Il genio della rapina

While some call it light, I suppose that's true, but it's missing the point. $ isn't supposed to be nutritious, it's supposed to be delectable. The joy is in the unfolding story with no explanation of what's going on. Beatty says this method of robbing a bank has never been tried, but doesn't tell you what it is. The robbery starts, and you're still uncertain about how he's doing it. Then a few minutes into it, you get the, "oh. OH!" feeling and it's intoxicating to watch a slow-motion robbery, presented in batches of 60 seconds.

I thought the chase was disappointing in its lack of true variety. Goldie's escape method is good, but in general its inventiveness pales compared to the bank heist technique. And all the puzzles make sense when you watch it a second time. But I'll never forget the feeling I had, watching this movie for the first time with my wife's 80 year old grandparents (!?!?!?), and savoring that joy of uncertainty..."what the heck is going on??" Mystery lovers, bon appetite.

An entertaining Beatty/Goldie Hawn flick that really has nothing to say, but moves along like a freight-train and keeps your interest. Goldie Hawn was never cuter (except Shampoo w/Beatty) before she turned into Shirley MacLaine. Gert Frobe (Goldfinger) is befuddled and amusing. Beatty would make a great film the same year (McCabe & Mrs. Miller).

Don't expect much and you'll have a ball. Throw in Scott Brady (Lawrence Tierney's little brother) and other evil Germans and robbery becomes cool. I believe Richard Brooks directed this (In Cold Blood). He must have needed some fast cash. 6 out of 10. Best performance = Goldie Hawn.

is when each of the crooks get the big surprise in the vault! This movie is one of my favorites. I really liked the pacing, the direction and the plot concept. While Goldie Hawn doesn't really seem quite like a prostitute, she really carries the movie. One particular memorable moment comes when she bathes her hands with money and asks herself if there is some connection between crime and sex. Warren Beatty is also good. I particularly liked Scott Brady's perfect caricature of American chauvinism. Arthur Brauss is haunting and memorable as the sociopath drug dealer. I personally found the long chase scenes in last part of the movie to be out of sync with the rest of the film.

American banking engineer, orchestrating the opening of a high-tech new bank in Germany, conspires to rip-off a gang of crooks and low-lifes who keep their loot in private boxes at the branch. There is quite a long set-up to the protracted chase in this film; luckily it involves a daffy, wonderful Goldie Hawn as a hooker/accomplice to thief Warren Beatty. Hawn is a living, breathing cliffhanger, you never know what she's going to do next. In the middle of the hysteria, there's a beautifully modulated moment where she tells Beatty about a screen-test she did for the movies ("First take, nothing. Second take, I dunno know...tears. Third take, I forgot my own name. And I made it up myself!"). The chase takes up about two entire reels, and it's been edited with hairbreadth timing. I also loved what first appeared to be a twist ending: someone dupes someone else, and then in turn gets duped. It would've been an awesome climax, but there's a weird tag at the very end of the picture (ostensibly to wrap it up with a bow) which is sort of a letdown. It seems to involve none of the participants--only their props!--which leads me to believe this was a post-production/last minute decision. Still, "$" (pronounced "Dollars") is funny, smart, and filmed in a cool, jazzy style that is no longer fashionable but certainly memorable. ***1/2 from ****

This movie is sooo 1970! Take charge know-it-all Americans with long hair, James Bond style villains, lots of (for the time) hi tech gadgets, constant cigarettes, big busted bimbos in short skirts and car chases. Endless car chases! Interminable car chases! Impossible car chases! At my age I tend to regard 1971 as my era. Yet it was over 40 years ago and the movies of that time tended to reflect the James Bond culture. But any movie with lots of trains can't be all bad and much of this film is set on trains, in rail terminals and in rail freight yards. It's dated but that in itself can be interesting. Goldie Hawn with her goofy giggle is always a delight and the late Gert Frobe, although a good guy in this movie, will always be Auric Goldfinger to me.