EVEL KNIEVEL
US, 1971, 90 minutes, Colour.
George Hamilton, Sue Lyon, Bert Freed, Rod Cameron.
Directed by Marvin Chomsky.
Evel Knievel is a portrait of the background, his beginnings in carnival work and bike stunts, his family life, his accidents and his seeming devil-may-care attitude towards life and success. George Hamilton has a kind of genial charm in the central role. There is an effective supporting cast led by Sue Lyon.
1. The use of newsreels of Knievel's exploits, the editing and pace, the special effects for the stunts? The musical score?
2. The focus on Knievel himself? Bobby Knievel as an ordinary young man, his background in the small town, friends, family? His courting his wife? Linda's reaction to him? Their life together? Her acceptance of his stunts? The importance of the humorous stunts he pulled as a young man - the robberies in the town, baiting the police? His relationship with the people in the daredevil world?
3. Turquoise Smith and his taking him on, Charlie Kresson and his accident? The doctor? The importance of the accidents? His being held together by many plates? His determination for more successful stunts? The projects - especially the Grand Canyon? The rags-to-riches story and the effect on Knievel?
4. The popularity of motorbike-riding, stunt work? The rodeos and the shows? Travelling the American road? The old-timers at this kind of work? The tradition for Knievel?
5. The portrait of Linda, at school, the attraction towards Bobby, the difficulties, the marriage, standing by him?
6. The style of the screenplay as a memoir, the insertion of the flashbacks into the story? The juxtaposition of the young and poor Bobby with the successful Bobby? The overall effect of this mixing of times?
7. The supporting characters - Turquoise Smith and his taking on of Knievel? Charlie Cresson (played by veteran western star Rod Cameron) as an ageing star, his death? The doctor and the demands made on him by Knievel? The fans, the followers, the girls, the nurses etc.?
8. The atmosphere of America in the '50s, the High School Victory Stomp, the town and the safecracking, the prison and the sheriff and the use of first names, the crowds watching the stunts?
