70s Rewind: THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE Remains a Highly Charged, Terrific Thriller

Newly available on Blu-ray, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three remains a great, charged, gritty thriller, shot through with sardonic humor.

Growing up in Los Angeles, I couldn't help but take my hometown for granted and wish that I lived in New York. It was an adolescent fantasy that I fulfilled eventually, at least for a dozen years or so before the city that never sleeps wore me down and kicked me out, but in the 1970s I fed my dreams by reading and watching as many NYC-based dramas as possible.

John Godey's novel The Taking of Pelham One Two Three caught my imagination immediately after I read the end flaps at my local public library. It was a workingman's thriller, which was appealing, and I loved the audacious idea of stealing a subway car. The premise sold me.

When I caught up with the movie a few years later, it was everything I dreamed it would be, even better than the novel because the grit and the dirt and the Noo Yawk attitude of the actors cried out to me from the screen. Come to think of it, I probably saw it first on a small black and white television, yet the movie's hold on me has always been strong, and that has only intensified with the passage of decades and a handful of additional viewings.

Happily for me, that remains true with the recent release of the movie on Blu-ray, courtesy of Kino Lorber. As soon as it arrived, I eagerly tore open the package and slid the disc into my player. Despite large storms of grain assaulting the picture in the opening scenes, David Shire's thundering, percussive-heavy theme music immediately drew me into New York in the early 1970s. (And the grain dies down and/or gets washed away by the drama that unfolds.)

Four individuals descend into New York's subway system on a weekday afternoon and board a train that originated in the Bronx at the Pelham Bay Park station at 1:23 p.m., thus the shorthand designation "Pelham One Two Three." Played by Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo, Earl Hindman and Robert Shaw, they refer to themselves as Mr. Green, Mr. Grey, Mr. Brown and Mr. Blue, respectively. (Quentin Tarantino later paid homage to the naming idea in Reservoir Dogs.) The four men then follow an intricate plan that puts them in control of the train. But for what purpose?

Concurrently, MTA subway system workers are introduced, both in the command center and a local office, the latter under the charge of gruff, no-nonsense Caz Dolowicz (Tom Pedi). When he becomes aware that Pelham One Two Three has stopped on the tracks and no one from the train is responding to radio inquiries, he doesn't hesitate to stomp off and solve the problem himself, with fateful results.

At the command center, Transit Police Lt. Zachary Garber (Walter Matthau) takes on the responsibility of negotiating with the four criminals after they make known their demands. He's surrounded by disbelieving and disgusted MTA supervisor Frank Correll (Dick O'Neill), as well as Transit Police Lt. Rico Patrone (Jerry Stiller), who's actually in a different location but in constant radio contact with Zach.

Interspersed are scenes from City Hall, as Al, the Mayor (Lee Wallace, looking like a bit like future Mayor Ed Koch), suffering from the flu, must deal with the crisis while harangued by the aggressive Deputy Mayor (Tony Roberts).

The first time I saw the movie, I loved the surprising way the story plays out. On repeat viewings, I've grown to better appreciate the portrait it painted of New York City, a once-great metropolis struggling and straining to survive, and also the cast, a wonderful, diverse collection of actors embodying characters from a past era.

Joseph Sargent directed from a script by Peter Stone. Sargent began directing episodic TV shows in the early 1960s, occasionally directing features, with credits including the well-received Tribes and The Man; just before Pelham he made White Lightning with Burt Reynolds. He remained busy through 2008; from his resume, he appears to have been an accomplished journeyman. Stone began writing for TV in the late 1950s and broke out with the clever and twisting Charade in 1963. He won an Oscar the following year for the Cary Grant comedy Father Goose, and he continued writing through the early 1990s, always displaying a touch for comic dialogue.

Stone's comic touches enhance, rather than detract, from the narrative, which is tightly wound and propulsive. The dark-hearted humor came through to me better on my most recent viewing; no one sits around and tells jokes, but the deadpan wisecracks come across as tension-relievers that are very welcome.

Matthau makes for an affable sort of commander who is always respectful of his colleagues and his superiors, which doesn't mean he doesn't occasionally snap. (Witness, for example, a heated exchange with Frank Correll.) He maintains the respect of all around him, however; he's very reasonable, but he has lines he will not cross. As the leader of the hijackers, Shaw is chilling in his self-confidence, sure of his plan and positive he is prepared to deal with any possible hiccups that might arise.

At the time, Matthau was enjoying a productive decade as a leading man, having starred in Charley Varrick and The Laughing Policeman the year before; he'd move on to The Sunshine Boys and The Bad News Bears in the following years. For Shaw, this movie came in between The Sting and Jaws; the trio of movies showed that even as a menacing character, he had a great deal of range.

The new Blu-ray from Kino Lorber features a transfer that looks good for a picture from 1974. Longtime fans of 1970s cinema will especially appreciate the generally clean appearance; I don't recall anything that grabbed my attention beyond the opening scenes. This is not a Blu-ray to show off the capabilities of your home theater system, but it's a good representation of the movie era-appropriate look.

An audio commentary by film historian and programmer Jim Healy and his brother, actor and filmmaker Pat Healy (Cheap Tricks), is absolutely wonderful. The brothers skillfully weave their extensive knowledge of the film and the era into their commentary, with numerous, pointed references to other notable (as well as lesser known) films, especially those that could be categorized as 'dirty New York' movies of the 1970s. They also analyze the film itself and provide information on the extensive cast. It's a great audio commentary, packed with information and presented with charm and ease by the Healy brothers.

Three new interviews have been prepared, and they each cover different aspects of the production in an interesting manner. Actor Hector Elizondo talks pleasantly for about 12 minutes about his role in the film, working with other cast members, and working with director Sargent.

Composer David Shire talks for about 9 minutes about his score, starting with his aim to create "controlled music that sounded chaotic." Film editor Gerald Greenberg talks for about 9 minutes and is very frank regarding the challenges that were faced. He says, for example, that there were felt to be problems with the movie as it was initially assembled, and so it was decided to open it up with chases and other scenes requiring a second unit, since Sargent was so busy with shooting the primary narrative.

The Blu-ray also includes an excellent presentation from the great Trailers From Hell, hosted by Josh Olson, who says: "New York is the star of the film."

An animated montage of stills and posters runs 2 minutes and 19 seconds. The original theatrical trailer is included.

The Blu-ray is available from Kino Lorber and other online retailers and is highly recommended.

In Dallas, there will be a screening of the film on Tuesday, July 19 at 7:30pm and 10:00pm at the Landmark Magnolia.