El hombre que burló a la mafia

Director Don Siegel followed up his mega-hit "Dirty Harry" with "Charley Varrick." "Dirty Harry" was about a cop (Clint Eastwood.) "Charley Varrick" is about a robber (Walter Matthau.) "Dirty Harry" puts Westerner Eastwood in big city San Francisco. "Charley Varrick" puts Easterner Walter Matthau in back country New Mexico (with a side-trip to high desert Reno.) "Dirty Harry" was a hit. "Charley Varrick" was not -- perhaps because, despite Matthau's deadpan charm as Varrick, he is a robber whose gang kills cops and "Dirty Harry" had been dedicated to officers dead in the line of duty. Siegel was returning to tough crime territory, with Varrick the most likeable and centered of crooks in a movie filled with them. Varrick finds himself in trouble when his heist of a tiny backwater bank nets big money -- Mafia money. In "Dirty Harry," Eastwood chases a killer. In "Charley Varrick," a killer chases Matthau: Joe Don Baker's implacable pipe-smoking hit man. The fun comes from watching Matthau's brain pitted against Baker's brawn, with plenty of twists as Matthau tries to escape certain death. The charismatic Matthau plays it straight here, and plays almost his entire part by chewing gum and silently thinking about what to do next. A perfectly made, tight thriller, with a great ending. Watch for the single-take scene between mobsters as a shadow fills the cow pasture in which they talk. And Matthau beds a beautiful woman played by Felicia Farr -- wife of Matthau pal Jack Lemmon. This is one of those movies that makes me miss Matthau.

This was a pleasant surprise; better than I thought it would be, although I shouldn't have been surprised since Walter Matthau usually plays interesting roles.

What I appreciated was the realism of the story, except for two things at the end of the film such as no one coming to investigate a loud chase scenes and firebombing? Overall, the ending, however, was a very satisfying one, and one that brings you back for future viewings. Matthau also makes the film realistic, as he typecast perfectly for this role.

Other than Matthau, the cast isn't a big-name one but a lot of familiar faces and names from movies in the '60s and very early 70s such as John Vernon, Sheree North, Joe Don Baker and Felicia Farr.

Andy Robinson, is a not a known name in movies because he did years of television, but viewers might remember him as the creepy "Scorpio Killer" in the first "Dirty Harry" film.

"Charlie Varrick" is considered a film noir even though it's 1973 and in color, but it's noir in story and that's good enough for me. This is definitely worth a look if you like crime films.

Charley Varrick (Walter Matthau), his wife Nadine, and accomplices Al Dutcher and Harman Sullivan (Andrew Robinson) rob a small bank in the rural town of Tres Cruces, New Mexico. The cops notice and start asking questions. Nadine shoots two cops killing one. Dutcher is killed. Nadine is wounded. The biggest problem is that they got away with too much money, over $765k in mob money. Nadine dies from the wound. Charley tells Harman to lay low but the young punk is restless. The mob sends hit-man Molly (Joe Don Baker).

This is a good bunch of characters in a good thriller. The characters are smartly written. There are some great stunts although the action could be better filmed. There are great car crashes and one memorable plane stunt. It's a very solid smart thriller with Matthau going beyond his comedic roots.

Matthau's fine performance and Siegel's assured direction makes this a must for all lovers of 1970s action movies. Having passed this over before, I found Charlie Varrick to be an exhilarating watch containing beautiful landscapes and a stunning finale.

I highly recommend this film and the section on it written by Siegel in his own autobiography. Criticisms that this is a confusing and slow-paced adventure are unfounded as many of the loose ends come together almost perfectly in a well thought through chain of events.

Definitely worth a look when it next comes on TV, but probably even better at the cinema.

It's such a shame they can't make gritty down-and-dirty movies like they did in the 1970s anymore. And CHARLEY VARRICK is a fine specimen of the exciting, brutal, honest approach to movies in that decade. We've become so accustomed to seeing Walter Matthau in comedies like GRUMPY OLD MEN that at first you'd wonder if he could pull his part off as Varrick convincingly (well, he also played a crook in KING CREOLE and a detective in THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE, TWO THREE, for openers). It turns out that Matthau is very good here, playing a small-time bank robber, a common-man type who's latest take unexpectedly winds up being laundered Mafia loot! Now he has to outsmart the mobsters as well as their sadistic hit-man and the police, all of whom are hot on his trail.

Everyone in this film is out for all he/she can get. I have to take a moment to acknowledge Joe Don Baker in particular. As the punchy, no-nonsense, wisecracking hit-man he provides many fun moments and is a real standout. He's perfectly cast, but then so really is most everyone (Woodrow Parfrey, Sheree North, Andy Robinson and John Vernon - the dean from NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE). Don Siegel keeps us interested throughout, and one nice scene in particular struck me when Parfrey and Vernon are having a discussion near the cow field. Their dialogue and acting is done practically in one long take that keeps us focused just by the sheer talents of the actors being allowed to do their thing. I wonder if this is a lost art with the now ever-moving MTV camera styles and edits of the 21st Century? I should mention I also enjoyed the unpredictable climax.

They just don't make movies like this anymore - unless you count the great Quentin Tarantino, who undoubtedly likes this film himself and seems to have borrowed some of it for his own work (there's even a line from VARRICK that was reheated for PULP FICTION). *** out of ****