The Stunt Man (1980)

92% of critics liked it
(24 reviews)
76% of users liked it
(3,569 ratings)

Adapted from Paul Brodeur's novel, Richard Rush's story of a Machiavellian movie director and his accidental employee takes a darkly comic look at movie reality vs. "real" reality. Running from the law, Vietnam vet Cameron (Steve Railsback) stumbles on a movie shoot just in time to interfere with a… More Adapted from Paul Brodeur's novel, Richard Rush's story of a Machiavellian movie director and his accidental employee takes a darkly comic look at movie reality vs. "real" reality. Running from the law, Vietnam vet Cameron (Steve Railsback) stumbles on a movie shoot just in time to interfere with a staged accident, causing (perhaps) the stunt man's death. Rather than turn Cameron in, director Eli Cross (Oscar nominee Peter O'Toole) makes him an offer he can't refuse: replace the dead stunt man in return for safe harbor. Despite objections about Cameron's inexperience, Eli keeps him on, figuring that a vet will add an extra charge of realism to the World War I opus that he's filming. As leading lady Nina (Barbara Hershey) returns Cameron's affections, and Eli becomes ever more inscrutably mercurial, Cameron begins to wonder how far Eli will go to get the screen effects he wants, and if he would think twice about killing the stunt man. Placing a Vietnam vet in the midst of movie-making chaos, Rush adds a pointedly contemporary spin to Cameron's confusion; the war experience that makes Cameron a good stunt man wreaks havoc on his life. Rush in turn disorients the audience by seamlessly interweaving scenes from Eli's movie with scenes of its being made. Made two years before Rush found a studio to release it, The Stunt Man opened to raves for its wily narrative and O'Toole's messianic director. Its sly commentary on the blurred boundaries between movies and life became all the more striking at the dawn of the Reagan '80s. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 15 min.
Directed By: Richard Rush
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Romance, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 27, 1980 Wide
On DVD: Aug 6, 2002
Studio: 20th Century Fox Film Corp.

Critic Reviews

Sean Axmaker, MSN.com
The film twists and turns from scene to scene, carrying the audience on the some whirlwind mind-game...
Bill Gibron, PopMatters
Middle fingers aimed directly at the Establishment - both in tainted Tinseltown and the rest of a pre-Reagan America - are rarely as masterful as this brazen bird flip.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Overall a funny, compelling and curious film that was sabotaged by the Hollywood suits.
Dan Jardine, Cinemania
A terrific premise, and O'Toole shines, but poorly staged set pieces undercut the film's energy and veracity.
Mark Bourne, DVDJournal.com
At the 1980 San Francisco Film Festival, François Truffaut was asked to name his favorite director. He replied, 'I don't know his name, but I just saw his picture last night. It's called The Stunt Man.'
Mark Bourne, DVDJournal.com
So multiple spins of Anchor Bay's two-disc Limited Edition DVD could be the ideal introduction to The Stunt Man.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Strange, challenging and quite great.
Michael A. Smith, Nolan's Pop Culture Review
O'Toole at his tyranical best. Another great performance by the little seen Railsback.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Metaphors and surprises galore!

Read all 9 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

moon r

Time after time the camera shows us people in precarious situations here only to pull back to reveal that everything just witnessed was an elaborate gag designed to please the director of a film ... even the ins and outs of personal relationships. Are our own lives so controlled? A… More
Time after time the camera shows us people in precarious situations here only to pull back to reveal that everything just witnessed was an elaborate gag designed to please the director of a film ... even the ins and outs of personal relationships. Are our own lives so controlled? A paranoid drug-fueled delusion, mindlessly rambling at points, still interesting at points.
Tim S

An effing masterpiece from beginning to end. There is just no two ways about it. Peter O'Toole was right. "This film wasn't released, it escaped." An amazing piece of cinema and fantastic performances across the board.
Byron B

O'Toole always makes me feel uncomfortable. Again he is strange and creepy in this role. I thought I'd be more interested in the behind-the-scenes setting of this movie, but this type of film where you don't know what is real or if the main character is imagining some… More
O'Toole always makes me feel uncomfortable. Again he is strange and creepy in this role. I thought I'd be more interested in the behind-the-scenes setting of this movie, but this type of film where you don't know what is real or if the main character is imagining some of it isn't my thing.
Danny R

A breathtaking, innovative and dazzlingly drama about a young fugitive named Cameron played by Steve Railsback in a brilliant performance who stumbles upon a movie set where he accidentally causes the death of of their stunt man during the filming of a scene; and is drafted as the new… More
A breathtaking, innovative and dazzlingly drama about a young fugitive named Cameron played by Steve Railsback in a brilliant performance who stumbles upon a movie set where he accidentally causes the death of of their stunt man during the filming of a scene; and is drafted as the new stunt man by the obsessive megalomaniac director Eli Cross, played by the great Peter O' Toole who delivers a mesmerizing tour-de-force Oscar nominated performance. Cameron is plunged into a never-never land where nothing is quite what it seems, where real life and reel life continually collide, he begins to lose his grip on reality and now believes that Eli is going to kill him and try to capture his death on film, is illusion becoming reality? O' Toole has grand time playing the God-like charming dictatorial maniac who rules absolutely and he is sheer magic. The breakneck energy of this amazing film is do to Richard Rush's impeccable direction, there are terrific supporting performances by Barbara Hershey, Allen Goorwitz, Alex Rocco, Sharon Farrall, Phil Bruns, and Chuck Bail, An amusing score by Dominic Frontiere. A marvelously entertaining cinematic experience. Highly Recommended,.
Alec B

The satire about auteurism isn't always hitting its mark, but the narrative is inventive and the performances are engaging. What I really respect is Richard Rush's ability to keep the audience on their toes through the whole movie. You feel as though anything could happen… More
The satire about auteurism isn't always hitting its mark, but the narrative is inventive and the performances are engaging. What I really respect is Richard Rush's ability to keep the audience on their toes through the whole movie. You feel as though anything could happen and almost every scene ends different than I could have predicted.
Doctor S

One of those movies that almost certainly requires more than one viewing, I was underwhlmed the first time through and there is no escaping that Steve Railsback simply is not a very good actor. His over-the-top antics present a roadblock to my ever taking that second trip.
Anthony V

A must see from the 80s. There is a reason this film has a cult following.