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IMDbPro

Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu

Original title: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
  • 19741974
  • K-16K-16
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
31K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,312
214
Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
In New York, armed men hijack a subway car and demand a ransom for the passengers. Even if it's paid, how could they get away?
Play trailer2:27
1 Video
78 Photos
ActionCrimeThriller

Four armed men hijack a New York City subway car and demand a ransom for the passengers. The city's police are faced with a conundrum: Even if it's paid, how could they get away?Four armed men hijack a New York City subway car and demand a ransom for the passengers. The city's police are faced with a conundrum: Even if it's paid, how could they get away?Four armed men hijack a New York City subway car and demand a ransom for the passengers. The city's police are faced with a conundrum: Even if it's paid, how could they get away?

IMDb RATING
7.6/10
31K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,312
214
  • Director
    • Joseph Sargent
  • Writers
    • John Godey(novel)
    • Peter Stone(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Walter Matthau
    • Robert Shaw
    • Martin Balsam
Top credits
  • Director
    • Joseph Sargent
  • Writers
    • John Godey(novel)
    • Peter Stone(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Walter Matthau
    • Robert Shaw
    • Martin Balsam
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 225User reviews
    • 113Critic reviews
    • 68Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
      • 3 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:27
    Official Trailer

    Photos78

    Walter Matthau in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
    Anna Berger, Thomas La Fleur, Eric O'Hanian, and Lucy Saroyan in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
    Robert Shaw and James Broderick in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
    Walter Matthau and Dick O'Neill in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
    Walter Matthau in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
    Robert Shaw in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
    Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo, Robert Shaw, and Earl Hindman in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
    Hector Elizondo in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
    Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
    Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
    Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)
    Walter Matthau in Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu (1974)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Walter Matthau
    Walter Matthau
    • Lt. Garber
    Robert Shaw
    Robert Shaw
    • Blue
    Martin Balsam
    Martin Balsam
    • Green
    Hector Elizondo
    Hector Elizondo
    • Grey
    Earl Hindman
    Earl Hindman
    • Brown
    James Broderick
    James Broderick
    • Denny Doyle
    Dick O'Neill
    Dick O'Neill
    • Correll
    Lee Wallace
    Lee Wallace
    • The Mayor
    Tom Pedi
    Tom Pedi
    • Caz Dolowicz
    Beatrice Winde
    • Mrs. Jenkins
    Jerry Stiller
    Jerry Stiller
    • Lt. Rico Patrone
    Nathan George
    Nathan George
    • Ptl. James
    Rudy Bond
    Rudy Bond
    • Police Commissioner
    Kenneth McMillan
    Kenneth McMillan
    • Borough Commander
    • (as Kenneth Mc Millan)
    Doris Roberts
    Doris Roberts
    • Mayor's Wife
    Julius Harris
    Julius Harris
    • Inspector Daniels
    Cynthia Belgrave
    • The Maid
    Anna Berger
    Anna Berger
    • The Mother
    • Director
      • Joseph Sargent
    • Writers
      • John Godey(novel)
      • Peter Stone(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In a TVO (Ontario, Canada) interview, the producer said that this film did terrific box office in New York, Toronto, London and Paris--all cities with subways--but was considered a flop in the rest of the world.
    • Goofs
      When the gang separates the train and backs it up to separate it from the train, the young conductor says in amazement, "I didn't know these things went backwards." Cute, but this is a very unlikely line from an apprentice conductor "studying to take the motorman's exam." Besides the usual running back and forth while making up trains in the yards, every subway car runs in both directions, because they usually do not turn the train around at the end of the line. Instead, the operator stops at the last station, walks from the former front to the former back, switches controls to the new "front end" and goes back the way he came. So all subway cars spend half of their life "going backwards," as any conductor would know.
    • Quotes

      Lt. Garber: [looking for the inspector] Inspector Daniels?

      Inspector Daniels: [identifying himself] Daniels.

      Lt. Garber: [realizing inspector Daniels is black] Oh, I, uh, thought you were, uh, like a shorter guy or... I don't know what I thought.

    • Crazy credits
      Although many of the scenes in this film were taken on transit property, the New York City Transit Authority is not responsible for plot, story and characters portrayed. The Authority did not render technical advice and assistance.
    • Connections
      Edited into Teräsmies III (1983)

    User reviews225

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Much imitated, never bettered.
    Modern tough-guy filmmakers like Quentin Tarentino acknowledge their debt to this pedal-to-the-metal thriller, directed by Joseph Sargent from John Godey's bestseller. Walter Matthau is a hoot as the savvy NY transit cop who's smarter than he looks, well-matched by Robert Shaw as the icy mercenary whose gang has hijacked a subway car for a one-million-dollar ransom.

    This film's been imitated so often because its makers were really at the top of their game. Owen Roizman (THE FRENCH CONNECTION) handled the gritty location photography; scripter Peter Stone contributed terse, funny dialogue; scene-stealers like Martin Balsam, Jerry Stiller, Dick O'Neill and others made their roles indelible; and David Shire's percussive score set a standard for the genre.

    The ending is classic. When you have Matthau as your star, this is how to end your movie.
    helpful•80
    14
    • jckruize
    • Oct 21, 2002

    FAQ7

    • Why are the passengers specifically designated in the credits but not in the movie itself?
    • What is 'The Taking of Pelham One Two Three' about?
    • Is "The Taking of Pelham" based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 7, 1975 (Finland)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • El tomar de Pelham uno dos tres
    • Filming locations
      • Gracie Mansion, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Palomar Pictures International
      • Palladium Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $5,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 44 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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