The Hunter (1980)

Bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson is receiving death threats from a criminal he helped put away. This while his girlfriend is about to give birth, an event he isn't looking forward to.

Director:

Buzz Kulik

Writers:

Ted Leighton (screenplay), Peter Hyams (screenplay)

Stars:

Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, Kathryn Harrold

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve McQueen	...	Papa Thorson
Eli Wallach	...	Ritchie Blumenthal
Kathryn Harrold	...	Dotty
LeVar Burton	...	Tommy Price
Ben Johnson	...	Sheriff Strong
Richard Venture	...	Spota
Tracey Walter	...	Rocco Mason
Thomas Rosales Jr.	...	Bernardo (as Tom Rosales)
Teddy Wilson	...	Winston Blue (as Theodore Wilson)
Ray Bickel	...	Luke Branch
Bobby Bass	...	Matthew Branch
Karl Schueneman	...	Billie Joe
Margaret Mary O'Hara	...	Child on Subway (as Margaret O'Hara)
James Spinks	...	Angry Car Owner
Frank Delfino	...	Poker Player

Storyline

In order to track down bail jumpers, Ralph 'Papa' Thorson goes on a series of routine and not-so-routine searches. Sometimes he takes down his quarry easily. At other times, he's forced to extreme measures which result in the injury or death of a lawbreaker. And then again, there are other moments when his own life is on the line. It's all enough to make Thorson question what he has done with his life.

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Plot Keywords:

older man younger woman relationship | bounty hunter | pregnant girlfriend | kidnapping | ex convict | 

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Taglines:

He's not as fast as he used to be... That's what makes him human. He's a bounty hunter... And that's what makes him dangerous.

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Genres:

Action | Biography | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Publicity for this picture stated that it took some dramatic license with Ralph Thorson's life but the major events depicted in the movie actually occurred in real life.

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Goofs

When Mr. Thorson goes to pick up Bernardo, he fires 9 rounds from a Colt M1911 pistol, a pistol which can hold at most 8 rounds. Since he flipped the slide on the pistol, any round in the chamber would have been ejected, so he should have been able to fire but 7 rounds.

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Quotes

Ralph 'Papa' Thorson: I'm getting too old for this shit.

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Alternate Versions

The US release features a score by French composer Michel Legrand, one sequence is scored by 'Charles Bernstein'. The European dubbed versions (in French, Spanish, Italian, and German) feature only the music of 'Charles Bernstein'. Omitted in these versions are also the passages of source music from McQueen's/Papa's radio (Opera). The region 1 DVD made by Paramount for the US market features only the American version. The region 2 DVD also made by Paramount, this time for the European market, features both scores: Legrand's score on the English language track, Bernstein's score on the tracks in Spanish, French, Italian, and German.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #21.65 (2013)

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Soundtracks

Una voce poco fà
from opera "Il barbiere di Siviglia"
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Pamela Hicks

User Reviews

McQueen's last

"Tom Horn," Steve McQueen's second to last feature, would have been a more appropriate swan song for the legendary star than this rather ramshackle production, but this action picture is much better than it is usually given credit for. There is an almost TV look about it (the director, Buzz Kulik, has amassed more credits for the small screen than he has in theatrical films), but McQueen, looking for all the world like the picture of health (a year after the film was shot, he'd be dead), is terrific and he makes it all worthwhile. The supporting cast isn't too shabby either, especially Kathryn Harrold as McQueen's woman, and, of course, the always welcome Eli Wallach.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Hunter

Filming Locations:

Joliet, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$16,274,150

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$16,274,150

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rastar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1