For this month’s next review for Genre Grandeur – Bikers, Bikes or Motorcycles, here’s a review of Evel Knievel (1971) by Sally of 18 Cinema Lane.
Thanks again to Todd Liebenow of The Forgotten Filmcast for choosing this month’s genre.
Next month’s genre has been chosen by Darren of Movie Reviews 101 and we will be reviewing our favorite Movies That Take Place in Mexico.
Please get me your submissions by the 25th of Sep by sending them to Mexico@movierob.net
Try to think out of the box!
Let’s see what Sally thought of this movie:
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When it comes to movies from the 1970s, I haven’t had the best of luck, this year, finding a film I actually like. While I thought Days of Heaven and The White Buffalo were ok, I wasn’t impressed with The Last Child and Double Nickels. However, I was still determined to search for a movie from the ‘70s I enjoyed. During this search, I stumbled upon the 1971 film, Evel Knievel, a biopic about the stuntman of the same name. Since August’s theme of Genre Grandeur is ‘bikers, bikes, and motorcycles’, I had a great excuse to check this movie out! Choosing the 1971 title for Genre Grandeur also gave me an excuse to learn more about Evel Knievel. Before watching this film, I was familiar with who Evel is and why he was famous. But that basic information was all I knew. Besides broadening my cinematic horizons, I used my entry for Genre Grandeur to learn something new.
Things I liked about the film:
The acting: In my review of RKO 281, I talked about Liev Schreiber bringing humanity to his portrayal of Orson Welles, finding the heart of the “genius” and putting some genuine emotion behind it. This was successfully done to highlight Orson as more than just a legend. During his career, Evel Knievel became a celebrity, performing stunts that most people would never dream of attempting. Similar to Liev Schreiber, George Hamilton found the man behind the famous name and presented the human side of him. Toward the beginning of the film, Evel is at a local bar, talking to his friends how “something big” is going to happen in town. From furrowing his eyebrows to showing a good-hearted smirk, Evel talks about this upcoming, unknown event with ease and confidence. Through George’s performance, Evel is shown as more than just the famous stuntman, adding a sense of charm to his portrayal.
Throughout the film, Evel interacts with his wife, Linda. Portrayed by Sue Lyon, Linda and Evel’s encounters were pleasant to watch! This is because George and Sue had nice on-screen chemistry! Evel and Linda kind of reminded me of Abby and Bill from Days of Heaven. In the 1978 movie, it felt like Bill and Abby truly got along with one another, with a shared gentleness understood between them. The 1971 shows Linda and Evel respecting one another and, more often than not, being on the same page.
Despite appearing in the movie for a short period of time, Dub Taylor left a memorable impression as Turquoise Smith! The ring-master of a local rodeo, Turquoise had a larger-than-life personality. But this personality never felt over-the-top, thanks to the way Dub portrayed Turquoise. Even when there was a tragedy at the rodeo, Turquoise maintained professionalism and showmanship. Because of the quality of Dub’s acting talents, these components of the character remained consistent.
The stunt footage: During Evel Knievel, a montage of stunt footage is featured. This footage shows Evel performing various stunts throughout his career, with some stunts more successful than others. The montage is used as a bridge between his early years and “present day”, as the footage emphasizes the dedication and willpower Evel put into his stunts. Since the movie is a bio-pic about a real-life person that existed at one point in time, the montage added contextual depth to the story. It also provides a nice connection between the film and the actual Evel Knievel.
The messages and themes: As I said in this review’s introduction, I chose to write about Evel Knievel because I wanted to learn more about the titular man. However, I was surprised by the messages and themes that came out of this story. While reflecting on his relationship with Linda, Evel recalls a time when he visited Linda at her high school. During this encounter, Evel explains why he doesn’t play basketball. He feels that in basketball, you don’t have much to lose, as all the stakes are lower. He also confesses how he doesn’t want a lettermen sweater, as Evel doesn’t need to prove he’s a hero. With this, he tells Linda, “heroes know who they are”. Letterman sweaters/jackets have been known for being something high schoolers can earn through academic and athletic achievement. But until watching Evel Knievel, I’ve gained a newfound perspective on this subject.
What I didn’t like about the film:
Transitions between past and “present”: The story of Evel Knievel is told through Evel’s recollections of his past as he’s preparing for an upcoming stunt. But the way the film jumped between past and “present” was confusing. During one of Evel’s recollections, he remembers a tragedy that took place toward the beginning of his career. As soon as the tragedy occurs, the story is brought back to the “present”, showing Evel nervous about the upcoming stunt and dealing with an injured leg. It took me a little while to realize the story had transitioned between the past and “present”, as the scene changed so abruptly. Personally, I think the story should have been told through a chronological order.
The past more interesting than the “present”: Like I mentioned in my previous point about the story’s transitions between past and “present”, Evel is preparing for an upcoming stunt in the “present”. But aside from seeing Linda and Evel interact and the aforementioned stunt, I didn’t find the “present” interesting. In fact, I found Evel’s recollections of his past more interesting, as it was an opportunity for me to learn more about Evel Knievel. Even though the stunt in the “present” is shown, it doesn’t take place until the story’s last ten minutes. So, the audience is forced to wait almost the entire movie for that moment.
An omission of a “where are they now” segment: In most biopics, there is a segment toward the end of the movie which explains what happened to the story’s key people after the events of the movie. But this segment was omitted from Evel Knievel. During the “present”, Evel talks about how he wants to perform a stunt in the Grand Canyon. I was hoping there would be a sense of closure about whether this stunt actually took place. Sadly, no explanation about the fruition of this stunt was provided. I don’t know where Evel’s career was at the time of the film’s release. However, I still think a “where are they now” segment should have been included.
My overall impression:
I’ve seen some movies where I felt the subject would have been better served through a documentary, as the subject itself is quite fascinating. This is how I felt while watching Evel Knievel. I was able to learn more about the “king of stuntmen” through his recollections of his past. In fact, I found the past more interesting than the “present”, as I was kind of bored by the weak conflict. Despite the confusing jumps between past and “present”, Evel Knievel provided an introduction to the titular man. As this is one of the reasons why I watched the film, the 1971 title does its job. When it comes to biopics, Evel Knievel doesn’t really reinvent the wheel, with the story being pretty straight-forward. The acting, stunt footage, and messages and themes prevent the movie from becoming unmemorable.
Overall score: 6.1 out of 10
Have you seen or heard of Evel Knievel? Which biopic do you think is well-made? Tell me in the comment section!
Have fun at the movies!
Sally Silverscreen
MovieRob 