The Hunter (1980 film)
| The Hunter | |
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Film poster for The Hunter
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| Directed by | Buzz Kulik |
| Produced by | Mort Engelberg |
| Written by |
Richard Levinson & William Link (as Ted Leighton) and Peter Hyams Uncredited: John Rester Zodrow |
| Based on | the novel by Christopher Keane (uncredited) from the life of Ralph Thorson |
| Starring |
Steve McQueen Eli Wallach Kathryn Harrold |
| Music by | Michel Legrand |
| Cinematography | Fred J. Koenekamp |
| Edited by | Robert L. Wolfe |
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Production
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| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $16,274,150 |
The Hunter is a 1980 American thriller film directed by Buzz Kulik and based on the exploits of real-life bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson. The film is notable for being Steve McQueen's final acting role before his death in November of that year.
The cast also features Eli Wallach, Kathryn Harrold, LeVar Burton, Ben Johnson and Richard Venture. This was the last theatrical film made by director Buzz Kulik.
Ralph "Papa" Thorson (Steve McQueen) is a modern day bounty hunter who hunts down and captures criminals who have skipped on their bail to bring them back for a 20% of the reward to his bail bondsman employer. It is revealed in the opening text that Thorson has apprehended more than 5,000 criminals and bail jumpers and life is just getting complicated for him.
In the opening scene, Thorson arrives in a small, African American town in Texas where despite being a terrible driver of cars (a running joke used throughout the film), he captures fugitive Tommy Price (LaVar Burton) for fleeing on his bail. Next, Thorson drives to another small Texas town where he is to bring in a dangerous punk, named Billie Joe, whose kinfolk include Sheriff Strong, a corrupt redneck lawman who warns Thorson not to get involved. Papa ignores him and ends up in a violent fight with the fugitive, who is so huge, even a Taser barely stops him.
Thorson drives both Tommy Price and Billie Joe back to Los Angeles where he collect his $1,800 reward for bringing them back. However, Thorson vouches for Price, and thus soon after becomes one of his many acquaintances who hang out at Thorson's house.
At home, Thorson is revealed to be an old-fashioned guy who has a love of antiques and classical music, drives a 1950s convertible and keeps an antique gasoline pump in his house. His schoolteacher girlfriend Dotty (Kathryn Harrold) is pregnant and would like "Papa" to be there for her when the baby is born, but his work continually keeps him on the road.
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