The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 (1974)
MGM DVD (region 1, 2, 4)
d. Joseph Sargent; pr. Gabriel J. Katzka, Edgar J. Scherick; scr. Peter Stone; novel. John Godey; ph. Owen Roizman; m. David Shire; ed. ; cast. Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo, Earl Hindman, Jerry Stiller, Lee Wallace, Kenneth McMillan, Julius Harris, Doris Roberts (104 mins)
Perhaps the most neglected of these urban thrillers was the exceptionally taut Taking of Pelham 1-2-3, perhaps less known than these more celebrated works because its director, Joseph Sargent, did not go on to build a substantial career in feature films. Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 is undoubtedly the surprising director’s best work, coming from the decade in which he for a time successfully entered mainstream cinema after a long career in episodic television. Indeed, Sargent is considered one of a number of cross-over directors who went from television to film regularly in the 1970s and constituted in effect a second so-called “television generation”. For Taking of Pelham 1-2-3, Sargent was blessed with a successful novel, the screen rights to which sold before the novel was published, and the enthusiastic co-operation of New York City and its subway system. It remains Sargent’s best film to date.
Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 concerns a most unusual caper. A gang of four armed men (Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo, and Earl Hindman) in disguises and calling themselves by fake surnames (all based on colors – Quentin Tarantino appropriated this for a clever homage in Reservoir Dogs), hijack a New York City subway train. They separate the cars, taking the front, and settle a little ahead in a tunnel to put their plan into effect.
They call the subway transit authority and negotiate with a representative (Walter Matthau), giving their ransom demands for one million dollars and payment instructions. If the money is not delivered in one hour, they will commence shooting the hostages. One disgruntled supervisor goes down to confront them, unaware of their threats to kill anyone who approaches. As Matthau tries to negotiate for more time, the prospect is taken to a sick mayor and the debate rages over whether or not to pay the ransom. Meanwhile, the police have started to enter the subway tunnel and tempers are running high. What baffles the authorities, who would have to rush to meet the deadline if they agree to pay, is the question of how these hijackers actually intend to get out of an underground, sealed tunnel. As Matthau contemplates the answers, he tries to beat them to their potential escape, finding himself now personally drawn into the effort to foil their getaway.
For a film set so much in a static underground subway car in the middle of a dark tunnel, Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 moves at a sparkling pace, making it as taut and driven a movie as The French Connection.
On one level, it addresses the essential dilemma posed by most hijack movies, namely the threat posed by determined individuals who usurp the hostages’ right to self-determination, but deftly cross cuts between different locations to explore the dynamics of the response to such a unique situation. As such, it touches on the political pressures acting upon the mayor faced with such a crisis at a time when the city of New York was in one of its bleaker economic periods – hence the symbolic winter that many of the New York set action-noir films take place in. The barren grime of an urban winter thus makes for an effective contrast to the enormous pent-up energies of the people in the subway train, just waiting for a timed release. The juxtaposition of settings and the contrast between hurried movements to meet a deadline, and the patience necessary for such conditions to be met makes for a consistent and suspenseful drama. With such disparate settings to contend with and intercut, the film develops a fine stress on the means of communication, with the constant metaphorical and literal fear of the channels of communication failing and people suffering as a result.
Despite these thematic undertones, the film is far more effective as purely a piece of cinematic technique: as sheer movie craftsmanship, Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 is absolutely outstanding. What emerges as equally memorable, however, is the abundantly sly and cynical wit that envelops the film, in situation, dialogue and characterization.
Indeed, the film revels in cynicism throughout, making for a bleak edge to the humor. The film balances the value of a human life against the harsh political and economic realities that would seek to put a price on that value. It is a cold, miserable world, where cleverness is demonstrated only in inventive criminal enterprise, a determination to beat an unfair system. Thus, there is an energy and desperation that surfaces in a variety of contrasting ways in the hijackers, from the over-controlled Shaw to the psychotic Elizondo. The film charts the resolute threat posed by criminal cleverness to the political and social institutions it challenges. This idea of the caper as a challenge to authority ties neatly into the cult of the anti-hero that had been developing since the late 1960s and signals a kind of fast-talking amorality that would infiltrate many urban thrillers in the 1970s as they picked up the attitudinal “jive talk” attitude of the concurrent “Blaxploitation” boom. It is within this body of films that Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 really belongs and excels. Although it was remade as a telemovie, Sargent’s film remains the best version of this unusual crime thriller.
DVD DETAILS:
Vision
The visual transfer, while often deficient, is true to the all-important 1970s sense of gritty urban naturalism. The aura of unglamorous authenticity dominates this slick, perfectly composed film, thankfully preserved in original widescreen ratio.
It makes fine use of the shadows surrounding the stranded subway car and the movement of people within those shadows. Sometimes it almost strains to see the light in the subway car from the vantage point of unseen figures in the darkness. Likewise, the changing lights of a subway journey are effectively deployed at the outset. Also highly effective is the constant juxtaposition of the dark subway and both the light of day outside and the over-lit transit offices where Matthau tries to negotiate from. The battle between light and dark is of course a symbolic one, but one that is deployed with a subtle play on the metaphorical shadowy areas that result. However, there are noticeable frame edge problems and the shadows are often murky rather than clear. Depth in black levels is thus inconsistent. This lack of background clarity is the main problem in this otherwise fine transfer. The constant inter-cutting of locations generates much suspense and keeps up the film’s tremendous energy level.
Sound
The sound transfer is perhaps as best as can be expected from a mono recording from a film now thirty years old. However, it is most effective at the contrast between the measured vocal delivery of Shaw and the near constant barrage of overlapping talk that goes on above ground, particularly in the Mayor’s circle of advisors.
The emphasis on intercoms, radios and phones serves as a dominant motif throughout and a fine delineation of the idea of the imperative of the need for communication. This has added irony with Shaw’s refusal to compromise, lending a palpable sense of energetic frustration to the movie, adding to its sense of pace. Thus, much is also made with overlapping dialogue and the stress on the need to impose order on a situation threatening to turn into chaos – perhaps the main struggle in the film is this imperative for control, fought out between Shaw and Matthau. The distorted sound of voices on radios and over phone lines adds a unique quality to the film. Sound details are crisp and full, and by stressing authenticity perfectly complement the visual design. Special mention should be made of the excellent David Shire funk-rock score effortlessly guiding the film’s pace as it explores the dynamics of the situation below and above ground. This is a finely detailed sound mix and well preserved on the transfer, with a nice contrast between individual voices and an array of competing background sounds.
Special Features
In the way of special features, there is only a theatrical trailer. However, the DVD comes with a collector’s booklet which gives further background information about the film, the original book, and about the production logistics of filming with actual subway cars and in tunnels.
Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 was remade by director Tony Scott in 2009, with Denzel Washington and John Travolta in the roles played by Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw respectively.
The remake is released worldwide later this month (review details coming soon).
