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"Take the Money and Run" is an absolutely hilarious Woody Allen film, done in a quasi-documentary style, about a career criminal, Virgil Starkwell, who has a very unsuccessful career. His prison breaks don't go as planned, his robberies are a disaster and usually coincide with someone else's robbery of the same place, and his planning of a job would be fine if only he weren't talking to an associate in a restaurant while the police are in the booth behind him. One nice perk of failure: while attempting to rob a young woman's purse, he falls in love with her (Janet Margolin). Virgil does admit at one point thinking of foregoing robbery and taking up a career in singing. He doesn't mention the cello, which gave him his start in music - and crime.

This is one of those laugh out loud even when you're alone movies of which there are all too few. But this is one. Over a tough, FBI-type narration, we watch Virgil's futile attempts at making money through crime, see his parents (disguised) interviewed, as well as his wife and the various police and investigators he meets along the way.

It's amazing to look at this film and then look at "Match Point" done 35 years later and see the evolution of this brilliant man. Woody Allen is capable of rock-solid comedy as well as provocative movie-making. Although he's had a few blips along the way, one wonders what he'll think of next.

TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN is Mel Brooks-like in structure and gags, but definitely Woody Allen at his comical best. Its not his greatest picture by any means, but perhaps the best of his early slapstick flicks (SLEEPER, BANANAS). "Virgil Starkwell" has a hard time stealing right from the start. When a criminal gets a gumball machine "stuck to his hand", you know he's in the wrong gig. Woody Allen is right at home with this innocent, documentary-style drip on the unintentional hilarity of 60's crime documentaries. Woody, or "Virgil", seems to be playing Woody as usual, something we all know runs through his entire body of work. This movie is very much like his innovative ZELIG of 1983, a black and white docu-spoof about a fictional chameleon.

Jackson Beck's narration is PERFECT in making the outrageous material seem "serious". It no doubt inspired the short spoofs "Saturday Night Live" would go on to produce for years, investigative reporting seemingly important, yet ridiculous in content. "Virgil's" parents are in disguise (Groucho Marx nose and glasses) whenever they are "interviewed". The chain gang escape is one of the funniest sequences I have ever seen. Woody also moves into romantic territory with the beautiful Janet Margolin, who had a nice, fat purse for "Virgil" to steal, but also has a quick reaction to his inept robbery attempt and, of course, they fall in love. She is there for "Virgil" to live for during his always brief prison stays and to pick out his clothes for a robbery. There are some familiar elements here, most obviously the beautiful young girl falling for a middle-aged homely Woody.

TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN is all about raw comedic filmmaking and mockery. It is not a situational film at all, just a bunch of perfectly cohesive episodes of this perfectly moronic bank robber, who spells gun G-U-B. Wouldn't that throw us all off if we were the bank tellers taking a note during a stick up ?

The clumsy Virgil Starkwell (Woody Allen) is bullied when he is a child. Then he decides to play cello, but without musical talent, the loser joins a street gang and ends in prison. When he escapes, he meets the laundry worker Louise (Janet Margolin) and lies to her, telling that he plays cello in the symphonic orchestra.

He is arrested in a hold up and Louise finds him in prison. He breaks out and flees with Louise to another state. He tries to be honest but he is incapable to fit in any job. When he finally finds a job position suitable for his intellect, he is blackmailed by a colleague and returns to his criminal life. But his heists are disastrous and he always ends in prison.

"Take the Money and Run" is the second film by Woody Allen in a documentary style the same way he does with "Zelig" in 1983, and tells the saga of a clumsy smalltime thief. The last time I had seen this film was on 22 August 1999 and this time I found it still enjoyable, but less than the last time.

Virgil Starkwell is an incompetent loser obsessed with bank heists. The narrative and interviews in the documentary style of the 60's and 70's have hilarious moments and is closed by the funny interview of his neighbor that asks to the interviewer how an imbecile like Virgil could plan the heist of banks. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Um Assaltante Bem Trapalhão" ("A Very Clumsy Thief")

Now I'm rarely a man to agree with any 'consensus view' of particular films, yet I very much have to go along with the tide as regards 'Take the Money and Run' - only the second Allen film I have commented upon here, though I have seen many more.

Basically, the film is enjoyable viewing throughout, but not an entirely consistent, successful comedy. Allen had yet to hone his skills in fashioning feature length films; I have reservations more so for 'Bananas', less so for 'Sleeper' and 'Love and Death'; the two films with which he really hits his stride. This is his first film as a director and thus maybe it is to be expected that we'll see a transitional film. One can tell Allen is trying to work out a formula to translate his largely verbal stand-up humour to film. He really does a pretty good job of this. There are plenty of very good jokes and a generally very lightweight, genial tone to this picture. It is seen through by this, yet is hamstrung by its very effervescence; the film is likeable and won me over, yet it is too scattershot in approach and delivery to really satisfy.

