Soundtrack By Zappa

RUN HOME,SLOW-1965-This weird black and white western concerns the dysfunctional Hager family in Pebble Springs and the havoc that ensues after the townspeople hang their father. The small family unit is made up of tough vengeance driven daughter Nell (Mercedes McCambridge) and her two brothers, Ritt (Gary Kent) and Kirby (Allan Richards), a hunchback and extended family member, the nitwit Julie Ann (Linda Gaye Scott), Ritt’s wife (she uses a parasol). After robbing a bank they kill the Gately family blaming the father for leading the lynching. In the ensuing battle their horses get away and they lose their money. With only a burro they wander through the desert, find the lost money and argue about having no water. Ritt seems to have been mortally wounded in the gun battle but goes with them anyway. Nell talks to dead dad and abuses the dipshit Julie Ann (she deserves it). They continue to wander after digging for water fails. Although it actually works but they don't realize it. They come upon a dilapidated old house and settle in. Kirby kills their burro for food and Julie finds a white dress (while whining in the desert she wished for one). Everyone acts crazy. Julie Ann and Kirby have sex in a barn where the dead mule is rotting. Ritt seems to be dying constantly and Nell admits the only reason she wanted her brother to marry Julie Ann is so the could have a child and keep their screwed up bloodline going. When Julie Ann runs away, Nell sends Kirby to kill her. Meanwhile the still dying Ritt realizes what's going and denounces his whole family, Nell in particular. He demands she go out and stop the killing. Too late. Although Kirby loses his nerve at putting an axe in Julie Ann’s back, he winds up strangling her. While lifting her dead body the poor lug falls on his ax. However he has enough strength to carry Julie back to house and die in front of Nell. Then somehow the dying Ritt manages to hang himself leaving Nell the last of the Hagers. She runs into the desert. 

Today the only reason most people want to see this minimalist parable western is for the soundtrack by the pre-Mothers of Invention founder Frank Zappa. The film was written and produced by Don Cervaris, one of Zappa's high school teachers. The director of this annoying talk-fest was Tim Brenner, a guy who never directed another movie. He must of suspected something was up. He hides behind the pseudonym Tim Sullivan in the credits (he also plays Mr. Gately who's killed at the beginning of the story). Linda Scott Gaye had small roles in TV shows before and after this but actor Allen Richards never made another movie appearance before or since. Both his and Scott's acting resembles a school play! Gary Kent would go to make movies for Al Adamson, TV Mikels and co-star in a lot of low budget features. His acting here is ok but it takes him the whole movie to die which becomes increasingly frustrating as the movie wears on. I've done some research on lead actress Mercedes McCambridge who won a best supporting actress Oscar in 1949 for ALL THE KING'S MEN. She appeared in high profile movies like GIANT, SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER and JOHNNY GUITAR and wound up in RUN HOME,SLOW.! I've read she battled alcoholism in the '60's and went through a messy divorce. She was later known for having dubbed Linda Blair's demon voice in THE EXORCIST (and had to sue to get credit). A few years after RUN she was in JUSTINE for director Jess Franco. Future director and actor Bud Cardos was on the production staff and has a small role. The soundtrack by FZ has much of the themes he used later on “Burnt Weeny Sandwich” and “Lumpy Gravy”.

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