Charley Varrick (1973)

Director:

Don Siegel

Writers:

John Reese (novel)
Howard Rodman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 September 1973 (Sweden)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

He stole from the Mob, now he's running for his life.

Plot:

Charley Varrick and his friends rob a small town bank. Expecting a small sum to divide amongst themselves...

Plot Keywords:

Crop Duster | Chase | Mafia | Cop Killer | Bank Robbery

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Walter Matthau	...	Charley Varrick
Joe Don Baker	...	Molly
Felicia Farr	...	Sybil Fort
Andrew Robinson	...	Harman Sullivan (as Andy Robinson)
Sheree North	...	Jewell Everett
Norman Fell	...	Mr. Garfinkle
Benson Fong	...	Honest John
Woodrow Parfrey	...	Harold Young
William Schallert	...	San Miguel Sheriff Bill Horton
Jacqueline Scott	...	Nadine
Marjorie Bennett	...	Mrs. Taft
Rudy Diaz	...	Deputy Sanchez
Colby Chester	...	Deputy Steele
Charlie Briggs	...	Highway deputy
Priscilla Garcia	...	Miss Ambar

Also Known As:

Kill Charley Varrick (Europe: English title)
The Last of the Independents (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | West Germany:16 (nf) (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (nf) (original rating) | France:Unrated | UK:15 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Mustang, Nevada, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

A yellow Lincoln Continental sedan is used during a major plot in the film, during the bank heist. This particular scene is similar in Telefon (1977), where a yellow Lincoln Continental is used during the attempted bombing of the Hyatt Regency in Houston, Texas (actually San Francisco, California, where the film took place).

Goofs:

Continuity: In an exterior shot, Molly is seen entering a Chinese restaurant from across the street. But in the reverse shot of him entering restaurant, there's suddenly a red panel behind him, blocking the view of whatever was across the street.

Quotes:

Charley Varrick: You know what dirty money is? That's the kind of money you can't declare on your income tax. Well, when certain people get that kind of money, what they do is send it out of the country to invest, and when it comes back, it's clean.
Harman Sullivan: So?
Charley Varrick: So maybe that little bank was a drop, a collection point. Maybe all this was on its way out of the country.
Harman Sullivan: Fantastic! We lucked out!
Charley Varrick: More like crapped out. It's ten-to-one this stuff belongs to the Mafia. This is gambling money skimmed off the top, whore money, dope money.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Paybacks Are a Bitch (2007) (V)

Slick, understated and intelligent.

Veteran small time crook Charley Varrick and his gang rob a small bank in the south west. Expecting modest takings, Charley is shocked to discover that the haul is $750,000. The catch is that the money belongs to the Mafia, who are soon on the trail of the robbers. Charley must devise a scheme to escape with his life, and hopefully the money as well.

This is a very pleasing piece of work all round. Directed with customery efficiency and style by Don Siegel, it twists and turns, always keeping you interested. Its helped by good casting. The ever watchable Walter Matthau effortlessly slips into the role of Varrick, Joe Don Baker is quite chilling as the ruthless hitman with impeccable manners and John Vernon extracts some sympathy as the Banker/Mafia man trying to smooth everything over. Add some pleasant locations and an intelligent script and the result is a very satisfying, if different '70s crime thriller.

As I watched this again last night on BBC1, I remembered that on its previous screening it was preceeded by an introduction by Mark Kermode. In it he commented on the fact that Matthau hated the film. After a second viewing I still can't imagine why.