A television production of the highly acclaimed William Alfred play that marked
Faye Dunaway's emergence as a force to be reckoned with, Hogan's Goat is a blank verse tragedy set in the Brooklyn Irish-American community of the 1890s. Political skullduggery is at the heart of the plot, which concerns dynamic Matt Stanton (
Robert Foxworth), a man who is ruthlessly determined to climb the ladder of success and make sure that he is never again a victim of the poverty into which he was born. As the film opens, Matt is already the leader of the sixth ward in Brooklyn -- but he has his sites set on becoming mayor of the borough. His work is cut out for him, as Ned Quinn (
George Rose), the current officeholder, is equally determined to hold on to what he has. Kathleen (Dunaway), Matt's convent-raised wife, tries to dissuade him from his plans. She fears that Stanton's political foes will discover that she and Stanton were married only in a civil ceremony, and that they will be publicly disgraced. Quinn, of course, does just that, but he doesn't stop there. He further reveals that Matt was once the "goat" (i.e. kept man) of one Agnes Hogan. Though Kathleen is torn apart by this, Matt continues on, with dire consequences for them both. Dunaway's performance as Kathleen led to her star-making role in
Bonnie and Clyde. Other members of the cast include
Rue McClanahan,
Philip Bosco, and
George Rose. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide