kevin olzak
Darren McGavin enjoyed a lengthy career as one of Hollywood's most likable and dependable performers, best remembered as intrepid reporter Carl Kolchak in the film and TV series of THE NIGHT STALKER. It may be a surprise to learn that he, like Larry Hagman, directed a single horror film in his heyday, and never did a second (in Hagman's case it was "Son of Blob"). 1973's "Happy Mother's Day, Love George" was of course a torturous title, soon reissued as "Run Stranger Run," under which it was seen far more often. McGavin proves to have a fine visual sense, and allows his powerhouse cast to bring their characters to vivid life, from a script by Robert Clouse, who had previously written McGavin's 1972 Steven Spielberg telefeature "Something Evil," soon to graduate to director himself with Bruce Lee's final film "Enter the Dragon." Fifth billed Ron Howard, after "American Graffiti" but before HAPPY DAYS (his name now shortened from 'Ronny'), actually stars as drifter Johnny Hanson, journeying from Los Angeles to the New England town of Malone Bay (filming in Nova Scotia) to discover the truth about his parents, who gave him up for adoption right after he was born. Cloris Leachman's café owner, Ronda Carlson, recognizes the young man as her son the moment he walks in, driving her cook, Eddie Malone (Bobby Darin), into fits of jealousy. From there, Johnny locates the home of Ronda's estranged sister, Cara Perry (Patricia Neal), and especially Cara's nubile teenage daughter Celia (played by Neal's real life daughter Tessa Dahl), who admits to her cousin her instant attraction and unbearable loneliness. The film moves at a leisurely pace, McGavin happy to indulge his cast in maintaining intrigue despite the more familiar elements. As things escalate into full on horror during the final half hour, only the final encounter between Johnny and the killer rings false, the director seemingly losing interest in a clear denouement. Still, the atmosphere, the banjo-led folksy music score, and the believable performances make up for any shortcomings in the script. Simon Oakland, soon to join McGavin in the KOLCHAK series, makes his final screen appearance as the sheriff, who seems to know everything about everyone, even the identity of Johnny's father, while Bobby Darin would pass away only months after the picture's sparse release. The director's comely wife, Kathie Browne, shows up briefly to become a murder victim, while Gale Garnett, nearly 10 years after her big hit "We'll Sing in the Sunshine," also comes to a bad end by pushing the desperate culprit into a corner (she had another horror film still ahead, 1980's "The Children"). The greatest impression is left by the lovely Tessa Dahl, only 16 at the time, making it a shame that she forsook her mother's profession of acting to follow that of her father, author Roald Dahl (her daughter is gorgeous model Sophie Dahl). After 30 years of performing in Hollywood, Darren McGavin had what it took to be a director of great promise, but like so many before him left audiences wondering what kind of impact he might have had behind the camera had this initial film found proper distribution, admittedly a tough film to market. Lastly, he does make an uncredited appearance on screen, unrecognizable wearing a mustache in photographs depicting the title character of George Perry, Cara's long dead husband.
udar55
I took in this early 70s TV thriller last night. A young man (Ron Howard) arrives in a seaside town searching for his real mother and solve the mystery of who his father is. What he doesn't expect is to uncover a series of bizarre disappearances and murders. While the film is a bit slow (the first murder doesn't occur until over an hour in), RUN STRANGER RUN is worth a look. The script by Robert Clouse jumps from initially mysterious to predictable in the end but does carry that PLAY MISTY FOR ME (1971) psycho-sexual vibe. What makes RUN interesting is it is the only film directed by actor Darren McGavin. He has a good eye and the last half hour, which includes a great scene in an empty house, is pretty tense. And McGavin fills the film with great supporting performances from Cloris Leachman, Patrica Neal, Bobby Darin and NIGHT STALKER co-star Simon Oakland. Ron Howard gives a wonderful performance as the impish kid but the best work is done by Tessa Dahl, daughter of Roald Dahl, as the psycho killer teen.
Ripshin
Following the previous year's "You'll Like My Mother," starring the equally All-American Richard Thomas, this film plays off the boyishness of the lead for added effect. The location filming is great, if only a bit tedious, and we are entertained by Patricia Neal's scenery-chewing. Cloris Leachman actually underplays her role. Bobby Darin is wasted as a throw-away supporting character.The plot is a bit interesting, although the killer's identity is telegraphed within the first fifteen minutes.Ron Howard is directed well by Darren McGavin, revealing that the former could have been a much more serious actor, but was instead saddled with the horrendous "Happy Days" series the next year. McGavin sandwiched this between the "The Night Stalker" TV movie in 72, and the subsequent series (as an actor, of course).Tessa Dahl is tolerable as the disturbed young woman.Worth a watch, but don't expect, well, "You'll Like My Mother."
derekjager
S-L-O-W, poorly scripted 70s junk What a disappointment! Patricia Neal acts like she's Bette Davis in WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? The pace is deadly slow--even for a 70s movie--and the Ron Howard character spends scene after scene just wandering through the town. Staring at a house. Wandering some more. Just awful.NOTHING happens the first hour. And the Bobby Darin character suddenly is "gone" and the end is too little too late.Skip it.Runaway, Video viewer, runaway!
