The Seven-Ups (1973)

Director:

Philip D'Antoni

Writers:

Albert Ruben (screenplay) and
Alexander Jacobs (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 December 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

When they're after you, you're gonna hope for a nice stretch in prison. Seven years...and up!

Plot:

A tough detective who is part of an elite New York City unit is trying to find out who killed his partner, but uncovers a plot to kidnap mobsters for money.

Plot Keywords:

New York | Kidnapping | New York City | Police | Car Chase

Cast

Roy Scheider	...	Buddy - Seven-Up
Victor Arnold	...	Barilli - Seven-Up
Jerry Leon	...	Mingo - Seven-Up
Ken Kercheval	...	Ansel - Seven-Up
Tony Lo Bianco	...	Vito Lucia
Larry Haines	...	Max Kalish
Richard Lynch	...	Moon
Bill Hickman	...	Bo
Lou Polan	...	Carmine Coltello
Matt Russo	...	Festa
Joe Spinell	...	Toredano
Robert Burr	...	Lt. Hanes
Rex Everhart	...	Inspector Gilson
David Wilson	...	Bobby
Ed Jordan	...	Bruno

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (TVC) | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1989) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1974) | Iceland:16 | Norway:16 (1975) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG (certificate #23673)

Filming Locations:

10th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Philip D'Antoni Productions Inc.

Trivia:

An ancillary branch of the police department, the Seven-Ups were so named because any criminals busted by them were guaranteed to spend at least seven years in the slammer

Goofs:

Continuity: Toward the end of the chase, from one angle Manucci is seen operating the hand-held two way radio with his right hand. In the next cut, an angle from behind the driver, he is still heard speaking into the radio, but his right hand is on the wheel. It then cuts back to the other angle, and the radio reappears in his right hand.

Quotes:

Moon: [giving Vito a lot of cash] You'd have to cut up a shitpot full of stiffs for that kind of dough, undertaker.

Movie Connections:

Spin off from The French Connection (1971)

Best car chase, period.

It is now clear that the true golden age of American film was from the mid-60s until just before the release of Star Wars. Before then, there was too much Hays Code-constricted pap. With Star Wars, the green light was lit for most films to be directed at children and morons, a practice which continues to this day. THE SEVEN-UPS, truth be told, contains a couple hackneyed lines of dialogue -- "We can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way" is one -- but I'm damned if I can find anything else wrong with it. (In fact, that line may not even have been stale when this film was made.) THE SEVEN-UPS demonstrates all that was right with the best films of the golden age: sparse dialogue, realistic acting, real locations (winter in a dirty New York has never looked better/worse), propulsive stories, and, yes, the best car chase ever filmed. Bill Hickman is the driver Scheider is chasing (you will recognize him from Bullitt), and the structure of the chase is fairly similar to the McQueen one, but I prefer Scheider's facial intensity here, the pacing, the terrific close-ups of the schoolchildren, and the shattering conclusion. (That VW bug going about 2 mph always bothers me in the Bullitt chase.) A stringy, screechy score by Don Ellis sets the perfect mood. THE SEVEN UPS: bleak, grim, action-oriented, grown-up. This is a film that couldn't be made today; there's no "gimmick" for the kiddies or preposterous ending. Thank you, Philip D'Antoni, Roy Scheider and Tony Lo Bianco: for as long as cop films are watched, THE SEVEN-UPS and its 1970s brethren (e.g., THE FRENCH CONNECTION), will set the standard.