The Taking of Pelham One Two Three(1974): A nice classic(((spoiler warning)))

"The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" is the type of film that works because of it's style, not due to it's substance. In fact, it benefits from not trying to be anything more then it is, a heist film. A heist film that has influenced films like "Reservoir Dogs." It's intense from the first scene to the very end, the music is catchy, the directing is versatile and engaging, and the editing is damn near perfect. I also enjoyed the convincing performances by Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw.

Here's the synopsis.

Four armed men hijack a New York City subway train and demand a ransom of over 1 million dollars. Which must be delivered in one hour. If it's not, then they will start killing every innocent passenger. Unless a veteran NYC transit policemen manages to stop them.

What really struck me during the film was how it perfectly blended in the humor, intensity, and drama throughout the course of the film. It's nothing that I haven't seen before, but you rarely find something as stylish and sophisticated like this. It boldly embraces the New York cynicism and makes the environment feel very authentic and vivid. Joseph Sargent's direction builds on the tension in every scene, and the viewer starts to feel a sense of paranoia. This is masterful direction on his part, and you would never guess that he would direct a mess like "Jaws 4."

What makes classics like this so great, is the formalism that is utilized in Joseph's directing. Old school filmmakers use to focus and believe in the construction of how a film was shot. These days, it's mostly just point there, shoot there, move here, point there, and shoot some more. There's no sense of ambition or dedication in a lot of modern films. It's not that it's completely lost, it's that you rarely see it anymore. But this is why the 70's is usually considered the golden age of American cinema. Filmmakers and producers just aimed a bit higher back then.

Now other then the mixture of humor and drama, what grabbed my attention was the four armed men. They didn't look too "villainy. They looked like everyday guys that you see on the subway. I've lived in New York City for over 5 years, and most New Yorkers wouldn't of looked twice at these guys in a subway station. I found that to be a breath of fresh air, and very realistic.

Robert Shaw is absolutely perfect as an ice cold thief, that turns out to be one of the most like able villains I have ever seen. Even though it felt like he came from a James Bond film. And while Walter Matthau isn't a great actor, he gives a nice subtle performance as Lt Garber. He's the perfect average Joe, who has a brooding touch of charisma. I could think of better actors who would of added so much to this film, but Walter does as a very fine job with the talent that he had. The grin on his face towards the end is priceless.

So why don't I think this is a great film?? Well I felt it was too bogged down by a lot of dialogue, which made certain moments feel tedious. And I felt that the music was over used during a lot of scenes. The film could of gained even more intensity if the subway scenes had absolutely no music.

Overall, this is not the best film of it's kind. But it is an influential, and entertaining experience. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I give it an 8.5/10.