Peter Miller (Jon Voight) is a freelance reporter who obtains an old diary left by a Holocaust survivor. In it are written his experiences in a certain concentration camp and the atrocities committed by one Edward Roschmann also known as The Butcher (Maximillian Schell.) Miller decides to try and find him and bring him to justice but there's a much stronger motive that's revealed later.
I don't think many people realize what a well-done film this is. Filmed almost entirely on location in Germany as Miller's quest leads him on an increasingly dangerous mission. Mary Tamm, a seasoned British actress plays Miller's girlfriend and her performance borders on Oscar-worthy. The climatic scene when Miller finally confronts Roschmann is done in a wonderfully long take, the banter between Voight and Schell a wonder to behold. Factor in a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and you have one of the true cinematic gems of the seventies. A must-watch for fans of espionage action thrillers. 4.5 stars/5
The origins of Runaway Train actually date back to the mid-'60's and was orginally conceived by a Japanese director. Several times the film came very close to being made only to be, no pun intended, derailed. In 1982, the company that owned the rights asked Francis Ford Coppola to suggest a director and Coppola recommended a friend, acclaimed Russian director Andrei Konchalovsky. Andrei knew Jon Voight which is how he became attached.
Both Voight and Eric Roberts were nominated for Oscars, this may be Voight's all-time best next to Midnight Cowboy. He totally becomes his character, Manny, a truly hardened criminal. Most of the film is actually filmed in Montana and I was surprised to learn all the train interiors were done in LA. Also majorly worth mentioning is John P Ryan as the warden Ranken hell-bent on stopping Manny and the runaway train. One of those films that just hits all the marks perfectly. 4.0 stars/5
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