The Chase (1966)

"Marlon Brando at his best"

I have always been a big fan of Marlon Brando movies and think he was a great actor and this movie shows him at his best. Yes the other actors in the film many of which were big name stars in their own right did well but as in many of Mr. Brandos films his performance made the film. He was truly an awesome screen presence regardless of who else was acting with him.

This is a film that many Brando fans missed but is definately worth seeing. February 13, 2008

A good but uncomfortable movie

I have no doubt that my small town in Georgia could have easily been the backdrop of this film forty years ago. Despite that, when I sat down to watch this I thought it was a little slow getting started, but somewhere around the middle you realize that it was necessary to lay the ground work. For the longest time I couldn't believe Redford's character's name was Bubber and not Bubba. Anyhoot, I'm not a Brando fan. Sorry. But I think he's highly overrated and was really famous because he was quite a looker when he was younger. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed him in this film. I wasn't too impressed with Redford, but we can't always get it right. Overall, this a good film and really worth seeing. August 24, 2007

Lillian,Arthur,Marlon and Jane did their best work here.

I bought this 2004 DVD,expecting a hack copy. I was so wrong. Great DVD.I was fortunate enough to hear Mr. Penns interview about his direction of this film. Set in Texas in the post war era,Horton Footes novel laid a good foundation for this film,updated to the 60's. I read the book,fully expecting to excoriate Ms. Hellman for her work,but I must say she did a fine job of turning a dour and sad story and making it a compelling story about the nature of man under the pressure of his own cconscience.This film suffers only from two problems,the low budget,forcing studio lot shooting,and the excessive editing at the insistence of the studio heads who feared fanning the flames of the civial unrest we suffered in the mid 60s. The result is,as Mr. Penn lamented,that a fine film ended up on the cutting room floor.The product we are left with is a timeless look into the heart of man,bless Lillians commie soul.Get it. Watch it. Keep it to show your children. How movies can really move you. June 24, 2007

Peyton Place with guns

One of Marlon Brando's best. This is Peyton Place with Guns. One of the best scenarios developed upon the premise of the evil of wagging tongues, jealousy, class envy, and hatred fueled by Friday night party-frenzy and too much booze. One man (Brando's town sheriff) is trying to do the right thing while everyone else is just gone crazy. Jane Fonda (hated her politics, but always loved her acting) is smouldering; Angie Dickinson is smouldering; most of the women are sizzling. The men are cocked and ready to shoot anything that moves. Great movie then. Holds up well today. Great dramatic masterpiece. April 29, 2007

Edgy and surprising.

I really liked this movie. Brando's performance is riveting. His performance is layered and compelling and he gives depth to Sheriff Calder. There are also suprisingly modern themes of adultery hints of swinging, drinking, racism, violence and classism with respect to justice in this drama.

You know the casting is a bit of a stretch. You know that no Texas/southern town has this many great looking people wandering around. Brando acting is always a cut above and because of his abilities you believe him as a real small town sheriff. Despite his looks he loses himself in the role.

In some ways this movie seems dated because of the dialogue of the female characters and music more than anything. Angie Dickinson's dialogue is just plain stupid at times. Especially when Calder rescues a Black man from some drunken racists and he places him in custody for his own protection. Calder is clearly disgusted by the behavior of the racist group of men and he sits down in his office and tells his wife Ruby how fed up he is with the town and the situation; Brando is clearly making a creative choice and giving her a lot of emotion as an actor. I believe Ruby responds by getting a dreamy blank look on her face and saying "I wish we had adopted some children." This makes me question Dickinson's creative choice as an actress. But Brando's character gives her a surprised look before responding; that moment is funny and priceless because you wonder if the surpise is coming from the character or the actor.

It seems as if the writer did not know how to write something meaningful for a woman to say when faced with her husband's frustration over injustice. The only female character with any depth is Jane Fonda's and she does a good job with the role of Anna.

The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because of some of the dialogue and the casting. In some ways with Brando they should have cast better supporting actors - in some scenes he just blows the others away and it is hard to focus on the story if he is in a scene with someone who can't keep up with him.

Look for his sister Jocelyn in the role of Mrs. Biggs. July 29, 2006

More reviews at Amazon.com ...