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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974): Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, and Martin Balsam. Directed by Joseph Sargent, Screenplay by Peter Stone, from a novel by John Godey.
Get the film at Amazon: Taking of Pelham One Two Three

If ever there was a movie in the history of movies that didn’t need a remake, it’s “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three”. Despite this, a second remake is already underway. Let me clarify my position, once and for all: I don’t get the point of remakes. Sure, I can see how there can be some reward in doing an updated version, like if the original was a silent film, or if the filmmaker is adding something new to the mix (setting or casting or something inspired) or doing a more faithful version of an original novel or play, but in the case of something like this classic seventies film, I just don’t see any point. I really don’t.

There is just so much from this film that can’t be improved or duplicated and I think the 1998 Toronto-filmed TV remake already proved that. Joseph Sargent (”Colossus: The Forbin Project”, “MacArthur” and “Jaws: The Revenge”), sure, isn’t among the names on the top of your list for greatest directors the world has ever seen, but the cast that’s assembled for this adaptation of the John Godey novel: Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw and Martin Balsam, just cannot be beat.

The story is very straightforward, it’s basically what “Airport” would look like if it took place on the New York subway system. Matthau is the cranky Subway Commission cop who has the bad luck to be on duty the day that Robert Shaw and a team of cohorts, including an ex-subway employee, Martin Balsam, take a subway car hostage. Denzel Washington is playing the Walter Matthau role in the latest remake. I’ll just let silence pass at this point while that sinks in.

Of course, you could be asking yourself, this sounds like a serious story, they should cast someone like Washington and not the guy from “The Odd Couple” and “The Bad News Bears”. Like I said, this is a (pre-9/11) New York disaster movie, clearly you’ve got to have attitude and humor. I won’t spoil the ending, because it’s one of the best endings in the history of film, but it relies on humor. It doesn’t work if you don’t have the wry look on Walter Matthau’s face in the final frames.

Like all good fiction, every character in the script has their own unique idiosyncrasy or flaw that makes them more than human, which drives the plot and creates obstacles and conflict. Robert Shaw, of course, is chilling as “Mr. Blue” (yes, all the criminals are identified by colors, just like “Reservoir Dogs”), one of his top performances to which he manages to instill only as much levity as is required without losing his edge (John Travolta will be playing him in the Tony Scott remake). Martin Balsam is also in top form as “Mr. Green”, rattled, downtrodden and bitter, but on the verge of cracking through the whole operation. Lee Wallace plays a hypochondriac Mayor who relies solely on the input of his staff before making decisions. He also played the Mayor in Tim Burton’s “Batman”, due to his uncanny resemblance to former NY mayor Ed Koch. He’ll be played by James Gandolfini in this new remake. Now that’s casting that’s a million light years away from the original.

If you haven’t seen “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three”, rush out and get yourself a copy now. I already feel in my bones that this is going to be a case of a title slipping out of print for a little while as the remake makes the rounds.

Original Trailer:

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