Jornada Cruel

First, don't confound this film with other "swamp" films: SWAMP WATER, LURE OF THE WILDERNESS and LURE OF THE SWAMP. This scheme, this topic reminds me something, what about you? Replace Vittorio Gassman by David Janssen and you'll rapidly know what I mean by this. But there are some differences though, Gassman's character is guilty of what he is accused of, and Barry Sullivan's role is more sympathetic than the Javert - from Victor Hugo's Les Miserables - like character of THE FUGITIVE. But the most important thing for me is the relationship between Barry Sullivan - the cop - and the fugitive. Some kind of relationship between friendship, very subtle, and of course adversity. Actually, Sullivan has here the reverse role he had in SEVEN WAYS FROM SUNDOWN, co starring Audie Murphy, where Murphy was the Ranger chasing Sullivan the fugitive. There was also this kind of strange companionship between two of them. This Jo Lewis film is very good, maybe not as excellent as GUN CRAZY, but really worth watching. Made for MGM. If you like bayou, swamp stories, I advise an episode from SCHLITZ PLAYHOUSE TV show, an episode called RABBIT'S FOOT, starring Stephen mc Nally.

At first glance a rather ordinary thriller with a disillusioned cop (Barry Sullivan - pretty good) chasing an escaped con (Vittorio Gassman) deep into the swamps of Louisiana. However, delve a little deeper and you find a dark and cynical meditation on fear, obsession and personal honour.

Unlike ‘The Fugitive' this con is guilty but his crime, although serious, barely gets a mention. The script instead concentrates on the two protagonists and their similarities. Although on different sides of the law, both believe in family and personal honour and cannot compromise their beliefs. Both suffer as a result.

The justice system is portrayed as idle(a Prison Warden only interested in golf), bigoted (a Southern Sheriff who pre-dates ‘In the Heat of the Night') or just plain nasty (William Conrad scoring well as the cop's partner.)

On the down side, the female roles are seriously underwritten (virtuous wife & bayou trash hellcat) and the resolution is implausibly upbeat.

Overall, however, a good ‘B' thriller of its' day, surprisingly violent in places. Director Joseph H Lewis made better movies (‘Gun Crazy', ‘The Big Combo') but this one still begs the question; ‘How in hell did someone so talented end up making episodes of ‘Rifleman'& 'The Big Valley'?!'

Decent escaped convict pic. Joseph H Lewis, one of the auteurists' favorite 1950s directors, does a fairly good job, on a low budget (as per usual), of making the viewer forget that he or she is looking at the MGM back lot and not Bayou country. And the relationship between Vittorio Gassman and Barry Sullivan is nicely handled as well, with two of the best homo erotic fight scenes until the wrestling match in "Women In Love" came along. On the debit side you have a clunky screenplay by someone named Jack (I need an E) Leonard that, while providing some decent by play between William Conrad and Sullivan, severely truncates the ending so that the conflict between these two co workers, much more interesting, in my opinion, than the one between Sullivan and Gassman, is left unresolved. Most unsatisfying. And I concur with an earlier reviewer who observed that the female characters are either annoyingly perky (Polly Bergen) or annoyingly histrionic (Mary Zavian). Bottom line: I'd rather be watching Ray or Fuller. C plus.

This is a dark film, visually, and the heavy Cajun dialect inhibits communication. The leads are very good: Best I've seen from the underrated Barry Sullivan, and a very good turn by Vittorio Gassman.

Williams Conrad's character isn't likeable -- but he's terrific with it; best performance among the three male leads.

Strongest point is the dialogue, especially Sullivan-Gassman in the latter minutes of the show when they're camping near the bayou. Ending was somewhat predictable, almost too pat but understandable given Hollywood's needs via the production code and the idea of sending patrons (I gather there weren't many) home uplifted.

The parallel to The Fugitive TV series couldn't escape me, and it had nothing to do with Conrad narrating that terrific series.

If anyone noticed Cry Of The Hunted at least it seemed to me to be a remake of a film did by MGM in 1852, The Wild North. That's where Stewart Granger plays a fugitive fur trapper in the Yukon and Wendell Corey the Mountie out to get his man.

The location moves a few thousand miles south to the Louisiana bayou where Cajun prisoner Vittorio Gassmann escapes cop William Conrad and heads for the bayou swamp which he knows.

Another cop Barry Sullivan takes it as a personal insult that Gassman escaped since he tried to befriend him and goes after him despite warnings from the locals that there's parts of the bayou they don't go into.

Most of the film is Sullivan and Gassman alone and they talk a lot as each tries to figure the other out. Polly Bergen has a good turn as Sullivan's wife.

Best in the film Mary Zavian as Gassman's woman and one deadly Cajun temptress. Her scenes are worth the wait.