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The Getaway (1972) [Blu-ray] Posters
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Rating:  -
If one is just sick and tired of the mindless bloodbaths that action films have become, just take a look at THE GETAWAY, the tremendous 1972 action film from a master director in the form, the late Sam Peckinpah.
Steve McQueen stars as Doc McCoy, a bank robber sitting out the years in Hunstville State Prison in Texas who is given his parole, but with a string attached: By order of the parole board chairman (Ben Johnson), he must pull off a bank robbery and, with any luck, not get anyone in the bank killed. The robbery, as initially pulled off by two associates (Al Lettieri, Bo Hopkins) goes fine...until an injured guard reaches for his pistol, and Hopkins has to shoot.
This sets off a series of close calls for both McQueen and his wife (Ali MacGraw). Hopkins is killed by Lettieri during their escape; and McQueen, realizing this (when Lettieri tells him, "He (Hopkins) didn't make it. Neither did you."), wounds Lettieri. But after Johnson is killed by MacGraw, McQueen learns that the two were sleeping together, spawning a mutual lack of trust that goes for a good deal of the film.
Johnson's henchmen and Lettieri are both after the pair; and this results in a stunning gun battle at the Laughlin Hotel (run by Peckinpah stalwart Dub Taylor) in El Paso. After killing their foes, McQueen and MacGraw get an old-timer (Slim Pickens) to drive them across the border into Mexico.
Peckinpah's assmebling of the action scenes is far superior than almost any of his imitators. The explosions of bloody violence that were part-and-parcel of THE WILD BUNCH and STRAW DOGS are not in as great abundance here, but there is enough so that the 'PG' rating could be upped to 'PG-13'. McQueen is as good as always, and I didn't have the same problem that a lot of others seem to have with MacGraw. Quincy Jones also provides a good score (though that score was put in at McQueen's insistence [his company First Artists distributed the film] over the one done by Peckinpah favorite Jerry Fielding).
A top-notch film, infinitely superior to the 1994 remake, THE GETAWAY was Peckinpah's most financially successful movie of all time; and the end result shows why.
Rating: -
THE GETAWAY is a movie about the Bonnie and Clyde who weren't. Yet, it has more depth in the public enemy characters played by McGraw and McQueen. I could have the mood to watch this movie once a week. It is exciting like a maelstrom that sucks you into the story!! The story is incredibly spliced together by director Peckinah. Through an awful quest --the getaway-- Peckinpah managed to attach a great deal of humor to the roles of Mc Graw and Mc Queen. I've never held a brief for Struthers, but she did a dandy job of playing a veterinarian's fickle, remarkably stupid and hysterical wife. Not only was the movie exciting, but extremely intense. You have to judge whether Mc Queen and Mc Graw are going to split over her infidelity. You have to hold your breath until you determine whether Mc Queen will first elude police in hot pursuit, the elude his ex-partner, and finally elude the Texas politico-mobsters. That's why I've got the mood to watch this blitz-action movie once a week--to see if McGraw and McQueen can do it again.
Rating:  -
Steve McQueen, the classic misogynist, stars as the main character, "Doc", in this really bad movie. I would speak of plot, but there really isn't one. McQueen abuses his wife in the movie all of the time and she still stays with him. Maybe because he sucessfully robbed a bank. And Sally Struthers? Don't even go there. If she annoyed you in "All in the Family" she will drive you completely insane. Then there's Rudy, the classic character actor villian. He doesn't shoot McQueen, though, so you won't find yourself rooting for him. Or "Doc".
Rating:  -
I was pleasantly surprised at how will this film stands-up. It's perhaps even more enjoyable today than it was back in 1972. Next to recent action flicks, Sam Peckinpah's The Getaway is a positively refreshing breath of fresh air. The 1994 re-make with Alec Baldwin and Kim Bassinger (directed by Roger Donaldson)has steamier sex and a little more action, but it lacks the suspense, authenticity, attention to detail and stylistic flair that Peckinpah brings to his film.
