The tremendous success of 'Patton' made George C. Scott suddenly a bankable star in his mid 40's, the next decade or so would be particularly prolific for him. Now able to work off a cinematic bucket list, high on Scott's priorities was playing a "Humpry Bogart type role." He believed he found it in 'The Last Run', the story of a former Chicago getaway driver living in exile in Portugal, bored he decides to take what should have been an easy job, it proves to be anything but.
Shot on location in Europe the film was to have been helmed by legendary director John Houston. Houston however was never particularly invested in the project and kept having screenwriter Alan Sharp make changes mid production. Eventually Houston had to be removed from the film and veteran action director Richard Fleischer ('The Vikings' , 'The Boston Strangler') was brought in to try and save it.
Those production woes aren't actually the most interesting thing to happen on set however. Scott's then wife Collen Dewhurst has a small role in the film, after her part wrapped filming she took the couples children with her back to the states. Subsequently Scott hooked up with the films much younger female lead Trish Van Dever.
Scott would divorce Dewhurst (for the second time) and the following year marry Van Dever. In spite of how it started Scott's 5th marriage would be no short term affair, the couple would stay together until his death in 1999, the two often co-staring in films.
The finished picture did middling buisness and got apropertly middling reviews. It starts slow, which I liked, but stayed slow for too long. The movie picks up in its second half and has a couple really good chase scenes going for it. Secondary male lead Tony Mustnta is kinda blah, he and Van Dever, who is supposed to be his girlfriend, have little chemistry, though she lights up around Scott. Portugal does make for some nicley scenic filming locations. **1/2
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