The Chase Blu-ray Review
“The Chase” is nowhere near as exciting as the title suggests.
A year prior to changing the cinematic landscape with “Bonnie And Clyde,” director Arthur Penn helmed this crime melodrama based on Horton Foote’s novel and play of the same name. The film adaptation (penned by Lillian Hellman) begins with 2 men escaping prison. One of the men kills a man and steals a car and leaves the other (Bubber) behind. Bubber is looking to head home to a small Texas town where his wife (Anna) resides. Instead of merely following Bubber’s perspective, the story frequently shifts to the inhabitants of the town which include Sheriff Calder, Val Rogers (the local rich man) and his son Jake, Anna (who is now seeing Jake), and Edwin and his wife Emily (who cheats on him). As the town gets word of Bubber’s impending arrival, chaos erupts leading to a sort of mob rule of people taking the lawn into their own hands with tragic results.
On paper 1966’s “The Chase” sounds like a winner. Arthur Penn directs, there’s a score by John Barry and the cast is a true all-star affair with Marlon Brando, Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Angie Dickinson, Robert Duvall, E.G. Marshall, Clifton James and more. Alas, this film is not what anyone probably expected it to be.
Instead of being a story about a criminal heading home, “The Chase” is more of a southern melodrama that wishes it was on the level of a Tennessee Williams play (it’s not). Much of the story doesn’t involve Bubber (Robert Redford) and instead focuses on the townspeople who are mostly waiting for Bubber to appear. Themes of racism, mob rule, class, lawlessness, infidelity, and justice are explored here, but it all feels like an overly familiar bleak story about the ugly side of America. Not even the literal explosive third act gives the film any sort of heat.
The real reason most people will be curious about this film is for the aforementioned cast. Marlon Brando is the main star here, but he often looks bored. It’s not until the third act where Brando has much to do and, as a result, seems more engaged in the part. Redford is largely wasted here and is off screen far too much (as is the underutilized Jane Fonda). E.G. Marshall gives a quality performance as Val Rogers. The rest of the cast is equally impressive. It’s just a shame that such a talented cast didn’t have better material to work with.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 2.35:1 1080p. How does it look? The Technicolor film gets a nice clean hi-def transfer.
Audio Track: 1.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? Despite a lightweight track, the audio is satisfactory.
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