Scott LeBrun "Last Embrace" is one of the better suspense-thrillers to be made in the mold established by The Master. The plot could be seen as a little convoluted, but Jonathan Demmes' direction is masterful, the use of locations is excellent, the cast is amazing, and the finale is quite gripping. Even if the viewer figures out where the story is headed, getting to the conclusion is an enjoyable journey.Making a difference is the ever personable Roy Scheider, playing Harry Hannan, a CIA agent who has to watch while his wife is assassinated in a cantina. (One of the goons is played by Joe Spinell in a very brief cameo.) He becomes paranoid, and spends the balance of the film wondering if he will die next. Certainly it seems that somebody has marked him, as he is receiving cryptic death streets printed in Aramaic.Scheider is extremely well supported by a lovely young actress, Janet Margolin, who plays the role of Ellie Fabian. Ellie is an anthropologist who through circumstance comes to stay in Harry's residence. Watching her, one will likely regret the fact that she didn't have a more visible film career, and mourn her untimely passing. John Glover as always is a real hoot as the uppity professor who is dating Ellie. The endearing Sam Levene makes the most of his screen time as private investigator Sam Urdell. Demme regular Charles Napier is good as Dave Quittle, the brother of Harry's late wife. Christopher Walken, like Glover, is typically fun in an amusing turn as Harry's weaselly young superior. Other familiar faces appear in the supporting cast: Jacqueline Brookes, David Margulies (the mayor from "Ghost Busters"), Andrew Duncan, and Marcia Rodd. Look for Mandy Patinkin and Max Wright in bits as commuters, and for Demme himself in an uncredited blink-and-you-might-miss-it part as a man on a train. Scheider has one particularly fine monologue scene.The score by Miklos Rozsa is absolutely perfect, and the story (based on a novel by Murray Teigh Bloom) is well told and reasonably absorbing. Niagara Falls provides a stunning backdrop for the climactic action. While there's no epilogue, one feels a certain sadness at the outcome.This is a good film to check out, so it's appreciated that Kino Lorber finally released it to Blu- ray.Seven out of 10.

tomsview Many directors have tried their hand at a "Hitchcock" - that unique blend of romance, glamour and suspense combined with great stars, and shaped by a distinctive directorial style. Of all the efforts, I have always liked Jonathan Demme's "Last Embrace" best. Did he get the mix right? Well not exactly, and critics at the time were quick to point out where he had missed the mark. However, instead of just being a flawed Hitchcock homage, I think "Last Embrace" stands up well as an enjoyable movie in its own right.Harry Hannan, a secret service agent, has fallen foul of both the government agency he works for, and a mysterious killer who leaves notes for intended victims written in ancient Aramaic. He receives help from a woman, Ellie Fabian, who he initially finds annoying and intrusive, but later, his feelings for her change. The plot is complex and contains many layers. It features an ending at Niagara Falls that has strong echoes of Hitchcock's classic "North By Northwest".It seems Demme had doubts about the finished film. He felt he had tried so hard to get the Hitchcock style that he had neglected content. But surely he is too hard on himself as he made up for any shortcomings by delivering a film of considerable style and mood. Based on a novel, "The 13th Man" by Murray Teigh Bloom, Demme and his team created a new story around the basic plot with the result that the film, in my opinion, emerged as the superior work.Demme called on the services of Miklos Rozsa for the music. Rozsa scored only one movie for Hitchcock - "Spellbound" - but his style was distinctive and the score for "Last Embrace" brings to mind that famous romantic thriller. Where "Last Embrace" lost out in comparison to the great Hitchcock films such as "Spellbound", "Notorious", "North by Northwest" and "Vertigo" was not only in the absence of a little more humour but also in the weight of its stars. Hitchcock's best films featured stars that were already Hollywood icons - James Stewart, Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman and Grace Kelly. Although Roy Scheider, was a fine actor he was never an icon. On the other hand, Janet Margolin is so little known that comparisons with Bergman, Kelly or even Kim Novak are superfluous, she also projected a more neurotic edge than Hitchcock's cool blondes. But she was beautiful and talented. I still remember in 1993 being shocked to see her name on Premiere's list of actors who had died that year - she was only 50. I think she brought a lot to this movie especially when it is seen simply as an intriguing and well-made thriller.Demme has not repeated the Hitchcock homage, but has gone on to hone his own distinctive directorial style - "Silence of the Lambs" gained him an Academy Award - one prize Hitchcock never received. "Last Embrace" is not easy to find these days but let's hope that right now, somewhere in a studio warehouse, the masters are being dusted off ready for a belated, but well-deserved DVD release.

ccthemovieman-1 This film certainly had a memorable scene with a man clinging for his life with Niagara Falls below! It's always stuck with me, even though it has been a long time since I've seen the movie. I've been waiting for this to be released on DVD so I can see it again, but as of now it's only available in Region 2.It might be fun again just to see veteran actors Christopher Walken, Mandy Patinkin and John Glover in a film made 30 years ago. Director Jonathan Demme has done some interesting films since then, too.Most of the story involves "mysterious" people chasing others and if I went into it in any detail it would ruin things for anyone who hasn't seen it. That's especially true because there are so many twists and turns in this story. However, to be frank, I think Hollywood has overdone "conspiracy theory" movies, of which this is one. I also think the profanity could have been lowered in here, especially by Roy Scheider's character "Harry," and the film would still have been just as intense.What I really appreciated, more than the actors or story, frankly, was the photography and Demme's direction. There were a lot of really interesting camera angles, shots that zoomed in an out and other gimmicks that I usually fall for. There were enough of them to carry the first hour, at least. Living not too far from Niagara Falls, I was glad to see that in the climactic finale.

liammurphy1 This movie was showing at the terribly late time of 12.00am Last Night on BBC1 which is usually reserved for awful Made-for-TV Dramas starring Jane Seymour or Patty Duke, So i'm always wary of staying up late ,usually Realising soon after that I Shouldn't have bothered,But 'Last Emnrace' a movie that I ashamed to say have never heard of was a very good film and well worth staying up for.It stars that bloke from Jaws with the big Nose Roy Scheider who plays Harry Hannan a Intelligence agent whoose Wife gets killed in a Restaurant shootout, He very quickly suffers a nervous breakdown a spends a few months in a Mental Hospital. Upon his release he starts to think that somebody is trying to kill him, Could it be his agency who do not want him back? and has a young Woman called Ellie who has just recently moved in to his rented apartment got anything to do with it?I really Enjoyed this film from 'Silence of the Lambs' Director Johnathan Demme. It has great performances from Scheider,Margolin and Glover with a Cameo From Walken, with a great climax at the Niagra Falls, Hitchcock would have been proud of, but it does seem to go on and on to pad out it's 100mins+ running time, Other than that I have no complaints.all in all one of the Best Films you've never heard ofA truly underrated Classic (over 25 years old) probably Scheider's BestMy Rating ***1/2 out of ***** or 8/10