The Last Run

Richard Fleischer's 1971 film is about a retired getaway driver. Harry Garmes drove for the mob in Chicago for years and then withdrew to a small fishing village in Portugal; he has lost his son, his wife has gone and his days pass empty. When one last job is offered he takes it: driving a criminal and his girlfriend to France. The job goes wrong from the start and a question of trust builds among the three of them on the road. The film is less about action than about ageing and feeling useless, with Harry's attachment to his car and his wish to prove he can still do it at the centre. George C. Scott plays the part tired and measured. The landscape and driving scenes are shot without display. Who it's for: viewers who like American crime films of the seventies. Who it's not for: anyone expecting a fast chase picture; the film moves slowly.