Run, Simon, Run

I think Leonard Cohen said it best: "

I've seen the nations rise and fall, I've heard their stories, heard them all, but love's the only engine of survival"

A movie that has a love story for a baseline, along with a side story (revenge in this case, same in John Woo's "The killer"), is the best representation of movie making.

While looking like what it is, a 70's movie (without a cheesy soundtrack), "Run, Simon, Run" is driven by great script, subtle acting, and on-the-money editing.

Still, by far, my most favorite film of all times.

(Closely followed by "The Killer" :D)

Continuing my plan to watch every Burt Reynolds movie in his filmography in order, I come to "Run Simon Run"

Playing an Indian (Again) Burt Reynolds (Without a hair on his chest) plays the lead character, and is the only reason to watch this.

Plot In A Paragraph: Simon Zuniga (Burt Reynolds) returns home from a sentence in prison (for a crime he didn't commit) to find his brothers killer.

I think the quality of the DVD I was watching this on seriously hampered my enjoyment of it, as I never really got on to it, despite a good performance from Reynolds, Inger Stevens final performance and Solid support from James Best.

And my crush continued for long after.

The story was rather typical of the era in which it was shot, and Reynolds' dark hair, intense brown eyes, and lithe frame all lent themselves to his ideal casting as the wrongfully accused "redskin."

It was rather a formula movie-he's on a mission to avenge his brother's murder- and the production values were quite obviously small screen. Reynolds' performance was a preview of what he was capable of as his career progressed.

Many others among the cast went on to healthy careers as well, and even the casual movie fan will appreciate the familiar faces.

Throughout this film, Simon and his people are called the Papago Indians. Well, I looked them up and apparently the correct term is the Tohono O'odham people--the name the tribe use to describe themselves. Odd that the film never mentions this as it's supposed to be a film that elevates them and their status.

When the story begins, Simon (Burt Reynolds) is being released from prison after serving a long sentence for murdering his brother. He was innocent and railroaded...but there's not much he can do about it now, as the man responsible is apparently dead. He's met by a do-gooder social worker, Carroll (Inger Stevens)--a rich lady who appears to be trying to save the poor Papago.

Later, Simon learns that the man responsible for the murder is actually NOT dead...but is hiding because he expects Simon to come looking for him. So, Carroll inexplicably agrees to pay some private investigators to find him...knowing that Simon plans on murdering him. Why would she do this? Did they teach her this in her social work training program?!

Subtle, this film is not! Too often the sound track consists of Indian drums and when Simon goes to a party, folks start asking him to do a rain dance! This comes off as pretty stupid and almost cartoony. The IDEA of the film, with the conflict between contemporary society and the Papago/Tohono O'odham is a good one...but the way it's handled could have been so much better.

Burt Reynolds restrained performance as an Indian framed for murdering his own Brother, is the only surprise in this tedious time waster. The uneasy culture clash between the upper crust and the poor Indians is played for all it's worth. The problem is this comparison does not elicit sympathy, but instead comes across as nothing more than padding for an over simplified revenge story. The Arizona scenery is fine, including several surprisingly effective wide, wide angle zoom shots. Creative camera work cannot save "Run Simon Run" however, because the romance seems unrealistic, the eventual confrontation between Reynolds and his Brother's killer is poorly staged, and the credits roll, leaving the viewer rather dissatisfied. - MERK