The Chase (1966)

The escape of Bubber Reeves from prison affects the inhabitants of a small Southern town.

Director:

Arthur Penn

Writers:

Horton Foote (novel), Horton Foote (play)

Stars:

Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda, Robert Redford

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marlon Brando	...	Sheriff Calder
Jane Fonda	...	Anna Reeves
Robert Redford	...	Bubber Reeves
E.G. Marshall	...	Val Rogers
Angie Dickinson	...	Ruby Calder
Janice Rule	...	Emily Stewart
Miriam Hopkins	...	Mrs. Reeves
Martha Hyer	...	Mary Fuller
Richard Bradford	...	Damon Fuller
Robert Duvall	...	Edwin Stewart
James Fox	...	Jason (Jake) Rogers
Diana Hyland	...	Elizabeth Rogers
Henry Hull	...	Mr. Briggs
Jocelyn Brando	...	Mrs. Briggs
Katherine Walsh	...	Verna Dee

Storyline

Most everyone in town thinks that Sheriff Calder is merely a puppet of rich oil-man Val Rogers. When it is learned that local baddie Bubber Reeves has escaped prison, Rogers' son is concerned because he is having an affair with Reeves' wife. It seems many others in town feel they may have reasons to fear Reeves. Calder's aim is to bring Reeves in alive, unharmed. Calder will have to oppose the powerful Rogers on one hand and mob violence on the other, in his quest for justice.

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Plot Keywords:

escaped convict | sheriff | manhunt | southern u.s. | assault on police officer | 

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Taglines:

"The Chase" Is On! From Sam Spiegel, the man who excited the screen with "Bridge on the River Kwai" and "Lawrence of Arabia"!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

The cast includes acting Oscar winners Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda and Robert Duvall, and acting Oscar nominees Miriam Hopkins, Martha Hyer and Robert Redford. Redford, however, has a Best Director Oscar, and additional cast member Paul Williams has a Best Music, Original Song Oscar.

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Goofs

At around 34 mins, just after the exterior party sequence begins, there is a two-shot of, left to right, Sheriff Calder (Marlon Brando) and Ruby Calder (Angie Dickinson). A few minutes later (at around 38 mins) when Val Rogers (E.G. Marshall) approaches Sheriff Calder and Ruby Calder, seated at the same table, Angie Dickinson is seated on the left and Marlon Brando is seated on the right.

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Quotes

Damon: Well now, Sheriff, it's nice to know that you're out here on patrol.
Sheriff Calder: No, no, I'm not on patrol. Just lookin' for an ice cream cone, that's all.

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Connections

Referenced in Meet Mick Taylor: An Interview with John Jarratt (2006)

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Soundtracks

The Chase

User Reviews

A much underrated classic

At the time of its initial release, few of us knew of the behind-the-scenes problems that beset director, Arthur Penn as he directed "The Chase". I, and many others attended the show and, in 1966, its impact was really astounding. What some critics and viewers take as a rather slow, meandering opening section of the film, I found to be an engrossing study of life in a small Southern town, somewhat low-key and slow-paced, but with a slowly emerging sense of its underlying tensions and conflicts. The news that a local boy has escaped from prison and is headed back to town, serves as the catalyst that eventually brings everything to a boil. Issues such as racism, class conflict, and the effects of evil gossip, come into play as a host of characters find themselves drawn into an ugly crescendo of hatred and fear. The manner in which it all ultimately explodes into a succession of violent scenes left me, and many others I knew, utterly blown away. The shock value and the way it caused us to ponder the meaning of it all long afterward can not be understated. See it now and various elements that reflect common shortcomings in the way big Hollywood productions of the era dealt with such material are far more obvious than they were then. Some dialog doesn't ring true, some of the larger-scale scenes seem overproduced. All the same, it remains a remarkable film, amazingly well acted.

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

18 February 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sam Spiegel's Production The Chase

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Ranch, Malibu Creek State Park - 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$5,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Horizon Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1