Starring
Gene Hackman, Al Pacino, Ann Wedgeworth, Dorothy Tristan, Richard
Lynch. Directed by Jerry Schatzberg. (1973, 112 min).
If someone like, say, John Cassavetes was at the helm, Scarecrows
would have been another one of his quirky, low-key, self-indulgent
films that repertory cinema crowds eat up and the rest of the world
ignores. Still, it probably would have been considered a relative
success.
Instead,
it became something of an actors' showcase for stars Gene Hackman and
Al Pacino, both fresh off the biggest films of their careers. But
even in those days, star power wasn't always enough. While certainly
earning critical approval, Scarecrow didn't click with
audiences and bombed at the box office. It's a verrrrry
leisurely paced road movie, a succession of deliberately meandering
vignettes that impatient viewers might have a hard time sitting through.
 |
| "Brando did what with a stick of butter?" |
Scarecrow
has earned a cult following since then, mostly due to the
performances. As two drifters trying to make their way across the
country, Pacino & Hackman are practically the whole show here.
Hackman shines as Max, a short-tempered ex-con with ambitious
plans to open a car wash in Pittsburgh with the money he's saved.
Pacino belies his reputation for dramatic intensity with a laid-back,
charming turn as "Lion," a perpetually-optimistic seaman who agrees to
partner with Max providing they stop in Detroit to visit the child he left behind five years before (and has never
met). As actors, Scarecrow is arguably the closest either of
them have ever come to completely disappearing into their roles.
 |
| Al learns there's no Santa. |
They
encounter old friends, meet new ones and even do a stint in jail, the
latter of which tests their loyalty and friendship. We learn a lot
about these two along the way, and despite their vagabond lifestyle
and overall irresponsibility, we genuinely like them. But despite
many moments of levity, an air of sadness hangs over the entire film.
Bubbling just beneath the surface, there's a quiet desperation in nearly everything these characters say and do, leaving the
viewer with the unshakable feeling that there's no pot of gold at the
end of this rainbow.
Still,
the journey is a mildly interesting one and despite its rambling
narrative, the film's climax - such as it is - packs a haunting,
emotional punch that you won't soon forget. It also helps if one is a huge
fan of these two actors because their performances are tremendous, but I can't imagine anyone else wanting
to endure this more than once.
EXTRA
KIBBLES
FEATURETTE:
"On the Road with: Scarecrow"
TRAILER
KITTY CONSENSUS:
NOT BAD...LIKE CAT CHOW
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