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''Running Scared'' is a 1972 British
drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
film directed and co-written by
David Hemmings David Edward Leslie Hemmings (18 November 1941 – 3 December 2003) was an English actor and director. He is best remembered for his roles in British films and television programmes of the 1960s and 1970s, particularly the 1966 mystery film ' ...
. This was Hemmings' only film as a writer, and his first time directing. It was based on the 1964 novel of the same name written by Gregory Mcdonald.


Plot

Tom Betancourt (
Robert Powell Robert Powell (; born 1 June 1944) is an English actor who is known for the title roles in '' Mahler'' (1974) and ''Jesus of Nazareth'' (1977), and for his portrayal of secret agent Richard Hannay in '' The Thirty Nine Steps'' (1978) and its s ...
), a student at
Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
, leaves after having watched his best friend commit suicide by slashing his wrists. On principle, Tom refused to interfere, having discussed the matter with his friend, who had insisted that the suicide was his choice and that he did not wish it to be prevented. Tom then visits his friend's parents under an assumed name, and falls in love with the dead boy's sister (
Gayle Hunnicutt Gayle Jenkins, Lady Jenkins (''née'' Hunnicutt; born February 6, 1943) is an American retired film, television and stage actress. She has made more than 30 film appearances. Early life and education The daughter of Colonel Sam Lloyd Hunnicut ...
). A complicated affair ensues.


Cast

*
Robert Powell Robert Powell (; born 1 June 1944) is an English actor who is known for the title roles in '' Mahler'' (1974) and ''Jesus of Nazareth'' (1977), and for his portrayal of secret agent Richard Hannay in '' The Thirty Nine Steps'' (1978) and its s ...
as Tom Betancourt *
Gayle Hunnicutt Gayle Jenkins, Lady Jenkins (''née'' Hunnicutt; born February 6, 1943) is an American retired film, television and stage actress. She has made more than 30 film appearances. Early life and education The daughter of Colonel Sam Lloyd Hunnicut ...
as Ellen Case *
Barry Morse Herbert Morse (10 June 19182 February 2008), known professionally as Barry Morse, was a British-Canadian actor of stage, screen, and radio, best known for his roles in the ABC television series '' The Fugitive'' and the British sci-fi drama ' ...
as Mr. Case * Stephanie Bidmead as Mrs. Case * Edward Underdown as Mr. Betancourt *
Maxine Audley Maxine Audley (29 April 1923 – 23 July 1992) was an English theatre and film actress. She made her professional stage debut in July 1940 at the Open Air Theatre. Audley performed with the Old Vic company and the Royal Shakespeare Company ma ...
as Mrs. Betancourt * Georgia Brown as Sarah * Ben Howard as Charlie * Paul Williamson as John * John Bailey as Inspector * John Franklyn-Robbins as Dean *
Terrence Hardiman Terrence Hardiman (born 6 April 1937)Biographical detail
Bernard Kay as Mr. Willis * Andy Bradford as Casey * Joseph Greig as Porter


Production


Filming

Gregory Mcdonald's original novel takes place between
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
and Long Island. The film switches the location from
Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Greater Boston, Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most ...
to
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge beca ...
, England. Filmed on location in Braunston, mainly around the canal and marina. Other filming took place in high street,
Daventry Daventry ( , historically ) is a market town and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority in Northamptonshire, England, close to the border with Warwickshire. At the 2021 Census Daventry had a population of 28,123, making ...
, at Bilton Grange and at
Oundle School Oundle School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for pupils 11–18 situated in the market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire, England. The school has been governed by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the ...
in
Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...
. The film crew spent most of the summer of 1971 there and local people were asked to be extras. A film camera was positioned on top of the then disused windmill to film Robert Powell in the
Austin-Healey Austin-Healey was a British sports car maker established in 1952 through a joint venture between the Austin division of the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and the Donald Healey Motor Company (Healey), a renowned automotive engineering and ...
sports car being driven through the village. The windmill was also used as the "base" for the crew.


Casting

Heather MacRae was originally cast as Ellen Case and began location filming until she was fired by Hemmings for being unable to perform, possibly for drug reasons. Although not ideally suited for the role, Gayle Hunnicutt was drafted in to take it on at short notice.


Release

''Running Scared'' opened at the
Plaza Cinema Plaza Cinema may refer to the following cinemas in England: *Plaza Cinema, Chichester (1920–1960) *Plaza Cinema, Skipton (1912–present) *Plaza Cinema, Stockport The Plaza Super Cinema and Variety Theatre cinema in Stockport, England () opene ...
, Lower Regent Street, London on 27 April 1972. It ran for two weeks before being withdrawn having taken only £2,302. It then got a circuit release as supporting feature to '' Play It Again, Sam'', playing the ABC cinemas Brixton and Bayswater and the Classic cinema in Hampstead.


Loss

The film has screened on British television once, on
BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream ...
on 23 July 1978. As at 2020 it has never had a VHS or DVD release although it is understood that 16mm prints were struck. Local interest in ''Running Scared'' is surprisingly strong. For an exhibition at the 2010 Braunston Festival photographs taken during filming, as well as press cuttings, original scripts and posters were displayed to the public. The original film was intended to be shown but unfortunately this was not the case at that time. Due to the interest shown, a larger exhibition and possible documentary (with input from local residents) was planned for the 40th anniversary of the making of the film in summer 2011. In December 2011, the film was shown twice in Braunston Village Halls; lead actress
Gayle Hunnicutt Gayle Jenkins, Lady Jenkins (''née'' Hunnicutt; born February 6, 1943) is an American retired film, television and stage actress. She has made more than 30 film appearances. Early life and education The daughter of Colonel Sam Lloyd Hunnicut ...
was present at the screening and claimed it was the first time she had seen the film in its entirety. As of 2020 the copyright has yet to be determined.


Reception

Tom Milne, reviewing the film in ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' ...
'', commented that it "somehow fritters itself away into long, broody pauses and soulful searchings". Several sequences, on the other hand, were "done with a razor-sharp incisiveness that would not have shamed Losey and Pinter ... on balance, it seems worth risking the tedium to watch a born director at work". The British periodical ''
Films and Filming ''Films and Filming'' was the longest-running British gay magazine prior to the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.Bengry, Justin"The Queer History of Films and Filming."''Little Joe: A magazine about queers and cinem ...
'' noted the influence of
Michelangelo Antonioni Michelangelo Antonioni (, ; 29 September 1912 – 30 July 2007) was an Italian filmmaker. He is best known for directing his "trilogy on modernity and its discontents"—'' L'Avventura'' (1960), '' La Notte'' (1961), and '' L'Eclisse'' (1 ...
and stated "the lifelike and somewhat enigmatic nature of the story is seemingly based on an assumption of intelligence in the audience which is far in advance of the UK film making norm" of the time. It rated ''Running Scared'' three stars for "not to be missed".


References


External links

*{{IMDb title, id=0069201, title=Running Scared 1972 films 1972 drama films British drama films Films about suicide Films based on American novels Films shot in England Paramount Pictures films 1972 directorial debut films Films with screenplays by Clive Exton Films set in Cambridge Films directed by David Hemmings 1970s English-language films 1970s British films