Woody himself is an instantly winning figure in his comic persona; that of a physically diminutive and verbally bumbling Jewish intellectual. With in this film the vocation of a bank robber; a displacement which results in much of the expected amusement. There's not yet any attempt to go very deep into this character of his, but this is a pure, light comedy. No real New York or indeed Bergman or Chekhov reference points yet.

One is reminded in Allen of David Thomson's insightful comments on Chaplin and the persona he projected to audiences; trying to charm them and win them over by a certain vulnerability and status as 'underdog'. It is very true that in many of Allen's films, like Chaplin, he is right at the centre of the film, and the world outside is not portrayed with any sense of the mechanics of reality. Conflicts are never all that serious or convincing; he draws from a limited pool of character types, in socio-political terms. Allen has done films with other leads; though his usual concerns always find their way through. 'Take the Money and Run' is full of the Chaplin tendency to have bullish, physically imposing figures, or indeed perhaps a wider society, threatening the 'little man'. There is a wish-fulfilment woman in the languid person of Janet Margolin's Louise; as a character more a projection than of flesh and blood or shades of grey. She works well as a slightly wan, attractive comic foil for Allen, who doesn't mind getting her hands dirty, but she's really not Diane Keaton.

This film is slight, no question about that... it fails under real scrutiny, yet it is largely very enticing stuff; an early glimpse of Allen getting his filmic technique in order. If you like what the man does - and surely most (wryly bespectacled) film cineastes such as I do! - then you are sure to enjoy this film. Just don't count on it being a triumph in the major key.

Rating:- *** 1/2/*****

For those of you who think that all Woody Allen's movies are vapid stories of neurotic rich New Yorkers, you need to see his early movies. "Take the Money and Run" is a good example. Allen plays Virgil Starkwell, an inept criminal. No matter what sort of crime he tries to pull off, something always goes wrong. Probably the funniest scene is when he tries to escape from jail like John Dillinger did. Other scenes include the time when the authorities use him in an experiment, with a silly result.

Anyway, Woody Allen's old movies were really funny. The thing was that he created a bunch of outlandish premises and infused his New York Jewish humor. This is what comedy is all about!

In an age of tee hee funny blockbuster comedies, this is a FUNNY knee- slapping side-splitting tear-producing pause-the-DVD-so-as-to-not-miss-a-line-movie. Hollywood just does not make movies like this. It's a love story between a crook and a beautiful woman. No, it's the story of a little red headed kid who went on to pull off the worst bank heist ever. No, it's the story of a cons escape from prison. It's all of these. Only Woody could have had Virgil fall madly in love with Louise, want to spend the rest of his life with her, then only later on, decide he doesn't want to steal her purse. Classic. Only Woody would have his bank robber pull off a bank job with a mis-spelled note then have him escape from a chain gang on foot running beside men on bikes. Fantastic movie and fun for all. Prepare to laugh.

This slightly uneven, but often hilarious, Woody Allen outing delivers the goods. There are some memorable bits, which are significant of his comic style. The one involving the chain gang, I'm sure, will always be remembered. Of course, some of the bits are too far-fetched and cartoonish to be funny, but Woody's routines often work and I can't lie that this movie is extremely fresh and original. I just watched it recently, and was laughing my head off, so I know it's not one of those outdated comedies.

I've seen funnier Woody Allen movies, but I would still recommend it for all those who are curious of his early work--like I am. And for something that was made when he was still an up-and-coming filmmaker, it was done extremely well.

My score: 7 (out of 10)

Take the Money and Run (1969) was Woody Allen's motion picture debut (sans 'Tiger Lily). The film follows the life of a criminal loser, shot in a faux documentary style. Allen used the most out of his small budget and made an amusing film. This was the beginning of his slapstick/farce phase that would last until the early 70's. An interesting start for one of America's most unique film-makers of that era. The script by Mickey Rose and Woody Allen is deeply engraved with screwball humor from their childhood icons such as the Marx Brothers and Charles Chaplin. This film showed the promise of a brilliant director who would become a major player in Hollywood in the years to come. Highly recommended.

A.

Woody Allen's first outing as director, writer, and actor turns out to be a hilarious quip of a film that almost always steadily throws the laughs at you.

Allen plays Virgil Starkwell, outcast. He didn't really fit in as a child, so he turned to a life of crime. But, as we see him now in his adult years, he has yet to commit a sucessful crime. As he's trying to steal purses in the park, he meets Louise (Janet Margolin), and the fall in love. This time, the love seems true because he isn't 60 years old and falling in love with her. In documentary style film, we find out about more of his escapedes.

