Main Cast: John Ritter, Anne Archer, Bert Convy, Kevin McCarthy, Harry Bellaver
Release Year: 1980
Country: US
Run Time: 98 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
John Ritter plays an unsuccessful actor who takes a job posing as comic-book hero Captain Avenger at comics stores and conventions. While thus garbed, Ritter foils a grocery store robbery. He skedaddles from the scene when the cops show up, leading witnesses to assume that he is a genuine costumed superhero, the sort that shows up to foil the villains and then modestly retreats after his job is done. Ritter is hired by the mayor's staff, who hope that the Captain Avenger tie-in will help the mayor win an upcoming election. This plan comes acropper, and Captain Avenger finds himself on the outs with the public. Prodded by his girlfriend Anne Archer to be himself and not rely on a costume and mask to gain adulation, Ritter becomes a bonafide hero when he rescues several citizens from a fire. Thanks to the enthusiastic performance of John Ritter, Hero at Large remains amusing even when you know what's going to happen next (a common occurrence in this film). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Hero At Large is a somewhat simplistic yet ultimately satisfying film that plays on the childhood memories and fantasies of the its audience and relates them to the troubles of the modern world. Who hasn't at some point in their lives imagined themselves to be a superhero righting wrongs like their favorite Saturday morning characters? John Ritter is an actor hired to portray the superhero Captain Avenger at movie theaters and finds himself living the role when he foils a crime dressed in the costume. From that point on, he begins a "career" as a crimefighter and in the process finds himself at the center of a media storm and a political campaign. In general this is a clever twist on the whole superhero genre that works mainly because Ritter is very earnest and likable, and Anne Archer as his girlfriend nearly beams off the screen. For that reason, even though every plot point can be seen on the horizon from miles away, but it doesn't really matter. Anyone who has seen any kind of similar film or, for that matter, read a comic book can easily predict all the pitfalls that will crop up along the way, but the film does manage to provide some dramatic conflict to hold interest. The climactic sequence where Ritter discovers that his heroism wasn't just an act is wonderfully stirring stuff that manages to draw upon some real heartfelt emotion, regardless of whether or not one is a fan of this type of story or not. It's probably better suited for younger audiences as most adults will likely find the overall themes a little preachy, saccharine, and none too subtle, but that does not take away from what is a most enjoyable experience. ~ Dan Friedman, All Movie Guide
Anita Dangler - Mrs. Havacheck; Jane Hallaren - Gloria Preston; Leonard Harris - Mayor; Rick Podell - Milo; Kevin Bacon - 2nd Teenager; Neil Barry - 1st Teenager; Gerry Black - Hero at Fire; William Bogert - TV Moderator; Joyce Brothers - Herself; Robert Carricart - Reporter; Gerald Castillo - Heroes at Fire; Rita Crafts - Woman in Crowd; Trish Doolan; Garry Goodrow - TV Reporter; Michael Gorrin - Mr. Rothberg; Peter Iacangelo - Man at Rally; Gary Klar - Cameraman; Michael Leon - Grocery Store Punk; Bryan O'Byrne - Scientist; Church Ortiz - Grocery Store Punk; Lionel Pina - 3rd Teenager; Michael Prince - Dignitary; William Robertson - Bum; Robin Sherwood - Lab. Assistant; Jack Somack - Waiter; Kenneth Tobey - Fire Chief; A.J. Carothers - Stage Director; Gary Combs - Holdup Man; Allan Rich - Marty Fields; Joseph Stern - Assistant Director; Frank Casey - Reporter; Lenny Geer - 1st Thug; James O'Connell - Stage Manager; Kenneth Cory
Credit
Norman Baron - Art Director, Roger M. Rothstein - Associate Producer, Joyce Robinson - Casting, Sandra Davidson - Costume Designer, Jack Roe - First Assistant Director, Martin Davidson - Director, David Garfield - Editor, Patrick Williams - Composer (Music Score), Albert Brenner - Production Designer, Robert Gundlach - Production Designer, David M. Walsh - Cinematographer, Stephen Friedman - Producer, Marvin March - Set Designer, A.J. Carothers - Screenwriter, Sid Levin - Supervising Editor
Steve Nichols is a struggling actor in New York City who takes the job posing as comic-book hero Captain Avenger at comics stores and conventions. He finds his life unexpectedly complicated when he stops a robbery while wearing the costume of Captain Avenger. The costume is for a film he is hired to promote, but Nichols decides to continue being a superhero and discovers that the superhero life is more complex than he initially thought.
Nichols is hired by the mayor's staff, who hope that Captain Avenger's tie-in will help the mayor win an upcoming election. The plan comes a cropper, and Captain Avenger finds himself on the outs with the public. Prodded by his girlfriend Jolene to be himself and not rely on a costume and mask to gain adulation, Nichols becomes a bonafide hero when he rescues several citizens from a fire at an apartment building.
