The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

	Directed by: Joseph Sargent	COUNTRY USA GENRE Crime/Drama NORWEGIAN TITLE Pelham 1-2-3 kapret RUNNING TIME 104 minutes
	Produced by: Gabriel Katzka Edgar J. Scherick
	Written by (based on the novel by John Godey): Peter Stone

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Lieutenant Zachary "Z" Garber	Walter Matthau
Bernard Ryder / Mr. Blue	Robert Shaw	½
Harold Longman / Mr. Green	Martin Balsam	½
Giuseppe Benvenuto / Mr. Grey	Héctor Elizondo
George Steever / Mr. Brown	Earl Hindman	½
Denny Doyle, train motorman	James Broderick	-
Frank Correll	Dick O'Neill
Mayor Al	Lee Wallace
Caz Dolowicz	Tom Pedi	-
Mrs. Jenkins	Beatrice Winde	-
Deputy mayor Warren LaSalle	Tony Roberts	-
Jessie, Mayor Al's wife	Doris Roberts	-
Lieutenant Rico Patrone	Jerry Stiller
Patrolman James	Nathan George	-
Police commissioner Phil	Rudy Bond	-
Borough commander Harry	Kenneth McMillan	-
Deputy chief inspector Daniels	Julius Harris	½

Review

This fabulous suspense movie accentuates all that was great and arguably not so great about 1970s New York City. It was released contemporaneously with a number of movies which reflected the dirty crime wave the city was ravaged by at the time, including The French Connection, Death Wish, and Serpico, but what sets The Taking of Pelham apart is its ability to merge stark realism with tongue-in-cheek satire. Joseph Sargent (White Lightning) moves his picture steadily and purposefully along with chic direction, and is able to give the story a dynamism despite its inherently stagnant setup. The picture never makes you feel as stuck as those people on that train. Walter Matthau and Héctor Elizondo stand out among a solid cast. Remade twice, lastly in 2009 starring John Travolta and Denzel Washington.