The documentary style didn't do anything for me in Zelig, but it worked here because it was more of a mockumentary. It had more "acting" scenes and less interviews. A lot of times, there was no narration, just like a "real" movie, and that added to the movie some. Allen's comedic style is one I adore, and this is no exception. He is very funny and his comedy is genuine and original. There's been too many "crime is glorious" movies, but this one made you actually feel for the criminal. That's no easy task.

I hadn't heard of Janet Margolin before this, but she was pretty good as Allen's lover. However, a couple times it seemed like she tried too hard in the "dramatic" parts, but I can overlook that. Speaking of dramatic parts, there were a few too many lulls in the comedy, especially during the romantic collages, but those too can be overlooked if just the comedy is anaylzed.

Allen's gags are not outrageous, not controversial or anything like that. Most of them are simple one-liners, though there are a good number of sight gags, most involving his crimes. One particually funny scene is when Allen and his gang are about to rob a bank, when another gang comes in, also wanting to rob the bank. It's a fun 86 minutes that will leave you giggling from beginning to end.

My rating: 7/10

Rated PG for brief language and criminal overtones.

IMDB has "What's Up, Tiger Lily?" as Woody Allen's first writer/director gig...and it is. "Take the Money and Run" is really writer/director/star/legendary filmmaker Woody Allen's first real movie. And as far as first at-bats go, Woody does a pretty good job. There are a lot of funny jokes in this movie. It also has quite a few groaners. None of them are deal breakers it's just that "Take the Money and Run" is a very silly movie. It's very likeable for a while but then it starts to run out of steam. For a short movie (85 minutes), it fells pretty long towards the end. (I watched this movie on YouTube. Shhh, don't tell anybody.)

Very early Woody Allen winner has the all-time lovable loser trying to make ends meet with girlfriend and future wife Janet Margolin. Allen, obviously pretty unskilled in most everything, decides that he can do just what the title of the film says and achieve true happiness with his one true love. Documentary-styled footage makes the picture unfold in a quietly uproarious way as Allen uses corny techniques used by most news organizations to tell a story that would have looked very odd without his insight being involved. Allen's films only work because he makes them work usually and that is definitely the case with "Take the Money and Run". Once again he shows unlimited potential and would use this movie, more than any other, as a spring-board for much future success in the 1970s, 1980s and beyond. 4 stars out of 5.

Is it my favourite woody allen from these "phase"? No, i think sleeper wins the prize. Is it funny? yes. does it have memorable scenes? oh yes, i count at least three completely memorable, but there is more crazy stuff here. It might lack a bit in plot and doesn't develop utterly its characters but it completely succeeds as a non sense comedy.

it has a type of humor i really enjoy: the absurd: the idea of professional robbing taking as a serious job. the competition between robbers. how burglars can fail because their handwriting is not good. how to commit a perfect murder and being persecuted by the police various times without being caught, even with chains.

all of this film is made for us to laugh with the absurdities. it does work definitely. i think allen's earlier movies are very cool and funny mostly because they don't take anything much seriously and want to kinda be chaplin and keaton mixed with monty python. it's how i see them. take the money and run is a film that relies on cool stupidity to succeed and it does.

it also has a lot of physical humor and is a good attempt of a mockumentary a genre that wasn't very expressive at this time. allen's humor might not be for everyone: but it's extremely enjoyable and it works very well almost everytime - there are times where i thought he tried to hard, but the ones that worked are very good. definitely watch this.

Take the Money and Run

This was my favorite Woody when I was a young fella. I guess the rapid succession of quick little gags appealed to me. Now I'm less amused by it (perhaps partly due to overexposure) but there are some great bits. The whole "gub" thing is really inspired, and the chain gang scene, and some of the small throwaway jokes like the "disguises" Virgil's parents wear. Others fall kinda flat, but there's nothing truly awful in the entire movie. Although not one of the greats, it's generally a fun time.

Rating: 7/10

Woody Allen hit gold with his second film, "Take the Money and Run", which is a basic film that works on so many levels and is memorable strictly for its charm and good wit.

The story follows Allen's Virgil Starkwell, whose life is told in documentary fashion. We learn he had a strange childhood and turned to crime to fulfill his needs. We learn of his romance and sympathize with him as we engage in prison escapes and witness him put in a chain gang. The documentary style might prove to be a "gimmick" of sorts, but it works because had the story been told any other way it simply would not have worked.

Also, "Take the Money" is an early token of what's to come and what the general audience will expect of Allen; smooth drama balanced by fast, witty monologues and lots of self-humiliation. To see this is to witness the early work of the director who ultimately brought us "Bananas", "Sleeper", "Manhattan", and the Oscar-winning "Annie Hall". And if anything, just track it for its over-the-top humor, not as in-your-face funny as "Sleeper" or as sexually hilarious as "Annie Hall", but it's warm and withdrawn, balanced all together by a very good ending (always one of the weaker parts in almost all of Allen's films).