This 1972 film at first seems almost leisurely paced. when you put it against recent slam-bang over the type action films. It's not, it's just not as hyped up or phony as most action films tend to be these days. This is a neo-noir chase film. It's about details and character. You get a sense of place from the film, you feel like you are watching characters that have a basis in reality, not in film. There are sleazy characters, but they are portrayed neither as brilliant geniuses, nor as psycho killers, but as villains who aren't too bright, and have a dogged determination to get their work done. . . hopefully having a little fun in the process. The rather spare action sequences are set up with important details and there isn't an overabundance of pyrotechnics or of cartoonish exaggeration It's downright refreshing today to see a film like this. I even appreciated Quincy Jones soundtrack which employs a wide variety of sounds, instruments and styles to help keep things interesting.
Now this film has a big-time movie STAR as its central character, not just any STAR though, but the quintessential anti-hero movie star. The man who moved like a panther, and had a strong solid presence which never needed to be sold to us. Few had Steve McQueen's intense macho charisma (it was Bogart re-invented) . McQueen didn't need to earn his charisma, he exuded it. A few determined looks and you knew you were dealing with a guy who played things by his own rules. Women were turned on by his sex appeal, most men wouldn't have minded being McQueen. Never mind his private life, on-screen McQueen towered above all the Bronsons, and Eastwoods around him. He was a better actor too.
He was a good actor for Sam Peckinpah to work with. They made two films together (Junior Bonner and The Getaway) and both are quite good. Sam, like McQueen also did things his way. Peckinpah drove studio executives crazy, was a difficult person for anyone to deal with but had a unique genius vision of how films should be made and fought hard to be able to make them his way. For a while he won the battles against the studio executives and then ultimately he lost and drank too much and turned out a few less than stellar films. His masterpiece is The Wild Bunch- and that film is so good on so many different levels it deserves to be right next to the finest masterpieces of film ever made.
The Getaway isn't a masterpiece. For one thing it's got a huge weight around it's neck. That weight is named Ali McGraw. Sure, during the filming of The Getaway, McQueen and McGraw became a huge ITEM which led to a torrid long lasting very mercurial relationship off-screen-but none of their real life heat is evident in the film. Ali McGraw can not act. She's not completely wooden, but she's never convincing in any scene where she is expected to emote. Peckinpah picked her to be an ice princess, but she never convinces us she's very tough or particularly icy. The closest she comes is somewhat detached -- as in somewhat lost.
Her part is not unique enough that the film needs her to be great actress, and so the film is not done in by her. Indeed, there's too many good things about the film for that to happen.
Walter Hill( who would later direct 48 hours, The Warriors, The Driver, Long Riders, etc) wrote an excellent adaptation of Jim Thompson's novel for Peckinpah to direct. Since not one of the principal characters in the film are good or decent people, we are dealing with a film about crooks. Low life crooks, middle of the road crooks and rich crooks with political influence and power. Peckinpah casts this world perfectly (with the exception of Ali McGraw).
Most memorable is the garbage truck sequence late in the film. My favorite is the scene with Slim Pickens.
The Getaway is an excellent film despite it's McGraw flaw because of the way Peckinpah, Hill, and McQueen approach the material. It's more character and detail based than action/chase films usually are, but does deliver enough of what the people want to be thoroughly entertaining.
Rating: -
Adapted from the Jim Thompson novel of the same name, "The Getaway" script was originally suggested to McQueen by his then wife, Neile as a strong action vehicle to please McQueen's fans looking for Steve to play another moody, rebellious anti-hero.
And a good choice it was....controversial director Sam Peckinpah again produced his unique chemistry with this violent, fast moving film about Texas bank robber Carter "Doc" McCoy (McQueen) paroled from prison with the help of corrupt politician Jack Benyon (Ben Johnson). McCoy and his wife Carol (MacGraw) must then rob a bank for Benyon with the assistance of Rudy Butler & Frank Jackson (Al Lettieri & Bo Hopkins). However, an intended double cross is soon evident and Doc & Carol McCoy are then running for their lives to Mexico with $750,000 in stolen money, with the injured Rudy Butler, and Jack Benyons vicious henchmen in hot pursuit.
And those on screen sparks between McQueen & MacGraw are real, contributed to by their torrid off-screen romance that would eventually see them become husband and wife !
McQueen was at his on-screen toughest since his role in "Bullitt"(1968) and certain scenes (such as where McCoy shoots up a police car with a pump action shotgun in slow motion) were inserted at Steve's request, because he felt that's what his fans wanted to see !!
The quality of this DVD is very good, with only some minor dissapointments in the sound area. If you are a McQueen fan...then "The Getaway" DVD definitely belongs in your collection !
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