If you’re tired of hearing my praises for Arrow Video tough
luck. As they continue to save films from disappearing off the face of the
earth I will remain a fan and sing those praises loudly. Even when I’m not a
fan of the movie they release or find some movies not as entertaining as
others. Like THE RUNNING MAN.
No, this is not the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie from 1987.
Instead this is the 1963 film directed by Carol Reed. Known for his mysteries like
OUR MAN IN HAVANA and THE THIRD MAN, one would imagine that this film would
hold as much intrigue as those. While it is entertaining it isn’t quite up to
the stature of those films.
The film opens with the funeral of Rex Black. His widow
Stella (Lee Remick) returns home and once guests leave begins laughing. When
Rex (Laurence Harvey) walks in we find out why. In flashback we learn that Rex,
a transportation company owner, was piloting a flight on his plane and it
crashed. Due to the check not arriving before the insurance was canceled by a
few days the insurance company refused to pay and thus put him out of business.
Seeking revenge he concocted an idea to fleece the company out of money for a
new policy taken out on his life and then fakes his death in a glider crash.
Now Stella is set to collect the money.
As the two discuss what comes next a knock at the door has
insurance agent Stephen Maddox (Alan Bates) arriving to discuss the particulars
of the policy with Stella. Maddox wonders if Rex was suicidal due to losing his
business and discusses details of the policy with Stella before leaving. Once
gone Rex gives Stella instructions to pick up the money in Paris and then go on
to meet him in Malaga, Spain.
Stella follows the instructions given her by Rex and
eventually arrives in Malaga to find him tanned and now blonde, living in the
home of a wealthy woman in the city. He’s taken on the identity of Jim Jerome,
an Australian sheep farmer whose pocket he picked. He introduces Stella as a
recent widow he met while in London.
Stella is set up in a nearby hotel, unhappy not just with
the situation but all things in general. “Jim” acts nothing like Rex. His
staying in a house filled with other attractive women also doesn’t sit well.
And when he tells her he’s in the midst of setting up another insurance fraud
by killing off “Jim” she’s less enthused than he would expect.
Things change for the worse when an Englishman arrives in
Malaga who looks familiar to Stella but whose face she can’t place. It turns
out to be Maddox, claiming to be there on holiday. The couple quickly must come
find a way to avoid Rex and Maddox meeting even though neither has seen the
other in the past. Inevitably they do come face to face with Maddox meeting
“Jim”. The three develop a friendship with Maddox developing a romantic
interest in Stella. How far will Rex go to keep his secret, how much will he
require Stella to do?
While the concept and story here are well thought out the
pacing makes the film drag in places. I’ll grant that the film was made in a
different time when stories took their time to unravel and that locations like
a small town in Spain would lend themselves to hosting expatriates there
forever or on holiday. Keeping that all in mind is the only way to stay interested
while this story is told.
The acting here is more subtle than one would expect,
especially from Bates. Made one year
before his breakout performance in ZORBA THE GREEK and two before GEORGY GIRL
he handles his role with ease. Remick is lovely as ever and her performance of
a woman who sees the man she loves becoming something altogether different
while the affections of another man come her way is wonderful. Of the three
leads it is actually Harvey whose performance is a bit lacking. He portrays Rex/Jim
a bit over the top rather than the cool manipulative person one would think he
is.
Fans of classic films will be pleased with this release. Not
only will you find a film that many may not know of or forgotten, Arrow is
releasing it in pristine format. I’m beginning to think the word pristine
should offer Arrow Video in the definition of the word. The film is being
offered on blu-ray format with a 2k restoration by Sony Pictures. Extras
include an isolated music and effects track, an audio commentary track by Peter
William Evans the author of BRITISH FILM-MAKERS: CAROL REED, “On the Trail of
the Running Man” a new featurette with interviews of crew members from the
film, “Lee Remick at the National Film Theater” an audio-only recording of the
actor’s appearance at the NFT in 1970, an image gallery, a reversible sleeve
featuring original artwork and for the first pressing only an illustrated
collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw.
Keep up the good work Arrow! And fans, continue to show your
support by picking up these great releases they continue to offer.
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