Scarecrow

1973

Action / Drama

23
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 79% · 35 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 79% · 5K ratings
IMDb Rating 7.2/10 10 21726 21.7K

friendship road trip drifter

Plot summary

Two drifters bum around, visit earthy women and discuss opening a car wash in Pittsburgh.

Director

Jerry Schatzberg Photo
Jerry Schatzberg

Top cast

Al Pacino Photo
Al Pacino as Lion
Ann Wedgeworth Photo
Ann Wedgeworth as Frenchy
Richard Lynch Photo
Richard Lynch as Riley
Gene Hackman Photo
Gene Hackman as Max
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
1.01 GB
1280*534
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 52 min
Seeds 2
1.87 GB
1920*800
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 52 min
Seeds 33

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by secondtake 7 / 10

A steady process with an amazing Hackman

Scarecrow (1973)A seemingly simple drama about a guy out of prison...but with Gene Hackman as the leading role expect something special. And then Al Pacino plays the sidekick, and an interesting, and little talked about, New Hollywood film is under way. The setting is a kind of revision of the American West, the big dry outdoors no longer the wild West, but still something unique in the visual lexicon.The director is also little discussed-Jerry Schatzberg-and this might be his best film, aided by the elegant, searing cinematography of Vlimos Zsigmond (famous for "Days of Heaven"). Seeing how the film unfolds you might agree that it's Zsigmond's film, for it carries forward with a brilliant, quiet choreography. Elemental scenes where actors move through space, or through a diner, are made almost gripping by how the camera tracks them.Of course, we eventually have to admit this is a two-man show. Hackman is his usual comfortable best, filled with loud nuance. I mean, he is a strong character, but his actions are loaded with little, natural details. And Pacino plays an unexpected sweetie with a cute smile. It's a compelling pair.Things are slow, for sure. It's an easygoing flow with often little really plot. We get into their lives and their heads. This is no "Midnight Cowboy" by any means, but it comes from the same intention, it would seem. Two slightly mismatched outsiders find they need each other, and a bond deeper than mere friendship is formed.
Reviewed by PortugalOle7 8 / 10

How did I not know about this one?

I love films like this that aren't always the most acclaimed. Being a big Pacino fan I saw this title pop up on my Tivo. I had no idea what to expect and I was blown away by its power.The film starts out slow, as expected, because its a story about to traveling drifters. If it wasn't for Pacino and Hackman, I probably would have lost interest. What grabs you are the long uncut takes with both actors, showing you just how wonderful they are. Hackman is the tough guy who has just gotten out of prison. He has his money saved and wants to open a car wash in Pittsburgh. Pacino is the joker who has been at sea and wants to make his way back to Detroit to visit his child who he has never seen or even knows the sex of. They make their way through the country and the irony of the title of the film rears its head.The ending is in fact heartbreaking. Pacino gets assaulted in prison and doesn't exactly have good news about his child when he gets to Detroit. Hackman learns to lay off his aggressive attitude, taking cues from Pacino's character. Giving away the entire ending would ruin it, so I won't.The film is a great study from two great actors in the human experience.
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