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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) – Movie Review
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a taut, thrilling, and darkly humorous slice of 1970s New York cinema, directed by Joseph Sargent and based on the novel by John Godey. Set in the gritty, graffiti-laced underbelly of the city’s subway system, the film captures the chaos and tension of a hijacking in real time, with a masterful blend of suspense, character-driven drama, and unexpected humor.
The plot kicks off when four armed men, each identified by a color-coded alias (a detail later echoed famously in Reservoir Dogs), hijack a subway train and demand a ransom of one million dollars within an hour—or they’ll begin executing passengers. The criminals, led by the cold and calculating Mr. Blue (Robert Shaw), have a flawless plan—or so they think. Standing between them and success is Lieutenant Zachary Garber (played with dry wit and streetwise charm by Walter Matthau), a weary but quick-witted transit cop who has to manage a city bureaucracy, the media, and the criminals, all while trying to save innocent lives.
What makes the film work so brilliantly is its grounded realism and sharp dialogue. The New York depicted here is raw, cynical, and teetering on the edge of dysfunction, but it’s also vibrant and full of character. Matthau’s everyman hero doesn’t rely on brawn or bravado—he’s smart, sarcastic, and purely driven by a sense of responsibility. His interplay with Shaw’s icy, ex-military antagonist creates a riveting intellectual chess match.
The film’s pacing is exceptional, with ticking-clock tension that builds steadily until the unforgettable final moment—one of the most perfectly executed endings in thriller history. David Shire’s funky, driving score adds a pulse to the action, setting the tone with a jazz-infused menace that reflects the movie’s gritty urban atmosphere.
More than just a caper film, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a reflection of 1970s urban anxieties—about crime, bureaucracy, and the fragility of public infrastructure. But it never loses sight of its entertainment value, delivering thrills and laughs in equal measure.
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