This ready-made Charles Bronson vehicle with a better then expected cast (Robert Duvall, John Huston, Randy Quaid, Jill Ireland and Sheree North) doesn't really take flight and ends up being nothing much but ho-hum charades. Bronson's bright, casual performance and Lucien Ballard's scenically polished cinematography are what eventually carries this highly systematic, limp and basically no frills prison breakout get-up. The light, old-fashioned story stays direct, even with its muddled sub-plot involving why the captor is in prison, but in the long run it's by the numbers. There's nothing wrong with providing us something that's not original, but there's very little suspense and action drawn upon the cracking situation. Tom Gries' direction is static, and plodding, as the momentum slowly increases to end with a memorable climax with a plane repeller. Gries is well served upon striking up a rough appeal, but lacks a slam-bang attitude. It stays quite talkative, and the breezy script flows with humorous jibs that Bronson seems well suited to. The music score might not me be anything special, but Jerry Goldsmith does a resourceful job in orchestrating some titillating cues. The support cast of John Huston, Randy Quaid and a buoyant Sheree North are an enjoyable attraction of fun. Robert Duvall plays it dreary, and confused and Jill Ireland came across superficially bland. There's an interesting bunch of minor support parts by Paul Mantee, Alejandro Rey, Roy Jenson, Jorge Moreno and Alan Vint. Bronson is the major draw-card, and deservedly so as it's his well lit performance (and his constant urge for a can of beer) manages to keep you watching. Modest at best.
Review of Breakout
