The Runaway

TCM claims that the film was never released because the producer couldn't find a distributor for it in 1963, and that it languished in film vaults for years, unseen and on the shelf.

Well, as it turns out, THE RUNAWAY isn't anything special. In fact it's a rather dreary story of a runaway boy (ROGER MOBLEY) and his Greyhound dog befriended by a Mexican priest (CESAR ROMERO) who has to reform the boy's life style of cheating and stealing before the final reel.

It's the sort of tale that has been done countless times before, nothing new in the way of material. Unfortunately, the print shown on TCM did not meet the standards for cinematography that Robert Osborne spoke of when he mentioned that it was photographed by award winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler, lacking contrast in shades of B&W that merely gave the film a washed out look.

Nice to report that Cesar Romero is fine as the well-intentioned priest who has to contend with the rambunctious youth and that the film ends on a satisfactory note with a nice reunion between boy and dog.

Claudio Guzman directed, but there's nothing much to recommend here except for Romero's convincing performance in a serious role. Robley, in the main role, is not exactly star material.