Nowhere to Run (1978)

Beautiful, moving film.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

NOWHERE TO RUN is an odd little character study TV movie from 1978. The presence of David Janssen as the protagonist is appropriate given the title and his fame for appearing in THE FUGITIVE. Janssen plays a miserable character, downtrodden by his wife, who decides to fake his own death and disappear in order to begin a new life; much like in THE FALL AND RISE OF REGINALD PERRIN. The astonishing thing is that Janssen's plan takes no less than 15 years to achieve fruition! That this works at all is down to the unusual nature of the story, which explores a kind of situation you don't normally see play out on screen, alongside Janssen's hugely sympathetic chief performance.

I am so glad to actually own a copy of this great movie, starring the late great David Janssen. Allen Garfield and Stephanie Powers are also superb in this believable (perhaps based on truth?) adaptation of Charles Einstein's novel, The Blackjack Hijack. The movie is much better than the book,much better ending in the film version. Usually I enjoy the book better than the movie, not the case this time.I loved everything about this movie. I was always a big fan of David Janssen, this is probably my favorite movie that he starred in, shortly before his very untimely and tragic death.They don't make movies of this quality any more it seems, good from start to finish!Do take the time to view this one, should it show up on your late night TV lineup.

Nowhere To Run is a top rate David Janssen movie.I believe that Nowhere To Run is one of David Janssen's best movies that he ever made.I just watched this movie again and it has not lost it's punch for me.David Janssen's career was cut off way too soon as far as I am concerned.The writing was imaginative,and I wonder if the plot for the story originated from a real case.I did not take my eyes off of the movie from the beginning of the movie to the very last second of the movie.Nowhere To Run has a great cast in addition to David Janssen, for instance Stefanie Powers.All of her movies are good,just like David Janssen's movies are all good.If you want to see a very good film with a great plot,superb writing and acting,then check this little beauty out.I have this movie.

This was a television movie from late in Janssen's career. His character, Harry, is an unhappy man stuck in a loveless marriage. His wife is cheating on him and he is rather indifferent towards her. He does not hate her--he just wants out but she doesn't want to let him go too easily. So, Harry slowly creates a complicated plan by which he will fake his death and go to Vegas for a big score (as he's created a nearly foolproof technique that should pay off big).Along the way, he meets and falls for Stephanie Powers and befriends the hapless Herbie Stoltz (played by Alan Garfield)--Herbie BEFORE he arranged his fake death and Stephanie AFTER. In fact, Herbie is broken up by Harry's apparent death and is sure Harry's wife did it--until he accidentally stumbles on Harry in his new life! What happens next and the tense build up until the "big score" make this an unexpectedly good film.