Highly recommended! ***+ (8.5/10)

Take The Money and Run (1969) : Brief Review -

A Woody Allen Masterclass! Woody, you can take my money and run for giving this crazy comedy, and I wouldn't tell the cops. For me, Take The Money and Run is like a Sacha Guilty-type narration meeting the freakishly funny humour of Woody Allen. I mean, I didn't laugh by holding my stomach, but somewhere my brain was laughing silently up there in the head. This is a crazy comedy that tickles you throughout the narrative, and most importantly, it never loses its intelligence. They say it's difficult to make people laugh, but it's even more difficult to make an intelligent comedy. Hollywood was changing after 60s and they needed someone genius to try out-of-the box stuff. Woody Allen filled the glass. This man was terribly clever. Take the Money and Run is all about his vision to look at things from absurd perspectives and create unbeatable gags out of them. The fun is not hysterical; it's organic. Mockumentary is a simple genre because it gives you the liberty to do ridiculous things in a realistic world, I believe. Virgil Starkwell's story is told in documentary style, using fake stock footage and interviews with people who knew him. After 20 minutes or so, he speaks his first dialogue to the love of his life, Louise. I thought it was going to be a narration throughout the film, but after Louise's entry, the conversations started to take place. Some were hilarious, some stupid, and some extremely silly, but all they did was put a smile on my face. From misspelling a robbery note to two robberies clashing with each other at the bank, even a serious crime looked so amusing and funny. There are like two dozen such scenes that have ludicrous humour and high repeat value. It's like a study-freak comedy that isn't made for backbenchers. You need to be too smart to understand this stupid comedy, or else you better call yourself stupid.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

This is my favorite Woody Allen film. Fill stop.

Allen plays a terrible petty criminal. Not terrible as in a bad person, but terrible as in terrible at his... Uh, profession. Describing the plot any further would be a waste of your time and mine, but there are so many great scenes and I do want to mention a couple to intime would-be viewers to sit down and watch the damn thing. Take, for instance, when Allen's character fails to rob a bank because the bankteller couldn't read his handwriting on the note he passed her. What follows is a small gather of bank employees huddled together, trying to decrypt the note while Allen argues with them.

In another scene, we find out hero imprisoned. He agrees to some jailhouse experiments in exchange for freedom. The doc injects him with a cure for whatever, then check on him sometime later. He was sitting there, with a huge beard, dressed in Rabbi's garments and explaining Passover to his fellow inmates.

Finally, and chronologically firstly, we see Allen's character playing cello in a marching band. The band matches around as Allen run along to keep up with them, before playing the cello for a few seconds then repeating it all.

As you can see, the humor in this movie draws on the absurd, and like great absurdist works, it's a pure joy from start to finish.

Louise: We're having children.

Virgil: You're kidding!

No. I went to the doctor. This is my Christmas gift to you.

But all I needed was just a tie!

Woody's mock documentary, about a nebbish career criminal, is slight - little more than a collection of one-liners - but is arguably his funniest film, and much preferable to his more solemn films, in which he discovered he was the reincarnation of Ingmar Bergman.

Take the Money and Run was Woody Allen's first film as star-writer-director and the start of a career pattern that saw classics like Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, A Midsummer Nights Sex Comedy and Curse of the Jade Scorpion. Allen had partly written and had supporting roles in earlier comedies like What's New Pussycat? and the mess that was Casino Royale but this was his first complete film with him as director as well. He was initially skeptical about whether he could pull it off and suggested that Jerry Lewis direct him. In fact, you can see the influence of the more physical type of Jerry Lewis humor in this and much less of the Woody Allen dialog driven humor. There is almost no suggestion of the neurotic Jewish character that Allen later typecast himself in.

Take the Money and Run is interesting viewing for all Woody Allen fans because this is where it all started. There are several funny gags as well. Woody Allens taste in women was good even at the start of his career. On the whole, the entire documentary style was an interesting approach, but there appear to be holes in the structure and in many ways this reminded me of one of Jerry Lewis's earliest films as a solo performer - The Bellboy. The similarity is in the concept of piecing together several funny skits, the whole being less than the sum of its parts.

Wow, when I was young and very much secularist back when this came out, and for a couple of decades later, I found this movie hilarious and nothing offended me. I can't say that anymore as Allen's bias against religion, which he has made public many times over the years, hit me right in the gut in a number of scenes here.....ruining the fun of watching this anymore. Allen is quick to insert in this story that the misguided couple (he and actress Janet Margolin) are screwed up because their parents "beat religion into them." In case you didn't get that message, Allen repeats it several times!

Otherwise, it's a funny movie that reminded me of the more modern Christopher Guest "mockumentaries" in which the film is supposed to look a documentary of sorts but is all fiction. Since this is a one-joke movie, Allen was smart in keeping it short at 80-some minutes because it starts to wear by the end.