Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Pros: Script, Direction, Cast, Score, Photography, Editing
Cons: None

One of the best caper films (and most overlooked) of all time is 1974’s The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. I’m here to tell you how good it is and why you must see it. First, PELHAM has a wonderful ensemble cast and the director ...

Pros: Denzel Washington, John Travolta, good pacing
Cons: poorly adapted story, lots of plot holes, lacks sensibility

The Taking of Pelham 123 sets out to remake a classic 1974 novel that was adapted to TV in 1998.  It’s a decent attempt- but despite the action-packed scenes, star-studded cast and ok cinematography, nothing can save the sheer absurdity of the ...

Pros: Unbelievable heist film that works
Cons: We never really take it seriously

The presence of Walter Matthau in this ‘New York' film is one of the sparkling touches that make it fly better than the subsequent TV production, and the most recent re-make with Denzel Washington and John Travolta in theaters now.  Matthau ...

Pros: Decent caper flick with a fiendishly evil Robert Shaw
Cons: Too many angry New Yorkers and a lot of stuff seems dated

I had heard and read many great things about The Taking Of Pellham One Two Three. Whether it was the influences that the film had on the likes of Quentin Tarantino or the nail biting tension that the thriller possessed, it seemed I should enjoy ...

Pros: Walter Matthau creates a believable, if not entirely likable, New York City transit cop.
Cons: Straight up to the point of spareness

Four men take over a New York City subway train one afternoon in 1974 and demand $1,000,000 in cash within one hour, after which one hostage will lose his or her life every minute.  When it becomes clear what is going on, Transit Police Lieutenant ...

Pros: great chase scene  (Money Run)
Cons: average cops & robbers flick.

When is the last time you heard of a hostage situation on the news ? You probably haven’t, and that’s because they don’t happen ! True, there are situations were terrorists can take over a small area and try to make ...

Pros: Matthau and Shaw; David Shire's score; sharp black comedy
Cons: Language may be too salty for some

A film that helped set the standard for such high-tension situational action movies as DIE HARD and SPEED, the 1974 thriller THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE is a sharp-edged suspense movie that combines elements of incredible dark comedy and sharp and...

Pros: Absorbing lead performances; clever plotting
Cons: Much of the humor is hokey and badly dated

This review was first posted to Amazon on November 28, 2008: http://www.amazon.com/review/R 2CR959BUI9MGV/ref=cm_cr_rdp_pe rmAn uncensored, noncommercial version is available on my blog: ...

Pros: Action, Plot, Influence
Cons: Jive-turkey dialogue (occasional)

It's kind of unfortunate, but almost every time I see Walter Matthau, I can't help but be barraged by memories of "The Odd Couple". In fact, it was the ridiculous premise of Matthau playing a hang-dog, gruff, transit- authority supervisor...