A fairly by the numbers, predictable heist-gone-wrong thriller. It’s lacking that artistic or creative flourish that could make it more special. What you have here is mostly functional/competent, there are some decent twists and moments of tension. For example, there’s a really nice side story involving Al Lettieri woven into the narrative, which also leads to a great climax. However, the acting, visuals and directing are nothing particularly special, the characters are a bit flat, the pacing is inconsistent and the music is honestly pretty shitty. There are also some directorial and editorial choices that haven’t aged well (e.g. the conductor doesn’t notice a fight on the train? That doesn’t work in the context of a serious thriller from the 70s. All that was lacking from scene was Steve McQueen saying “please don’t wake my friend, he’s dead tired”). I honestly don’t think you need to seek this one out, there are more interesting genre movies from this time period. 5/10

This is a really interesting (though typically 1970s slow-paced) watch. McQueen was the epitome of cool with a dangerous edge and the film makes a great deal from that. He's wonderfully cast. MacGraw is beautiful - as the role and plot require. She is hugely interesting and plays the part excellently. She has to be equally as capable as 'Doc' and she is. There's a huge amount of 70s stereotypical cinematography. It sometimes gets in the way but overall is bearable. And without spoiling the plot, there's a huge amount of ambiguity and real motive within the relationship of the lead couple that makes for a guessing game throughout. I found it annoying upon the watch but it keeps me thinking about the film after it has finished so kudos to the director. 7.75/10 (I'm checking out the Alec Baldwin/Kim Basinger 1994 version to see how that compares.)

Solid, gritty heist/road movie. Surprising how much of a well fleshed out character and relationship study is buried in this genre thriller. Should've known better I guess, it IS Peckinpah...

The Getaway (1972): 7.5/10 ‘The King of Cool’ Steve McQueen stars in this film next to Ali MacGraw. McQueen is the focus as Doc McCoy, a professional con artist serving a ten-year prison sentence. MacGraw plays his wife, Carol McCoy. To get released early, he cuts a deal with the corrupt parole chief, Jack Beynon, to buy off his release. In return, Doc and Carol must rob a bank. The kicker, of course, is the two must work with Beynon’s men. The robbery doesn’t go as planned, and the two end up in a hot pursuit by the police and Beynon’s men for the stolen loot. ‘The Getaway’ is about double-crossing, car chases, shootouts, and fast-paced action underneath it all. The cinematography, tight editing, and direction stand out. McQueen’s cool and natural screen presence once again comes through with flying colors. As a former U.S. Marine, he had a way of handling guns and doing many of his own stunts, both of which were apparent here. MacGraw doesn’t have a lot of lines, but her acting was good. She learned how to shoot guns and drive. Those two run the show from start to finish, reminding me of another getaway film ‘Bonnie and Clyde’, which came first in the 1960s. The car chases were entertaining in typical McQueen style. Interestingly, McQueen and MacGraw had an affair during the filming of Getaway, and the two ended up marrying. MacGraw’s former husband was an executive who cast her here, and she leaves him for the star. McQueen didn’t have many movies remaining because he died in 1980 from cancer at the prime of his career. Would I recommend this? Probably yes, but I don’t consider it a must-watch. I don’t believe most action films nowadays are as entertaining as in previous decades. They don’t have the same feel.

With a peculiar look from the 1970s, the story of a robbery.