Robert Mitchum and Wilford Brimley, con and cop who are long time friends, are on a train to Dallas. Mitchum having served a sentence in another state is being transported back to Texas by Brimley for a life sentence under their habitual offender law. Not that Mitchum has a history of violence, but the number of non-violent felonies he's been convicted of place under that act. He's staring life in the face.
A niece, Kathleen York, stages an escape while Brimley and Mitchum are held up on a train near Dallas. After that it's a chase with a surprise ending.
It's a good drama, but it could have used a little more tightening up in the script. The niece's character is not well defined at all. Her motives for helping her uncle do this remain unclear. At one point we think it's because of a legendary stash that Mitchum was supposed to have hidden. Turns out to be another one of those urban legend rumors. Her actions here are a bit strange.
But Mitchum and Brimley are great, especially Mitchum. This is a perfect role for him. Bob Mitchum was one of the few Hollywood greats who actually served time in jail and I'm not talking about his few months in California for the marijuana bust in 1948. In his hobo youth he did some real time and he brings that knowledge to this role.
And he's not a whiner or a complainer about the life he's chosen, though he has regrets now. Especially seeing an old friend like Brimley disgraced on his last assignment with that escape.
Mitchum fans all over the world will like this as one of his better latter day roles.
A niece, Kathleen York, stages an escape while Brimley and Mitchum are held up on a train near Dallas. After that it's a chase with a surprise ending.
It's a good drama, but it could have used a little more tightening up in the script. The niece's character is not well defined at all. Her motives for helping her uncle do this remain unclear. At one point we think it's because of a legendary stash that Mitchum was supposed to have hidden. Turns out to be another one of those urban legend rumors. Her actions here are a bit strange.
But Mitchum and Brimley are great, especially Mitchum. This is a perfect role for him. Bob Mitchum was one of the few Hollywood greats who actually served time in jail and I'm not talking about his few months in California for the marijuana bust in 1948. In his hobo youth he did some real time and he brings that knowledge to this role.
And he's not a whiner or a complainer about the life he's chosen, though he has regrets now. Especially seeing an old friend like Brimley disgraced on his last assignment with that escape.
Mitchum fans all over the world will like this as one of his better latter day roles.