| The Stunt Man | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Richard Rush |
| Screenplay by | Lawrence B. Marcus Richard Rush |
| Based on | The Stunt Man by Paul Brodeur |
| Produced by | Richard Rush |
| Starring | Peter O'Toole Steve Railsback Barbara Hershey Allen Goorwitz Alex Rocco Adam Roarke Sharon Farrell Philip Bruns Chuck Bail |
| Cinematography | Mario Tosi |
| Edited by | Caroline Biggerstaff Jack Hofstra |
| Music by | Dominic Frontiere |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 131 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3.5 million |
| Box office | $7,068,886[1] |
The Stunt Man is a 1980 American satirical psychological anti-war action comedy film starring Peter O'Toole, Steve Railsback and Barbara Hershey, and directed by Richard Rush.[2] The film was adapted by Lawrence B. Marcus and Rush from the 1970 novel by Paul Brodeur. It tells the story of a young fugitive who hides as a stunt double on the set of a World War I movie whose charismatic director will do seemingly anything for the sake of his art. The line between illusion and reality is blurred as scenes from the inner movie cut seamlessly to "real life" and vice versa. There are examples of "movie magic", where a scene of wartime carnage is revealed as just stunt men and props, and where a shot of a crying woman becomes, with scenery, props and soundtrack, a portrait of a grieving widow at a Nazi rally. The protagonist begins to doubt everything he sees and hears, and at the end is faced with real danger when a stunt seems to go wrong.
It was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Peter O'Toole), Best Director (Richard Rush), and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. However, due to its limited release, it never earned much attention from audiences at large.[3] As O'Toole remarked in a DVD audio commentary, "The film wasn't released. It escaped."[4] The film has since developed a cult following.[5]
- ^ The Stunt Man at Box Office Mojo
- ^ Variety film review;June 11, 1980 page 20
- ^ Paul Tatara. "The Stunt Man: Overview Article". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ Almar Haflidason. "The Stunt Man DVD (1980)". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-10-28.
- ^ "The Sinister Saga of Making 'The Stunt Man'".