My old dad and I were talking about that fine actor Robert Ryan when he recommended I track down this 70's buddy / gangster / road / heist movie which contained one of Ryan's last performances as the crime boss whom Robert Duvall and his cohort Joe Don Baker take up against on account of Ryan's ordered hit on Duvall's retired brother, which clinical execution we see carried out in the opening scenes. The fact of the matter is that my father is seldom wrong with his assessment of old films and I'm pleased but not surprised to say that he got this one right too.
The reason for the murder is that said brother and Duvall previously robbed a bank in the ownership of Ryan, triggering the kingpin's wrath but while brother number one made for an easy victim, the revenge-inspired other brother Duvall, himself just out of jail, proves a harder target to hit and indeed audaciously hits back at Ryan's operations. Accompanied by old partner Baker and girlfriend Karen Black, the three employ smart hit and run tactics to needle Ryan and initially their plan is to extort $250000 from him but when Ryan welches on the deal, tries to ambush the two but in the process makes it personal by accidentally killing Black in the crossfire, it's inevitable that a final violent showdown will climax the film.
There's nothing flashy about the direction or the acting here. The action moves forward episodically as we follow Duvall and Baker on their merry, scary way and the acting is as tough and gritty as you'd expect from such an experienced cast, especially old stone-face Duvall, surely second only to Buster Keaton in that regard, saving his closest thing to a grin for the very last shot.
Uncompromising and violent it may be but although I could have done without the scenes where Duvall slaps his nervous girl friend around to cool her down, or punch an innocent shop-lady right in the face, this was a tough and compelling crime drama, one that deserves to be better known. Just ask old Bill, he won't see you wrong.
The reason for the murder is that said brother and Duvall previously robbed a bank in the ownership of Ryan, triggering the kingpin's wrath but while brother number one made for an easy victim, the revenge-inspired other brother Duvall, himself just out of jail, proves a harder target to hit and indeed audaciously hits back at Ryan's operations. Accompanied by old partner Baker and girlfriend Karen Black, the three employ smart hit and run tactics to needle Ryan and initially their plan is to extort $250000 from him but when Ryan welches on the deal, tries to ambush the two but in the process makes it personal by accidentally killing Black in the crossfire, it's inevitable that a final violent showdown will climax the film.
There's nothing flashy about the direction or the acting here. The action moves forward episodically as we follow Duvall and Baker on their merry, scary way and the acting is as tough and gritty as you'd expect from such an experienced cast, especially old stone-face Duvall, surely second only to Buster Keaton in that regard, saving his closest thing to a grin for the very last shot.
Uncompromising and violent it may be but although I could have done without the scenes where Duvall slaps his nervous girl friend around to cool her down, or punch an innocent shop-lady right in the face, this was a tough and compelling crime drama, one that deserves to be better known. Just ask old Bill, he won't see you wrong.