The Stunt Man (1980)★ 6.9/10
- Action
- Comedy
- Drama
- Romance
- Thriller
Directed by: Richard Rush
Written by: Lawrence B. Marcus, Richard Rush, Paul Brodeur
A fugitive hides as a stuntman on a film set, where a manipulative director turns illusion into deadly reality while the man falls for the leading actress.
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Awards · 1 wins, 8 nominations
See all ›- WinnerGolden Globes, USA 1981Golden Globe · Best Original Score - Motion Picture
- NomineeGolden Globes, USA 1981Golden Globe · Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
- NomineeGolden Globes, USA 1981Golden Globe · Best Motion Picture - Drama
- NomineeGolden Globes, USA 1981Golden Globe · New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture - Male
- NomineeGolden Globes, USA 1981Golden Globe · Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Reviews
K
K AugustApril 16, 2026
K AugustApril 16, 2026An odd creation, but one that I am going to meditate on for some time. A Vietnam veteran (Steve Railsback) on the run from the police stumbles onto a film set and ends up working as a stunt man for a director (played by Peter O'Toole in a brilliant performance) and hiding from his problems...or does he? It is never clear what is truth and what is just the meglomaniacal insanity of the director and his crew (Barbara Hershey is in a key role here). I really cannot think of another film so deeply committed to the idea that you can never trust what you see when the director yells 'Action!,' at least from the 1980s. It now seems that many directors have learned the lessons here and we all wonder if things are real or just the fake out of a talented creator with the right equipment.
Watch it and understand what we have become.
Watch it and understand what we have become.
