The Chase (1966) ***

 

Before he directed "Bonnie & Clyde," Arthur Penn made another film about life on the lamb. “The Chase” stars Robert Redford as Bubber Reeves, an escaped convict making his way back to his hometown. It's a fool's errand, as that is exactly where everyone will be looking for him, but his wife, Anna (Jane Fonda) is there. (If you had Jane Fonda waiting for you, you'd risk getting caught, too!) Marlon Brando plays Sheriff Calder, who waits to see if Bubber will turn up. Meanwhile the sheriff tries to keep a lid on the town, which is boiling over with infidelity, jealousy, and vigilante blood-thirst.

“The Chase” is not the classic that “Bonnie and Clyde” is. It's almost a sketch for that, superior film. There are moments of genius in it, though. On the one hand, you have Bubber, all alone, sneaking through the countryside. On the other, there's this town full of cheating spouses and crooked politicians. Bubber's escape lights a fire under that kettle. At times, the film feels like a John Updike novel, and at other times like an Italian New Wave movie. It's a potboiler that deserves a watch.

3 stars out of 5