Gene Hackman is at his best as Harry Moseby, former NFL player, now a private detective drawn into a complicated disappearance case in 1975's NIGHT MOVES.
Hackman is asked to find the runaway daughter of a faded b-movie actress. As he begins to follow the trail to the teenager, an ever expanding list of eccentric folk (including a very young James Woods), stuntmen, former NFL friends and current smugglers all seem to be part of the girls life.
Melanie Griffith made her movie debut here as the teen, a sexually carefree, hippie girl who deeply affects the men around her.
Things aren't perfect for Harry at home either and Hackman's scenes with Susan Clark as his wife are really well written and acted.
Director Arthur Penn (Bonnie and Clyde, Little Big Man) turns in a great film here, a quiet 70's classic. The last ten minutes is a terrific payoff on the entire story. More mystery drama than action thriller, it's got all the right moves and earns a solid A.
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