad car with those young black men and two white women had happened a bit down on the railroadd track some other small Alabama town would have the infamy.

Heston is almost destroyed by the revelation of events. All his hopes and dreams for his town have been smashed because everyone will think of the terrible events that took place there.

Chiefs is simply outstanding. I hope it's broadcast again or comes out on DVD.

If you like movies that involve the lives of people from their childhood to their death, mystery, history,a little action, and actors in their early years, then this is the show to watch. The story spans from the late 1800's to present day. It mainly centers around the various Chiefs of Police that were elected during that time frame, and how they changed the town. But the main center of the story is about a murder that happened in the early 1900's and how the murder is not discovered until present day,who did it, and how he hid it for so long. A very long movie, but worth watching.

It's been a long time since I've seen this mini-series, but I recorded all three episodes on VHS back in the 80's (I think my mom may still have it). After finally reading Stuart Woods' original novel, it just took me back to how great the teleplay was (it was THAT faithful)!

It's a tale about murder, for sure. But it's a tale about the South specifically. Race relations, politics and family. It's gripping, suspenseful and even important.

All the performances are uniformly excellent. Charlton Heston, Wayne Rogers, Billy Dee Williams, Keith Carradine, Tess Harper, Paul Sorvino, Lane Smith, Victoria Tennant, Stephen Collins and Danny Glover are just some of the major performances noteworthy. There's a nice bunch of southern actors mixed in with the (inevitable) few non-southern ones. If one actor is to be singled out for their performances, it's Brad Davis. His brooding, explosive performance as the bullying racist Sonny Butts reminds one of the intensity of a young Jack Nicholson or Marlon Brando. I hear the heavily edited 200 minute version of CHIEFS has cut a lot of the Brad Davis chapter. Too bad!

Which brings me to the DVD release. WHERE IS IT? Seriously, considering all the TV movies that have been released on disc over the years, it's time for CHIEFS to get what it deserves: A handsome DVD release, digitally remastered in a multi-disc box set. Completely uncut. Is this too much to ask?

In the late 70s and early 80s, there was a craze for miniseries - not full soap operas like Dallas and Dysentery, but not short shows like The Twilight Zone, originally shown by ITV under the banner of Best Sellers.

One such miniseries was called Once Upon A Murder.

What does this have to do with Chiefs, I hear you ask? That's what the series was called when it first went out on ITV in the early 80s.

In about 1988, Channel Quatorze acquired what they said was a new series from America entitled Chiefs.

The programme recycled both the plot, characters and even the actors from ITV's miniseries Once Upon A Murder.

I believe that, later, some ITV regions rebroadcast it again under the name Chiefs: Once Upon A Murder.

One little correction to a previous comment, the story begins in the early 1920's and goes through the mid 1960's. Although the murders are the thread that ties the 3 generations together, it is the evolution of a town, the growing pains of a culture, and the ultimate acceptance of those once rejected that makes the story. Charlton Heston is superb in his role as he "ages" through the generations, as is Keith Carradine.

One word of caution, if you haven't seen it be sure you get an uncut version. The full movie (originally a TV mini series in 3 parts)is about 4-1/2 hrs. There are several commercially produced versions out there of varying lengths. Some are so badly chopped up you miss key elements of the show.

I appreciated this amazing and surprising TV mini series, which I Just discovered now. I prefer this one if I compare it with HBO famous TRUE DETECTIVE, also setting in a southern countryside town, around a serial killer case. I don't like detective stories speaking of investigations and mysteries, urban or rural, but this one is absolutely outstanding. I would put it on the same scale as RICH MAN POOR MAN, though the topic is not the same at all, and also much shorter for this one, but also on a long period of time, several decades between different episodes- or seasons, concerning RICH MAN...Part Two, second episode is my favorite, because you have as main characters two absolute bad SOBs; Keith Carradine as the serial killer - and only the audiences know this, not the investigators, that's precisely what I appreciate in this series, as in COLUMBO - so Carradine as the ugly one who meets the chief of police, played by Brad Davis, as a vicious, disgusting racist character, but also fascinating and so complex, so ambivalent. So, those two characters meet and guess what, when Carradine gets that the local rotten sheriff will stop at nothing to nail him....OUTSTANDING, because so unusual, a scheme with two bad guys fightting one against each other. But you have of course good characters here, not only evil ones, but they remain supporting roles, though we will find them in the last episode. Back to Brad Davis's character, I love this kind of disgusting, nasty role, much more than, in the first episode, the local chief of police, very human, kind, honest and fair in the pure Jimmy Stewart or Gary Cooper style, so predictable;...Billy Dee Williams brings another touch, very different from the two previous chiefs of the series. That kind of series is absolutely not too old to me, even in the 2020's, it could please to modern and young audiences.

