McQueen Gets Away

“The Getaway” Returns to San Marcos

The year was 1972: long after the heyday of the Western shoot ‘em up films of the Golden Age of Hollywood, but a year in cinematic history that was right in line with the production of edgy crimebased dramas of the kind that put the modern car chase into the American lexicon. Think Steve Mc-Queen.

Now, a half-century later, a film starring the late actor, one that allows San Marcos to claim some of that big screen gangster fame, will be screened at The Price Center at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 12– the opening night of the 7th Annual Lost River Film Fest in San Marcos.

This unique semi-centennial screening of director Sam Peckinpah’s “The Getaway,” headlines the celebrated festival’s fourday schedule of largely new, independent cinema from around the world, according to festival Board President LeAnn Jackson.

At the screening, novelist Elizabeth Crook will share her recollections of Peckinpah, who stayed in her family’s Belvin Street home during the shooting. Crook is the 2023 recipient of the Texas Writer Award by the Texas Book Festival.

The festival, a non-profit endeavor, kicks off its full schedule of films by honoring the director, his cast and crew and some of the local talent who were perhaps brought into the picture as extras or who assisted in the behind the scenes aspects of the shooting. Texas Film Commission staff are planning to come to the city, looking to conduct interviews with residents who remember the filming or perhaps were a part of it themselves.

Anyone with 50-yearold memories of the production are asked to contact the Texas Film Commission, at robert. rodriguez@gov.texas.gov, to set up an interview at some time either before or after the Oct. 12 screening.

The film’s narrative builds on the “not so mean” San Marcos Square streets–the intersection of Hopkins and Guadalupe, specifically near what is now Vault San Marcos, a local gathering spot across from the Hays County Historic Courthouse.

Not to give too much away, the film’s protagonist is Doc McCoy, a man denied parole with a mission, played to that stiff jaw perfection by the late McQueen. He is accompanied in the attempted robbery by his wife, Carol, played by actress Ali MacGraw, who is in retirement at age 84. The couple, with money in hand that everyone now wants, head out on the run, with Mexico as their destination. Their flight is exacerbated by other bad guys, on both sides of the law, in oh so 1970s hot pursuit.

With whimsy and a little bit of a tip of the hat to the wilder west days, this past week, Hays County Commissioners Court Judge Ruben Becerra got into the spirit of the festival and officially read a proclamation in front of the courthouse, exonerating by pardon, Doc Mc-Coy, the character who in the film, actually goes into what is now the judge’s office on the third floor of the courthouse.

“Many requests come through the office of the Hays County judge, and this one, to pardon Doc McCoy, was requested by the board members of the Lost River Film Festival and is also supported by the members of the Hays County Film Advisory Board,” Becerra said.

He then officially pardoned the fictitious Mc-Coy “for creating havoc in our fine county.”

Becerra then called on the community to support the festival as a condition of his pardon.

Following the showing of the film, the festival will host a Garden Party with complementary craft beer from Middleton Brewery, sparkling water from Topo Chico, and a chips and sauce bar, from Yellowbird Sauce.

The Lost River Film Fest receives some funding from the San Marcos Arts Commission. Day Passes for the festival are $10 and a four-day Fest Badge is $25. A full schedule and tickets are available at thelostriverfilmfest. org.