The Outfit (VHS) [1973] Robert Duvall

http://bayimg.com/oaOOPaACF The Outfit (1973) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071960/ FULL SCREEN THEATRICAL VERSION. THIS FILM IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE DVD FORMAT OR WITH THE TELEVISION ALTERNATE ENDING. The Outfit is a 1973 film directed by John Flynn. It stars Robert Duvall, Karen Black, Joe Don Baker and Robert Ryan. The film is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Richard Stark [pseudonym of Donald E. Westlake} and features a character modeled on Parker, who was introduced in The Hunter. The Outfit was the third Parker story to be written and the fifth to be made into a movie. The first novel of the series, The Hunter (1962), had been the basis for the Lee Marvin film Point Blank (1967) which has become the focal point of a crime-movie cult. Directed brilliantly by John Boorman (Deliverance), Point Blank explores the American criminal world in an unsentimental slam-bang manner; it is an astonishing movie, but not a particularly faithful representation of the Parker novel. It was followed by The Split (1968), starring Jim Brown in the part of the Parker character and featuring such tough guys as Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Warren Oates and Donald Sutherland. That one–an entertaining action movie but nothing extraordinary–was based on the 1966 Parker novel The Seventh, which was the sixth, not the seventh, novel in the series. Then came two French versions, one of them filmed by Jean-Luc Godard with the title Made in U.S.A., with Parker turned into a woman character, Anna Karina starred. Neither of the two French films has been distributed in America. At about that time, someone remarked to Parker’s creator that the character had been played by a white American, a black American and a white Frenchwoman: obviously “the character lacks definition”. A good joke; but the charge is easily dismissed by reading any of the books. Parker is one of the most vividly defined characters in American fiction. Robert Duvall ... Macklin Karen Black ... Bett Harrow Joe Don Baker ... Cody Robert Ryan ... Mailer Timothy Carey ... Menner Richard Jaeckel ... Chemey Sheree North ... Bucks Wife Felice Orlandi ... Frank Orlandi Marie Windsor ... Madge Coyle Jane Greer ... Alma Henry Jones ... Doctor Joanna Cassidy ... Rita Tom Reese ... First Man Elisha Cook Jr. ... Carl (as Elisha Cook) Bill McKinney ... Buck Upon his release from prison, Earl Macklin (Robert Duvall), a professional thief, learns that his brother Eddie was just murdered by two hit men working for the mob. Earl also learns from his girlfriend Bett (Karen Black), that he too is a target along with his former partner Cody (Joe Don Baker) for previously robbing a bank owned by the syndicate. Left with no recourse but to stay on the run, Earl decides to attack the organization from within and plots an elaborate revenge. His vendetta eventually leads him to the heavily guarded mansion of the crime boss (Robert Ryan) who ordered the hits. If The Outfit (1974) bears a striking similarity to Point Blank in its narrative trajectory, its because its based on one of the sequels to Richard Starks The Hunter, the basis for John Boormans 1967 film version of Point Blank. There are even stylistic touches that mirror Boormans influential noir such as the desolate Los Angeles locations and Bruce Surtees evocative cinematography; one camera shot follows Robert Duvall as he moves with steely determination along a hotel corridor toward a violent confrontation, a scene reminiscent of Lee Marvin aggressively striding down a hallway in the Boorman film. But The Outfit, despite its contemporary setting, is also a throwback to the golden age of film noir, one that is reinforced by its hard-boiled dialogue (I dont talk to guys wearing aprons, You shouldnt use a girls arm for an ashtray, etc.) and the cast, many of whom are seasoned veterans of the genre (Elisha Cook, Jr., Marie Windsor, Sheree North, Robert Ryan, Jane Greer, Timothy Carey). Unfortunately, the movie-going public in 1974 wasnt really interested in a retro noir like The Outfit, preferring instead feel-good entertainments like The Sting or the sensationalism of The Exorcist and the film received minimal distribution. Yet, for fans of the genre, there is much to savor here from the opening sequence which quotes from The Killers (1946) to a racetrack robbery scene that recalls Stanley Kubricks The Killing (1956). Robert Duvall, who had just portrayed real life cop Eddie Egan in Badge 373 (1973), is equally memorable here as a hardened ex-con whose thirst for revenge is matched by his ruthlessness (smashing a glass into the face of a hired gunman, shooting a poker player through the hand, slapping his girlfriend repeatedly during an argument). Robert Ryan, in his final screen role, is also impressive as the seemingly untouchable syndicate boss Mailer, and viewers will have fun spotting the various celebrity cameos from jazz singer Anita ODay performing Your Guess Is As Good as Mine in a cavernous barroom to such sports figures as Carl Eller (football), Archie Moore (boxer), and Tony Trabert (golf). Admittedly The Outfit has some problems; Karen Black is completely miscast as Macklins compromised girlfriend who sports a retro wardrobe thats a pale imitation of Faye Dunaways classy costumes in Bonnie and Clyde (1967). And the climactic shootout at Mailers mansion ends in a surprisingly upbeat denouement which seems inconsistent with the films previously grim tone. Ironically, the TV version plays out as a true noir with The Outfit ending as Earl and Cody are trapped within Mailers burning house while the police and fire department surround the building. While the theatrical version has an upbeat ending, the TV version concludes with Earl and Cody trapped within Mailers burning house while the police and fire department surround the building. Brian Garfield, in an intro to a reprint of the novel this film is based on, notes that it was originally written by director John Flynn as a period piece, intending to be set in the postwar 1940s. Thats why such film noir veterans such as Elisha Cook Jr., Richard Jaeckel, Marie Windsor and Jane Greer appear in it. The studio, however, decided it would be too expensive to shoot a period picture, so the script was superficially updated, the World War II vets became Vietnam vets, and actors like Robert Ryan, Karen Black and Sheree North joined the cast. The result was that the story was restored to its original conception (the series this book was based on was written and set in the then contemporary 1960s and 1970s). Had the period piece idea gone through, this would have represented a rare case of backdating a character. This was one of Robert Ryans final performances. He died of cancer three months before the movie was released. Roger Ebert gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of four and praised it as a classy action picture, very well directed and acted. However, Time wrote, Director Flynn makes a movie that has been seen before, without either the skill or spirit that distinguished such excellent predecessors as Point Blank and Get Carter. In his review for The New York Times, Vincent Canby wrote, The Outfit is not really a bad movie. It doesnt fail in an attempt to do something beyond its means. It doesnt attempt to do anything except pass the time, which simply isnt good enough when most of us have access to television.

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bikerbish (2011-02-05)

Thanks for this movie,
I saw it a while ago on TV, but never copied it,
hope it comes in DVD format soon