Night of the Running Man ** (1995, Scott Glenn, Andrew McCarthy, Janet Gunn, Wayne Newton, John Glover) – Classic Movie Review 13,458

Mark L Lester’s 1995 crime thriller action movie Night of the Running Man stars Andrew McCarthy as a Las Vegas cab driver who finds a million dollars of stolen mob money in his cab, and Scott Glenn as the relentless hitman in pursuit.

Director Mark L Lester’s 1995 crime thriller movie Night of the Running Man stars Scott Glenn, Andrew McCarthy, Janet Gunn, Wayne Newton, and John Glover. The screenplay is by Lee Wells, based on his novel.

Andrew McCarthy stars as down-at-heel Las Vegas cab driver Jerry Logan, who finds himself running for his life when a gangster on the lam from the mob with a case loaded with a million dollars of their money gets into his car and offers him $100 to get to the airport fast.

Within seconds, armed killers are in pursuit, killing the fugitive gangster, but McCarthy escapes with the cash.

The man stole the $1 million from mob-connected casino manager Al Chambers (Peter Iacangelo), who skimmed the money from mob boss August Gurino (Wayne Newton). Chambers sends the killers to recover it, but after Logan escapes with the cash, Chambers hires a high-rent hitman, David Eckhart, who tracks Logan to his house.

Scott Glenn gives a rousing account of villainy as the nasty, ruthless, relentless hitman called David Eckhart on McCarthy’s trail, and McCarthy is good value as the cabbie on the run.

It may be only a basic action thriller with a familiar story, but it is entertaining and involving, and directed at a zesty, fast lick by Mark L Lester, while there are strong lead performances to deliver the goods.

There are 38 uses of the F-word and plenty of violence, with graphic and sadistic bloody murders.

It is the first film made for Lester’s company American World Pictures. But it premiered on HBO before being released direct-to-video.

The cast

The cast are Scott Glenn as David Eckhart, Andrew McCarthy as Jerry Logan, Janet Gunn as Chris Altman, Wayne Newton as August Gurino, John Glover as Derek Mills, Peter Iacangelo as Al Chambers, Todd Susman, Judith Chapman, Vic Trevino, Mayf Nutter [Mayfred Nutter], and Don Stark.

Night of the Running Man is directed by Mark L Lester, runs 90 minutes, is made by American World Pictures, is released by Trimark, is written by Lee Wells, is shot by Mark Irwin, is produced by Dana Dubovsky, Mark L Lester and George W Perkins, is scored by Christopher Franke, and is designed by Alfred Sole.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,458

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