The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

R

1974

1h 44m

Mystery & Thriller

Action

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In New York City, a criminal gang led by the ruthless Mr. Blue (Robert Shaw) hijacks a subway car and threatens to start shooting one passenger per minute unless they receive a million dollars in cash from the city within an hour. On the other end of the line, crusty veteran transit policeman Zachary Garber (Walter Matthau) has his hands full dealing with the mayor's office and his hotheaded fellow cops, while also trying to deliver the ransom before the deadline expires.

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Critics Consensus

Breezy, thrilling, and quite funny, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three sees Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw pitted against each other in effortlessly high form.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

09/21/2023

The movie must have been an editor's nightmare: the scenes are thudders, and the whole thing was punched together -- with no glue but the basic idea.

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Jerry Renshaw

Austin Chronicle

03/07/2021

Stiller is terrific as a transit authority police lieutenant, as is Matthau as the rather sour cop who has to outsmart the bad guys.

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John H. Dorr

The Hollywood Reporter

10/03/2018

The large, well-characterized cast is ably headed by Walter Matthau, whose wonderfully weary sense of irony is perfect.

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Don Shanahan

Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast

09/26/2023

This movie walked... err... rolled so "Die Hard" could run a decade and a half later.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

02/15/2023

4/4

Filled with distinctive characters and crackling dialogue -- and always with another surprise up its sleeve.

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Joe Nolan

Nashville Scene

09/13/2021

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three's title is as memorable as its unique hold-a-subway-car-hostage take on the heist film

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Irene M

@igawel Mar 11

Watching as part of a "competency porn" festival. I was expecting something very gritty and serious, like "Dog Day afternoon", but instead I was pleasantly surprised by the mix of comedy with the drama. And yes, it is a microcosm of NYC in the 70s.

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Rio P

@Knightrider82 Feb 22

Great movie I have seen it many times

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Giacomo M

@Iamsparticus Dec 25

Watching this again for the enth time, it is a classic gritty New York crime thriller set in the early 70s. Simple story, fantastic acting, great music. I absolutely love it. First saw it in 1975 in some second rate south London cinema. It grabbed me then, it still grabs me today. I highly recommend it.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Dec 22

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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Richard W

@rdwoolf Sep 25

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is everything that I want a crime thriller to be. It's also a great look back at New York City in its Fun City era.

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Cody S.

@cody073001 Aug 19

I have to say, I feel that there’s a lot of people here who think this movie was sloppily put together or maybe not executed properly, but I have to disagree. This movie was excellent from start to finish. With the NYC vibes from the 70’s as well as the performance from Robert Shaw and the lead protagonist, I was left entertained throughout. This movie was AWESOME! The ONLY complaint, or criticism I’d have is that Robert Shaw’s death with just silly.

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Joseph Sargent

Director

Walter Matthau

Lt. Zachary Garber

Robert Shaw

Blue

Martin Balsam

Green

Héctor Elizondo

Grey

Earl Hindman

Brown

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - I'm Taking Your Train

2:04

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Gesundheit!

2:08

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Rolling in Dough

2:00

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - The Mayor and His Wife

2:21

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - The Money Has Arrived

2:35

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Meeting the Demands

2:06

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - You're a Sick Man, Rico

1:22

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Mr. Blue Electrocutes Himself

2:03

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Trying to Negotiate

1:44

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Runaway Train

1:24

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Synopsis

In New York City, a criminal gang led by the ruthless Mr. Blue (Robert Shaw) hijacks a subway car and threatens to start shooting one passenger per minute unless they receive a million dollars in cash from the city within an hour. On the other end of the line, crusty veteran transit policeman Zachary Garber (Walter Matthau) has his hands full dealing with the mayor's office and his hotheaded fellow cops, while also trying to deliver the ransom before the deadline expires.

Director: Joseph Sargent
Producer: Gabriel Katzka, Edgar J. Scherick
Screenwriter: John Godey, Peter Stone
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 2, 1974, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 6, 2010
Runtime: 1h 44m

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