A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This film was apparently panned by the critics on its release and it did not do well commercially. However, it is still worth a look and I think it has aged quite well, compared to many films of its time.George C Scott is always worth watching, even when he is not at his best, and perhaps this is not his most memorable performance.Despite the screenplay focussing on a bunch of gangsters, Scott's character (Harry Garmes) is still sympathetic, with his own moral standards and, if somewhat bleak, personality.It is clear from the beginning that Harry Garmes is doomed — the very name of the film gives that away — but you are rooting for him, despite his destiny. He is an old man, and the end is near, but he is not going down without a fight. Maybe it is just my age, but I rather relate to that.By far the best part of the whole project is the near-forgotten Jerry Goldsmith theme music. A beautiful and haunting piece that will remain with you long after the film has been forgotten.

I waited for years to see this film, and I must say its a complete disappointment. Not one second did I believe that George C. Scotts character would risk his life for the gangster and his moll. Trish Van Devere was completely miscast in this part, as she appears too nice to engage in the manipulation she dishes out in the film. Actually, all the characters are unbelievable, and the acting is self-conscious, as if everyone is aware they are in a production. Perhaps this is a result of the many script changes and change of directors,it has an uneven, pasted together feel to it. And was George C. Scott's character life so empty for him to align himself with these people? The film did not show that. In fact he seems to have some strong and loyal friendships in the beginning of the film. Please don't say I don't understand the film-I do, it just was not very good. To see a good film from writer Alan Sharpe's work, see "Night Moves."

This is a fairly dull typical '70's movie that tries to be more than it really is.Problem is that there isn't much interesting ever happening in this movie, with also an unnecessary and also far from believable love triangle story in it. Hard to imaging that George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere actually got married one year later, after this movie. The movie movie clearly lacks a good main plot line and gets mostly carried purely by George C. Scott's performance.In this movie George C. Scott once more shows his talent, by giving away one fine performance. But no matter how good he is in his role, he still feels miscast. Even though Scott was 'only' 44 at the time, he already looked far too old for his role, to consider him really believable. George C. Scott just wasn't an actor who aged really well. When he was 40 he already looked like he was 60 years old. The rest of the cast consists out of insignificant actors, who show why they never broke through as actors.At times the movie still is a typical '70's movie, with a good atmosphere and way of storytelling. Yet the movie doesn't always feel coherent, since its good at some times and completely dull and uninteresting to follow at others. It perhaps has to do with the fact that famed director John Huston walked from the movie after having heated arguments with George C. Scott over some script changes.Only a typical '70's car chase is good enough to grab your attention for a short while but the movie swiftly becomes less exciting and more dull after that again. The movie really could had used some more action and at least more speed at times.The movie tries hard to be in the same style as some old classic '40's but neither the script nor characters allow this movie to ever get close. The movie should had sticked more to its own style and time period.Really only worth watching because of George C. Scott.5/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

The story is simple... George C. Scott, a retired Chicago gangster, whose specialty in the old days was as a wheelman, lives in Spain... For various reasons, he agrees to drive an escaped convict (Tony Musante) and his girl (Trish Van Devere) across the country in a getaway drive from the Guardia Civil and rival gangsters...The twist is that the ex-gangster genuinely loves automobiles... In his garage he has a super charged 1957 BMW 503, one of the prettiest sporting cars ever built, and Scott cares for this vehicle almost with the love he would give a woman...Forced to drive it too far and too fast with the 'blower' cut in, he complains that it will ruin the motor, a thought about the internal-combustion engine which movie drivers never seem to have... When, at the end of the film, he crashes the car, it is obvious that he will then sacrifice his life for the hoodlum and the girl, because there is nothing left for him... Colleen Dewhurst (who was Mrs. Scott) is also featured in this exciting, and certainly, one of the most beautifully photographed chase thriller...