Film screening: The Chase

USA, 1966 | 134 minutes | English | Hebrew subtitles

Bubber Reeves escapes from prison and, with no other choice, tries to return home to a small Texas town. Rumors of his escape charge the place with dangerous currents. The local sheriff—cool-tempered, levelheaded, and decent—tries to keep them under control, but it is not certain that this will be enough in the face of mounting tension.

Marlon Brando may be the star and hero of this film, but this is one of those films with a perfectly balanced screenplay that does not really have a central protagonist. Several characters and several plot threads reinforce one another, accumulating into a portrait of the vibrant, dying American South, à la Tennessee Williams. Arthur Penn’s direction (his next film would be Bonnie and Clyde) succeeds in playing all these strings impressively.

Alongside Brando, he has a wonderful team of young stars: Fonda, Redford, Robert Duvall, James Fox, and others, and he handles them masterfully. The camera, editing, and score all serve the dramatic tensions, and the result is a classic that does not disappoint.