The Hunter (1980)

Steve McQueen's last movie was The Hunter, released in 1980, the same year he died. It's one of those gritty crime movies that were plentiful in the '70s, with McQueen giving a terrific, quasi-comic performance as a bounty hunter.

McQueen plays Ralph "Papa" Thorson, a real person who brought in some 5,000 fugitives over his career. Papa doesn't like modern society--he drives a '51 Chevy convertible with audibly grinding gears and collects antique toys. He lives in a house where there seems to a perpetual poker game going, and also lives with his girlfriend, a very patient schoolteacher (Kathryn Harrold).

The episodic film shows Papa bringing in various bad guys while a longer story arc has him being stalked by a psycho he once captured (Tracey Walter). That storyline is the least interesting, and I'd almost forgotten about at the movie's end.

The Hunter's attributes, besides McQueen's performance, is some spectacular chase scenes and stunts. One is set in a cornfield, where a couple of dynamite-happy brothers steal McQueen's rental car (a Trans Am) and McQueen has to chase them in a combine. Some of the footage is shot aerially, with the vehicles cutting lines through the corn. I guess they had to get that right in one take.

The best sequence, though, is a long chase that starts on foot over rooftops, goes on to a subway train, and ends up in a parking garage. It's tense and really well done, although the subway part (shot on Chicago's L train) owes a little bit to The French Connection.

This is a fine last film for McQueen. He kind of sends up his past, as this character is not a good driver (he is shown frequently screwing up while parallel parking) and the scenes involving his becoming a dad, while sentimental, are engaging.

The movie was well directed by Buzz Kulick. This would be his last feature as a director. He made many TV films and shows, including Brian's Song, which was news to me.