Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Héctor Elizondo, Earl Hindman, James Broderick, Dick O'Neill, Lee Wallace, Tom Pedi, Jerry Stiller, Beatrice Winde, Nathan George, Rudy Bond, Kenneth McMillan, Doris Roberts, Julius Harris, Cynthia Belgrave, Anna Berger, Gary Bolling, Carol Cole
Where to watch
fuboTV, MGM Plus, Philo
Curator Review
Verdict
A sharp, lean New York crime thriller with unusually strong character work, dry humor, and a terrific sense of place. It’s both suspenseful and funny, with a finale that lingers long after the plot is over.
Best for
fans of 1970s urban thrillers
viewers who like heist movies with personality
people who enjoy tense but wry ensemble crime stories
New York movie obsessives
Skip if
you want nonstop action over procedure and banter
you dislike abrasive, cynical city humor
you prefer glossy modern pacing and polished spectacle
Overview
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is one of the great New York crime movies: sweaty, rude, efficient, and weirdly affectionate about the machinery of the city. Its subway hijacking premise is simple, but the movie keeps finding fresh angles through bureaucracy, class friction, and the clash of personalities on both sides of the standoff.
Worth noting
What makes it endure is the balance of tension and comedy. Walter Matthau’s weary transit official and Robert Shaw’s cool, disciplined hijacker give the film a crackling center, while the supporting players make the whole operation feel like a living municipal ecosystem. It’s a movie about systems under pressure, and about how competence often looks like irritation.
Bottom line
The direction is unfussy in the best way, letting the setting, dialogue, and timing do the heavy lifting. The ending is especially memorable, not just as a twist but as a perfect final punctuation mark on the film’s sour, sly worldview.
Top Letterboxd reviews
sydney (4★) · 3920 likes
best closing shot in cinema history
David Sims (5★) · 2934 likes
what did they expect for their lousy 35 cents, to live forever?
demi adejuyigbe (4.5★) · 2029 likes
Astounding. A truly smart, thrilling movie that feels imbued with such a modern blockbuster energy. The distinct personalities feel so full and bounce off each other so well I almost wish it was longer- Shaw’s detailed, uncompromising villain against Matthau’s annoyed, almost bumbling transit worker is such a good pairing, made even better with each having psychopath associates (Mr. Blue with Mr. Grey, Garber with Frank) who each threaten to derail (pun not intended but my best alternative was “hijack,”… more Astounding. A truly smart, thrilling movie that feels imbued with such a modern blockbuster energy. The distinct personalities feel so full and bounce off each other so well I almost wish it was longer- Shaw’s detailed, uncompromising villain against Matthau’s annoyed, almost bumbling transit worker is such a good pairing, made even better with each having psychopath associates (Mr. Blue with Mr. Grey, Garber with Frank) who each threaten to derail (pun not intended but my best alternative was “hijack,”… more
Will Menaker (5★) · 1658 likes
A cinematic tribute to the sweaty, bellowing oafs who make up New York City's civil service and government. Yes, they may be bigoted, bumbling, corrupt, and uncouth, but when push comes to shove, they care about this city and its people, because that's New York baby! #1.
Highlights of NYC leadership in crisis includes: Walter Matthau calling the directors of the Toyko subway system "dummies" and "monkeys" to their faces, a big fat Italian MTA supervisor saying he'll quit if… more
Patrick Willems (4.5★) · 1107 likes
Forty-five years later still a perfect examination of how the NYC subway is a bad and miserable place
2007 · Crime, Drama, Thriller · 1h 57m · R · Curator 9.0/10 (122.7K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, fuboTV, Night Flight Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
For its pressure-cooker structure, criminal incompetence, and escalating bad decisions.