The Last Run (1971)

Leading a quiet life of retirement in Portugal, a former getaway driver (George C. Scott) reluctantly agrees to do one more job. He has to drive a thug (Tony Musante) just escaped from prison from Spain across the border to France. But the job isn't as simple as it seems and slowly turns into a disaster. Directed by Richard Fleischer (20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA), the film was poorly received by the critics when it opened and it also failed at the box office. Despite its flaws, it holds up surprisingly well today. The script by Alan Sharp is very good and though Scott's performance is uneven, it seems a role he's well suited for. Fleischer's direction seems flabby however as if he couldn't quite get a grasp of the material. Tony Musante manages to restrain his tendency to overact and Trish Van Devere (soon to be the next Mrs. Scott) as his girl is good though slightly mature for her character. Sven Nykvist (FANNY AND ALEXANDER) is responsible for shooting the atmospheric Spanish locations and the score by Jerry Goldsmith is very good. It's a film that could have been so much better if everyone tried a bit harder. With Colleen Dewhurst (soon to be the ex-Mrs. Scott) in a rare poor performance and Aldo Sambrell.