Books, Arts & Manners: One Runs, the Other Dawdles

I KNOW a little about the Dr. Shepard murder case, but nothing about the TV series it inspired, so I came to The Fugitive relatively unencumbered. The first reel left me reeling. The director, Andrew Davis, and the screenwriters, Jeb Stuart and David Twohy, try to pump up excitement by means of some visual and aural tricks as obnoxious as they are obstreperous, and totally unnecessary. But once you get past this mauvais quart d’heure or so, you can settle down to the back or edge of your seat (depending on your susceptibility) and a very good couple of hours of thrills.

Despite that repellent opening—and even there—the movie does not waste time setting up the story. We learn swiftly that, coming back from late-night emergency surgery, Dr. Richard Kimble found a giant one-armed intruder in his house, grappled with him, and put him to flight, but could not save his wounded and dying wife. In fast, efficient strokes we see the police disbelieving the dismayed Kimble; then the trial, and his death sentence. On the way to the final prison, Kimble and some fellow inmates are in a phantasmagoric bus and train collision, and he and another prisoner escape. The other guy, less smart, is caught; Kimble proceeds to track down the murderer of his wife.

JS

About the Author

John Simon

Featured Tags

I KNOW a little about the Dr. Shepard murder case, but nothing about the TV series it inspired, so I came to The Fugitive relatively unencumbered. The first reel left me reeling. The director, Andrew Davis, and the screenwriters, Jeb Stuart and David Twohy, try to pump up excitement by means of some visual and aural tricks as obnoxious as they are obstreperous, and totally unnecessary. But once you get past this mauvais quart d’heure or so, you can settle down to the back or edge of your seat (depending on your susceptibility) and a very good couple of hours of thrills.

Despite that repellent opening—and even there—the movie does not waste time setting up the story. We learn swiftly that, coming back from late-night emergency surgery, Dr. Richard Kimble found a giant one-armed intruder in his house, grappled with him, and put him to flight, but could not save his wounded and dying wife. In fast, efficient strokes we see the police disbelieving the dismayed Kimble; then the trial, and his death sentence. On the way to the final prison, Kimble and some fellow inmates are in a phantasmagoric bus and train collision, and he and another prisoner escape. The other guy, less smart, is caught; Kimble proceeds to track down the murderer of his wife.