/The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974).jpg)
Taking of Pelham One Two Three (The)
- Director: Joseph Sargent
- Writer: John Godey; Peter Stone
- Producer: Gabriel Katzka; Stephen F. Kesten
CGiii Comment
Four seemingly-unrelated men board subway train Pelham 1:23 at successive stations. Mr. Blue, Mr. Green, Mr. Grey and Mr. Brown are heavily armed and overpower the motorman and novice conductor to take control of the train. Between stations they separate the front car from the remainder of the train, setting passengers in the back cars and the motorman free.
The four demand $1 million ransom within exactly one hour for the remaining eighteen hostages, including the conductor. If their demands are not met in time or their directions are not followed precisely, they will begin to shoot hostages dead, one every minute the money is late. Wisecracking Lt. Zach Garber of the transit police ends up being the primary communicator between the hijackers and the authorities, which includes transit operations, his own police force, the NYPD, and the unpopular and currently flu ridden mayor who will make the ultimate decision of whether to pay the ransom.
Trailer...
Cast & Characters
Walter Matthau as Police Lt. Zachary Garber;
Robert Shaw as Bernard Ryder aka Blue;
Martin Balsam as Harold Longman aka Green;
Hector Elizondo as Giuseppe Benvenuto aka Grey;
Earl Hindman as George Steever aka Brown;
James Broderick as Denny Doyle - Train Conductor;
Dick O'Neill as Frank Correll;
Lee Wallace as Al - the Mayor of New York City;
Tom Pedi as Caz Dolowicz;
Beatrice Winde as Mrs. Jenkins;
Jerry Stiller as Police Lt. Rico Patrone;
Nathan George as Police Ptl. James;
Rudy Bond as Phil - Police Commissioner;
Kenneth McMillan as Harry - Borough Commander;
Doris Roberts as Jessie - the Mayor's Wife