Cocaine: One Man's Seduction

Cocaine: One Man's Seduction is a 1983 television film directed by Paul Wendkos, starring Dennis Weaver as a real estate agent who gets addicted to cocaine.

Plot

Eddie Gant (Weaver) was once a highly successful real estate agent, the number one for over ten years, but is now struggling to sell houses, and is frustrated that the company’s top salesman is now Tad Voss (Le Plat), a young snob. He is pressured into selling family houses, considered a dead market, and wants to break out but does not know how. When his boss Dan Hatten (Venture) does not make him partner even though he promised him, Eddie suffers a major setback, and finds solace with cocaine, arranged through his business friends Robin Barstowe (Bellwood) and Bruce Neumann (Ackroyd).

Through using cocaine, he feels on top of the world, and finds the confidence to act like a top salesman again. He is given the opportunity to try and sell a luxury home, but the viewer, a wealthy snob called Mrs. Marchais (Chinh) is not impressed and leaves quickly. He decides that his only way to the top is through using cocaine. He starts to do it more regularly, and finds success. He buys a new car and wardrobe, and at first his wife Barbara (Grassle) is enthusiastic. He even wants to meet halfway with his teenage son Buddy (Spader), who feels pressured by his dad to enrol in law school even though being unsure what he wants to do with his life. As Eddie is making more and more late nights, Barbara quickly starts to complain that she never sees him anymore.

Simultaneously, Mort Broome (Tambor), and old friend, tries to commit suicide by shooting himself with a rifle and blames the incident on cocaine use. Eddie is shocked, but continues his manners, even despite getting frequent head aches. He purchases a large amount of the drugs from Bruce, and he starts to get out of control. He estranges himself from his family and begins an affair with Robin, who tries to make clear to him that they only connect through drugs and that he should stop using. Meanwhile, Mort catches up on the symptoms and confronts Eddie with the addiction, but he denies everything.

Eventually, Buddy finds his father’s stash in his shaving equipment, and Barbara later finds some of the drugs in Buddy’s sweatshirt. Pressured by Barbara, Eddie confronts his son with the drugs. Buddy keeps quiet about the truth but does not hide his disgust of his father. Eddie promises Buddy that he has quit cold turkey, but when a major sale opportunity comes up, he steals Buddy’s college money to purchase cocaine from Bruce. Bruce, however, is arrested and charged with drug possession with the intention to sell before he can get to him. He forces himself into Robin’s place and violently steals her drugs, then suffers from an overdose. He survives, but is sentenced by a judge for two years on probation and a mandatory drug rehabilitation program. Embarrassed by the situation, he perceives it as a wake-up call and vows to better his life, supported by the love of his family.

Cast

• Dennis Weaver as Eddie Gant
• Karen Grassle as Barbara Gant
• Pamela Bellwood as Robin Barstowe
• James Spader as Buddy Gant
• David Ackroyd as Bruce Neumann
• Jeffrey Tambor as Mort Broome
• Richard Venture as Dan Hatten
• Dennis Howard as Jack Brayler
• Ted Le Plat as Tad Voss
• Dennis Robertson as Stu
• Terry Wills as Zacker
• Kieu Chinh as Mrs. Marchais
• Denise Crosby as Teller

External links

• Cocaine: One Man's Seduction at the Internet Movie Database