Blu-ray Review - St. Ives
May 26, 2024
The 1970s were good to Charles Bronson. Working his way into leading man parts, Bronson ran with the opportunity, taking as many employment opportunities as possible while developing a loyal fan base responsive to his steely screen presence. He made 21 movies during the decade, mostly sticking with genre entertainment that made the most of his reserved acting style, often finding himself in heroic roles as a man of action dealing with the evils of the world. 1976's "St. Ives" is a slight change of pace for the star, with this adaptation of a 1972 Oliver Bleeck novel putting Bronson in detective mode, portraying a middle man caught between the police and criminals when special information is stolen from a wealthy man. Bronson does Bronson in "St. Ives," but he's great fun to watch as a cautious man stuck in a strange situation. The feature doesn't quite understand that less is more, but director J. Lee Thompson (who would go on to make eight more films with Bronson) keeps things exciting for an hour and change, adding elements of danger and red herrings as the eponymous character tries to make sense of everything that's coming for him. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com
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