The Chase (1966 film)
| The Chase | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster by Howard Terpning |
|
| Directed by | Arthur Penn |
| Produced by | Sam Spiegel |
| Written by | Horton Foote (play "The Chase") Lillian Hellman screenplay (Spiegel had it rewritten) |
| Starring | Marlon Brando Jane Fonda Robert Redford E. G. Marshall Angie Dickinson |
| Music by | John Barry |
| Cinematography | Joseph LaShelle & Robert Surtees (uncredited) |
| Editing by | Gene Milford |
| Studio | Horizon Pictures |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) |
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| Running time | 133 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $2.3 million (est. US/ Canada rentals)[1] |
The Chase is a 1966 American drama film directed by Arthur Penn and starring Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda, and Robert Redford, about a series of events set into motion by a prison break. Because one of the two escapees is Charlie "Bubber" Reeves (Redford), wrongly assumed to be responsible for a murder, the escape causes a stir in a nearby town where Bubber is a well-known figure. The supporting cast features E.G. Marshall, Angie Dickinson, Janice Rule, Miriam Hopkins, Martha Hyer, and Robert Duvall.
Contents |
Cast [edit]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Marlon Brando | Sheriff Calder |
| Jane Fonda | Anna Reeves |
| Robert Redford | Charlie 'Bubber' Reeves |
| E. G. Marshall | Val Rogers |
| Angie Dickinson | Ruby Calder |
| Janice Rule | Emily Stewart |
| Miriam Hopkins | Mrs. Reeves |
| Martha Hyer | Mary Fuller |
| Richard Bradford | Damon Fuller |
| Robert Duvall | Edwin Stewart |
| James Fox | Jason 'Jake' Rogers |
| Diana Hyland | Elizabeth Rogers |
| Henry Hull | Briggs |
| Jocelyn Brando | Mrs. Briggs |
| Katherine Walsh | Verna Dee |
| Lori Martin | Cutie |
| Marc Seaton | Paul (as Marc Skaton) |
| Paul Williams | Seymour |
| Clifton James | Lem |
| Malcolm Atterbury | Mr. Reeves |
Outline and production [edit]
The film deals with themes of racism (including scenes in which black men are harassed by white men), sexual revolution (many of the characters are openly engaged in affairs), small-town corruption (the sheriff is falsely assumed to be in the pocket of the man who helped appoint him), and vigilantism (in the form of townspeople who openly defy the sheriff in their search for Bubber). The movie is perhaps best known for a scene in which the sheriff played by Marlon Brando is brutally beaten by three of the vigilantes; Brando would later cite this scene as an example of Method acting.
Paul Williams thought this movie would be his big break, but after working on the film for 3 months, he had just a small part.[2]
Reception [edit]
On release, the film gained generally positive reviews from critics but opened to poor level of rentals. Richard Schickel was particularly dismissive in Life magazine. Pointing out its origins in the Horton Foote play, he wrote: "The Chase is no longer a modest failure ... it has been turned into a disaster of awesome proportions".[3] Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 80% critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 6.5/10.
References [edit]
- ^ "Big Rental Pictures of 1966", Variety, 4 January 1967 p 8
- ^ Paul Williams interview. Songfacts. Retrieved July 9, 2007.
- ^ Richard Schickel "Small Flop Grows Into a Disaster", Life, 60:9, 4 March 1966, p.12
Further reading [edit]
- Parish, James Robert (2006). Fiasco - A History of Hollywood’s Iconic Flops. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 359 pages. ISBN 978-0-471-69159-4.
External links [edit]
- DVD Savant comprehensive DVD review by Glenn Erickson
- Movie Poop Shoot - DVD DiaTribe Read the second review on this page by D. K. Holm
- The Chase at the Internet Movie Database
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