The Hunter *** (1980, Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, Kathryn Harrold, LeVar Burton, Ben Johnson) – Classic Movie Review 3530

Director Buzz Kulik’s 1980 movie is Steve McQueen’s final film, made while he was tragically dying of lung cancer, leading to his untimely death on November 7 1980 at the age of only 50.

While not perfect, it is an exciting enough thriller, strongly performed by a good cast, though low on continuity as a film and credibility as a story. Continuing with McQueen’s obsession with real-life maverick characters from his previous movie Tom Horn, it is fascinatingly based on the exploits of a true-life American professional bounty hunter called Ralph ‘Papa’ Thorson who rounded up 5,000 bail jumper fugitives under some forgotten law.

Kulik’s capable, brisk-moving direction obscures any lapses in the screen story, though Ted Leighton and Peter Hyams’s screenplay has its upsides in terms of detail, character and dialogue. It is well shot by Fred J Koenekamp, Michel Legrand’s score is an asset, and course it’s great to see McQueen behind the wheel of a car again, one last time.

It was released on August 1 1980. Three months later, the Sixties golden boy and king of cool was dead from cancer at 50, following a heart attack after an operation for the disease.

Also in the cast are Eli Wallach, Kathryn Harrold, LeVar Burton, Ben Johnson, Richard Venture, Tracey Walter, Tom Rosales, Theodore Wilson and Ray Bickel.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3530

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/