This is was the first Drama that I can remember viewing in my life, I give this movie two thumbs up, when it was first aired, it took two days for it to completely air, my favorite part was when the police chief was in the back yard and he said "I know they are here, I can feel it". This is a the first black movie in a while to grab the attention of the viewers beside Roots. It was the perfect time to come out, and with out the hanging of just Afro-American people, it showed that it is not only Afro-Americans that can kill there own kind(as they use to say back in the day) and stuff. Anyone that views this movie and say that it is not a EXCELLENT Movie. Must not know the struggle of all races that went through struggles back in the 40's - 60's. This movie depicted that all Afro-Americans are not dumb and have the capability to be just more than a colored person.

TWO THUMBS< EIGHT FINGER > AND TEN TOES UP.

Pamela Boggan Station in Djibouti Africa.

So nice to hear of others who truly appreciate this story... so well written by Stuart Woods. A very good social-history/crime/drama very cleverly woven. I believe this was the best mini-series ever. Great casting and acting!!! I wish more people had seen this story! The thread about casting an updated remake is very interesting. Perhaps we'll see that one day! I'm starting to read some other Woods books. Very good continuity of the characters and themes. I'm a big fan! So nice to hear of others who truly appreciate this story... so well written by Stuart Woods. A very good social-history/crime/drama very cleverly woven. I believe this was the best mini-series ever. Great casting and acting!!! I wish more people had seen this story! The thread about casting an updated remake is very interesting. Perhaps we'll see that one day! I'm starting to read some other Woods books. Very good continuity of the characters and themes. I'm a big fan!

I've read the book by Stuart Woods and always wanted to see the mini series. It came out in 1983 and at that age of 14 I had no interest at the time for that kind of mini series or story. Now pushing 50 I found tastes change . I searched and found the movie on Youtube and watched it. And I was greatly rewarded for it. Chiefs is a thriller on a major level here. One they can't seem to do today. It begins with a murder. And As the small town of Delano grows the need for a police department is needed. And the first police chief is a modest humble farmer named Will Henry Lee. Will is a gentle man who does his best to live up to the responsibilities of the job. Soon after he begins a murdered boy is found on the outskirts of town. And Will Henry is given a murder case. He becomes obsessed with solving it as more boys are reported to have disparates near his town. Will Henry soon discovers Who the murderer is but he is killed before he can arrest him. Flash forward to 1946. Sonny Butts is a war hero. And a racist bully a drunkard and a man with a nasty streak a mile long. Sonny Butts becomes Police Chief and soon falls under the spell of Will Henry's old case. While he makes mistakes and breaks the law to enforce his racist sense of justice. He knows a murderer is on the loose. And while Sonny Butts is far from a good man he knows he cannot let this murderer go. While the Sins of Sonny's life are closing in around him. he figures the only way out of his trap is to bring the murderer in. Sonny Butts tries and is murdered by the killer. Flash Forward to 1962. And Delano is on the cusp of history the first southern town to hire a black Police Chief. Tyler Watts is a no nonsense former army major.He knows police procedure. And as Tyler not only fights for his life and his job he fights to bring in a murderer thanks to clues left by Will Henry and Sonny Butts. Three Generations of Police Chiefs chasing the same man . With one goal to bring a serial killer to justice.

That's the Story more or less. The Subplots are just as engrossing as the main story. Great acting by all involved .

Heston is the very heart of the story providing a moral voice . Wayne Rogers portrayal of a gentle man thrust into a hard and cruel job is a wonderful performance. Brad Davis portrays Sonny Butts a misguided man with a Heart of Darkness. And While his Sonny Butts isn't evil he really isn't a good man either. he is conflicted. And Brad Davis does it beautifully. But the Showcase performance here must go to Billy Dee Wiliams. Williams portrays Chief Tyler Watts as a man with a sense of justice. And a outrage for the injustices done by those who hide behind a badge or a white hood.

It's a complex story. a long movie but the payoff is worth watching. A classic story. That is well written . and it stays in the mind long after you see it.

