Run, Man, Run / Corri uomo corri (Sergio Sollima, 1968)

Spaghetti Westerns šŸŽ¬
1

I just realised there was no discussion thread for this film which surprised me as Sollima is one of the greatest directors of spaghetti westerns.

I have read in other threads that one or two of you are not so keen on this film and having just watched it I have to ask why?

True, it is not as great as The Big Gundown but it is still an excellent film in my opinion.

So come on fellas, what are your opinions?

For more info visit:
DATABASE PAGE: Corri, uomo, corri - The Spaghetti Western Database (spaghetti-western.net)

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Give Run, Man, Run your rating out of 5 stars!
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2

I like this movie very much. Not as good as ā€œThe Big Gundownā€ but still one of the best with lots of memorable scenes, nice music and good acting. 5 stars (4.5 rounded to 5 actually :stuck_out_tongue: )!

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First thing I donā€™t like about the movie is that it is one of those that noticeably cannot decide if it is a comedy or drama. I donā€™t have any problem with films that mix elements of both, if it is done in an unjarring mannerā€¦but, RUN MAN RUN is not one of those.

Their are some great bits strewn throughout this movie; but, as a whole it is incredibly shakey. It meanders and wanders too muchā€¦just like the Cuchillo character. I have always thought the film should have been called BUMBLE MAN BUMBLE because Cuchillo doesnā€™t really seem to be running so much as he seems to be stumbling around. I have nothing against episodic films, but this one has no real focus.
Sollima is a great director----but, even great directors make blunders, sometimes.

The second thing I donā€™t like about this is Milianā€™s performance. I think, personally, that at the time this movie was shot Tomasā€™ ego was in overdrive. He hams it up way too much in this movie and gets out of touch with the Cuchillo character (as he was originally presented in THE BIG GUNDOWN). I know Milian is a wonderful actor; but, it seems to me the more popular he becameā€¦his acting became less solid.
I know it is just a matter of personal opinion, but I find Tomasā€™ performances in RUN MAN RUN, COMPANEROS, SONNY & JED, and definitely THE WHITE, THE YELLOW & THE BLACK to be flat silly and more over-the-top than the roles required.

I also think Donal Oā€™Brien was underusedā€“if not completely out of place-- in the film. It is almost as if Sollima added his character as an after-thought. Perhaps Sergio was thinking something like: ā€œOh, I almost forgotā€¦this is supposed to be a follow-up to THE BIG GUNDOWNā€¦so I need a Gringo characterā€¦Iā€™ll just toss this guy in and that will make the masses happyā€¦ā€.

The things I like about this movie are the cinematography, the locations, and getting to look at Chelo Alonso and Linda Veras. Oh, and the music is fine, too.
Those reasons are enough to help get this film a rating of 2 in my book.
But, beyond that I canā€™t honestly say I like it much.

4

Ouch!

Not a big thumbs up for Mr Casey then. I can see this oneā€™s going to bring out some strongly differing opinions.

For my money this is what I would rate a solid 4 star spaghetti. I have to disagree on Milianā€™s performance which I thought was pretty much spot on throughout. The only time he lost me (and the film in general) was the sequence in Burton City where he changes into ā€˜americanā€™ clothes and seemed to change character as well. He became in a way ā€˜smarterā€™, more intellectual ,which didnā€™t fit with the character as a whole.

But other than that the direction, music and all was excellent in my opinion. As for Cuchillo ā€˜bumblingā€™, I think that fits his character perfectly. He is astute but fundamentally lurching from one crisis to another as he doesnā€™t grasp any other way to live. He lives on his wits, not his intelect. Thatā€™s what makes him such a warm character.

But I am happy to disagree. It makes for more interesting discussion.

5

I liked it, but Iā€™ve seen it with Italian adudio, no subs, so I havenā€™t understand all. The important things yes, Tomasā€™ acting is so international ;D, and I understand a little Italian, but not too good.

Itā€™s the only Sollima Iā€™ve seen (I desperately want the other two), but I found it really good. Donald Oā€™Brien is a great figure, he says he played a lot of parts that originally William Berger should have been played. Well, heā€™s not as genius as Berger, but a decent SW character with an interesting face.

Tomas is always Tomas. :-* I love that guy since Iā€™ve seen him first time in Tepepa. Heā€™s a really colorful actor, and so cute. :wink:

6

You should get Kochā€™s Sollima box then. All three films with Italian audio and english subs.

7

Iā€™m planning it, but I donā€™t know where can I get is the closer. Is there somebody from Austria? Yes, I could get it during the net, but itā€™s a little too much money. Perhaps in a shop is less expensiveā€¦

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Ah, come on this a gorgeous box set with included book by Bruckner. It ainā€™t expensive. You can have it for ā‚¬44.49 at www.temeon.de ā€¦ Buy an extra spaghetti western and you even get free shipping (>ā‚¬50). That ainā€™t expensive, thatā€™s a damn gift. Pardon my language.

All of the Koch Media Italo Western box sets should be on every spaghetti lovers shelf.

9

Watched this today. Great! Overall: 4 stars. Milian: 5 stars.
Now I have to change my top 20.

10

Glad you liked it. I love this film although I know some donā€™t enjoy it so much. It is not as good as Big Gundown in my opinion but is still one of my all time favourites. And Milian is excellent in this. I love the opening scene when he sneaks into a house to steal food and walks out into a firing squad! And the theme tune! Excellent stuff.

