The Chase

Rating:
Summary: A personal cult movie!
Review:
This film is very often forgotten when you make the whole account of the great American films in any age. Artur Penn made a superb sociological portrait about the chase and wishes of revenge of the crowd with interesting insights and serious connotations. This film threw the ring to Robert Redford and gave Brando another opportunity to play an unusual and magnificent role.

And despite the multiple problems among Penn and the illumination supervisor according to Penn told in an interview with James Lipton in Inside the Actor's Studio, the film deserves a special place in the reduced golden list of the great American artistic triumphs.


Rating:
Summary: Not That Great
Review: Considering the superb aggregation of writing and acting talent here, one would expect a much better film than this; however, the finished product proved to be far less than memorable. The script is weak, the story is muddled, and no one gives a particularly noteworthy performance. The worst culprit is the horribly miscast Marlon Brando, who mumbles even more than usual, rendering much of his dialogue nearly unintelligible. Not recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Ballad of Sheriff Calder--and/or Redneck Town USA
Review: I realize I gave this flick 4 stars--but I also have to say that Brando gets the highest rating of 5 stars. This film could have been greater than it was...and it just may bother you for that reason. One of my problems is that it was shot on some studio backlot (probably Universal, as the set looks a lot like the set used for Back to the Future) the other weakness is Robert Redford. You want to see how great Brando was in everything he did? Just try to compare what he does with what others do? Your eyes are always drawn to him, no matter who else is in the scene with the guy--and this film had an all-star cast, too......
The other thing that bugged me about this picture is just this: could a punk breaking out of prison (as does the Redford character in the film) by the name of "Bubber" Reeves (who ends up being falsely accused of murder) cause so much turmoil and havoc in a redneck town like this? (Blame it on the screenwriters... Never read the novel the movie was based on, so can't comment on that aspect of it.)

My other complaint is also with the director, Arthur Penn. Someone else should have directed this thing--don't ask who, maybe someone like Kazan (who reportedly turned it down).

First saw this thing in the sixties in Chicago as a teen, and the damn picture, or rather the Brando character stayed with me all these years. He plays a decent man trying to do the right thing in a rinky-dink redneck Texas town, does his best to protect the Reeves character from the moronic townsfolk who are eager to "lynch" him without a trial even.

Checked the DVD out the night BEFORE Brando passed away, not sure why, just to see if the flick had withstood the test of time. Well, as you know, Brando passed on the very next day...and it left me, as it did so many others, plenty bummed out. I doubt we'll ever see another like him. So many actors try to duplicate what he did (and so often it is in your face obvious and pathetic) and all it does is makes you ache for the original (in order to take a second look at what the real thing was like.) This is why I had rented the DVD, as well as others over the years with Brando, because most actors don't even come close.

Anyway, I gave The Chase four stars, felt about it as I did back in the 60's: Brando great, but the telling of the tale troubling ( maybe over the top/over-produced; too much plot for what should have remained a far simpler story).

I'll say it again: should have never been made on fake studio sets. The writers tried to do too much with too many characters, etc. Probably would have worked better had it been shot in black and white, the way they did with The Last Picture Show (and they would have had a better movie than the vastly overrated Last Picture Show.)

See it for Brando as Sheriff Calder. The gifted Marlon Brando lives on.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie With A Great Cast!!
Review: Marlon Brando is a sheriff in a small southern town who has to deal with a local who has just escaped prison creating tension and terror.This great movie has a great cast including Robert Redford,Jane Fonda and Robert Duvall.It's a must see!!

Rating:
Summary: The best reason to join The Chase!
Review: The best reason to watch this movie can be summed up in two words... RICHARD BRADFORD! This incredible and hugely underrated actor steals the film! The scene where he beats Marlon Brando to a bloody pulp is so realistic it is almost too painful to watch. A credit worth noting - this was Bradford's debut movie and it was through his eye catching performance in this production he was given his very own British TV series, 'MAN IN A SUITCASE', now considered one of the finest cult programmes of all time!

Rating:
Summary: Worth a look--- a near non-classic with a stellar cast....
Review: This is an interesting film-- a mid-60s, moody film attempting to portray the underbelly of a small, corrupt Texas town with the honest sheriff (Marlon Brando, fine in one of his beat-me-to-a-pulp performances) trying to bring in escaped, framed convict and local boy (Robert Redford) and elicit girlfriend Jane fonda's help in doing so before the jackals can get him first.

This film almost works: there's strong support from EG Marshall as the oil tycoon, Angie Dickinson as Brando's desperate wife, Robert Duvall as wimpish bank-officer who helped send up "buddy" Redford in the first place, a wacky Mirian Hopkins playing the scary middle-aged hag she did so well. And there's John Barry's always atmospheric music score which adds dignity to it all.

But this film is also well-known for behind-the-camera squabbles between the director Arthur Penn, screenwriter Lillian Hellman and the money-guys regarding the script (among other things, Hellman allegedly wanted to make some social statement by making allusions to Texas oil corruption and JFK's still-recent assassination). What's left is a semi-soap about cultural mores in a rural Southern town [or Hollywood's mid-60s version of such] more notable ultimately for the cast, the mood and sense of "hovering" about the film, and a distinct feeling it wants to say something or go somewhere it never quite does.

Still worth a peak.

Rating:
Summary: The Stars Shine Bright...Deep In The Heart Of Texas!
Review: This review refers to the DVD widescreen edition(Columbia/TriStar) of "The Chase"...

Marlon Brando and company mix it up big time in a small Texas town that is ready to explode with hatred and jealousy. And what company Brando keeps...Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Angie Dickenson, Robert Duvall, Richard Bradford and the great E.G. Marshall just to name a few. And there's more..directed by the illustrious Arthur Penn, from a novel by Horton Foote, a screenplay by Lillian Hellman and music composed by John Barry, this is one fabulous flick.

The lines are clearly drawn in this small Texas town. Class distinction, racial barriers, generation gaps, social injustice, vigilante justice and forbidden love, are all a big part of this tense story. Bubber Reeves(Redford), a one time resident, has just escaped from prison, and has been accused of a murder he did not commit. He is sought out by everyone from the richest man in town(Marshall),to a drunken mob of vigilantes, and his wife(Fonda) who fears for his life. It's up to Calder, the town Sheriff(Brando), to bring him in safely and see that justice is done. Not an easy task, and our guy takes some pretty tough knocks in the process(very tough for the Brando fan to take).

This is a beautifully filmed intense drama, that will keep you involved from the first frame to the last. These big stars are not just window dressing or cameos. All the characters are pivotal to the story and all the performances are played with perfection.

The DVD transfer of this nearly 40 year old film is gorgeous. The film is presented in anamorphic widescreen(2.35:1), with a nice clear picture and vivid color. The sound is very good, clear and distinct, but a DD5.1 enhancement would be a welcome addition to this film. The DVD includes subtitles in English, French Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.

A classic film with classic stars from the 60's to add to you DVD collection..Go For it and enjoy...Laurie