Scarecrow

Two vagabonds, Max Millan, a short-tempered ex-con, and Francis Lionel “Lion” Delbuchi, a childlike former sailor, cross paths on the dusty roads of California and strike a pact to become partners in a car-wash venture once they reach Pittsburgh. Lion is bound for Detroit to meet a child he has never seen and to make amends with the boy’s mother, Annie, to whom he has sent all the money he earned at sea. Max agrees to divert his route toward the bank in Pittsburgh where he has been sending seed money.

Their road trip compounds into a dangerous stretch of misadventure.

During a stop to visit Max’s sister in Denver, their reckless antics land them in a prison farm for a month. Max blames Lion for their confinement and gradually pulls away. Lion is befriended by an inmate named Riley, who eventually attempts to sexually assault and physically ravage him. When Lion resists, Riley beats him, shatters his teeth, and blinds him in one eye, an event that leaves him emotionally scarred and more guarded. Max rekindles their friendship and becomes Lion’s protector, ultimately seeking vengeance by fighting Riley.

Upon release, the two men continue to exert a profound influence on each other, though they have changed in the process. Lion is no longer carefree or able to smile, while Max learns to soften his high-strung aggression, even pulling off a bold, comedic moment—a mock striptease in a bar that defuses a fight and draws a rare laugh from Lion.

When they finally reach Detroit, Lion finds a payphone and calls Annie, who is now married to another man and raising Lion’s five-year-old son. Annie remains angry with him for abandoning her, and she lies that she miscarried their child. Lion is devastated, but he hides his pain and pretends to share in Max’s elation about having a son. Soon afterward, Lion experiences a severe psychological breakdown while playing with children in a city park, sliding into catatonia. Max responds with a steadfast resolve, promising to do anything to help his friend, and, moved by the crisis, boards a train to Pittsburgh with a round-trip ticket, determined to stand by Lion through whatever comes next.**

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 15:33