L'homme en fuite

I was very impressed with this, and nearly gave it an 8. (I can't remember the last time I gave a film 9.)

Henry Fonda (wearing a rather obvious wig) proves again his versatility, this time as a drunk. It's not giving much away to say that he does redeem himself, but not in a super-heroical way. Dan Duryea is always excellent value, though I did wonder at his apparently wearing the same glasses (furtively)to read newsprint and for distance vision. (Usually one needs different prescriptions.)

I saw the film courtesy of Youtube, and the sound wasn't great in places, so I didn't grasp why the men that Fonda came across were so keen to ambush the railroad police (and some of them did seem rather rash in the gunfight when it came to firing in full view of the other side).

The "town" where much of the action took place looked realistic, and Anne Baxter as Valverda Johnson was reasonably attractive as a self-sufficient homesteader without having the unbelievable glamour of so many leading ladies in Westerns.

The photography was good, especially a panoramic scene of a train entering the town.

Well worth viewing.

Sorry, all fans of Henry Fonda, but if any, this time he might just have reached a low point. Not that he ever makes a poor performance, neither here, but this western is so uninspired that not even his iconic appearance can save it. It's quite incredible to think that he is the villain in one of the best westerns ever made just a year after this rather forgettable effort. Occasionally this might look like a Leone wannabe project, but let's call it just another western, a production made for the case of it, and a misused opportunity to play a basically superb cast.

It starts out quite well, with a fine interplay and brilliant dialogue between Fonda's and Walter Burke's character, probably improvised, but as soon as the plot gets going it all becomes highly cliché, with occasional parodically stereotypical lines and dusty stereotypes, as well as some annoying overacting, like a 1950's B-western. However, the perhaps worst part is the general cinematography, and amateurish light setting. This smells low budget and left hand production all the way to the end.

This first-class western was made for television and directed by none other than Don Siegel who assembled a first-rate cast, (Henry Fonda, Anne Baxter, Michael Parks, Dan Duryea, Sal Mineo, Bernie Hamilton and Madlyn Rhue), yet not many people have seen it or even heard it. Indeed, this is the kind of film that had it been given a proper cinema release might have become something of a cult movie.

Fonda is the drunk who rolls into town in search of a girl called Alma only to meet with a wall of silence. It seems that Alma (Rhue) is the town tramp who has attracted the wrong kind of attention. It's also not the kind of town that welcomes strangers. That's just the beginning of a highly unusual plot that doesn't quite go in the direction you might expect. All the performances are excellent, (especially those of Baxter and Duryea), and while it may not be the best thing Siegel ever did, as part of the Siegel canon it has a lot to recommend it.

Seemingly unlimited by its humble origins as a TV-movie, STRANGER ON THE RUN delivers at every level. This project is tautly and intelligently directed by Don Siegel, with every scene counting for both characters and storyline. A great deal of Old West atmosphere is generated by the production, and there is a good score by Leonard Rosenman. But for most viewers, the cast will be the biggest draw for this movie. It's a mighty impressive lineup: Henry Fonda, Dan Duryea, Anne Baxter, Michael Parks, Lloyd Bochner, Sal Mineo. Everyone gives a committed performance, with Fonda (reprising a variant of the 'wrong man' role), Parks and Duryea especially impressive. This is one of Michael Parks best acting turns on film, a must-see for all his fans. In supporting roles there is solid work from Zalman King, Walter Burke and Tom Reese, all stalwarts of TV westerns. Only Sal Mineo seems underused here: he simply doesn't have enough to do, and it's frustrating to see him wasted like this. STRANGER ON THE RUN makes a perfect case for the quality TV-movies could achieve.

I'd love to know more about how this made-for-TV movie came about. It's got Don Siegel for it's director and Henry Fonda leading a first rate cast -- Dan Duryea is a stand out as the older, wiser gun-hand well past his prime (although he's actual a year younger that Fonda, Duryea looks at least 15 years older, but I gather he was in ill health). Not to give too much away, Fonda is a bum who drifts into town and upsets the apple cart by inquiring about the sister of a friend. The story builds quickly and is intriguing, but it is the characterizations of the players that give the movie it's greatest appeal. Even the minor characters are given some depth and not just the stereotypical kind of depth that is generally used as a kind of short-hand. The production values are just what they should be and the photography is excellent. I would suggest you go out of your way to try to catch this little gem of a western.