This movie is a must see. I first saw the movie when it came out on television as a mini-series. If you love drama, suspense, and mystery you will enjoy this movie. Each scene leaves you waiting for more. Being still in grade school, it opened up my eyes as to the many injustices life has. Although it is a fictionalized movie, life in the deep South is portrayed through characters that will have you either hating them or sympathizing with them. I have been searching all over for the DVD, but have yet to find it. I'm waiting patiently for its release on DVD. I have the VHS but it is wearing down because of its use. Again--can't wait for the DVD!!

This film was made at a time when the big networks, in this case CBS, took pride in making tv movies and mini-series. Excellent attention to detail in just about every aspect of this 3 part movies. As the film movies from the 1920's to the 1940's and eventually the 1960's the viewer gets to see the town of Delano Georgia grow and change. It almost seems as though Delano is a real town. The costumes, settings and props for each time setting are well done.

This mini-series stick very close to the original story written by Stuart Woods. During a 40 year time frame 3 different police chiefs try to solve the various and ongoing murders that are taking place in the vicinity of Delano. Young male transients are being kidnapped and sexually assaulted before they are murdered. Racial tensions run high in Delano and add to the difficulty in solving the murders. Good acting by all who participated. Charlton Heston, Paul Sorvino, Brad Davis and Billy Dee Williams were at the top of their acting game in this mini-Series.

I was able to tape the original 3 part mini-series when it was first aired and despite some drop in quality due to age this mini-series is a favorite of mine and viewed at least once a year. For those who enjoyed the film they may want to read and or watch the story and film GRASS ROOTS. This story continues to follow the Lee family as one of their members attempts to become a U.S. Senator. During the race another racially motivated murder in Delano complicates matters.

This miniseries was released when I was 6 years old. I remember it clearly. I remember my family watching it and taping it. The fact that we still own the original old VHS tape that this movie is on should tell you something about the quality of this movie. We haven't seen fit to tape over it in 18 years. There aren't many things you can say that about today. This movie touches on everything--all the hard issues. Racism, abuse, runaways, murder, molestation, decline of family values, cowardice, fear, political scandal--shall I continue? In fact, it does more than touch on these things. It winds and weaves them all cohesively together into the tale, the story, the history, the life of a town called Delano and its people. This is all beautifully acted with performances from some of the greatest film legends. And I can assure that even if you don't recognize the name, the work is more than noteworthy.

I honestly can't tell you how many times I've watched and rewatched this miniseries over the years. The only problem I have is that I don't know how to get a hold of another copy. After nearly 2 decades, mine is pretty worn out.

I have seen this title for rent at the odd movie rental store over the years. If this sounds like your thing, pick it up and watch it. You most definitely will not be disappointed.

I remember this miniseries from my childhood, the vivid dialogue & character development captured a Era of Southern intrigue, this film doesn't have a proper DVD release that within itself is a sin, this miniseries is a CLASSIC definitely worth it's weight in gold.

The original 3 part mini-series still holds up. Still waiting for this masterpiece to come to dvd. Its available on VHS and dvd in some countries. Every version I have on dvd is a mediocre copy at best. I have seen this many times Nd recently watched it.with my wife for the first time. She is completely into Netflix series and streaming. Always critical of films or series I think are great. But she was surprised at this one. She loved it. A total classic. John Goodman has a small role. Paul Sorvino is great as the racist sheriff. Billy Dee Williams is great. Brad Davis stands out as Sonny, the most complex character in the show. Keith Carradine plays Foxy Funderburke, a serial killer who preys on teen runaway boys. The three parts take place in three different time periods. This is epic storytelling that will captivates are you as three generations of police chiefs become intertwined in the unsolved murders. Charlton Heston plays Hugh Holmes. You will enjoy it. Every part is better than the one before it.

I list this movie the all time greatest. For illustration of close system politics and how wrong and what evils this system can unknowingly defend on its principles of hard nosed justification. Its more than a story of human drama its a lesson that opens the mind. Thats how powerful this lesson is and Americans have a fundamental right to know the true and a duty to right the wrongs. Evil cannot last it will always be discovered and dismantled. It cannot be hidden in a document its content will speak boldly beyond reason. We can thank the directors and producers along with the actors. For this movie it is a beacon of light. I wonder why it was a mini-series but i'am glad it was.