EDDIE MACON'S RUN

US, 1983, 90 minutes, Colour.
Kirk Douglas, John Schneider, Lee Purcell, Leah Ayres, Tom Noonan, John Goodman.
Directed by Jeff Kanew.

US, 1983, 95 minutes, Colour.
Kirk Douglas, John Schneider, Lee Purcell, Lisa Dunsheaf, Leah Ayres, Tom Noonan, Jay O. Sanders.
Directed by Jeff Kanew.

Eddie Macon’s Run is a double star vehicle of the early 1980s. Kirk Douglas, in his late sixties, had established himself as a character actor during the 1970s. John Schneider, on the other hand, was emerging as a popular television star with the series, The Dukes of Hazzard.

Schneider portrays Eddie Macon, a prisoner who escapes and is on the run. The film is an action film insofar as it shows the escape and the pursuit. There are many flashbacks which means that the film is also a prison film. Besides that, there is the human element of the relationships of Eddie Macon to his family.

The film is also a strong vehicle for Kirk Douglas, portraying a brutal man, obsessive in his pursuit of Eddie Macon – as well has having his own flashbacks and his own story.

The main setting is Texas, the rodeo, the roads, the families – with a finale in a typical western setting, the streets of Laredo.

Direction is by Jeff Kanew who directed spasmodically over thirty years. His heyday was the 1980s with a number of light entertainments including Gotcha and Troop Beverly Hills.

1. The tradition of prison and escape films? How effective this film? The portrayal of the escape and the run? The ordinary man and the victim? The police and the obsessive pursuer? Underlying themes of American corruption, violence? Themes of help and co-operation? The effect of the optimistic ending?

2. Texas locations, authentic atmosphere? The Mexican atmosphere? The pace, Eddie's run, the insertion of the flashbacks, the atmosphere of the hunt? The pace of the violent sequences? Car chase?

3. The score, the country and western atmosphere, the ballad, the lyrics? The ballad of the '80s? A final chase in the streets of Laredo?

4. The effectiveness of the structure for interest. emotional response? The rodeo and the escape. Eddie's flashbacks, Marzak's flashbacks, the build-up of the situation, Eddie's story, Marzak's motivation? His wife's pessimistic dream? The interplay of the flashbacks with the progress of the run? Eliciting audience sympathy, developing an emotional response to Eddie?

5. The film as a star vehicle? The old star and the young star? How persuasive? Popular American images? The universal appeal of the stars and their story?

6. The introduction to Eddie: the rodeo, his fall, the discovery that he was in prison, his effectiveness in escaping in the cattle truck, jumping off, changing with the clothes, the run and his hopes? Audiences on his side?

7. The cumulative effect of the flashbacks: the focus first on his discussion about the escape with his wife, his desperation, not wanting to live without his wife and child, the details of the escape, the gun? The build-up chronologically of his story: the young man of promise, falling in love, marrying his son, Bobby's illness, the need for money, the work on the boat, not wanting to be bossed about but to make his own way, the change to Texas, the details of the work and his hard labour, the setting up of the house with the curtains etc., his pay check, the discovery of the $200 loan etc., his confronting the boss, drinking while driving, the police brutality, the court case and his 'guilty' plea, the judge being harsh on him, the first escape, Marzak catching him and the violence towards his son and his attack on Marzak? Audience sympathy for him? Innocent victim? The violence and fraud of American society? A symbol of a victim of the '80s?

8. His training in prison, the running, library, the maps, rodeo? The opinion of his cellmate (as brutalised by Marzak, his subservient attitude towards him)? The run itself and the physical running by night. the eating, the swimming, the snake in the water? The insertion of the flashbacks? His being caught by the Potts brothers and the desperation, their madness, his story, the hanging? The gun and his desperate shooting? Running? In the hills. singing 'O Susannah'? Saving Jilly from the rapist? The effectiveness of the run and audience interest?

9. The change of pace in driving with Jilly. his anger in telling his story? Her easy putting off of the police? Taking him to the hotel. her help with the shower. his sleepiness? Her buying him clothes? His declaration to her that he loved his wife? The meal and the hopes? The final confrontation with Marzak? Jilly's knocking Marzak and his escape. the gun, taking his documents, the car chase throughout Laredo, the cemetery?

10. The sketch of his wife and his son? The happy marriage, the ordinary family, the illness, the need for money, the prison visits, the trip to Mexico, his wife following his detail, her nightmare in which he was almost saved but was shot? The happiness at the final reunion?

11. Marzak and his memories, his anger with Eddie? His way of life, his story about Jersey City. his killing the punk who injured the women, his being put off the force? His home life, friendship with his dog - and care for it over the phone etc.? Discussions with the police chief? Deals? Contacts? Using cards and false identities? His waiting for Eddie? His hunting him rather than chasing him? His confrontation with Mrs Potts and discovering the rucksack and the photo? (His returning the photo at the end)? His waiting on the hill with his equipment? The confrontation with the rapist and his killing him? Laredo and the information from the police, the confrontation in the hotel room, his being outwitted, the chase? A portrait of an obsessive ageing ex-police officer? His wanting to prove himself? His recounting of Eddie his following of his movements? The fact that he had proved himself? The overturned car - the gun and his letting Eddie go? Why? His harshness, violence, killing the rapist? Lack of scruple? The change of heart?

12. The sketch of the police - like cowboys? Texas style? The various police chiefs and sheriffs and their information and favour? The Governor and his privileges, his family's and friends' cars?

13. The manic violence of the Potts brothers? The confrontation, dragging Eddie into the house, torture, the hanging? Kay Potts and her madness, wanting death. sexiness? Their being shot? Their home and its wealth. the video games etc.? Marzak's confrontation with Mrs. Potts and his getting information from her?

14. Jilly and her situation, the rape, her being saved. her slumming? Her comment about helping Eddie - a slow Wednesday? Her helping him, the shower, the clothes? Her accepting his love for his wife? Her wishing she loved someone as much? Her helping by knocking out Marzak? Driving the car? The farewell? How had the incident changed her and touched her values?

15. The picture of American society? Prisons, justice. harshness of the law? Brutality of the police? Obsessions?

16. The human values - the film as highly emotional? Sympathy for John Schneider's Eddie? For victims? Small heroes? Achievement? How appropriate the happy ending?