The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

Director:

Joseph Sargent

Writers:

John Godey (novel)
Peter Stone (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 November 1974 (West Germany)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Before this train reaches the next station it will become the scene of the most spectacular hijack ever attempted

Plot:

In New York, armed men hijack a subway car and demand a ransom for the passengers. Even if it's paid, how could they get away?

Plot Keywords:

Subway | Hostage | Passenger | Train | Demands

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Walter Matthau	...	Lt. Zachary Garber
Robert Shaw	...	Blue
Martin Balsam	...	Green
Hector Elizondo	...	Grey
Earl Hindman	...	Brown
James Broderick	...	Denny Doyle
Dick O'Neill	...	Correll
Lee Wallace	...	The Mayor
Tom Pedi	...	Caz Dolowicz
Beatrice Winde	...	Mrs. Jenkins
Jerry Stiller	...	Lt. Rico Patrone
Nathan George	...	Ptl. James
Rudy Bond	...	Police Commissioner
Kenneth McMillan	...	Borough Commander (as Kenneth Mc Millan)
Doris Roberts	...	Mayor's Wife

Also Known As:

El tomar de Pelham uno dos tres (USA: Spanish title) (dubbed version)
Pelham 1-2-3 (Europe: English title) (video box title)
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (USA) (alternative spelling)
La captura del Pelham 1-2-3 (Uruguay) (Venezuela) [es]
Dlugi postój na Park Avenue (Poland) [pl]
Il colpo della metropolitana - un ostaggio al minuto (Italy) [it]
Les pirates du métro (France) [fr]
O Seqüestro do Metrô (Brazil) [pt]
Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (Finland) [fi]
Pelham 1-2-3 kapat (Sweden) [sv]
Pelham 1.2.3. (Spain) [es]
Stoppt die Todesfahrt der U-Bahn 1-2-3 (West Germany) [de]
Stoppt die Todesfahrt der U-Bahn Eins Zwei Drei! (West Germany) [de]
Togkapring (Denmark) [da]

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:16 (f) | UK:AA (original rating) | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | Canada:14+ | Canada:18A (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Palomar Pictures

Trivia:

Filming of the subway scenes began in late November 1973 and lasted through January 1974. Though the scenes were filmed on a track that had been out of use since the 1940s, they were close enough to the still functioning A and E lines that takes had to be done in between those trains coming through (to and from Hoyt-Schermerhorn station) because of their noise and lights.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Mr. Brown is about to pull his gun on the conductor, a man in a black jacket is seen entering the train. Then Mr. Brown pulls his gun and tells the conductor that when the person leaning against the first car (Mr. Blue) gets on, he is to close the doors. The same man in the black jacket gets on again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mr. Mattson: Okay, kid, out loud now so's I can hear what you're sayin'.
Bud Carmody: I'm checkin' the passengers gettin' on and off...
Mr. Mattson: Uh-huh.
Bud Carmody: Front and back. Shuttin' the doors. Rear section first and the first section. And the doors are closed. Now I'm checking my indicator lights to make sure all the doors are locked. I remove my switch key and back out the window for a distance of three car lengths to make sure no one's being dragged. 51st Street next stop; next stop, 51st Street. How'd I do?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Filled with exciting moments and heart-pounding suspense.

Sharp and fast-paced thriller that follows an easy-going N.Y.C. transit cop (Walter Matthau) who's forced to out-match the wits of four well-armed gunmen and their resilient leader (Robert Shaw) who are holding eighteen passengers on a subway train and demand one million dollars within the hour.

Made in the era of smart, stylish, and ingenius thrillers ('70s), this film didn't fail to loose my attention at all. In addition to Matthau and Shaw, the supporting cast (Hector Elizondo, Martin Balsam, Jerry Stiller, Tony Roberts, and so forth) is are just as excellent as the two unflappable leads. This well-polished crime movie is filled with exciting moments and heart-pounding suspense. Plus, there are some quirky one-liners thrown into the story as well.