Martin’s Day ** (1985, Richard Harris, Justin Henry, Lindsay Wagner, James Coburn, Karen Black, John Ireland, Saul Rubinek) – Classic Movie Review 12,782

The 1985 Canadian drama film Martin’s Day stars Richard Harris as a convict on the run, who abducts a nice quiet 12-year-old boy (Justin Henry from Kramer vs Kramer) as a hostage while trying to flee by plane.

Director Alan Gibson’s 1985 Canadian drama film Martin’s Day stars Richard Harris, Justin Henry, Lindsay Wagner, James Coburn, Karen Black, John Ireland, and Saul Rubinek.

A very good cast light up a not quite so good film about Martin Steckert (Richard Harris), a convict on the run, who abducts a nice quiet 12-year-old boy (Justin Henry from Kramer vs Kramer) as a hostage while trying to flee by plane. The boy also turns out to be called Martin and soon Harris is finding common ground and then real friendship.

Martin’s Day is sentimental viewing without any edge or pace, but Harris and Henry are praiseworthy and make a lot of it work, while Wagner and Coburn are good value as Dr Mennen and Lieutenant Lardner. The screenplay by Allan Scott and Chris Bryant is conscientious, with decent dialogue, and there is sensitive direction by Alan Gibson.

Filming took place in Ontario, Canada, in autumn 1984, shortly after Richard Harris’s eight-city Canadian tour in the musical Camelot.

It premiered in the US on 22 February 1985.

The cast are Richard Harris as Martin Steckert, Justin Henry as Martin, Lindsay Wagner as Dr Mennen, James Coburn as Lieutenant Lardner, Karen Black as Karen, John Ireland as Brewer, Saul Rubinek as Hitchhiker, R H Thompson as Paul Mennen, and Dwayne McLean.

Martin’s Day is directed by Alan Gibson, runs 98 minutes, is made by World Film Services, is released by MGM-UA, is written by Allan Scott and Chris Bryant, is shot by Frank Watts, is produced by Richard F Dalton and Roy Krost, is scored by Wilfred Josephs, and designed by Trevor Williams.

Justin Henry (born May 25, 1971) made his debut in the 1979 film Kramer vs Kramer, earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, when he was eight. He is the youngest Oscar nominee in any category.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,782

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