Target ** (1985, Gene Hackman, Matt Dillon, Gayle Hunnicutt) – Classic Movie Review 7,310

Gene Hackman is reliable as ever in the 1985 film Target as an ex-CIA man who sets out to try to rescue his wife (Gayle Hunnicutt) kidnapped while in Europe.

Director Arthur Penn’s 1985 film Target is a tolerable but off-target thriller from the director of Bonnie and Clyde, who goes into overdrive to try to provide action thrills, which nevertheless just are not there. It has to count as a disappointment from this pedigree.

Bonnie and Clyde co-star Gene Hackman is reliable as ever as Walter Lloyd, the ex-CIA man who has to set out to try to rescue his wife Donna Lloyd (Gayle Hunnicutt) who is kidnapped while in Europe. Matt Dillon is OK as his son Chris, who finally gets close to his dad in the family adversity. In an ungrateful role, Hunnicutt is almost forgotten about by the writers.

All that is really missing in Target is a taut, believable script and better direction. Hackman and a few solid action sequences keep it watchable. Alfred Hitchcock could have turned this into a contender.

The low-credibility, low-excitement screenplay is by Howard Berk, Don Petersen and José Luis Navarro, based on a story by Leonard Stern.

Also in the cast are Josef Sommer, Guy Boyd, Herbert Berghof, Viktoriya Fyodorova, Brad Williams, Randy Moore, Ilona Grübel, Tomas Hnevsa, Robert Ground, Véronique Guillaud, Charlotte Bailey, James Selby, Ray Fry, Jacques Mignot, Robert Liensol, Ullrich Haupt, Werner Prochath, Catherine Rethi, Richard Münch, Jany Holt and Jean-Pierre Stewart.

Filming for Penn’s first film shot in Europe took place in Paris, Berlin and Hamburg, as well as Dallas and Corpus Christi, Texas.

Release date: November 8, 1985.

Gene Hackman also starred as Buck Barrow in Penn’s 1967 gangster classic Bonnie and Clyde, the film that made his name. He then starred in Penn’s Night Moves (1975).

The cast

The cast are Gene Hackman as Walter Lloyd/ Duncan (Duke) Potter, Matt Dillon as Chris Lloyd/ Derek Potter, Gayle Hunnicutt as Donna Lloyd, Josef Sommer as Barney Taber, Guy Boyd as Clay, Viktoriya Fyodorova as Lise, Herbert Berghof as Schroeder, Ilona Grübel as Carla, James Selby as Ross, Ray Fry as Mason, Richard Münch as The Colonel, Tomas Hnevsa as Henke, Jean-Pol Dubois as Glasses/ assassin, Robert Ground as Marine Sergeant, Véronique Guillaud as Secretary American Consulate, Charlotte Bailey as Receptionist, Randy Moore as Tour Director, Jacques Mignot as Madison Hotel Clerk, Robert Liensol as Café Vendor, Werner Pochath as Young Agent, and Jany Holt as proprietress, Marie Louis Mansion.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7,310

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