Product Details

• Actors: Ben Gazzara, E.G. Marshall, William Windom, Joseph Wiseman, Jim McMullan
• Directors: Michael Crichton
• Writers: Michael Crichton, Robert Dozier
• Producers: Lee Rich, Robert L. Jacks
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 1.0)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• DVD Release Date: October 19, 2004
• Run Time: 73 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002KPHYM
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #185,027 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Pursuit" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

A political extremist plans to spread stolen nerve gas in a city where a political convention is being held. Government agents are sent to catch him. Studio: Tcfhe/mgm Release Date: 10/19/2004 Starring: Ben Gazzara Martin Sheen Run time: 74 minutes Rating: Nr Director: Michael Crichton

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A little-known Michael Crichton classic, September 3, 2004

By 

J. Wilson (Seattle, Wa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pursuit (DVD)

"Pursuit" tells the story of a team of Government Agents trying to head off an assassination attempt on President Nixon during the 1972 Republican Convention. This ABC Movie of the Week featured the directorial debut of best-selling author Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park, Prey, The Andromeda Strain) adapting his suspense novel "Binary" (written under a psuedonym) for the small screen. Ben Gazzara and Martin Sheen star with a brief appearance by E.G. Marshall as the bad-guy industrialist behind the plot. "Pursuit" also features a score by the late Jerry Goldsmith, who went on to write music for many of Crichton's feature films.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lacklustre Thriller with Mediocre Acting, Script and Suspense!, February 22, 2007

By 

K. F. Dickie "IceKarim" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pursuit (DVD)

Michael Crichton's first directorial effort came in the form of Pursuit, a television film made 1972. Following the critical acclaim garnered with the Robert Wise production of The Andromeda Strain (1971), Crichton decided to give directing a go, adapting the novel Binary (written by Crichton under a pseudonym).

The telemovie stars E.G. Marshall as a political extremist who plans to spread stolen nerve gas in a city where a political convention is being held. Government agents (Ben Gazzara and William Windom) are sent to catch him. Although a talented actor, Gazzara turns in a rather uninspired performance, with the only notable accolades going to Marshall and Joseph Wiseman as Dr. Nordman.

The film which could have been a powerhouse thriller (even Jerry Goldsmith, who has scored many blockbuster films delivers a lacklustre score) becomes a contrived work with mediocre script, poor action sequences and a downright lack of suspense.

In fact, the best thing about the film was the DVD cover from MGM, what looks like a great film really plays out like a two part episode of MacGyver, with an embarassingly shabby restoration by MGM (rivals that of their restoration of Force 10 from Navarone).

2.0 out of 5 stars Could Have Been Better, May 19, 2010

By 

T. Cannon (California, US) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pursuit (DVD)

The book (entitled Binary) was great, suspenseful and kept me reading. In fact, while I was reading it I kept thinking it would make a great film. Then, while surfing through Amazon's recommendations based on my previous purchases (I had purchased Coma and The Great Train Robbery - both are good solid films directed by Crichton) I saw this. Due to the DVD case art I was expecting a great movie. I was unfortunately disappointed with both the acting and script. It almost makes me sad that Crichton, himself, directed this. The story is good and could make a great movie. This is one of those that I wished Hollywood would adapt and set in the present day. It would make a good thriller.

My advice, skip the film, but read the book.