This movie is a bloodbath and demolition derby that makes a Quentin Tarantino film look like THE SOUND OF MUSIC. People get shot, tortured,blown-up.
There are perhaps only two good people in the entire movie. Walter Matthau is not one of them. He is as amoral as they come. And yet CHARLEY VARRICK, for all its grimness, and taut suspense, is a feel-good movie.
It's actually delightful...
It's all because of Walter Matthau. He was a master in showing intelligence. That rumbled face, odd posture and shambling walk masterfully conveyed the warning -- Beware: Brain At Work!
Walter Matthau made thinking and planning very interesting, even sexy.
And the good news is that he's even better here than in his other masterpiece of mixed-up morality, HOPSCOTCH. (Both films feature little old airplanes -- Hollywood's homage to NORTH BY NORTHWEST?)
There are other ingredients to this action-packed movie that give it its special charm. Beautifully photographed and directed, extremely well-acted (look especially for a chilling performance by Joe Don Baker), engrossing plot, funny dialog, and above all, Walter Matthau.
It's almost a half-century old, yet CHARLEY VARRICK is still as fresh as a budding daisy over a new grave.
Make every effort to see CHARLEY VARRICK as soon as possible. Why postpone pleasure?
There are perhaps only two good people in the entire movie. Walter Matthau is not one of them. He is as amoral as they come. And yet CHARLEY VARRICK, for all its grimness, and taut suspense, is a feel-good movie.
It's actually delightful...
It's all because of Walter Matthau. He was a master in showing intelligence. That rumbled face, odd posture and shambling walk masterfully conveyed the warning -- Beware: Brain At Work!
Walter Matthau made thinking and planning very interesting, even sexy.
And the good news is that he's even better here than in his other masterpiece of mixed-up morality, HOPSCOTCH. (Both films feature little old airplanes -- Hollywood's homage to NORTH BY NORTHWEST?)
There are other ingredients to this action-packed movie that give it its special charm. Beautifully photographed and directed, extremely well-acted (look especially for a chilling performance by Joe Don Baker), engrossing plot, funny dialog, and above all, Walter Matthau.
It's almost a half-century old, yet CHARLEY VARRICK is still as fresh as a budding daisy over a new grave.
Make every effort to see CHARLEY VARRICK as soon as possible. Why postpone pleasure?