Monday Night Mayhem

Based on the book by Bill Carter and Marc Gunther, this immensely entertaining made-for-cable film tells it like it was in chronicling the golden age of Monday Night Football, a bold experiment in prime-time programming that transformed the pop-culture landscape. Carrying the ball for the lesser-known ensemble cast is John Turturro's Emmy-worthy performance as Howard Cosell, who played the role of "provocateur" in the then-revolutionary three-man booth that included in its heyday "Dandy" Don Meredith (Brad Beyer) and Frank Gifford (Kevin Anderson). John Heard gives a career-best performance as ABC producer Roone Arledge, who nurtured his brainchild and brilliantly massaged the egos of his stars; in fact, his prickly, complex relationship with Cosell is the heart of the film. Rich with incident, Monday Night Mayhem delivers up much more than simple gridiron clashes--touching on Muhammad Ali's controversial anti-Vietnam War stance, the blood-soaked 1972 Munich Olympics, and John Lennon's death (which Cosell announced to a shocked nation), while also capturing the comic and compelling behind-the-scenes infighting and colorful backstage characters. This film will score even with viewers who preferred watching Mayberry RFD on those Monday nights long ago. Highly recommended. (K. Lee Benson)