The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

Director: Joseph Sargent

Cast: Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo, Earl Hindman, Jerry Stiller

Stars: 4

The plot is simple and familiar but that doesn't keep this movie from being enjoyable. The counting clock scenario is a clichéd one, but Sargent keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. While the action keeps you engaged for the 2 hours, the sarcastic wit of numerous characters makes you constantly laugh in the midst of tense situations.

The movie begins in New York City, when four men board subway train Pelham 123 at different stops. Soon, they force the train to stop, and hijack it, hold 17 passengers hostage, and demand $1,000,000 to be delivered to them in one hour, or they will start shooting the hostages. Detective Zachary Garber (Matthau), is the head of transit police, and begins to negotiate with the criminals. He finds they are always one step ahead of the police and have everything worked out to the minute, and the police are left wondering what to do and how they will escape.

One of the movies best facets, is not its generic plot, but the curiosity behind it. These four criminals, Mr. Blue (Shaw), Mr. Green (Balsam), Mr. Grey (Elizondo), and Mr. Brown (Hindman), have purposefully cornered themselves, or so it seems, in a subway tunnel with no escape. The movie is able to keep you fascinated, not so much with the ticking clock, but with attempting to figure out how they are suppose to get away. By all accounts, this is the worst possible situation they could have wanted, yet for some reason they seem like its exactly what they want. After every plausible idea is shot down by the lead detective, you and the police are left wondering what the criminals possibly have planned. As Lt. Rico Patrone (Stiller) says, "I think they will fly the train to Cuba!"

As good as this movie is, the conclusion is a bit anti-climatic and the final scene is a little corny. The reveal of the heist, is in actuality probably the only plausible way to accomplish it, but is rather surprising in that it was unexpected yet at the same time very expected, as it was the only real way this could be accomplished.

However, despite its weak ending, this is an excellent movie, that is a joy to watch. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, and is able to cut the tension with quick witted sarcastic humor, without ever losing its intensity.

The remake some 35 years after the original portrays the same scenario, but not the same movie. While the original is basically a heist movie, the remake takes the lead character Garber, and makes it a redemption movie. The movie isn't about the heist and hijackers, but about the life of Garber (who is not a cop), and how Ryder (the head bad guy) helps him achieve his redemption. Also, they put an interesting twist on the criminals intent.

So which one is better? Well, of course that is all a personal preference. The action scenes in the remake are, of course, better given the technology advancements over the last three decades. However, the original is definitely my preference. An excellent mixture of action and humor, that keeps you thinking. Given that I gave the original 4 stars, the remake would get 3.