MovieChat Forums > The Stunt Man (1980) Discussion > My Review Of The Stunt Man

My Review Of The Stunt Man

posted 18 years ago by TLDavis1230
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I remember seeing this movie when I first got cable 24 years ago, and I didn't get the first time. After seeing it a second, third and fourth time I must say one of the most underrrated, poignant films of 1980. Peter O'Toole's best performance to date as an egomaniacal director. Steve Railsback also stands out as a convict on the run. When I got around to doing research on the film, I found it absolutely fascinating to find out that the director Richard Rush took nine years to make it, and FOX studios took another TWO years to release it. Mr. Rush must have been smiling miles and miles once the film finally got released. I guess this is one of the those cases where hard work, perserverance and major patience actually paid off in the long run. I will rate this right along with A Clockwork Orange, which is still being used as a model in most film schools today.

[–] Greenteeth 18 years ago

It's a movie in which you never can quite settle down. It's never entirely clear what is actually happening or why it is happening. It kept me on edge right up until the end, yet I'm not sure that I would call it a thriller.

As far as Rush is concerned, I seem to remember that he was having heart trouble while he was trying to get this movie off the ground.

[–] bhaktigirl 18 years ago

I've seen it many, many times over the years, it's my favorite Peter O'Toole film and role, which is really, REALLY saying something! And each time I see it again, I smile through the whole thing.....I also have a huge poster for it, it's one of my prized possessions! I saw Rush do a Q&A at UCLA years ago, after a screening of it. Really wonderful....