Good concept, poorly executed.

A Masterpiece!

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

The film Pendulum came out when use of the Miranda decision was fairly new and police departments all over the nation were still grumbling about it as convictions were being overturned. Such a conviction overturned was that of rapist Robert F. Lyons and that really bothers the arresting officer George Peppard.Still Peppard is ready for a career change. He's been appointed to the staff of the crime committee of US Senator Paul McGrath. By the way McGrath is one smooth politician and definitely not one to be in a foxhole with.Peppard is going to need all the friends he can get because he is accused of murdering his wife Jean Seberg and her boyfriend Harry Lewis while catching them in the act. I've always found it amazing that some of the biggest law and order types when they get in a jackpot always want to make sure those rights are available.Still of all the lawyers he could have picked Peppard chooses civil libertarian Richard Kiley, the same man who got Lyons's conviction reversed. That has all his cop buddies raising their eyebrows like Charles McGraw, Frank Marth, and Dana Elcar. Pendulum concentrates on its ironical message to the extent that it really forgets to put in a good mystery. No doubt who is the doer of this deed from the gitgo.A lot of familiar faces are in Pendulum, but possibly the best performance in the film is from Madeline Sherwood. As Lyons's much put upon mother she has an aura of quiet desperation in her role and her scenes with Lyons and Peppard really count.Nice picture with a message that is still relevant today.

This movie is incredibly underrated. The performances are all top notch, from Peppard and Seberg down to the smallest role, though Seberg's part is short. In my opinion, Madeleine Sherwood and Robert F. Lyons deserved Oscar nominations for their performances. They were flawless and mesmerizing as the white trash woman and her psycho son. I couldn't take my eyes off them when they were on screen. I so wish the movie was available on DVD! This film should have made a star of Robert F. Lyons. I have no idea why it didn't. It's well-written and believable, nicely directed. Someone please put this out on DVD! I want to watch this again and again.

Just saw this movie again after 39 years. Well-acted period piece. Out-dated by today's standards, but still a decent night at the movies. What really caught my attention was how George Peppard chained smoked throughout this film. The guy burned one in every scene. Aside from that, he did give a creditable performance, but nothing to write home about.Jean Seberg looked beautiful. She was a rare beauty and very talented as well. She is wasted here, but her brief time on scene does capture your attention.The supporting cast of veteran actors do a professional job. The only real problem is that the film drags at times and lacks any real action. The ending was typical, but this was 1969, so don't expect too many surprises.

Peppard is ideally cast as inflexibly hard-nosed cop who gets sucked through the looking-glass when indicted for his cheating wife's murder. Charles McGraw and Richard Kiley are both magnificent in the key supporting roles. Dana Elcar and Isabel Sanford also add poignantly amusing support. Director George Schaeffer's pacing and choice of score is perfect for the genre. And, many of the key ironies are even more appropriate today than when the film was made. Very highly recommended.