646f9e108c A former getaway driver from Chicago (George C. Scott) 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. A retired getaway driver comes out of retirement to pull off one last run- one that could send him to an early grave instead. This film almost should have been in black and white! Very solid throwback to the gritty film-noir gangster films of the 40&#39;s. The ever brilliant George C. Scott tackle&#39;s the Bogartesque protagonist with style - a retired gangland getaway-driver lured out of retirement by personal reasons for one &#39;Last Run&#39; in Spain in which he has to transport a escaped killer and his moll across the border to France. <br/><br/>Of course nothing ever goes quiteplanned and Scott soon find&#39;s his assignment calling for him to make some tough choices in the face of mounting odd&#39;s and hidden dangers. This film benefits from it&#39;s strong cast, fantastic camera-work by the great Sven Nykvist(Bergmann films), great location scenery in Spain and an economical screenplay from the talented Alan Sharp(Night Moves). Underrated director Richard Fleischer gives the film a great Hemingway type atmosphere and does a good job with the action scenes. Interestingly John Huston started this film and left after three weeks into the production following rows with Scott, Sharp and the producers over wanting to have the script re-written by his eighteen year old son! Overall this is a good solid thriller that works and is waiting to be rediscovered. I was drawn to this film for two reasons: actor George C. Scott, and cinematographer Sven Nykvist. I was disappointed by neither. There is a story in here if you stick with it, particularly in the relationship between Scott&#39;s character and the girl. A tribute to Scott&#39;s great ability is my empathetic reaction to everything his character goes through, I cared about this man, and was truly let down by how it all ended for him. Old men should not have to die alone.
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363 weeks ago