Malone *** (1987, Burt Reynolds, Cliff Robertson, Lauren Hutton, Kenneth McMillan, Cynthia Gibb, Scott Wilson) – Classic Movie Review 10,225

Director Harley Cokeliss’s 1987 action thriller Malone stars Burt Reynolds in this modern-day Western as Malone, an ex-CIA hitman who uncovers a right-wing plot to seize control of the US government after his breaks down in a rural Oregon valley and he is befriended by the local town garage owner Paul Barlow (Scott Wilson) and his 17-year-old daughter Jo (Cynthia Gibb). The town is run by property dealer Charles Delaney (Cliff Robertson), a white nationalist leading a group of terrorist cells.

Director Cokeliss gives the audience no time to catch their breath, and keeps the running time compact at 92 minutes, so even though the plot is pretty feeble the result is never dull. Malone is a very loud movie, with lots of gunshots, explosions and car chases.

Reynolds is in fine form in his avenging smash and grab role, and his notable co-stars Cliff Robertson as Charles Delaney, Lauren Hutton as Jamie, Kenneth McMillan, Cynthia Gibb and Scott Wilson provide able support. The screenplay by Christopher Frank is based on the 1980 novel Shotgun by William P Wingate.

Reynolds explained: ‘The film is Shane. I am an ex-CIA man whose car breaks down in a small town who then gets close to a family and attempts to battle a Lyndon LaRouche character played by Cliff Robertson.’ Lyndon LaRouche (September 8, 1922 – February 12, 2019) was an American political activist, convicted fraudster and cult leader.

Also in the cast are Philip Anglim, Tracey Walter, Dennis Burkley, Alex Diakun, Mike Kirton, Duncan Fraser, Janne Mortil, Campbell Lane, Tom McBeath, Brooks Gardner and Don McKay.

Reynolds was paid $3 million. It was another box-office flop for Reynolds, and for Orion Pictures, both of whom needed hits, costing $10,000,000 and earning $3,060,858. Would they have done better if they had stuck to the book title of Shotgun?

Filming took place in Hedley, Canada, from August 1986.

Reynolds’s last few films had been flops and he was being sued for punching director Dick Richards on his previous film Heat (1986).

Reynolds recalled: ‘I don’t think Heat and Malone are the movies that are going to change my career. But at least they are serious films which people have told me I should have been doing for years. I don’t know how good they are, but at least I’m taking the advice now of close friends and doing films that take me out of a car.’

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,225

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