The Escape Artist (1982)

Director:

Caleb Deschanel

Writers:

Melissa Mathison (writer)
David Wagoner (book)

Release Date:

28 May 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The young and self-confident Danny blufs at the local police-station that he will escape out of prison within one hour...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Book | Independent Film

Cast

Raul Julia	...	Stu Quiñones
Griffin O'Neal	...	Danny Masters
Desi Arnaz	...	Mayor Leon Quiñones (as Desiderio Arnaz)
Teri Garr	...	Arlene
Joan Hackett	...	Aunt Sibyl
Gabriel Dell	...	Uncle Burke
John P. Ryan	...	Vernon
Elizabeth Daily	...	Sandra
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Fritz
Jackie Coogan	...	Magic Shop Owner
Hal Williams	...	Cop at Mayor's Office
Helen Page Camp	...	Neighbor
David Clennon	...	Newspaper Editor
Harry Caesar	...	Sax Player
Huntz Hall	...	Turnkey

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Sweden:15 | Finland:K-14 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

American Zoetrope Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Zoetrope Studios

Trivia:

Shot in 1980, not released until 1982.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Dream Studio (2004) (V)

Brilliant but confusing.

This unheralded gem was produced by Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope Studios.

I give it 10 stars for the theme music alone.

There are some very good performances by Griffin O'Neal (his debut) as Danny and Desi Arnez Sr (Lucille Ball's husband) as the crooked Mayor...but the best performances are Raul Julia as Stu, the slightly(!) unhinged son of the Mayor and Joan Hackett as Danny's Aunt Sibyl.

Funny and understated performances by John P Ryan as Stu's sidekick Vernon and Teri Garr as Stu's dotty girlfriend Arlene (pure eye-candy) are also worth mentioning.

There's even a couple of the original 'Dead-End Kids' in the mix, Huntz Hall and Gabriel Dell, plus the original Uncle Fester and silent screen kid actor, Jackie Coogan. I've just realised all the names I've mentioned bar O'Neal and Garr are all gone now. Sad.

M.Emmet Walsh throws in a greasy, smirking performance as the Chief Jailer with corruption oozing from every pore. Walsh never disappoints, even in a cameo role.

The ending just about pulls it all together but not quite, though it doesn't disappoint. Once again though...beautiful music

One strange thing, Richard Bradford as Sam the City Treasurer is missing off the credits. It took me two updates to get his name listed on IMDb as uncredited.