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
Julius Harris	...	Inspector Daniels
Cynthia Belgrave	...	The Maid
Anna Berger	...	The Mother
Gary Bolling	...	The Homosexual
Carol Cole	...	The Secretary
Alex Colon	...	The Delivery Boy
Joe Fields	...	The Salesman
Mari Gorman	...	The Hooker
Michael Gorrin	...	The Old Man
Thomas La Fleur	...	The Older Son
María Landa	...	The Spanish Woman (as Maria Landa)
Louise Larabee	...	The Alcoholic
George Lee Miles	...	The Pimp
Carolyn Nelson	...	Coed #1
Eric O'Hanian	...	The Younger Son
Lucy Saroyan	...	Coed #2
William Snickowski	...	The Hippie
Barry Snyder	...	The W.A.S.P.
Walter Jones	...	Mr. Mattson
Jerry Holland	...	Bud Carmody
Robert Weil	...	Marino
Penny Krompier	...	T.A. Secretary
Christopher Murney	...	Dispatcher
Timothy Meyers	...	Plumber (as Tim Myers)
Ruth Attaway	...	Mayor's Nurse
Thomas Barbour	...	T.A. Chairman
Marvin Silbersher	...	Comptroller
Neil Brooks Cunningham	...	Ptl. Miskowsky (as Simon Deckard)
Sal Viscuso	...	Ptl. O'Keefe
Tony Fasce	...	Ptl. Wentworth
Burtt Harris	...	Ptl. Ricci
Gene Gross	...	Muscat
Walter Lott	...	Executive on train
Conrad Yama	...	Mr. Tomashita
Sho Onodera	...	Mr. Matsumoto
Toru Nagai	...	Mr. Yashimura
Tura Nakamura	...	Mr. Nakabashi
Rowena Rollins	...	Angry Woman
Joseph Attles	...	Angry Man
Willis Pinkett	...	Towerman
Michelle Matthow	...	T.A. Receptionist
Isabella Hoopes	...	Woman on Platform
Bill Cobbs	...	Man on Platform
Jim Pelham	...	Subway Guard
Joe Seneca	...	Police Sergeant
Gino Gennaro	...	Police Lieutenant
Carmine Foresta	...	Train Expediter
Tony Roberts	...	Warren LaSalle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hy Anzell	...	Toll Booth Officer (uncredited)
Ines Hellendall	...	Train Passenger (uncredited)
Jean-Paul Hellendall	...	Subway Passenger (uncredited)
Jay Rasumny	...	Squad car driver (uncredited)
Charles Silvern	...	(uncredited)
Dolph Sweet	...	Capt. Costello (voice) (uncredited)
Frank Ventgen	...	Police Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Joseph Sargent

Writing credits
John Godey		(novel)
Peter Stone		(screenplay)

Produced by
Gabriel Katzka	....	producer
Stephen F. Kesten	....	associate producer
Edgar J. Scherick	....	producer

Original Music by
David Shire

Cinematography by
Owen Roizman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Gerald B. Greenberg		(as Gerald Greenberg)
Robert Q. Lovett

Casting by
Alixe Gordin

Art Direction by
Gene Rudolf

Set Decoration by
Herbert F. Mulligan		(as Herb Mulligan)

Costume Design by
Anna Hill Johnstone

Makeup Department
Irving Buchman	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Haley	....	second assistant director (as Mike Haley)
Burtt Harris	....	second unit director
Sal Scoppa Jr.	....	second assistant director (as Sal Scoppa)
Peter R. Scoppa	....	assistant director (as Peter Scoppa)

Art Department
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	property master (as Joe Caracciola)
John Gilliar	....	set dresser (as Bud Gilliar)
Harry Lynott	....	head carpenter
Bruno Robotti	....	scenic artist
Walter Way	....	construction grip

Sound Department
Stan Bochner	....	assistant sound editor (as Stanley Bochner)
Jack Fitzstephens	....	sound editor
Al Gramaglia	....	sound re-recordist
Marc Laub	....	sound editor (as Mark M. Laub)
David Moshlak	....	sound recordist
Christopher Newman	....	sound mixer (as Chris Newman)
Sanford Rackow	....	sound editor
David Ray	....	assistant sound editor
Pat Suraci	....	boom operator
Stephen Fitzstephens	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Maurice Schell	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Bill Barber	....	stunt driver
Joie Chitwood Jr.	....	stunt coordinator
Joie Chitwood Jr.	....	stunt driver
Tim Chitwood	....	stunt driver
Danny Dod	....	stunt driver
Tim Heck	....	stunt driver
Carey Loftin	....	motorcycle stunts
Carey Loftin	....	stunt driver
Harry Madsen	....	stunt driver
Paul Nuckles	....	stunt driver
Rick Seaman	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Dick Mingalone	....	camera operator
Gary Muller	....	assistant camera
Jack Priestley	....	camera operator: second unit
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	assistant camera
Ed Quinn	....	grip
Dusty Wallace	....	gaffer
Robert Ward	....	grip (as Bob Ward)
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer
Vinnie Gerardo	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Vic Ramos	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
George Newman	....	wardrobe master

Editorial Department
Jay Dranch	....	apprentice editor
Cynthia Scheider	....	assistant editor
Maurice Schell	....	assistant editor
Michael Kirchberger	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Erma E. Levin	....	music editor (as Erma Levin)

Other crew
Patrick Burns	....	production aide
Mark Canton	....	production aide
Barbara De Fina	....	production office coordinator (as Barbara DaFina)
Raymond Hartwick	....	teamster captain (as Ray Hartwick)
Richard Hinds	....	production aide
Nancy Hopton	....	script supervisor (as Nancy Tonery)
Robert F. Kocourek	....	location auditor
Gaetano Lisi	....	production aide
Harvey Portee	....	production aide
Sheldon Roskin	....	unit publicist
Jonathan Sarno	....	production aide
Connie Schoenberg	....	production office coordinator

Production Companies

• Palomar Pictures (presents)
• Palladium Productions (presents)

Distributors

• United Artists (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1974) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1975) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1976) (USA) (TV) (pan/scan)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• City of New York, The  the producers wish to acknowledge the outstanding cooperation of

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)

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:

Filmed mostly in the tunnels leading to the decommissioned IND Court St. station in Brooklyn. The station itself served as Grand Central and 28th St., and it is currently the home of the New York City Transit Museum.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The movie shows a wall behind the train at the 28th street IRT station. This part of the subway does not have walls between tracks - you can see clear across the express tracks to the local tracks going in the other direction. The wall is typical of an IND station - probably the Transit Museum station where filming was done, but with a different sign.

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 James K. Polk Was @#?!ing Awesome (2009)

This was meant to be Carry On At Your Convenience...

... Thank Goodness it wasn't!

I switched on me TV last night after an evening out and the opening credits of Pelham was just finishing. Not knowing the name of this film (the Carry On listing was clearly not being shown, perhaps the Producer-dude had a revelation of taste!) I began to watch it half-heartedly, whilst prostrate on the sofa.

By the end of the movie, and that glorious last look from Matthau, I was sitting blot-upright with the biggest grin I've had on my face at 2am for a long time!

What a flick! What a film! How good was this simple, little, under-rated, under-stated movie? Very.

See this film, forgive it for being written in the 70-ties, in fact revel in that non-PC fact (the Chinese/Lady jokes are, retrospectively, quite amusing, in a non-Carry On way).

They just don't make 'um like this anymore. Simple, sweet, suspense.