The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

I didn’t have a lot of expectations for this, thinking that Walter Matthau couldn’t possibly lead in a worthwhile thriller about a subway train hijacking, but I was completely wrong. Robert Shaw, Hector Elizondo, Earl Hindman, and Martin Balsam are fantastic as the diverse hijackers, strangers who come together to perform the job very reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs, color names included. The movie doesn’t bother getting bogged into the details of how or why these gentlemen got together, just that they have a job to do and they intend to succeed. Matthau is a member of the Transit Police whose day is ruined by their activities. He seems mostly annoyed that unlike his normal day, he’s required to use his smarts to thwart their plans. There’s also James Broderick, Jerry Stiller, and Dick O’Neill in fabulous supporting roles. The story is tight and not flashy, totally relying on the excitement and danger inherent to the crime itself.