Sheen portrayed Dobbs in the 1970 film adaptation of "Catch-22". He then co-starred in the controversial Emmy Award-winning 1972 television film "That Certain Summer", said to be the first television movie in America to portray homosexuality in a sympathetic light. His next important feature film role was in 1973, when he starred with Sissy Spacek in the crime drama "Badlands", playing an antisocial multiple murderer. Sheen has stated that his role in "Badlands" was one of his two favorites, the other being his role as a U.S. Army special operations officer in "Apocalypse Now". Also in 1973, Sheen appeared opposite David Janssen in "Such Dust As Dreams Are Made On", the first pilot for the television series "Harry O".