Written by John Hunter
Directed by Phillip Borsos
Starring Richard Farnsworth, Jackie Burroughs and Ken Pogue
Running time: 1 hour and 32 minutes
MPAA rating: PG

by Ryan Smillie

Danny Young: I thought you died!

Bill Miner: Well, I haven’t.

A man comes out of confinement and faces uncertainty as he finds the world has changed around him. No, this isn’t my weekly nightmare of what will happen when New York’s stay-at-home order is lifted, it’s Kino Lorber’s new 4K restoration of 1982’s The Grey Fox. Directed by Phillip Borsos, The Grey Fox boasts a heartfelt, tender performance from Richard Farnsworth and stunning cinematography, both of which more than make up for a plot that, though always sensitive and engaging, can feel a bit slight at times.

In 1901, Bill Miner (Farnsworth), “The Gentleman Bandit,” is released from San Quentin after serving thirty-three years for a string of stagecoach robberies. Miner emerges into the turn of the 20th century, where technological advances, from a massive expansion in railways all the way down to mechanical apple peelers, have revolutionized the world he once knew. While attempting to reintegrate into society, Miner happens to catch a screening of Edwin S. Porter’s The Great Train Robbery. In no time, he heads to Canada and decides to enter the 20th century by switching his target from stagecoaches to trains.

As Miner, Farnsworth is perfectly cast. His handsomely weathered face suggests years of experience, while his light blue eyes seem full of emotion that his steady voice never betrays. He charms us just as easily as Miner charms the town of Kamloops, British Columbia, where even the police start to worry that arresting him will make them unpopular. Of particular note is Jackie Burroughs as Kate Flynn, a socially conscious photographer and pop of red hues in the otherwise earth-toned Kamloops. Both out of sync with the times, Miner behind and Flynn ahead, the two share a sweet romance that complicates Miner’s self-preservation instincts.

Like McCabe and Mrs. Miller and A River Runs Through It, the film’s antecedent and successor in early-20th-century-set Northwesterns, The Grey Fox showcases a variety of majestic scenery. Frank Tidy’s cinematography unobtrusively captures the grandeur of oyster bays and mountains, and the beauty of waterfront sunsets and tree-lined train routes. Just as the previous decades’ technological advancements changed Miner’s life, their effect on the environment can also be seen, as logging and mining start to transform the landscape, and occasional bursts of steam from passing trains obscure the picturesque views.

As I watched Miner watch The Great Train Robbery, with a projectionist using a hand crank to show the movie and a live accompanist playing along, my first reaction was to think about how much the movie-viewing experience has changed in the past century. But then I started to think about the situation we’re in now, where theaters across the country - and the world - are closed, with very little idea as to how and when they’ll reopen. Sure, the hand crank seems quaint now, but depending on how all of this shakes out, will famous movie-watching scenes (Singin’ in the Rain, Cinema Paradiso, Mariah Carey’s “Heartbreaker” music video) start to look old fashioned too?

And don’t get me started on Miner’s train robbery look matching my “leaving my apartment for any reason” look for the past two months (bandana carefully covering half of the face). But do let me recommend that you check out The Grey Fox, however you’re watching movies these days. You can check Kino’s website to find your local virtual theater.