11

There are lots of humourous moments in this one. The interaction between the characters is very entertaining, even the romance. At times it feels like a morality play too, but not of the annoying kind. Cuchillo ofcourse is a great character. And youā€™re right, the music is great too. All in all 4 star material.

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And you (probably) still have to see the other two ā€¦ lucky guy (I often envy people who havenā€™t seen great films yet; even films get only one chance to make a first impression)

Personally, I still havenā€™t watched this one, so Iā€™m a bit lucky too ā€¦

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Youā€™re right. But The Big Gundown is on the menu. I think Iā€™ll be watching it in the weekend.

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I rate The Big Gundown alongside the work of Leone. A genuine 5 star film and probably Sollimaā€™s best. If you havenā€™t seen it yet you are in for a treat.

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I agree. I think thatā€™s the best non-Leone SW.

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Oh, come on. Donā€™t be funny.
Sollima looks rather pedestrian compared to Leone. Leone was maybe a visual and narrative genius. Sollima on the other hand was a good director, but not as talented as Leone or Corbucci in his best works.

The quality of his SWs is more defined by sreenplay construction.

Colizzi for example was a better director than Sollima, but Sollima was the better filmmaker.

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17

I assure you I wasnā€™t trying to be funny.
Sollimaā€™s westerns are extremely well directed in my opinion. He builds tension brilliantly and allows his characters to show themselves as more rounded, complete people. I agree that he worked from good screenplays but it is the directorā€™s job to bring that script to life and Sollima does that expertly in his 3 westerns.
Also, although I donā€™t think anyone compares to Leone in terms of visual framing, Sollima is certainly more creative and striking in this area than Corbucci (whose work I also greatly admire of course) and I would rate him a good second behind the master.
Certainly, given the choice, I would rather watch The Big Gundown, Run, Man, Run or Face to Face than A Fistful of Dynamite.
So all in all, taking into consideration his very good visual style, his excellent character development and first class use of tension and emotion, Sollima deserves his place at the very top of the genre in my opinion.
Feel free to disagree. Thereā€™s nothing I enjoy more than a good debate.

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He, He, I always knew you werenā€™t joking. And I certainly respect your (every) opinion.

It even hurts me to say this, because I like Sollimaā€™s SWs, and it was the Koch DVD box that was 2 years ago the starting point for my growing interest in SWs, so I owe him much.

Corbucci could have been a brillant director, but he had wasted his talent in dozens of shitty films, but even in most of his lesser films you can find some flashes of brillance, a brillance most of all the other filmmakers could only dream of.

Sollima was a very capable director, but I canā€™t find no brillance in his films.

And his character development, a rare thing in SW, which generally are interested in using character stereotypes, is interesting, but also not too complex. Not if I compare it with Ingmar Bergman, Mike Leigh, Eric Rohmer etc, or even with many superior american westerns.

And in Run Man Run he is also working mostly with stereotypes instead of characters, but very effective. His intellectual stamp is here more existing in the side plots, than in the main story, which works in the sense of an adventure film.
On the other hand is the character development of Milian in Face to Face from a brutish gangster to a good man (Gutmensch is the proper german word) not very convincing. And Bergerā€™s Siringo isnnā€™t developed at all. Thatā€™s why I prefer the easier going Run Man Run to the more complex Face to Face.

And he was not a great director of action scenes. The larger shoot-outs between Van Cleef and Nieves Navarroā€™s cowboys (Big Gundown) and between Milian and the corrupt deputys (Face to Face) are poorly made. But the Leone like ritualised shoot-outs at the end of The Big Gundown and Run Man Run are well done. But again, well done copys, no brillance.

But all this sounds too negative, and it shouldnā€™t because there are so many interesting things in these 3 films which certainly all belong to the top of the genre.
Maybe there is one brilliant sequence: The hunting scene near the end of the The Big Gundown. Also brilliant music in this one.

I have to apologise, but I fear my english is not good enough to express the complexity of my thoughts about Sollimaā€™s works. Shit. Shit. Shit.

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Run, Man, Run is the poorest of the directors westerns, and is slightly to long in length.

I find Tomas Milian a bit irritating in this one, and canā€™t help but think at the end of filmā€¦so what ?

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Aahā€¦ thatā€™s good. Now we are brothers again amigo :wink:

And his character development, a rare thing in SW, which generally are interested in using character stereotypes, is interesting, but also not too complex. Not if I compare it with Ingmar Bergman, Mike Leigh, Eric Rohmer etc, or even with many superior american westerns.

That is a fair point, but I was comparing him with Leone and other SW directors. I think in that context his use of character development was outstanding. at the very top in the genre. However, I agree, compared with some of the great directors you have named from outside the genre his work has less depth. I guess the key point for me is that he managed to include some interesting pyschological, political and social elements into his films whilst still turning out a cracking action film. And not many directors can say that.

Maybe there is one brilliant sequence: The hunting scene near the end of the The Big Gundown. Also brilliant music in this one.

We are in full agreement here at least :slight_smile:
That is a great sequence. One of the best in the film, and an excellent marriage with the music.

I have to apologise, but I fear my english is not good enough to express the complexity of my thoughts about Sollima's works. Shit. Shit. Shit.

On the contrary amigo. Your english is excellent and you got your meaning across clearly. Thanks for the discussion.