June 21, 2009: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to resist Tony Scott’s new take on this New York City subway terrorist story, so I decided that I should at least have a refresher on the original. I’ve seen this once or twice before over the years, but was surprised on this viewing to discover that The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), a Walter Matthau star vehicle, isn’t so much the action classic it’s perceived to be, but rather, it’s much more of a psychological suspense-drama.
This film used to be shown here and there on late-night TV, which is where I had seen it before. I had thought of it as being a made-for-TV movie, and while the swearing and violence of course indicate that it’s not, it’s instructive to note that aside from those factors, it could have been exactly that. The scale of the story is classic TV time-filler, with Matthau as a transit police detective trying to foil the plans of a team of hijackers who have seized a subway train in New York City, demanding a ransom in exchange for their hostages.
I found the plot to be engrossing, although as a bit of a transit geek, my fascination with the equipment and technology of the time may be boosting the film more than I know. There’s lots of talk and negotiation, and actually very little in the way of chases or other action. The final showdown is abbreviated and decidedly odd, which alone sets this film apart from similar efforts. The coda, particularly the very end with the trademark Matthau pout, is corny and noticeably distracts from an otherwise serious and straightforward story. I can be counted as a fan of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, but it is definitely diminished in my memory following this recent viewing.
Classic story, maybe not classic film.
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