THE COMEBACK TRAIL
US, 2020, 104 minutes, Colour.
Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones, Emile Hirsch, Zach Braff, Patrick Muldoon, Eddie Griffin, Kate Katzman, Vincent Spano.
Directed by George Gallo.
The Comeback Trail offers a mixed bag of entertainment. It takes us back to Hollywood in 1974, the era of exploitation films, an era of shonky producers (well, perhaps, that is always with us), deals with and insurance scams.
The dominant presence in the film is Robert De Niro, as Max Barker, long grey curly hair, cap, sunglasses, a way with words, but ready for a deal if it suits him. De Niro certainly gives it his energetic best but, his insistent presence and performance may grate on some audiences. Trying to provide some kind of emotional and ethical balance, is his nephew, played by Zach Braff. We first see them watching outside of the cinema playing Killer Nun (perhaps a title now taken for granted on Netflix!), with a group of clergy and sisters protesting with placards. (The screenplay has its cake and eat it as well by providing a rather lengthy trailer for the film, a touch of the salacious, during the final credits, gangsters, drug dealers, vigilantes nuns prizing funds for their orphanage!).
The principal gangster here is played by Morgan Freeman, deep baritone as usual, but obnoxious, a gangster with a fund of knowledge and reference to old movies, an odd performance.
Complications arise when an upstart producer who used to work with Max, James (Emile Hirsch) offers $1 million for a screenplay that Max prizes dearly and wants to make whatever the cost. When the star of the projected film, preening himself for publicity, actually overbalances and falls to his death, there is a revelation – $5 million on his insurance policy.
Max sees a marvellous way for a comeback. He has an old script about the Oldest Gun in the West and realises that an ancient, grizzled Western star, Duke Montana, in an aged home and now suicidal, would be the ideal to play in the film – but for him to die on set quickly into the filming and Max and the gangster who subsidises the costs, get rich quick.
Actually, the film seems to get better and more entertaining once the filming starts. Tommy Lee Jones is at his best as Duke Montana, depressed and regretting his life, but remembering his success and career, expert at stunts, though not without apprehension at times. Once the group go on location, there are some very enjoyable sequences with Duke’s stunts, as well as Max’s attempts to kill him. The gangster threatens to come to the set and does, revolver in hand. However, he is highly entertained by the footage they have shot, what else but a happy ever after comeback for everyone concerned.
Mixed blessings.
1. The title? Hollywood, producers, success and failures, comebacks? The Western setting? Cowboy heroes and then comeback?
2. Los Angeles, 1974, sets and decor, costumes, haircuts? The streets, the cinemas, offices, film locations, the West, the musical score?
3. The opening, the priests and nuns picketing the film, Killer Nun? Max and Walter watching, the discussion? Exploitation films? Miracle Films? The office, posters? Plans and discussions? Financial difficulties?
4. Max, his age, producer, in debt to Reggie Fontaine, the visit to James, James wanting the screenplay of Paradise, Max unwilling, their past collaboration and differences? James and his offer of $1 million? Walter urging him on? Max allegedly agreeing, the discussions, reluctance, not signing the contract?
5. Going to the film site, Walter eager to meet the actor, Max disliking the actor, the actor preening, talking, falling to his death? The issue of the large insurance? Max getting a bright idea? Going to Reggie, the proposal about the Western, resuscitating the screenplay about the Old Gun in the West? Going to visit Duke Montana? His being suicidal? Old and grizzled? The past career?
6. Max, his way with words, articulate, devious, enthusiastic? Walter enthusiastic but inexperienced and somewhat naive? Persuading Duke Montana, the arguments, Duke unwilling, willilng?
7. Reggie, his henchmen, supplying the million dollars? Relying on the death of Duke? Reggie and his love of movies and the many references?
8. The sequences on location, the interview with Megan, her becoming the director? The crew? The hiring of the horse? Max and his devious behaviour, the set-ups for Duke’s death? The backfiring, Max having to go to bed? Reggie and the phone calls and the demands? Deciding to come to the set? The horse running off, then returning?
9. The exhilarating moments of the action sequences, Duke riding through the fire, Max sawing the wood on the bridge, Walter testing it out, the Indian chase? Duke and his fear of heights, challenged to go, falling, the lassoo and his climbing up again? Success?
10. The bull, charging at red? The little boy and the red cap, Max running to save him, getting out of the way in time? Duke confronting the ball and subduing it?
11. Duke, the success? Max and his becoming desperate, the explosives in the trailer, Max knocked out? Walter talking to him, realising the truth?
12. The pace of the sequence with Duke sitting in the field, with the old Indian, telling his life story? His life’s disappointment?
13. Reggie and the henchmen, arrival, the guns, prepared to kill Duke, Duke on the horse with Max, Reggie in the car and his taking the spools, screening the footage on the drive in screen? Reggie delighted?
14. The premiere, the red carpet, the interviews, James and his intervention, collaboration with Max? Reggie’s arrival, the slate of films? Duke arriving on the horse, shy, to the screening, leaving?
15. The film having its cake and eating it – the ads for Killer Nun, the protests, the extended trailer throughout the final credits, the gangsters, the drug dealers, the nuns in habits, acting like vigilantes?
16. And the joke with the posters of the various films made by Miracle Films?
