Stand Alone (1985) New World/Action-Drama RT: 94 minutes Rated R (violence and language) Director: Alan Beattie Screenplay: Roy Carlson Music: David Campbell Cinematography: Tom Richmond and Tim Suhrstedt Release date: September 1985 (US) Cast: Charles Durning, Pam Grier, James Keach, Bert Remsen, Barbara Sammeth, Lu Leonard, Luis Contreras, Willard Pugh, Bob Tzudiker, Mary Ann Smith, Cory “Bumper” Yothers, Holly Hardman, Duane Tucker. Box Office: N/A
Rating: ***
A 22nd century anthropologist looking back on 1985 as reflected in exploitation movies might deduce that it was common for old guys named Charles to go after criminals. If the sight of 63YO Charles Bronson mowing down a multi-ethnic New York street gang with a Browning M1919 in Death Wish 3 doesn’t raise an eyebrow, the sight of fat 62YO Charles Durning taking on Mexican “cocaine cowboys” in Stand Alone will surely raise both.
Durning, then a recent Oscar nominee for his musical turn in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, plays Louis Thibadeau, a WWII vet lauded a war hero for taking out five Japanese soldiers with a bayonet. That was 40 years ago. Now he’s retired and living the quiet life with his widowed daughter-in-law Meg (Sammeth, Foul Play) and grandson Gordie (Yothers, Dreamscape). One day, he witnesses a brutal murder in the local diner owned by his best friend, fellow vet Paddie (Remsen, Code of Silence). As the only eyewitness, investigating detective Isgrow (Keach, Moving Violations) needs Louis to make a positive ID of the killer. His family and friends, including public defender Cathy Bolan (Grier, Foxy Brown), fear for his safety if he comes forward. It’s isn’t just another gang-related killing, it’s the work of ruthless cartel assassins who aren’t in the habit of letting witnesses live. If he talks, he’ll put himself and his family at great risk.
Because he’s a patriotic American, one who was personally praised for his bravery by General MacArthur, he decides to do the right thing and ID the killer. Naturally, this incurs the wrath of the lead scumbag (Contreras, Extreme Prejudice) who comes after Louis and those he cares about. Eventually, he and his gang push the old man too far and he has no choice but to fight back.
Despite appearances to the contrary, Stand Alone is NOT a vigilante flick, at least not in the same sense of any of the Death Wish movies. Durning’s character doesn’t take to the streets and shoot gang members. He spends a fair amount of time deciding what to do. It’s a choice between doing the right thing or doing right by his family. He hears it from both sides. Isgrow wants to put the bad guys away; Meg doesn’t want Louis to get killed. At one point, he’s spotted outside the gang’s hangout and they chase him through the streets. Yes, Durning actually runs. I’m surprised he didn’t have a heart attack or something. The action doesn’t really kick in until the finale when Louis defends his home from invading gang members. It’s a pretty cool 15 minutes.
I realize that Stand Alone is fairly weak as an action movie; it definitely needs more. HOWEVER, I’m not entirely sure that’s what director Alan Beattie (Delusion) had in mind. I get the impression he wants it to be more of a drama in the vein of the 1978 TV movie Siege starring Martin Balsam as an old man who fights back against the gang terrorizing elderly people in his New York neighborhood. If that’s the case, I completely understand why New World didn’t give it a wide release. It never even opened in Philadelphia; I had to wait until it came out on video to see it. I have to admit I was put off by it NOT being a Death Wish clone but I didn’t hate it either. Why? It bears the New World Pictures logo, that’s why. Yes, it’s another cheapie that uses a generic urban setting to stand in for a major city. It’s set in L.A. but you wouldn’t know it from the absence of major landmarks. New World has a habit of doing this as seen in The Annihilators, Certain Fury and C.H.U.D. It’s part of their grungy charm although I’d hardly call Stand Alone grungy or dirty.
Durning delivers a solid performance in Stand Alone. He was always a reliable actor, equally adept at action, comedy and drama. Okay, maybe he was miscast in Stick, but so what? He looked like he was enjoying himself. Here he brings a measure of gravitas to what could easily have been a one-dimensional creep killer avenging a family member or close friend. Louis takes up arms to protect his loved ones from creeps. It’s a little different. Grier is good but I wish she’d be given more to do. Keach is okay as the cop; he’s not depicted as antagonistic which is a nice change. Lu Leonard, the dancing nurse from Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, has some nice scenes as a neighbor with a thing for Louis and maintaining a safe, quiet neighborhood.
I guess you could call Stand Alone one of my guilty pleasures. When you really consider it, it’s a fairly mediocre film. But if you take it as mere 80s exploitation entertainment, it’s better than mediocre. Hey, at least the ending is cool. Who doesn’t like watching old guys named Charles mete out justice to dirtbags?
