Take the Money and Run (1969)

The life and times of Virgil Starkwell, inept bank robber.

Director:

Woody Allen

Writers:

Woody Allen (original screenplay), Mickey Rose (original screenplay)

Stars:

Woody Allen, Janet Margolin, Marcel Hillaire

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Woody Allen	...	Virgil Starkwell
Janet Margolin	...	Louise
Marcel Hillaire	...	Fritz - Director
Jacquelyn Hyde	...	Miss Blair
Lonny Chapman	...	Jake - Convict
Jan Merlin	...	Al - Bank Robber
James Anderson	...	Chain Gang Warden
Howard Storm	...	Fred
Mark Gordon	...	Vince
Micil Murphy	...	Frank
Minnow Moskowitz	...	Joe Agneta
Nate Jacobson	...	The Judge
Grace Bauer	...	Farm House Lady
Ethel Sokolow	...	Mother Starkwell
Dan Frazer	...	Julius Epstein - The Psychiatrist (as Don Frazier)

Storyline

This film is presented as a documentary on the life of an incompetent, petty criminal called Virgil Starkwell. It describes the early childhood and youth of Virgil, his failure at a musical career, and his obsession with bank robberies. The film uses a voice over narrative and interviews with his family, friends and acquaintances.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | bank robbery | cello | laundry | chain gang | 

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Taglines:

WANTED. For Assault, Armed Robbery and Committing a Lewd and Immoral Dance with a Chocolate Pudding.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

M

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 March 1971 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Robó, huyó y lo pescaron

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC), Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions, Palomar Pictures International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the first movie that Woody Allen directed. His initial lack of either confidence or track record prompted him to initially ask Jerry Lewis to direct the movie, but Lewis was busy with his own work.

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Goofs

During the bicycle sequence Woody is chained in the middle of the prisoners, but when they enter the old lady's house, he is the first man on the chain.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Virgil: Do you know if it's raining outside?

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Connections

References Room Service (1938)

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Soundtracks

"Soul Bossa Nova"
Written by Quincy Jones
Performed by Marvin Hamlisch and His Orchestra

User Reviews

The Saga of a Clumsy Smalltime Thief

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")