Directed By: Richard Fleischer
Written By: Alan Sharp
Cinematography: Sven Nykvist
Editor: Russell Lloyd
Cast: George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Tony Mustane, Colleen Dewhurst, Aldo Sandrell, Robert Coleby
A former getaway driver from Chicago has retired to a peaceful life in a Portuguese fishing village. He is asked to pull off one last job, involving driving a dangerous crook and his girl-friend to France. However, the job turns out to be a double-cross and the trio are pursued back to Portugal where they make one last stand on the coast while the enemy assassins attempt to gun them down.
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This might seem typical for its time period. A getaway driver working on his last job after a semi retirement while it has its fair share of car chasing action sequences this film actually seems a little bit more existential.
Though this film had a lot going on behind the scenes. As originally it was set to be directed by John Boorman, until he and Scott disagreed on the script and then John Huston was brought into direct and filmed a few days before him and Scott’s arguing got so big and constant that he quit the film. Usually about the screenplay. Then finally Richard Fleishser was hired to direct the film but, as he was not considered an auteur as the other directors before him. He was never given Final Cut.
The other piece of trivia about this film is that this film spelled the end for his marriage to Colleen Dewhurst. As he met and fell in love with his co-star Trish Van Devere on this film and married her a year later. She wasn’t even the first choice of leading lady. Original director John Huston had hired another actress and Scott and him fought over re-casting the female lead and ended up with Van Devere. So that the relationships his character has with these two ladies on screen, mirrors his personal life in real life at the time.
So that this film is almost like George C. Scott’s. Person of THE GETAWAY in front of and behind the scenes.
That is pretty much said by the end of the film. As Scott’s character is pretty much almost a ghost having a last hurrah on a mission that he knows isn’t necessarily gonna be a suicide mission, but suspects that it might be and this is really the only time where he feels alive on the edge as the desire for survival awakens him, even though he’d rather be dead, especially after losing a child.
there are points in the story where he could survive and surrender to romantic delusions of the safecracker who he busted out of jail girlfriend as a safe cracker seems to be pretty much a career criminal and wants to be one who idolizes the lifestyle, but is sloppy and not exactly respectful and see George C. Scott’s character more as ancient and on his way out whereas himself he is one of the new players
Throughout the film, there are constant double crosses, triple crosses, and surprises that keep the story lively, but the film is strangely a lot more greedy and grounded than expected even with international localales
The film has very few cast members and stay small scale, but feels bigger than just the story it’s telling. It feels more soulful than it should and one wonders is it the script or is it the cast under the direction of Randall Fleischer?
As the director adds plenty of great visuals, but it’s the performance is that really ground the film and make it more noteworthy and effective than expected
Grade: B
