The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Joseph Sargent seem to have been directing forever. He worked on the original LASSIE and STAR TREK series and he just recently did the television remake of SYBIL. This 1974 offering has garnered quite a cult following over the years and this may be on the strength of the all-star cast. We're talking Robert Shaw and Martin Balsam and Walter Matthau who looks to be having one hell of a time keeping a straight face throughout. A simple story of a group hijacking a subway train and holding it's passengers hostage for one million dollars. Tightly scripted, this makes for one tense, though funny, bit of Seventies cinema and should be seen at least once if for nothing more than Matthau. Not so odd but upon release the film only did well in cities with subways...go figure!