L'ultima fuga

This film almost should have been in black and white! Very solid throwback to the gritty film-noir gangster films of the 40's. The ever brilliant George C. Scott tackle's the Bogartesque protagonist with style - a retired gangland getaway-driver lured out of retirement by personal reasons for one 'Last Run' in Spain in which he has to transport a escaped killer and his moll across the border to France.

Of course nothing ever goes quite as planned and Scott soon find's his assignment calling for him to make some tough choices in the face of mounting odd's and hidden dangers. This film benefits from it's strong cast, fantastic camera-work by the great Sven Nykvist(Bergmann films), great location scenery in Spain and an economical screenplay from the talented Alan Sharp(Night Moves). Underrated director Richard Fleischer gives the film a great Hemingway type atmosphere and does a good job with the action scenes. Interestingly John Huston started this film and left after three weeks into the production following rows with Scott, Sharp and the producers over wanting to have the script re-written by his eighteen year old son! Overall this is a good solid thriller that works and is waiting to be rediscovered.

I caught this George C Scott vehicle on TCM last night and thought I'd venture forth with a few thoughts about it. The title pretty much covers the the central plot here, you've got George C Scott as an ex-getaway drive who has spent the last nine years trying his hand at retirement in a Portugese fishing village. The first 15 minutes of the film are very economic in the way they set up what is to come and lay out all the necessary background information on this character without it coming over as clunky exposition. His house betrays a life spent not always in solitude, and a visit to a grave tells of a previous tragedy. A post coital conversation with a local hooker allows Scott to demonstrate his intelligence, charm and dissatisfaction with his current lot that has led him to accept this 'one last job'.

The job in question is to ferry to France an escaped convict (Tony Musante) and his girlfriend (Trish Van Devere, later to become Mrs Scott in real life). Cinematic convention tells us that we're not going to be in for a smooth ride. Prior to leaving for the job Scott's character all but tells us that he doesn't expect to come back and wouldn't be altogether fussed if that were the case. It's the last hurrah of a forgotten man, the battle cry of a warrior finding his voice again. Apart from some well shot and staged chase sequences that show the skill of our protagonist, Scott is the main reason to be watching this (see the first look of joy on his face in the entire film as he gets back to doing what he does best). He's a man of integrity and pride but also the ultimate weakness of compassion and love that at once reignites his passion for life whilst putting it in danger.

I wouldn't be altogether surprised if the makers of The Transporter expressed a fondness for this film, as it certainly shares certain baser elements with the later Statham-starrer, but is certainly less one dimensional. As far as performances go this is the Scott show and his supporting act is unfortunately rather less than stellar. I'd recommend it, especially for Scott fans and those that enjoy a good car chase that doesn't feel the need to flip upside down underneath a crane. 7/10

Well made dramatic thriller about an ex-driver for the mob, now retired and living on a beach with nothing else to do, and nothing else he knows how to do. When he's called upon after nine years to perform a job he takes it, simply to see if he can still do it. Scott is the best reason to watch this other-wise standard chase film; As the aging driver who's lost everything and has nothing to do but die, he is masterful. This is one of his finest (and most under-rated) performances. An engaging film with some intense moments of action and a great existentialist feel to it. Doesn't quite hit it's mark at times, but worth-while for Scott. Good photography.

*** out of ****

A really excellent film, written by the wonderful and neglected Alan Sharp (see Night Moves). Scott is great and in an era of endless explosions and car chases, this is a welcome, intelligent relief.

Richard Fleisher did several good early noir films before his late career as a hack TV director. Also, this background reminds one of Frears film The Hit. (or is it The Last Hit?)...anyway,the writing is first rate, as always with Sharp and the characters quite memorable. Why is it so overlooked? This is the kind of genre piece that simply doesn't get made anymore. All performances are solid --- and I also have to wonder at the career of Richard Fleisher. From something as good as this, to his late work will remain a filmic enigma.

There's something about Tony Musante that makes you want to punch him in the nose. Or if you're not the violent type - to have someone else do it. Which is perfect for an actor like George C. Scott, who didn't suffer fools and would scrap with just about anyone, on or off the set...

In THE LAST RUN Scott plays an aged getaway driver hired to take an escaped convict... whom he helped escape... on a score, and the entire Spain setting takes place either in the adobe brown countrysides, painted landscapes and, there and back again, a cool blue, fishing-boat beach. The tagline states, "In the tradition of Hemingway and Bogart," but with a Jerry Goldsmith score detailed by a haunting, reposeful harpsichord, it's really more of a Spaghetti Western with sporadic bursts of action between a "two's company, three's a crowd" road trip from one double-cross to another chance to score, with some twists and turns that shouldn't be spoiled in-between...

Stretched upon another intentionally bleak, atmospheric Neo Noir canvas by director Richard Fleischer, the action ala chase scenes and roadside shootout sequences flow smoothly at times, awkward at others within the parenthetical, motel-hopping, uneven yet savory dialogue, so it's about the characters, guided by their reactions to and against each other rather than the situation at hand, which needed more urgency, overall...

Meanwhile, the signature Spaghetti "revenge" element is portioned out to the audience as it's learned and dealt with by our main man, going from "over his head" to "in too deep" while far from alone in this particular, road-weaving purgatory that includes a brief June/November romance that's more a contrived male fantasy than being necessary to the overall story-line. Then again, this is pulp and it's fiction both. In droves - literally.

As the ingenue, Trish Van Devere delivers lines in a sort of dreamy, lifeless monotone, and she doesn't provide any chemistry in either direction as Scott's initial abhor for the cocky and condescending Musante shapes into something of an Uncle/Nephew who still have it in for each other, and the anti-chemistry works...

Once the trio hooks up during the second act there's a slick, cool, slownburn pace after suffering through a somewhat grueling rudimentary stage: by his rugged, granite looks and tough guy name alone, Scott's Harry Garmes need only exist in a sparse tale that initially tries too hard to establish his rabbit's-foot-religious yet existential character (in a loose "relationship" with a hooker played by ex-wife Colleen Dewhurst) who does only one thing well, and may or may not have waited too long for his return to it. In that, literally from the onset, the title explains everything about him while, at the same time, giving everything away.