The Getaway (1972)

Director:

Sam Peckinpah

Writers:

Walter Hill (screenplay)
Jim Thompson (novel)

Release Date:

13 December 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

They're Hot - McQueen/MacGraw

Plot:

A recently released ex-con and his loyal wife go on the run after a heist goes awry.

Plot Keywords:

Heist | Bank | On The Run | Parole | Drive Thru

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win

Cast

Steve McQueen	...	Doc McCoy
Ali MacGraw	...	Carol McCoy
Ben Johnson	...	Jack Beynon
Sally Struthers	...	Fran Clinton
Al Lettieri	...	Rudy Butler
Slim Pickens	...	Cowboy
Richard Bright	...	The Thief
Jack Dodson	...	Harold Clinton
Dub Taylor	...	Laughlin
Bo Hopkins	...	Frank Jackson
Roy Jenson	...	Cully
John Bryson	...	The Accountant
Bill Hart	...	Swain
Tom Runyon	...	Hayhoe
Whitney Jones	...	The Soldier
Raymond King	...	Boy on the Train
Ivan Thomas	...	Boy on the Train
C.W. White	...	Boy's Mother
Brenda W. King	...	Boy's Mother
W. Dee Kutach	...	Parole Board Chairman
Brick Lowry	...	Parole Board Commissioner
Martin Colley	...	McCoy's Lawyer
O.S. Savage	...	Field Captain
Dick Crockett	...	Bank Guard
A.L. Camp	...	Hardware Store Owner
Bob Veal	...	TV Shop Proprietor
Bruce Bissonette	...	Sporting Goods Salesman
Maggie Gonzalez	...	Carhop
Jim Kannon	...	Cannon
Doug Dudley	...	Max
Stacy Newton	...	Stacy
Tommy Bush	...	Cowboy's Helper (as Tom Bush)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Margaret Mazzola	...	Car Hop #1 (uncredited)
Hal Smith	...	Various Radio Announcers (uncredited)
Tommy Splittgerber	...	Train Station Ticket Agent (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Peckinpah

Writing credits
Walter Hill		(screenplay)
Jim Thompson		(novel)

Produced by
Mitchell Brower	....	producer
Gordon T. Dawson	....	associate producer
David Foster	....	producer

Original Music by
Quincy Jones

Cinematography by
Lucien Ballard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert L. Wolfe		(as Robert Wolfe)

Casting by
Patricia Mock

Art Direction by
Angelo P. Graham		(as Angelo Graham)
Ted Haworth

Set Decoration by
George R. Nelson

Makeup Department
Kathryn Blondell	....	hair stylist (as Kathy Blondell)
Al Fleming	....	makeup artist
Jack Petty	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Don Guest	....	production manager (as Donald Guest)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Newt Arnold	....	assistant director
Gordon T. Dawson	....	second unit director
Ron Wright	....	assistant director

Art Department
Chalo González	....	assistant property master (as Chalo Gonzalez)
Les Hallett	....	assistant property master
Robert J. Visciglia Sr.	....	property master (as Robert J. Visciglia)
Jarrell Jay Knowles	....	props (uncredited)
Wes Webb	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Colgan	....	sound editor (as Mike Colgan)
Garth Craven	....	sound consultant
Michael J. Kohut	....	boom operator (as Michael Kohut)
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Josef von Stroheim	....	sound editor (as Joe von Stroheim)
Charles M. Wilborn	....	sound mixer
Walter A. Gest	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Bud Hulburd	....	special effects

Stunts
Gary Combs	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Donna Garrett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Hart	....	stunts (uncredited)
Whitey Hughes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunt double: Steve McQueen (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gaylin P. Schultz	....	key grip
Mel Traxel	....	still photographer
Harry Young	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kent James	....	costumer: men
Barbara Siebert	....	costumer: women
Ray Summers	....	costume supervisor
James M. George	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mike Klein	....	assistant film editor
Bill Lindemann	....	assistant film editor (as William G. Lindemann)
Roger Spottiswoode	....	editorial consultant

Music Department
Dan Carlin Sr.	....	music editor (as Dan Carlin)
Don Elliott	....	musical voices
Toots Thielemans	....	musician: harmonica solos

Other crew
Joan Arnold	....	production secretary
Joie Gould	....	assistant to producer
Katherine Haber	....	dialogue director (as Katy Haber)
Michael Preece	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Warren Skaaren	....	thanks: executive director, Texas Film Commission

Production Companies

• First Artists (presentation)
• Solar Productions (as Solar)
• Foster-Brower Productions

Distributors

• National General Pictures (1972) (USA) (theatrical)
• Gloria (1973) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1976) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (USA) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Latigo Productions  title design
• Pacific Title  titles
• Texas Film Commission  thanks

Also Known As:

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (re-rating, uncut) | USA:PG (cut) | UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:16 | France:-12 | Norway:16 (cut) (1973) | Norway:18 (uncut) | Portugal:M/16 | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating) | Brazil:14 | Sweden:15 (uncut) (1998) | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | Germany:16 (re-rating) | Italy:VM14 | Sweden:15 (cut) (1973) | West Germany:18 (nf) | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

El Paso, Texas, USA

Company:

First Artists

Trivia:

The film's original score was composed by frequent Sam Peckinpah collaborator Jerry Fielding, but was replaced, at Steve McQueen's insistence, with the lighter, jazzier film score by Quincy Jones, shortly before the film's release.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Carol and Doc open the station locker and they realize that the grifter has stolen their money, Doc's jacket momentarily disappears only to reappear shortly thereafter.

Quotes:

Jack Beynon:You run the job, but I run the show.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Grindhouse (2007)

Soundtrack:

The Stars and Stripes Forever

Hypnotic, violent classic

Was wondering why they don't make films like this anymore. Then it dawned on me. It has ambiguous morals and doesn't particularly ask for or seek redemption. The hero is a killer and bank robber, he says little and therefore you should have to work hard to empathize with him. But it comes easy because everyone else around Doc McCoy is ten times worse than he is. And Doc is played by Steve McQueen. A magnificent brooding presence who's character doesn't stop to question his actions, because if he did he'd die or get arrested. And this is where it is so much better than a contemporary film of the same vein. It's not made with actors who are scared that their image might be tarnished or misunderstood, it is not made by film-makers who are scared they might upset someone, it is not made by people who particularly need to be loved. So what you get is a story that rings true, a piece of fiction that at no time stops to apologize for itself. It grabs you, says this is what I am, and if you're hooked then great. If not go and watch Bambi or something.

A bona fide classic piece of storytelling.